APS budget cuts - no MS sports or extracurriculars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/budget-cuts-could-imperil-arlington-middle-school-sports/article_db250602-8714-11eb-b396-0fa81fd8b40e.html

Most other public schools don’t have school funded sports. APS can easily go without. Kids can just do rec or travel sports on their own time.

It wasn’t very equitable anyway, since there was very limited slots in most sports, the only people who made the teams were people who already paid for private lessons (like tennis) or played on travel sports (soccer basketball). I think they had frisbee as the only walk on sport. The school system is too crowded to have distractions like MS Sports that only go to a select few.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

No, they do. My son’s best friend tried out for tennis, and he had had lessons and was a decent player, and was not given a spot. Middle school sports should not be this exclusive - where I grew up school sports, even at the middle school level, had the equivalent of a JV where anyone who showed up could participate, especially in their first year. It was complete BS. Let the semi-pros keep spending thousands of dollars a year for their private “teams” and let public school sports be for those who can’t spend the big bucks. And the extracurriculars in middle school are also very odd. I wanted my son to participate in something, and he said “these all stink” and when he showed me the options I had to agree. So I’m okay with them cutting funding. - what they have benefits only a small few now.

It’s not just about the rich kids, ffs. Lots of FARMS kids depend on after school activities to fill hours that they would otherwise be unsupervised.

APS has stated loudly and clearly that school is not child care.

DP. That doesn’t mean we as parents shouldn’t be concerned about these proposed cuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/budget-cuts-could-imperil-arlington-middle-school-sports/article_db250602-8714-11eb-b396-0fa81fd8b40e.html

Most other public schools don’t have school funded sports. APS can easily go without. Kids can just do rec or travel sports on their own time.

It wasn’t very equitable anyway, since there was very limited slots in most sports, the only people who made the teams were people who already paid for private lessons (like tennis) or played on travel sports (soccer basketball). I think they had frisbee as the only walk on sport. The school system is too crowded to have distractions like MS Sports that only go to a select few.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

No, they do. My son’s best friend tried out for tennis, and he had had lessons and was a decent player, and was not given a spot. Middle school sports should not be this exclusive - where I grew up school sports, even at the middle school level, had the equivalent of a JV where anyone who showed up could participate, especially in their first year. It was complete BS. Let the semi-pros keep spending thousands of dollars a year for their private “teams” and let public school sports be for those who can’t spend the big bucks. And the extracurriculars in middle school are also very odd. I wanted my son to participate in something, and he said “these all stink” and when he showed me the options I had to agree. So I’m okay with them cutting funding. - what they have benefits only a small few now.

It’s not just about the rich kids, ffs. Lots of FARMS kids depend on after school activities to fill hours that they would otherwise be unsupervised.

+1. Especially when you look beyond sports to clubs and to Act II I particular. For kids who would otherwise be unsupervised after school, these programs are huge for middle school parents. Attendance is generally mandatory for Act II programs, so a parent who is concerned about their kid being unsupervised, they could enroll their kid in Act II and effectively had it act like an extended day program with their middle school being enrolled in “daycare.”

Haven’t you been listening this year? School is not for child care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/budget-cuts-could-imperil-arlington-middle-school-sports/article_db250602-8714-11eb-b396-0fa81fd8b40e.html

Most other public schools don’t have school funded sports. APS can easily go without. Kids can just do rec or travel sports on their own time.

It wasn’t very equitable anyway, since there was very limited slots in most sports, the only people who made the teams were people who already paid for private lessons (like tennis) or played on travel sports (soccer basketball). I think they had frisbee as the only walk on sport. The school system is too crowded to have distractions like MS Sports that only go to a select few.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

No, they do. My son’s best friend tried out for tennis, and he had had lessons and was a decent player, and was not given a spot. Middle school sports should not be this exclusive - where I grew up school sports, even at the middle school level, had the equivalent of a JV where anyone who showed up could participate, especially in their first year. It was complete BS. Let the semi-pros keep spending thousands of dollars a year for their private “teams” and let public school sports be for those who can’t spend the big bucks. And the extracurriculars in middle school are also very odd. I wanted my son to participate in something, and he said “these all stink” and when he showed me the options I had to agree. So I’m okay with them cutting funding. - what they have benefits only a small few now.

It’s not just about the rich kids, ffs. Lots of FARMS kids depend on after school activities to fill hours that they would otherwise be unsupervised.

APS has stated loudly and clearly that school is not child care.

DP. That doesn’t mean we as parents shouldn’t be concerned about these proposed cuts.

Back to OP’s question: What should be cut instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/budget-cuts-could-imperil-arlington-middle-school-sports/article_db250602-8714-11eb-b396-0fa81fd8b40e.html

Most other public schools don’t have school funded sports. APS can easily go without. Kids can just do rec or travel sports on their own time.

It wasn’t very equitable anyway, since there was very limited slots in most sports, the only people who made the teams were people who already paid for private lessons (like tennis) or played on travel sports (soccer basketball). I think they had frisbee as the only walk on sport. The school system is too crowded to have distractions like MS Sports that only go to a select few.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

No, they do. My son’s best friend tried out for tennis, and he had had lessons and was a decent player, and was not given a spot. Middle school sports should not be this exclusive - where I grew up school sports, even at the middle school level, had the equivalent of a JV where anyone who showed up could participate, especially in their first year. It was complete BS. Let the semi-pros keep spending thousands of dollars a year for their private “teams” and let public school sports be for those who can’t spend the big bucks. And the extracurriculars in middle school are also very odd. I wanted my son to participate in something, and he said “these all stink” and when he showed me the options I had to agree. So I’m okay with them cutting funding. - what they have benefits only a small few now.

