Overcrowding and Arlington - is it a reason to go private or seek out something different?

[Anonymous]

We personally haven't seen much impact of the school crowding. Yes, the schools appear to be bursting at the seams, but so far APS is doing a good job of keeping class sizes manageable.

What will the future bring? Who knows? I would argue for giving it a go and evaluating as you go along. And I think it's worth asking yourself, given that you are otherwise inclined to use public schools, whether the gain to your child from a couple fewer kids in class is worth $10-35k a year in private tuition. Only you can answer that.

[Anonymous]

School overcrowding is a separate issue than class size. (At least in APS, and at least so far, knock on wood.) Yes, the class sizes stay the same. They just build more trailers and convert more computer labs into windowless classrooms.

Things that don't change include the size and capacity of the cafeteria, size/capacity of multi-purpose rooms (a big pain for concerts, schoolwide events, etc.), size of halls, number of restrooms, drinking fountains, etc. Those things are where you really feel the crowded nature of the APS schools now.

--APS teacher

[Anonymous]

OP: How about moving out here now, plowing your tax dollars into the county sooner rather than later as against waiting to carpetbag, and hitting the county with another big spike in kindergartners which are, after all, what causes the overcrowding ... You're welcome, but it would be great if you didn't behave like the guy who shows up to T'giving dinner empty handed, then complains if there isn't enough food.

[Anonymous]

I have not seen any issues at my neighborhood Arlington elementary school that is 50% over capacity. As previously mentioned, the class sizes have been kept small (about 20 per class) by using trailers to increase the number of classes. My initial concern was that the school is hiring a lot of new, inexperienced teachers to lead the classes (my kid has had a new teacher the last 3 years), but my kid has loved her teachers and is really learning, so I cannot complain.

I think it does adversely effect lunch, PE, art, music, etc., since these activities were designed for a smaller school and could not be easily scaled to handle the increased number of students.

Where I really notice it is outside of school - classes (music, dance, swim, etc.) fill up in minutes due to the larger number of kids competing for the openings.

[Anonymous]

I also think the overcrowding helps promote the culture of competitiveness in Arlington. Arlington seems to be so much more competitive in regards to things like AAP and extra-cirriculars than DC and MoCo, and by competitive, I'm talking about parents trying to use their kids to one-up their neighbor and parents killing themselves to make sure their kid is the best and brightest. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just a different culture than you see elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What scares you about overcrowding?

Arlington has the lowest class sizes in all of NoVa and that's not changing anytime soon.

OP here - looking for reassurance that it's not a huge problem or at least not outside the norm for the region. There were some DCUM comments that made me pause, that's all.

There are many people who are jealous of Arlington schools and so try to knock them down here. Many of them are in neighboring Fairfax.

The only way the crowding has an impact is lunch time. Some kids eat earlier or later than maybe is optimal, but that's mitigated with snacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also think the overcrowding helps promote the culture of competitiveness in Arlington. Arlington seems to be so much more competitive in regards to things like AAP and extra-cirriculars than DC and MoCo, and by competitive, I'm talking about parents trying to use their kids to one-up their neighbor and parents killing themselves to make sure their kid is the best and brightest. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just a different culture than you see elsewhere.

Proof that you don't know what on earth you're prattling on about: There is no AAP in Arlington. Take a seat now.

[Anonymous]

Did I get called a Carpetbagger? Seriously?

[Anonymous]

If the board has decided to finally start moving on middle schools, that is fantastic. The biggest surge in students will be hitting MS in just as the new ES and additions come online. Another MS is sorely needed. You can't expand Swanson and Williamsburg is losing land to the ES.

[Anonymous]

Different angle: I learned and did so much better with 28 kids in class than 7.I had so much competition in class of 28 people, but was just dragging my feet in class of 7 since I did better than the others and wasn't required to do more. The class of 28 people had always had big class size since 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I called you a carpetbagger for planning to come out here and put your precious snowflake into the system when you need the services rather than paying into them. We have a $25 million shortfall out here, that's causing our taxes to go up because of the carpetbagging phenomenon. My kid's 5, too. I've lived here for 23 years ... I believe in supporting a good affordable community consistently, not just to better my own family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I called you a carpetbagger for planning to come out here and put your precious snowflake into the system when you need the services rather than paying into them. We have a $25 million shortfall out here, that's causing our taxes to go up because of the carpetbagging phenomenon. My kid's 5, too. I've lived here for 23 years ... I believe in supporting a good affordable community consistently, not just to better my own family.

You sound nutty. People move in and out of this area constantly. Take this "First Families of Arlington" nonsense elsewhere. And no one listens to anyone who uses terms like carpetbagger and snowflake, anyway.

[Anonymous]

You responded, ergo you're listening. People move in and out all the time, however, it's the super entitled people who move in just in time to benefit themselves who, drive me nuts ... Seriously, every freaking year, they have hire new teachers, and add k classes, all because people with your mentality can't be bothered to struggle with concepts like how moving at the 11th hour both deprives the county of the money it needs to pay for these oh so attractive schools, and results in the very overcrowding about which you purport to be concerned.

So, if I sound nutty, credit yourself your free rider mentality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I heard the school board has put off studying any new boundary adjustments. The boundaries will not change anytime soon.

In SOUTH Arlington, or potentially WRT high schools. Rezoning has already occurred for 7 schools in N Arlington and will take effect in the fall of 2015.

Wait, the middle and high school rezoning was to be decided Feb 2014. Has that been delayed or tabled?

[Anonymous]

Still loving the fact that you called me a carpetbagger! Haven't heard that term since the 4th grade. And shake your fist all you want, APS is what drives the property values in Arlington. Discouraging us carpetbaggers would not benefit your local economy even a little. In fact, it's those high property values that make it almost impossible for modest earners to live in Arlington, especially when we're just starting a family and struggling with child care costs. Make your community more affordable, and I'd gladly move there. But with the current cost of housing, even if I wanted to, I couldn't afford to live in Arlington for at least another year (and another bonus under our belt). You're lucky to have established roots in a community with good schools. But your good fortune doesn't make the rest of us cheats and moochers.