ASFS/Key Swap Off . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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And let’s not forget the ASFS PTA meeting and election. If no one supported the swap, what was that about?

What did that have to do with the swap?

Yeah PTA drama was about Cherrydale students being zoned in and pushing out Rosslyn students. Nothing about swap just boundaries.

Exactly. Pta drama was because parents were sick of pta taking positions that did not benefit current students at the school. Why was the pta sending out blasts encouraging people to right in letters asking for a walk zone? Why was it taking a position at all since there was no consensus at the school beyond wanting to maintain status quo?

The PTA never sent out letters asking folks to write letters supporting the walk zone--in fact, the former president's mantra was, everyone advocate however you best see fit because we cannot come to a consensus (which was logical given that the majority of the board, including the president, lived in the Key attendance zone and would never advocate for a walk zone).

The only time ASFS came close to a consensus was the year before, i..e, the year they were trying to get rid of the team model and change the option and transfer policy. Everyone who was paying attention realized that once Key became an option only school, ASFS' capacity would soar since approximately 1/3 of the students who live in the Key zone went to Key (but in the future will have to go to ASFS).

But please do not state that there was a consensus to maintain the status quo because that was impossible-- yes, it would be great to keep the Key boundary for ASFS-- the school/program stays intact and the same neighborhoods that have gone to ASFS would continue to go there. But now that Key is a full option, ASFS will not be able to handle ALL the new elementary school aged kids that live in the Key zone. Nor can APS have a "neighborhood" school that doesn't allow kids in the neighborhood to attend. The folks that were/are advocating hard for their positions understood this and knew change was coming.

Indeed, if everyone at ASFS wanted to maintain the status quo, then there wouldn't have been so much hate against the teachers and administration and the walkers who went to the SB meeting last year and advocated for keeping ASFS on Lincoln Street. And there would have been/would be huge support from ASFS for Key staying on Key. But that never happened, why? Because anyone who is paying attention knows that ASFS cannot handle its current attendance zone (with or without the walk zone) population, and the best chance that many of the current community have of "staying at" ASFS is to move ASFS closer to them.

While that was generally the former president's mantra, please check the email from June 3, 2017 - what is item #1?

There hasn't been consensus around status quo, but the majority certainly were leaning towards that, pending projection #s. Based on this most recent project, I'd guess most people now fully support two schools.

I stand corrected. I forgot about that email and it's a (sad) reminder how much changed over the course of one year, i.e., folks were united on opposing the option and transfer policy changes but once it passed, ASFS became much more divisive. Looking back over 2018, I think emotions on all sides got out of hand at various points but we all seem to be moving on and healing. At the end of the day, the new projections, the new construction coming on line (that hasn't even been included in the projections yet), and Amazon (to at least some small extent), make it clear that two neighborhood schools are needed. I know that's not what our Key neighbors and friends want to accept at this point, but the Key building must become a neighborhood school.

The one thing to keep in mind is that most neighborhoods are feeling a similar space squeeze, and it’s always easier to keep the status quo rather than trying to upend another neighborhood (e.g., Nottingham) . If they move Key they will have to do it in a way that doesn’t disrupt a hornets nest worse than what they’re already dealing with ...

[Anonymous]

With the possibility of Key/ASFS swap should we rent instead of buy? We want our son to be able to walk to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the possibility of Key/ASFS swap should we rent instead of buy? We want our son to be able to walk to school.

Boundaries are in crazy flux. Rent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the possibility of Key/ASFS swap should we rent instead of buy? We want our son to be able to walk to school.

Boundaries are in crazy flux. Rent.

Do you want him to walk at every level of school? Unless you find a neighborhood that's a walk zone to elem, middle, and high, you'll need to move again at some point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the possibility of Key/ASFS swap should we rent instead of buy? We want our son to be able to walk to school.

Depends on where you want to go to school. If you just want to be able to walk to a neighborhood school, then it’s a safe bet to buy around Key. Either ASFS will move there or it will be a new neighborhood school. APS has indicated repeatedly they will be moving immersion out of Key because they need neighborhood seats in that area.

If you want to go to ASFS, you’re better off renting. Given the “pause” on the swap, projections, pressure not to shrink immersion, it’s very unlikely that immersion will move into ASFS and it will remain (and become) a true neighborhood school. But, there is still the possibility that ASFS will move to the Key neighborhood.

But as the PP noted, boundaries are in crazy flux right now so anything is fair game (unless you live in the planning unit/quarter-mile walkzone of where the schools sit).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the possibility of Key/ASFS swap should we rent instead of buy? We want our son to be able to walk to school.

Depends on where you want to go to school. If you just want to be able to walk to a neighborhood school, then it’s a safe bet to buy around Key. Either ASFS will move there or it will be a new neighborhood school. APS has indicated repeatedly they will be moving immersion out of Key because they need neighborhood seats in that area.

If you want to go to ASFS, you’re better off renting. Given the “pause” on the swap, projections, pressure not to shrink immersion, it’s very unlikely that immersion will move into ASFS and it will remain (and become) a true neighborhood school. But, there is still the possibility that ASFS will move to the Key neighborhood.

But as the PP noted, boundaries are in crazy flux right now so anything is fair game (unless you live in the planning unit/quarter-mile walkzone of where the schools sit).

Depends on your timeline but the above information here stating there is still the possibility that ASFS will move to the Key neighborhood is not correct - unless the swap gets put back on that table ASFS is not moving to Key. You are best off to rent if your window is short.

[Anonymous]

We are moving next month. Our plan was to rent for six months, then purchase near Key. I’m terribly nervous. I’d like to be able to walk to our elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Where are you moving from? Key is lottery only now, so unless your child is currently enrolled, you’d have to lottery in. I wouldn’t count on it moving (despite the collective DCUM wisdom) and if it does move, it won’t be for at least two years

[Anonymous]

I guess we will lottery in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess we will lottery in.

Unless you are a native Spanish speaker, don't count on getting in via lottery. And if you do lottery in, you'll be bussing somewhere else in 2021 when Immersion moves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are moving next month. Our plan was to rent for six months, then purchase near Key. I’m terribly nervous. I’d like to be able to walk to our elementary school.

So rent for a year if you want to wait and see where Key immersion is moved. Or consider moving near Claremont-- small likelihood that immersion will move from that location. But all this could be moot by May 1st-- that's when you'll know whether you got into immersion or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving next month. Our plan was to rent for six months, then purchase near Key. I’m terribly nervous. I’d like to be able to walk to our elementary school.

So rent for a year if you want to wait and see where Key immersion is moved. Or consider moving near Claremont-- small likelihood that immersion will move from that location. But all this could be moot by May 1st-- that's when you'll know whether you got into immersion or not.

Omg, if you are wealthy enough to buy near key, simply rent or pay for a nanny to drive your kid to school.

Is there some reason they have to walk to school? Why not buy that house across from Taylor and walking distance to Hamm?

[Anonymous]

We want to buy near Key, not Taylor. Unfortunately, no nanny for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We want to buy near Key, not Taylor. Unfortunately, no nanny for us.

Even if you get into immersion, you won’t be going to immersion on Key in 2021. So buy there if you like the area, not because you want to walk to immersion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We want to buy near Key, not Taylor. Unfortunately, no nanny for us.

Even if you get into immersion, you won’t be going to immersion on Key in 2021. So buy there if you like the area, not because you want to walk to immersion.

Why do you want to buy near key?? Is it for immersion or not.