LAST APS meeting on new high school and countywide rezoning (4/4, 7 pm Yorktown)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended the last meeting at Yorktown. Still smh at half the stuff I heard. One guy literally yelled out, "I don't care about any of this! The only thing that matters is that my daughter doesn't have to go to Washington-Lee with 4,000 kids!!" Another lady says, with a straight face, "You cannot open up Key to the entire county! We go to Science Focus, and we NEED that school to relieve our overcrowding! Have you seen what's happening at Taylor and SFS? We have to have 3 neighborhood schools!!"

"We have to have 3 neighborhood schools." Basically, I don't care about immersion. I don't really care about any of the children at Key. They only exist to relieve overcrowding at my kid's school. And the W-L guy? Basically told us if thousands of other kids in the county have to get stuffed into trailers and closets for his daughter to experience a pristine high school experience ...well, it is what it is.

Is anyone paying attention to the demographic trends? We live in Arlington. Outside of Discovery and maybe a couple others, every school is on track to be overcrowded. We all chose to live in a geographically small, fairly urban suburb that's continuing to grow. There won't be anywhere to ship all these "other" kids so "your" school is untouched by these facts.

Well, but this lady indirectly hit the nail on the head; the current policy serves only to self-segregate non-English speaking Hispanics out of the more "precious schools" close by, so that they have less freshly immigrated Hispanic kids. She said it, and that's exactly what it is right now.
The county has got to mix up the demographics at each school, and the proposal is a step in the right direction.

Huh? Currently, kids in the Key/ASFS boundary zone can choose either school. They aren't forced to go to Key at all. The only restriction is that after 1st grade only bilingual kids can transfer to Key. Everyone at Key is choosing to be at Key.

Self segregation in that sense meaning that a large number of Hispanic families are, of course, happily, choosing Key, and thus, less of them are going to ASF, and less of them are ending up at the other nearby elementaries (via Hispanics choosing Key over their neighborhood).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the pp misunderstood the WL guy. My kids won't be at that school, but I do think a 4,000 student school is a very bad idea. Even if APS increases IB and adds other programs,, WL will still be their home school. Thanks means 4,000 kids FS for 1 sports team, 1 school play, 1 debate team, etc. it will be hurt the students and this dumb 9th grade academy is just a way to make parents this their kid is getting a special deal when they are really just getting cheated out of a regular HS experience.

Maybe your kids aren't the right ages for when this wave of kids hits hs but others do realize that this isn't based on the current hs boundaries right? Earlier slides mention that if it is an additional 1300 seat scool the would draw equally among the 3 hs zones with the kids returning back to their neighborhood school for sports-like hb does now. Or if they turned it into a 9th grade academy it would be limited to just wl zoned 9th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the pp misunderstood the WL guy. My kids won't be at that school, but I do think a 4,000 student school is a very bad idea. Even if APS increases IB and adds other programs,, WL will still be their home school. Thanks means 4,000 kids FS for 1 sports team, 1 school play, 1 debate team, etc. it will be hurt the students and this dumb 9th grade academy is just a way to make parents this their kid is getting a special deal when they are really just getting cheated out of a regular HS experience.

Maybe your kids aren't the right ages for when this wave of kids hits hs but others do realize that this isn't based on the current hs boundaries right? Earlier slides mention that if it is an additional 1300 seat scool the would draw equally among the 3 hs zones with the kids returning back to their neighborhood school for sports-like hb does now. Or if they turned it into a 9th grade academy it would be limited to just wl zoned 9th graders.

It's an outrage that Arlington, as wealthy as it is, cannot build a fourth NORMAL high school for grades 9-12. This county sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the pp misunderstood the WL guy. My kids won't be at that school, but I do think a 4,000 student school is a very bad idea. Even if APS increases IB and adds other programs,, WL will still be their home school. Thanks means 4,000 kids FS for 1 sports team, 1 school play, 1 debate team, etc. it will be hurt the students and this dumb 9th grade academy is just a way to make parents this their kid is getting a special deal when they are really just getting cheated out of a regular HS experience.

