APS Overcrowding - In 3 years it’s projected to start declining

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

Welcome to the fights of 2016 and 2017. The writing was on the wall that the population was going to explode at least through the mid to late '20s before it started to level off or decline. A large number of parents pushed hard for a 4th high school at the Kenmore site, which is the only available APS-owned property big enough to hold a full high school (including sports fields, etc). The battle was lost due to the argument that Carlin Springs Rd wasn't prepared for that volume of traffic and the only other exit point from the property was through Ffx County.

Instead they've continued to shove kids into the 3 primary high schools (not touching the precious HB Woodlawn population), created Arlington Tech which only solves a tiny bit of the problem, and otherwise put their heads in the sand letting an entire generation of Arlington kids deal with massively overcrowded schools.

During some joint CB/SB sessions in the mid-teens there were suggestions for virtual classes, shift schedules and basically anything besides providing more seats and space. The news that the school age population will start declining in a few years isn't news - it's the proverbial bubble finally starting to graduate. But, if the CB has their way pushing more low-income house and Missing Middle, they will do their best to ensure those numbers don't actually drop all that much.

If I had young kids and I can’t afford private I would move. Which is exactly the SB plan, but I doubt enough people will leave to actually solve it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

I think they could build it at the Barcroft Rec center but I doubt they ever would since they invested so much in the race facility there. But it has a lot of land and is off a main road.

I think it would be a great idea to turn off community center Into a high school, it’s better for the entire community! Luckily, we are rich with community centers in Arlington so losing one would not be a great loss. However, county maintained assets are completely separate from school maintain assets so it’s not as if it’s an easy thing to do, unfortunately. Does anyone else have insight into this?

The insight is this would never happen.

Barcroft is a heavily used rec center. The County runs all of its rec gymnastics programs out of this site, which are hugely popular. The fields and outdoor areas are heavily used by sports teams and field space is already tight in Arlington. So no, the County isn't going to tear down a relatively new rec center and give it to APS to build a school. Even if they wanted to, the community would flip out (and rightly so).

I think you should use the Fairlington community center site. It already has a field/green space, aged building, etc..

That site is nowhere near big enough for a high school. You need a lot of land.

New high schools are built up not out. Think HB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

I think they could build it at the Barcroft Rec center but I doubt they ever would since they invested so much in the race facility there. But it has a lot of land and is off a main road.

I think it would be a great idea to turn off community center Into a high school, it’s better for the entire community! Luckily, we are rich with community centers in Arlington so losing one would not be a great loss. However, county maintained assets are completely separate from school maintain assets so it’s not as if it’s an easy thing to do, unfortunately. Does anyone else have insight into this?

The insight is this would never happen.

Barcroft is a heavily used rec center. The County runs all of its rec gymnastics programs out of this site, which are hugely popular. The fields and outdoor areas are heavily used by sports teams and field space is already tight in Arlington. So no, the County isn't going to tear down a relatively new rec center and give it to APS to build a school. Even if they wanted to, the community would flip out (and rightly so).

I think you should use the Fairlington community center site. It already has a field/green space, aged building, etc..

That site is nowhere near big enough for a high school. You need a lot of land.

New high schools are built up not out. Think HB.

Right they could build a tall HS, preserve field space for stadium and pool.

[Anonymous]

This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

I think they could build it at the Barcroft Rec center but I doubt they ever would since they invested so much in the race facility there. But it has a lot of land and is off a main road.

I think it would be a great idea to turn off community center Into a high school, it’s better for the entire community! Luckily, we are rich with community centers in Arlington so losing one would not be a great loss. However, county maintained assets are completely separate from school maintain assets so it’s not as if it’s an easy thing to do, unfortunately. Does anyone else have insight into this?

The insight is this would never happen.

Barcroft is a heavily used rec center. The County runs all of its rec gymnastics programs out of this site, which are hugely popular. The fields and outdoor areas are heavily used by sports teams and field space is already tight in Arlington. So no, the County isn't going to tear down a relatively new rec center and give it to APS to build a school. Even if they wanted to, the community would flip out (and rightly so).

I think you should use the Fairlington community center site. It already has a field/green space, aged building, etc..

That site is nowhere near big enough for a high school. You need a lot of land.

New high schools are built up not out. Think HB.

