ATS lottery 2021

[Anonymous]

That's what I read too. And they are planning to leave the 6 trailers on site but empty. I don't understand not maximizing ATS next year. There are wait lists at all grade levels.

[Anonymous]

I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

[Anonymous]

#214 here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I found the Superintendent's Update from April 15. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Annual-Update-Posted-Apr-19-202138.pdf

Look at the table on the bottom of page 4 and the related discussion. They are not planning to add classrooms at any grades other than preK and K. They might be planning to slowly grow the program over time by adding a 5th K class going forward, but they could fill that building now. There are waitlists at other grades. I don't think it's acceptable for next year with distancing being a concern to leave a highly in demand program like ATS underenrolled while neighborhood schools are over capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I found the Superintendent's Update from April 15. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Annual-Update-Posted-Apr-19-202138.pdf

Look at the table on the bottom of page 4 and the related discussion. They are not planning to add classrooms at any grades other than preK and K. They might be planning to slowly grow the program over time by adding a 5th K class going forward, but they could fill that building now. There are waitlists at other grades. I don't think it's acceptable for next year with distancing being a concern to leave a highly in demand program like ATS underenrolled while neighborhood schools are over capacity.

I'm an ATS parent, and I agree. If there's space in the McKinley building, they should definitely add more classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I found the Superintendent's Update from April 15. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Annual-Update-Posted-Apr-19-202138.pdf

Look at the table on the bottom of page 4 and the related discussion. They are not planning to add classrooms at any grades other than preK and K. They might be planning to slowly grow the program over time by adding a 5th K class going forward, but they could fill that building now. There are waitlists at other grades. I don't think it's acceptable for next year with distancing being a concern to leave a highly in demand program like ATS underenrolled while neighborhood schools are over capacity.

I guarantee they will add a K every year moving forward until the building is full. Remember, they’d have to staff these classrooms, and it is probably easier to do that gradually over the next few years rather than hire a whole batch of new teachers all in one year, when there’s already a teacher shortage (same reason it would be hard to reassign teachers from other schools). Not an ATS parent, and not on a waitlist, so I don’t care. But I think this is the reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I found the Superintendent's Update from April 15. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Annual-Update-Posted-Apr-19-202138.pdf

Look at the table on the bottom of page 4 and the related discussion. They are not planning to add classrooms at any grades other than preK and K. They might be planning to slowly grow the program over time by adding a 5th K class going forward, but they could fill that building now. There are waitlists at other grades. I don't think it's acceptable for next year with distancing being a concern to leave a highly in demand program like ATS underenrolled while neighborhood schools are over capacity.

I guarantee they will add a K every year moving forward until the building is full. Remember, they’d have to staff these classrooms, and it is probably easier to do that gradually over the next few years rather than hire a whole batch of new teachers all in one year, when there’s already a teacher shortage (same reason it would be hard to reassign teachers from other schools). Not an ATS parent, and not on a waitlist, so I don’t care. But I think this is the reason.

With respect, that's not something the neighborhood schools have the luxury of spacing out so that they don't have to deal with increased capacity all at once. I also don't have a connection to ATS. I just think that the goal of moving programs around and building new schools should be to balance enrollment across all schools. Not someday, but now - to the greatest extent possible.

[Anonymous]

I wonder what actual capacity at McKinley is? I live nearby (but assigned to Tuckahoe) and everyone always complained that the common areas were terribly overcrowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what actual capacity at McKinley is? I live nearby (but assigned to Tuckahoe) and everyone always complained that the common areas were terribly overcrowded.

APS says 684. And there are 6 trailers on site that aren't being moved.

What is ATS's current population?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what actual capacity at McKinley is? I live nearby (but assigned to Tuckahoe) and everyone always complained that the common areas were terribly overcrowded.

APS says 684. And there are 6 trailers on site that aren't being moved.

What is ATS's current population?