Maybe your kids aren't the right ages for when this wave of kids hits hs but others do realize that this isn't based on the current hs boundaries right? Earlier slides mention that if it is an additional 1300 seat school they would draw equally among the 3 hs zones with the kids returning back to their neighborhood school for sports-like hb does now. Or if they turned it into a 9th grade academy it would not be limited to just wl zoned 9th graders.

Sorry. Fixed above text. Typing on phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

How are the neighborhood schools in S Arlington not diverse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

How are the neighborhood schools in S Arlington not diverse?

Really? A school that is almost entirely immigrant and poor isn't diverse.

[Anonymous]

Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

Sorry, but you knew the situation when you chose to buy there. It's pretty obvious to observers that the choice system is the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

Sorry, but you knew the situation when you chose to buy there. It's pretty obvious to observers that the choice system is the problem.

Sorry, you McKinley parents knew that school was crowded when you bought. If you don't like it move. Reed is going to be choice..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the pp misunderstood the WL guy. My kids won't be at that school, but I do think a 4,000 student school is a very bad idea. Even if APS increases IB and adds other programs,, WL will still be their home school. Thanks means 4,000 kids FS for 1 sports team, 1 school play, 1 debate team, etc. it will be hurt the students and this dumb 9th grade academy is just a way to make parents this their kid is getting a special deal when they are really just getting cheated out of a regular HS experience.

Maybe your kids aren't the right ages for when this wave of kids hits hs but others do realize that this isn't based on the current hs boundaries right? Earlier slides mention that if it is an additional 1300 seat scool the would draw equally among the 3 hs zones with the kids returning back to their neighborhood school for sports-like hb does now. Or if they turned it into a 9th grade academy it would be limited to just wl zoned 9th graders.

It's an outrage that Arlington, as wealthy as it is, cannot build a fourth NORMAL high school for grades 9-12. This county sucks.

Agree++. Studies show when a HS tips over 3k students, academics go down.

I just got a 6-page advertisement/County flier about all of the Affordable Housing initiatives and all the new buildings going up to house it...and they can't provide enough f@cking schools. The proposal for the new school at TJ show another over-the-top Discovery type thing...waste of $$$$---they could streamline that project.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, OP, for the very good summary. I honestly am okay with most of the proposed changes except don't want a 3500-4000 student high school.

+1

That's crazy.

Ditto. Ridiculous. Parents really need to raise a stink about this, because from school board comments it sure seems like this is what they want to do. I get the sense that the district employees are sincere about wanting feedback but that the board has made up their minds. Easier for them to cram 3500 kids on one campus rather than go through the drama of redistricting into 4 school zones. But I don't want my kids in a grade with 800-900 kids.

Can you just imagine that graduation ceremony??? Holy f@@ck--thank god I loved from A T last name to B when I married!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the pp misunderstood the WL guy. My kids won't be at that school, but I do think a 4,000 student school is a very bad idea. Even if APS increases IB and adds other programs,, WL will still be their home school. Thanks means 4,000 kids FS for 1 sports team, 1 school play, 1 debate team, etc. it will be hurt the students and this dumb 9th grade academy is just a way to make parents this their kid is getting a special deal when they are really just getting cheated out of a regular HS experience.

Maybe your kids aren't the right ages for when this wave of kids hits hs but others do realize that this isn't based on the current hs boundaries right? Earlier slides mention that if it is an additional 1300 seat scool the would draw equally among the 3 hs zones with the kids returning back to their neighborhood school for sports-like hb does now. Or if they turned it into a 9th grade academy it would be limited to just wl zoned 9th graders.

It's an outrage that Arlington, as wealthy as it is, cannot build a fourth NORMAL high school for grades 9-12. This county sucks.

Agree++. Studies show when a HS tips over 3k students, academics go down.

I just got a 6-page advertisement/County flier about all of the Affordable Housing initiatives and all the new buildings going up to house it...and they can't provide enough f@cking schools. The proposal for the new school at TJ show another over-the-top Discovery type thing...waste of $$$$---they could streamline that project.

Right. The precious snowflakes of north Arlington get their slide, but when the south side gets their school- time to trim the fat. Gotcha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

How are the neighborhood schools in S Arlington not diverse?

