APS: New High School forum tonight 7-9 pm at Yorktown

[Anonymous]

I meant *the petition* - sorry, typing too fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are the survey results. Agree the survey was poorly designed.

http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Community-Feedback-School-Options-FINAL.pdf

Thank you for sharing. Interesting results. Wonder what impact it will have, if any.

[Anonymous]

APS has also released a small selection of the comments it received at the two high school community meetings on March 30 and April 4.

https://www.apsva.us/transfer-policy-revisions/what-we-heard/

I was at the Yorktown meeting though and I know there were many, many more comments than the ones presented here. I wonder why APS only selected some comments to present on its website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are the survey results. Agree the survey was poorly designed.

http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Community-Feedback-School-Options-FINAL.pdf

Thank you for sharing. Interesting results. Wonder what impact it will have, if any.

The staff are looking at it and saying "well, APS parents WANT choice high schools", never mind that the multiple questions about types of choice high schools sort of get you into tha tmindset before you get to that answer. They were confronted by a few parents at the last forum regarding the poor structure of the survey and the Assistant Superintendent was very defensive of it.

Interestingly, the same survey shows that parents prefer neighborhood schools to choice schools, but they're still pursuing options to create even more choice schools. There's no rhyme or reason.

[Anonymous]

For those of you who think the Carlin Springs site is workable, have you ever been there???? It isn't just the site of a current middle school, there is an elementary school across the street. How can the county want to have not just two, but three schools in that spot.

And, these schools are adjacent to a major commuter route - the traffic already back up to route 50 twice a day. Can you imagine what it would be like with thousands of more students at rush hour?? Between kenmore and the elementary school, that is 1500 or so students right next to the high school. How is that any different that much different that the situation at W-L?

[Anonymous]

Well, 1500 plus 1300 is 2800 - not 4000. You can stagger start times of the three schools.

Lander also mentioned exploring the possibility of exiting the campus via its western end - i.e., into Fairfax County - as a way of getting to Route 50 without going on Carlin Springs Rd.

[Anonymous]

Have any of the 3 candidates running for school board definitively come out in favor of one of the high school options? I've looked at their websites and can't find anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who think the Carlin Springs site is workable, have you ever been there???? It isn't just the site of a current middle school, there is an elementary school across the street. How can the county want to have not just two, but three schools in that spot.

And, these schools are adjacent to a major commuter route - the traffic already back up to route 50 twice a day. Can you imagine what it would be like with thousands of more students at rush hour?? Between kenmore and the elementary school, that is 1500 or so students right next to the high school. How is that any different that much different that the situation at W-L?

But that's not 1500 students that are part of the same school community, competing for spots in the band, newspaper, school play, etc.

I was at Kenmore earlier this week for a sports event and what stood out to me is that huge empty swath of grass between the parking lot and existing fields. I wonder if there is a way to have access to some of the schools centered on the opposite side.

[Anonymous]

I thought they'd move the MS from Kenmore?

[Anonymous]

If you look on Google maps, there is a way to exit out the western end of the campus that would take you quickly to Rte 50. I'm not sure if they need to establish some kind of right-of-way with Fairfax in order to divert school buses in that direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who think the Carlin Springs site is workable, have you ever been there???? It isn't just the site of a current middle school, there is an elementary school across the street. How can the county want to have not just two, but three schools in that spot.

And, these schools are adjacent to a major commuter route - the traffic already back up to route 50 twice a day. Can you imagine what it would be like with thousands of more students at rush hour?? Between kenmore and the elementary school, that is 1500 or so students right next to the high school. How is that any different that much different that the situation at W-L?

It's not. That's what everyone is saying. Traffic is already like this at W-L. It will increase traffic in any location that's proposed. None of the proposed sites are located far from other schools or neighbors. There's no such thing anymore. The traffic is NOT THAT BAD along Carlin Springs, and certainly not so much worse than any of the other proposed sites. I don't think this should be how we make the decision. The decision should be based on whether it's in the best interest of the entire county. Wherever it goes, the homeowners are going to be unhappy about an uptick of traffic. THAT IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO NOT BUILD THE SCHOOL THAT WE NEED so our kids don't have to take online courses or go to school in shifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who think the Carlin Springs site is workable, have you ever been there???? It isn't just the site of a current middle school, there is an elementary school across the street. How can the county want to have not just two, but three schools in that spot.

And, these schools are adjacent to a major commuter route - the traffic already back up to route 50 twice a day. Can you imagine what it would be like with thousands of more students at rush hour?? Between kenmore and the elementary school, that is 1500 or so students right next to the high school. How is that any different that much different that the situation at W-L?

1. Move the elementary start time to 9am
2. County put money towards major road improvements, including widening the street, protected turn lanes, etc
3. Explore alternative entrances to the school, including Lander's idea of an entrance off the western side

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought they'd move the MS from Kenmore?

Eventually, but first they have to build a new middle school for those students. Initially, the schools would be co-located. Then when they move the middle school students out, you'd be left with a 2300 seat high school. Same size as the other three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought they'd move the MS from Kenmore?

Eventually, assuming greater HS capacity is needed (which it will be). But they'd need to coexist for several years probably. Getting the HS seats built in time is not possible if you have to first relocate another school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought they'd move the MS from Kenmore?

If the VHC landswap goes through, take that land for the MS. School is still on Carlin Springs but slightly further down and with a different start time.