ASFS/Key Swap Off . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not all people who live in cafs are Hispanic, but a significant portion are. The international diversity at Randolph is indicative of who lives in western pike low income housing, whether mark or caf.

This isn’t exactly true. Anyone can live in a MARK (that’s an apartment that is “market rate affordable,” meaning it’s low-rent relative to the area medium income and compares other housing available for rent). But those who live in CAFs must have at least one member of the household, like a child, who is a legal permanent resident or citizen, and if it’s a CAF that is newly built, rents might be as high as 80% AMI, in which case individals and families may only be able to afford those units if they also qulitfy for a section 8 voucher, which is more restrictive and all family members who plan reside in that unit must be legal permanent residents (so either citizens, or asylees, or have other documented legal status). In VA, private landlords may refuse to rent to Section 8 voucher holders, so my understanding is that it is very difficult to find landlords who will accept the vouchers, and many with them apply to live in CAFs, because they can’t be refused. CAFs that are converted from MARKs give first priority to previous residents, so those units tend to be more similar in demographics to MARKs. All this to say, don’t expect the area around Key to suddenly be booming with Spanish-speaking children if Queen’s Court wasn’t largely Hispanic before the renovation. This is my understanding of the situation. Anyone feel free to correct me.

[Anonymous]

Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not all people who live in cafs are Hispanic, but a significant portion are. The international diversity at Randolph is indicative of who lives in western pike low income housing, whether mark or caf.

This isn’t exactly true. Anyone can live in a MARK (that’s an apartment that is “market rate affordable,” meaning it’s low-rent relative to the area medium income and compares other housing available for rent). But those who live in CAFs must have at least one member of the household, like a child, who is a legal permanent resident or citizen, and if it’s a CAF that is newly built, rents might be as high as 80% AMI, in which case individals and families may only be able to afford those units if they also qulitfy for a section 8 voucher, which is more restrictive and all family members who plan reside in that unit must be legal permanent residents (so either citizens, or asylees, or have other documented legal status). In VA, private landlords may refuse to rent to Section 8 voucher holders, so my understanding is that it is very difficult to find landlords who will accept the vouchers, and many with them apply to live in CAFs, because they can’t be refused. CAFs that are converted from MARKs give first priority to previous residents, so those units tend to be more similar in demographics to MARKs. All this to say, don’t expect the area around Key to suddenly be booming with Spanish-speaking children if Queen’s Court wasn’t largely Hispanic before the renovation. This is my understanding of the situation. Anyone feel free to correct me.

The previous Queen's Court apartments only had 39 units, so there won't be many returning residents from there compared to the 249 units in the new building. Also, I believe the final approved parking ratio was .6 spaces per unit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I call total BS on any one who says they bought a house walkable to Key for immersion. No one buys a house on Lyon village for immersion. They buy them because they have money to burn. These are people can walk to the metro but drive the Audi instead. They could've bought 2 houses in SA for what they paid and walked to claremont immersion. But then they'd have to go to sA middle and high school. That's why they bought in Lyon village.

You do realize that immersion middle and high are both in South Arlington, right?

Yes, and I also understand that many (most?) of elementary school immersion students don't pursue it in middle and high school.

[Anonymous]

Yes, and I also understand that many (most?) of elementary school immersion students don't pursue it in middle and high school.

I think that most go on to middle school, but there is a big drop-off at the HS level. My kids both went to Key and Gunston, but did not continue on to Wakefield (we live near ASFS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

There have been a number of emails from Key. It’s also not in the catalog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

There have been a number of emails from Key. It’s also not in the catalog.

There is a wide range of speculation, but the most likely answer is that the current APS leadership does not value the immersion program. The abrupt way it was done suggests it was not something they thought through and some speculate it was vindictive in response to community push back over the swap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

There have been a number of emails from Key. It’s also not in the catalog.

There is a wide range of speculation, but the most likely answer is that the current APS leadership does not value the immersion program. The abrupt way it was done suggests it was not something they thought through and some speculate it was vindictive in response to community push back over the swap.