It’s not just about the rich kids, ffs. Lots of FARMS kids depend on after school activities to fill hours that they would otherwise be unsupervised.

Except that they can’t get in. There were two act 2 items in my kid’s school. The clubs all seemed to be Legos and girl power. The theatrical performance had a cut list. Publicly funded programs should find a way to put everyone in the chorus or on tech crew. They should send everyone to the Guggenheim building that serves 225 middle schoolers which is where all the APS money went to use their facilities. Where were all your crocodile tears for “the FARMS kids” when that monstrosity was being built?

[Anonymous]

Cip budget is different from the operating budget. I really can’t tell if the person saying who cares is a troll or not.

At my kids middle school, there are over 100 after school clubs that range from five different types of book clubs for different genres to ultimate frisbee to intramural sports (which are no cut) to school team sports (of which tennis is not an option— pretty sure that story is not aps). These benefit literally thousands of kids. This is what they choose to cut?

How about cutting:
- the 1m of added budget to the superintendents office
- half the planning staff
- the new chief operating officer position (and its secretary and its offices budget)

This is a no brainer here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cip budget is different from the operating budget. I really can’t tell if the person saying who cares is a troll or not.

At my kids middle school, there are over 100 after school clubs that range from five different types of book clubs for different genres to ultimate frisbee to intramural sports (which are no cut) to school team sports (of which tennis is not an option— pretty sure that story is not aps). These benefit literally thousands of kids. This is what they choose to cut?

How about cutting:
- the 1m of added budget to the superintendents office
- half the planning staff
- the new chief operating officer position (and its secretary and its offices budget)

This is a no brainer here.

What middle school is this? DHMS has like 7 clubs and one of the sports was tennis.

Yes capital and operating are different budgets, but the county only give so much fungible cash, and we blew it all on a fancy exclusive HB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cip budget is different from the operating budget. I really can’t tell if the person saying who cares is a troll or not.

At my kids middle school, there are over 100 after school clubs that range from five different types of book clubs for different genres to ultimate frisbee to intramural sports (which are no cut) to school team sports (of which tennis is not an option— pretty sure that story is not aps). These benefit literally thousands of kids. This is what they choose to cut?

How about cutting:
- the 1m of added budget to the superintendents office
- half the planning staff
- the new chief operating officer position (and its secretary and its offices budget)

This is a no brainer here.

What middle school is this? DHMS has like 7 clubs and one of the sports was tennis.

Yes capital and operating are different budgets, but the county only give so much fungible cash, and we blew it all on a fancy exclusive HB.

Yes, staff cuts should be considered b/c they are running district into ground. Unaddressed overcrowding. Mismanaged funds on capital expenses. On and on.

[Anonymous]

These cuts will never happen. It’s just a way to scare people so when the real less scary cuts happen we will all go “phew that wasn’t so bad”

[Anonymous]

—dhms was in its first year of existence. It takes time for kids and teachers to establish clubs. Typically kids start clubs with teacher sponsors.
-act 2 is a great benefit of allowing kids to take electives they otherwise don’t have time for. If your kid does band for example they never get to take hoke ex or drama. Act 2 allows that.
-most other APS middle schools have lots of clubs such as model UN, robotics, yearbook, best buddies, etc. and coaching the sports teams. The money goes to pay for teacher sponsors. Stop expecting teachers to work extra for free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:—dhms was in its first year of existence. It takes time for kids and teachers to establish clubs. Typically kids start clubs with teacher sponsors.
-act 2 is a great benefit of allowing kids to take electives they otherwise don’t have time for. If your kid does band for example they never get to take hoke ex or drama. Act 2 allows that.
-most other APS middle schools have lots of clubs such as model UN, robotics, yearbook, best buddies, etc. and coaching the sports teams. The money goes to pay for teacher sponsors. Stop expecting teachers to work extra for free.

Sure you could argue clubs take time, but they could have front loaded a lot more.

The cut sports and limited options for any but the best players is inexcusable. We need JV/rec sports at the school, not just for kids who already have years of experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cip budget is different from the operating budget. I really can’t tell if the person saying who cares is a troll or not.

At my kids middle school, there are over 100 after school clubs that range from five different types of book clubs for different genres to ultimate frisbee to intramural sports (which are no cut) to school team sports (of which tennis is not an option— pretty sure that story is not aps). These benefit literally thousands of kids. This is what they choose to cut?

How about cutting:
- the 1m of added budget to the superintendents office
- half the planning staff
- the new chief operating officer position (and its secretary and its offices budget)

This is a no brainer here.

I agree with you, but no one is going to agree with getting rid of the new equity officers in the superintendent’s office. Woke=broke, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Can the school board stop this insanity? If they can’t, what really is the point of them? Serious question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can the school board stop this insanity? If they can’t, what really is the point of them? Serious question.

NVD is strongly encouraging people to fight this, saying that staff have not only presented these specific cuts for years, but have pressured people not to talk about them. The board needs to hear the opposition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These cuts will never happen. It’s just a way to scare people so when the real less scary cuts happen we will all go “phew that wasn’t so bad”

Isnt that what people thought when this happened with FLES? Then all the parents had all the rage when they figured out elementary schools would no longer learn Spanish?

[Anonymous]

The amount of new money being spent on Central Office in this budget is horrendous. Duran already added a Chief of Staff, and now he also wants to add a Chief Operating Officer-- which, as someone else noted, also means a secretary and other staff to support that new office. It is time to cut the Central Office bloat. If Duran can't deliver, it is because APS has had incompetent people like Loft and Chadwick in Asst Superintendent roles for too long. Duran needs to get his existing house in order before he comes begging for new staff. I might have more sympathy for the cuts he is trying to make if he wasn't increasing the budget for Central Office at the same time.