ASFS Boundary Change -- Any insight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is going to cascade through several other schools. My guess is that some McKinley PUs get shifted to Ashlawn once Ashlawn loses PUs to Science Focus. Another wild card is whatever happens to Reed. If it is a neighborhood school, then we'll get boundary changes again in two more years. I'm guessing APS will say that is one more reason to make Reed a choice school.

Where are the Ashlawn planning units that you think would shift to ASFS? Seems too far away.

South of washington blvd right down kirkwood is zoned from Ashlawn, that maybe within 0.5 miles of the school.

Exactly-- look at the ES boundary map. Ashlawn has some of the craziest boundaries in the entire county, except maybe that one northern McKinley PU that was originally supposed to go to Nottingham.

http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ESZones_Letter_2017.pdf

As part of this process, I think it is also possible that some of Glebe shifts to Discovery or Nottingham, and some of Taylor shifts to Glebe. Nottingham, Discovery, and Jamestown have the most space in North Arlington, so I've got to think they will try to shift some more kids there as part of this process-- which means cascading boundary changes for almost everyone in North Arlington (except maybe Tuckahoe).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Well this whole key neighborhood-> lottery and team dissolution came out of NOWHERE. And the results are likely the most over capacity school in APS if they delay re zoning. For example we might move to a new place if we are going to be zoned for Long Branch anyways bc that would afford a much nicer house.

um- no it didn't? The school board listed the changes to the options and transfers policy on its agenda starting last school year 2015/2016. Then they had an incredibly open community discussion about this. A quick change to the policy was to get rid of the neighborhood preferences for options schools. I'm not sure what else APS could have done to publicize this.

Exactly, the major impact was from the "quick change". Almost feels like a bait-and-switch.

how on earth is that a bait and switch?????? Seriously- I don't understand how you could think that. The old policy had the neighborhood preference. One of the first questions asked by APS to the public in the 'getting started' meetings was what about preferences- http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Getting-Started-Meetings-02-22-17-final.pdf.
The community surveys overwhelmingly supported getting rid of those preferences.

My point was that the agenda item did not mention the neighborhood preference elimination (and the subsequent tidal wave of students zoned for ASFS); that was only apparent later with your 'quick change.' They can change the policy and then plan accordingly to ensure balanced size schools across APS, but they chose not to and are gambling to do this cascaded re-zoning for over half a dozen schools within a year.

[Anonymous]

Likely the boundary process will be similar to all the others. APS will come out with a few alternatives, they will put online the boundary tool that will let the community come up with scenarios. And then whichever groups scream the loudest will get their way.

The SB has now said they'll need to rezone pretty much all of north Arlington. Regardless of whether Reed is choice or neighborhood, the breakup of the team school concept plus the screw-up at McKinley (which as of this week is already confirmed to have over 750 students next fall) mean they need to re-balance. It's not just a matter of ASFS getting a bunch of new kids. Unless you are in a planning until adjacent to a school, I wouldn't be certain that your's isn't potentially on the table for moving. Nottingham, Jamestown, and Discovery all have space.

Typically 5th graders are grandfathered, and younger siblings of concurrently enrolled students. If your 5th grader moves to MS before your younger one enters K, then the grandfathering doesn't apply. Sometimes they also only grandfather siblings if the siblings are in 3rd or 4th grade, but much younger siblings must move within a year or two.

[Anonymous]

I here ASFS families concerned that this change will swarm their school with new students since the dissolution of the team/making ASFS a neighborhood school will happen 1 year before the boundary changes are implemented. That is not what will happen. They have said that no students will be moved from their existing schools as a result of the new transfer/enrollment policy so ASFS is really only looking at the change impacting one year of kindergartners. They will need to accommodate a larger K class for that year. The next year the boundary changes will be effective for all the schools. One thing that isn't clear to me -- will the boundary changes apply to all grades except 5th grade or only to new incoming students. The latter is less disruptive to the school communities but will be much slower to fix the capacity problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I here ASFS families concerned that this change will swarm their school with new students since the dissolution of the team/making ASFS a neighborhood school will happen 1 year before the boundary changes are implemented. That is not what will happen. They have said that no students will be moved from their existing schools as a result of the new transfer/enrollment policy so ASFS is really only looking at the change impacting one year of kindergartners. They will need to accommodate a larger K class for that year. The next year the boundary changes will be effective for all the schools. One thing that isn't clear to me -- will the boundary changes apply to all grades except 5th grade or only to new incoming students. The latter is less disruptive to the school communities but will be much slower to fix the capacity problems.

Boundary changes typically impact right away as opposed to phasing in.

[Anonymous]

Here's a grandfathering question I'd been wondering about. Let's say you have a rising 5th grader (A), a rising 2nd grader (B) and one in pre-K (C)(not in APS schools). The rising 2nd (B) would get grandfathered with the rising 5th (A). By the time the 3rd kid(C) is ready for APS schools, the first sibling(A) will be long gone, but the 2nd sibling(B) will still be in that school. So, does grandfathering extend or will sibling 3(C) have to go to the new school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a grandfathering question I'd been wondering about. Let's say you have a rising 5th grader (A), a rising 2nd grader (B) and one in pre-K (C)(not in APS schools). The rising 2nd (B) would get grandfathered with the rising 5th (A). By the time the 3rd kid(C) is ready for APS schools, the first sibling(A) will be long gone, but the 2nd sibling(B) will still be in that school. So, does grandfathering extend or will sibling 3(C) have to go to the new school.