Really? A school that is almost entirely immigrant and poor isn't diverse.

They would be more "diverse" if white/affluent people stopped sending their kids to Choice schools and invested in Neighborhood schools. If APS ended Choice, we would likely see a huge turnaround at some of the schools that have struggled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

How are the neighborhood schools in S Arlington not diverse?

Really? A school that is almost entirely immigrant and poor isn't diverse.

They would be more "diverse" if white/affluent people stopped sending their kids to Choice schools and invested in Neighborhood schools. If APS ended Choice, we would likely see a huge turnaround at some of the schools that have struggled.

Keep dreaming buttercup, or read a map sometime. The struggling elementaries of south Arlington have 1000's of units of low income housing zoned to them. There is no way to achieve any sort of parity, there simply aren't enough sfh's and even if there were, it's statistically improbable that each home would have elementary aged kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Choice schools are often the only way middle class families in south Arlington have any shot at attending a diverse school. But yes, let's all shout white flight at them. Good job!

How are the neighborhood schools in S Arlington not diverse?

Really? A school that is almost entirely immigrant and poor isn't diverse.

They would be more "diverse" if white/affluent people stopped sending their kids to Choice schools and invested in Neighborhood schools. If APS ended Choice, we would likely see a huge turnaround at some of the schools that have struggled.

Keep dreaming buttercup, or read a map sometime. The struggling elementaries of south Arlington have 1000's of units of low income housing zoned to them. There is no way to achieve any sort of parity, there simply aren't enough sfh's and even if there were, it's statistically improbable that each home would have elementary aged kids.

Sorry, Buttercup. Get your facts straight. From the 2015/16 transfer report. 346 kids transferred out of Carlin Springs (population around 500). 168 out of Randolph (school is just over 400). The majority of kids who transfer are not "economically disadvantaged" according to the report. Hundreds of kids not transferring out would make a huge difference.

Here is a link to the data.
https://www.apsva.us/statistics/pupil-transfer-report/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended the last meeting at Yorktown. Still smh at half the stuff I heard. One guy literally yelled out, "I don't care about any of this! The only thing that matters is that my daughter doesn't have to go to Washington-Lee with 4,000 kids!!" Another lady says, with a straight face, "You cannot open up Key to the entire county! We go to Science Focus, and we NEED that school to relieve our overcrowding! Have you seen what's happening at Taylor and SFS? We have to have 3 neighborhood schools!!"

"We have to have 3 neighborhood schools." Basically, I don't care about immersion. I don't really care about any of the children at Key. They only exist to relieve overcrowding at my kid's school. And the W-L guy? Basically told us if thousands of other kids in the county have to get stuffed into trailers and closets for his daughter to experience a pristine high school experience ...well, it is what it is.

Is anyone paying attention to the demographic trends? We live in Arlington. Outside of Discovery and maybe a couple others, every school is on track to be overcrowded. We all chose to live in a geographically small, fairly urban suburb that's continuing to grow. There won't be anywhere to ship all these "other" kids so "your" school is untouched by these facts.

Well, but this lady indirectly hit the nail on the head; the current policy serves only to self-segregate non-English speaking Hispanics out of the more "precious schools" close by, so that they have less freshly immigrated Hispanic kids. She said it, and that's exactly what it is right now.
The county has got to mix up the demographics at each school, and the proposal is a step in the right direction.

Huh? Currently, kids in the Key/ASFS boundary zone can choose either school. They aren't forced to go to Key at all. The only restriction is that after 1st grade only bilingual kids can transfer to Key. Everyone at Key is choosing to be at Key.

Self segregation in that sense meaning that a large number of Hispanic families are, of course, happily, choosing Key, and thus, less of them are going to ASF, and less of them are ending up at the other nearby elementaries (via Hispanics choosing Key over their neighborhood).

So if they are happy they will still likely try to go to Key? Maybe some won't get in if demand increases? I'm not understanding why this is an issue. They are at a school they love and are doing well. What's the problem?

FWIW, ASFS has ~20% FARMS if I'm remembering correctly. It's not as "elite" as other schools - if that's how you're measuring it.