609 now (was 618 in September), so an extra VPI and K class would get you most of the way there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I found the Superintendent's Update from April 15. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Annual-Update-Posted-Apr-19-202138.pdf

Look at the table on the bottom of page 4 and the related discussion. They are not planning to add classrooms at any grades other than preK and K. They might be planning to slowly grow the program over time by adding a 5th K class going forward, but they could fill that building now. There are waitlists at other grades. I don't think it's acceptable for next year with distancing being a concern to leave a highly in demand program like ATS underenrolled while neighborhood schools are over capacity.

I guarantee they will add a K every year moving forward until the building is full. Remember, they’d have to staff these classrooms, and it is probably easier to do that gradually over the next few years rather than hire a whole batch of new teachers all in one year, when there’s already a teacher shortage (same reason it would be hard to reassign teachers from other schools). Not an ATS parent, and not on a waitlist, so I don’t care. But I think this is the reason.

With respect, that's not something the neighborhood schools have the luxury of spacing out so that they don't have to deal with increased capacity all at once. I also don't have a connection to ATS. I just think that the goal of moving programs around and building new schools should be to balance enrollment across all schools. Not someday, but now - to the greatest extent possible.

Right, which is why you don’t divert teachers to a population that you can control. Drew isn’t close to full, and that’s the real reason capacity isn’t balanced for the most crowded ES. The SB wouldn’t touch the third rail and move kids from Abingdon to Drew. And parents wouldn’t volunteer. Period, the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought at a recent PTA meeting the principal said something about getting kids off the waitlist at every grade, but I doubt it will be a ton.

I did back of notebook math and they could add a class to almost every grade and fill the McK building without trailers. 4 classes is 100 roughly 25 to a class, add to it's current 650 and boom, much greater capacity. The waitlist is long enough in all grades for this to happen. I didn't do all grades b/c they already announced 5 K classes for next year and next year's 3rd grade is already at 5.

If they leave the trailers empty it's probably b/c the building can't hold more kids. The lunch room is small and so is the playground ...and there is only one. For an 800 kid school, (750 w/o trailer) there should be two, spaced far apart.

** all numbers approximated in this post but should be pretty close to right.

It seems like they should be adding more than one preK and one K class. It doesn't make sense to have this program underenrolled when we have overcrowded schools.

That's exactly what I'm saying. it think they are going to add a 5th first, 5th second, 5th 4th and 5th 5th. However, I haven't seen that stated anywhere nor have I looked at the waitlist. If the 5th grade waitlist is near 0, then they did bring in a 5th 5th b/c last year's 5th waitlist was in the 60s or maybe heigher.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

I found the Superintendent's Update from April 15. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-Annual-Update-Posted-Apr-19-202138.pdf

Look at the table on the bottom of page 4 and the related discussion. They are not planning to add classrooms at any grades other than preK and K. They might be planning to slowly grow the program over time by adding a 5th K class going forward, but they could fill that building now. There are waitlists at other grades. I don't think it's acceptable for next year with distancing being a concern to leave a highly in demand program like ATS underenrolled while neighborhood schools are over capacity.

I guarantee they will add a K every year moving forward until the building is full. Remember, they’d have to staff these classrooms, and it is probably easier to do that gradually over the next few years rather than hire a whole batch of new teachers all in one year, when there’s already a teacher shortage (same reason it would be hard to reassign teachers from other schools). Not an ATS parent, and not on a waitlist, so I don’t care. But I think this is the reason.

With respect, that's not something the neighborhood schools have the luxury of spacing out so that they don't have to deal with increased capacity all at once. I also don't have a connection to ATS. I just think that the goal of moving programs around and building new schools should be to balance enrollment across all schools. Not someday, but now - to the greatest extent possible.

Right, which is why you don’t divert teachers to a population that you can control. Drew isn’t close to full, and that’s the real reason capacity isn’t balanced for the most crowded ES. The SB wouldn’t touch the third rail and move kids from Abingdon to Drew. And parents wouldn’t volunteer. Period, the end.

Absolutely. The community was racist and the SB was cowardly and hypocritical. Abingdon is rightly suffering from overcrowding now. No sympathy there. But there are other overcrowded schools, that's all. If APS is adding capacity close to the building capacity then that's fine.