AFAIK, they have not put a deadline on the grandfathering clause, so sibling 3 would be allowed to enroll wherever sibling 2 is enrolled. But if sibling 3 were an infant now and would not be entering K until sibling 2 was in 6th grade, no dice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a grandfathering question I'd been wondering about. Let's say you have a rising 5th grader (A), a rising 2nd grader (B) and one in pre-K (C)(not in APS schools). The rising 2nd (B) would get grandfathered with the rising 5th (A). By the time the 3rd kid(C) is ready for APS schools, the first sibling(A) will be long gone, but the 2nd sibling(B) will still be in that school. So, does grandfathering extend or will sibling 3(C) have to go to the new school.

I'm 12:55. IIRC from the last major redistricting a few years ago, in that circumstance, by 4th grade child B would have to go to the new school as would child C. The family isn't permanently grandfathered. Someone may correct me, but that's my recollection.

[Anonymous]

They'll have to redistrict but it's pathetic. Our house has been redistricted three times in the 6 years we've been there. Our kid is in K, so she hasn't been moved. But seriously, we could have told you (and did tell the SB) that the current boundary zones made no sense.

[Anonymous]

Slightly OT, but can someone explain the origin of the team concept (Taylor, Jamestown, ASFS etc.) that is now being dismantled? What was it supposed to accomplish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ASFS families are determined to worry when there is no basis for concern.

1. All current ASFS students are considered 'transfers'. The recently passed school board policy stated that all current students, and all students enrolled in the next year, as well as their siblings are considered grandfathered. Thus, no matter what happens to the boundaries no current students will have to leave ASFS.

2. The most recent discussion from the school board is that it will open up all elementary boundaries for 2019. No one knows what will happen.

That's a little condescending. As the third most-crowded APS elementary school (already 120% capacity) the concerns about increasing #s and boundaries are certainly warranted.

Well this whole key neighborhood-> lottery and team dissolution came out of NOWHERE. And the results are likely the most over capacity school in APS if they delay re zoning. For example we might move to a new place if we are going to be zoned for Long Branch anyways bc that would afford a much nicer house.

You can try, but I'm sure other families may come to that same conclusion as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a grandfathering question I'd been wondering about. Let's say you have a rising 5th grader (A), a rising 2nd grader (B) and one in pre-K (C)(not in APS schools). The rising 2nd (B) would get grandfathered with the rising 5th (A). By the time the 3rd kid(C) is ready for APS schools, the first sibling(A) will be long gone, but the 2nd sibling(B) will still be in that school. So, does grandfathering extend or will sibling 3(C) have to go to the new school.

I'm 12:55. IIRC from the last major redistricting a few years ago, in that circumstance, by 4th grade child B would have to go to the new school as would child C. The family isn't permanently grandfathered. Someone may correct me, but that's my recollection.

That makes sense. Part of allowing grandfathering at the elementary school level is for parents not to have to stretch themselves too thinly between two different schools during the same school year. If child B is already in middle school by the time C starts K, the need for grandfathering goes away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I here ASFS families concerned that this change will swarm their school with new students since the dissolution of the team/making ASFS a neighborhood school will happen 1 year before the boundary changes are implemented. That is not what will happen. They have said that no students will be moved from their existing schools as a result of the new transfer/enrollment policy so ASFS is really only looking at the change impacting one year of kindergartners. They will need to accommodate a larger K class for that year. The next year the boundary changes will be effective for all the schools. One thing that isn't clear to me -- will the boundary changes apply to all grades except 5th grade or only to new incoming students. The latter is less disruptive to the school communities but will be much slower to fix the capacity problems.

Boundary changes typically impact right away as opposed to phasing in.

This will really suck. My DC1 is starting K at Taylor this fall. We live in Cherrydale, and I really, really hope we do not have to transfer to ASFS in 2019.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I here ASFS families concerned that this change will swarm their school with new students since the dissolution of the team/making ASFS a neighborhood school will happen 1 year before the boundary changes are implemented. That is not what will happen. They have said that no students will be moved from their existing schools as a result of the new transfer/enrollment policy so ASFS is really only looking at the change impacting one year of kindergartners. They will need to accommodate a larger K class for that year. The next year the boundary changes will be effective for all the schools. One thing that isn't clear to me -- will the boundary changes apply to all grades except 5th grade or only to new incoming students. The latter is less disruptive to the school communities but will be much slower to fix the capacity problems.

Boundary changes typically impact right away as opposed to phasing in.

This will really suck. My DC1 is starting K at Taylor this fall. We live in Cherrydale, and I really, really hope we do not have to transfer to ASFS in 2019.

You should really count on it, but it is a good school and walking distance so that was very nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I here ASFS families concerned that this change will swarm their school with new students since the dissolution of the team/making ASFS a neighborhood school will happen 1 year before the boundary changes are implemented. That is not what will happen. They have said that no students will be moved from their existing schools as a result of the new transfer/enrollment policy so ASFS is really only looking at the change impacting one year of kindergartners. They will need to accommodate a larger K class for that year. The next year the boundary changes will be effective for all the schools. One thing that isn't clear to me -- will the boundary changes apply to all grades except 5th grade or only to new incoming students. The latter is less disruptive to the school communities but will be much slower to fix the capacity problems.

Boundary changes typically impact right away as opposed to phasing in.

This will really suck. My DC1 is starting K at Taylor this fall. We live in Cherrydale, and I really, really hope we do not have to transfer to ASFS in 2019.

I don't think this will happen. This boundary change is likely to be phased in since it does not coincide with a new school that needs to be filled immediately. To quote the superintendent, "If you're in, you're in." They'll probably allow families who want to move immediately, but I don't think they will force anyone.