Wow, we were considering immersion for our rising K-er (we are not in the ASFS zone, btw), but I'm really concerned about the future of the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

There have been a number of emails from Key. It’s also not in the catalog.

There is a wide range of speculation, but the most likely answer is that the current APS leadership does not value the immersion program. The abrupt way it was done suggests it was not something they thought through and some speculate it was vindictive in response to community push back over the swap.

Wow, we were considering immersion for our rising K-er (we are not in the ASFS zone, btw), but I'm really concerned about the future of the program.

This is completely untrue though. APS keeps saying how much it values immersion. Over and over. No way are they doing away with the program -- in fact they are looking to grow it by moving it either to multiple new sites or moving it closer to more native spanish speakers. They kept re-iterating this (in spanish no less) at the last school board meeting.

This blow back from the immersion community over the swap really has me baffled. It reminds me of last spring when the career center debate was happening and people around there kept talking about how they didn't deserve to go to a less than neighborhood school, and the school board kept saying that it wasn't going to be an option school.

Choose to not go immersion because you don't want your kid at a 700+ student school (where parent engagement can't really cancel out slipping through the cracks of large classes because you aren't fluent in spanish and can't afford to have spanish tutoring in second grade). Or choose to not do it because you don't think that its a good fit for your kid because of a special need, or because you are concerned about your child having issues with learning a new language and don't think that should be a high priority compared with learning basic arithmetic. Or because your kid is already bilingual and you think they should focus more on perfecting their english. But don't pass on it because you think APS is going to dismantle the program -- its not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

There have been a number of emails from Key. It’s also not in the catalog.

There is a wide range of speculation, but the most likely answer is that the current APS leadership does not value the immersion program. The abrupt way it was done suggests it was not something they thought through and some speculate it was vindictive in response to community push back over the swap.

Wow, we were considering immersion for our rising K-er (we are not in the ASFS zone, btw), but I'm really concerned about the future of the program.

Take the former comment with a massive grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

What does "CAF" mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does "CAF" mean?

https://housing.arlingtonva.us/affordable-housing/what-is-affordable/

Committed Affordable housing

[Anonymous]

FFS they need to shut this issue down. It’s a huge distraction for the administration, PTA, staff at both schools and we are seeing an impact on instruction and teacher morale.

SB, make a decision already so schools can get back to teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why was summer school immersion removed this year?

Where did you see this?

There have been a number of emails from Key. It’s also not in the catalog.

There is a wide range of speculation, but the most likely answer is that the current APS leadership does not value the immersion program. The abrupt way it was done suggests it was not something they thought through and some speculate it was vindictive in response to community push back over the swap.

Wow, we were considering immersion for our rising K-er (we are not in the ASFS zone, btw), but I'm really concerned about the future of the program.

This is completely untrue though. APS keeps saying how much it values immersion. Over and over. No way are they doing away with the program -- in fact they are looking to grow it by moving it either to multiple new sites or moving it closer to more native spanish speakers. They kept re-iterating this (in spanish no less) at the last school board meeting.

This blow back from the immersion community over the swap really has me baffled. It reminds me of last spring when the career center debate was happening and people around there kept talking about how they didn't deserve to go to a less than neighborhood school, and the school board kept saying that it wasn't going to be an option school.

Choose to not go immersion because you don't want your kid at a 700+ student school (where parent engagement can't really cancel out slipping through the cracks of large classes because you aren't fluent in spanish and can't afford to have spanish tutoring in second grade). Or choose to not do it because you don't think that its a good fit for your kid because of a special need, or because you are concerned about your child having issues with learning a new language and don't think that should be a high priority compared with learning basic arithmetic. Or because your kid is already bilingual and you think they should focus more on perfecting their english. But don't pass on it because you think APS is going to dismantle the program -- its not.

Thank you. I'm the PP with the rising K-er. With all the uncertainty over location (we're fine with it moving most places, though the farthest west locations would be challenging), we just want to make sure that it is fully supported. I know I have to read all of DCUM with a critical eye.