The 4th high school people want a pool. HB is not a comprehensive high school. It doesn't have all the fields and facilities of a traditional high school. The 4th high school crowd insists they want all these things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

They tossed that around back in the same timeframe when they were coming up with Arlington Tech. It still is a question of whether that is sufficient to be a comprehensive high school or if it's a program like Tech and HB, where the kids can still go back to the comprehensive schools for any classes, sports or extracurriculars that they want. Which means that they haven't totally offloaded the overcrowding at those schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

I think they could build it at the Barcroft Rec center but I doubt they ever would since they invested so much in the race facility there. But it has a lot of land and is off a main road.

I think it would be a great idea to turn off community center Into a high school, it’s better for the entire community! Luckily, we are rich with community centers in Arlington so losing one would not be a great loss. However, county maintained assets are completely separate from school maintain assets so it’s not as if it’s an easy thing to do, unfortunately. Does anyone else have insight into this?

The insight is this would never happen.

Barcroft is a heavily used rec center. The County runs all of its rec gymnastics programs out of this site, which are hugely popular. The fields and outdoor areas are heavily used by sports teams and field space is already tight in Arlington. So no, the County isn't going to tear down a relatively new rec center and give it to APS to build a school. Even if they wanted to, the community would flip out (and rightly so).

I think you should use the Fairlington community center site. It already has a field/green space, aged building, etc..

That site is nowhere near big enough for a high school. You need a lot of land.

New high schools are built up not out. Think HB.

The 4th high school people want a pool. HB is not a comprehensive high school. It doesn't have all the fields and facilities of a traditional high school. The 4th high school crowd insists they want all these things.

Are people really complaining about overcrowding and then saying we should only have another high school if it can have a pool and a field?

Good grief. We are doomed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

They tossed that around back in the same timeframe when they were coming up with Arlington Tech. It still is a question of whether that is sufficient to be a comprehensive high school or if it's a program like Tech and HB, where the kids can still go back to the comprehensive schools for any classes, sports or extracurriculars that they want. Which means that they haven't totally offloaded the overcrowding at those schools.

For this to work I think Arlington would have to say that these students at the new arts school could not participate in sports at their home school (they would just have gym class for general health). The tradeoff would be better arts programs. Everyone can't have everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

I think they could build it at the Barcroft Rec center but I doubt they ever would since they invested so much in the race facility there. But it has a lot of land and is off a main road.

I think it would be a great idea to turn off community center Into a high school, it’s better for the entire community! Luckily, we are rich with community centers in Arlington so losing one would not be a great loss. However, county maintained assets are completely separate from school maintain assets so it’s not as if it’s an easy thing to do, unfortunately. Does anyone else have insight into this?

The insight is this would never happen.

Barcroft is a heavily used rec center. The County runs all of its rec gymnastics programs out of this site, which are hugely popular. The fields and outdoor areas are heavily used by sports teams and field space is already tight in Arlington. So no, the County isn't going to tear down a relatively new rec center and give it to APS to build a school. Even if they wanted to, the community would flip out (and rightly so).

I think you should use the Fairlington community center site. It already has a field/green space, aged building, etc..

That site is nowhere near big enough for a high school. You need a lot of land.

New high schools are built up not out. Think HB.

The 4th high school people want a pool. HB is not a comprehensive high school. It doesn't have all the fields and facilities of a traditional high school. The 4th high school crowd insists they want all these things.

Are people really complaining about overcrowding and then saying we should only have another high school if it can have a pool and a field?

Good grief. We are doomed.

If you build a neighborhood school and make it a less-than the other high schools, especially in a lower income area like near Kenmore, you will have a lawsuit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

They tossed that around back in the same timeframe when they were coming up with Arlington Tech. It still is a question of whether that is sufficient to be a comprehensive high school or if it's a program like Tech and HB, where the kids can still go back to the comprehensive schools for any classes, sports or extracurriculars that they want. Which means that they haven't totally offloaded the overcrowding at those schools.

For this to work I think Arlington would have to say that these students at the new arts school could not participate in sports at their home school (they would just have gym class for general health). The tradeoff would be better arts programs. Everyone can't have everything.

They can have a dance team! My siblings went to an arts school that didn’t have football or swimming but had jazz and ballet.

Really, the idea that a track and a pool are worth overcrowding is pretty absurd. Thousands of high schoolers don’t participate in school sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

They tossed that around back in the same timeframe when they were coming up with Arlington Tech. It still is a question of whether that is sufficient to be a comprehensive high school or if it's a program like Tech and HB, where the kids can still go back to the comprehensive schools for any classes, sports or extracurriculars that they want. Which means that they haven't totally offloaded the overcrowding at those schools.

For this to work I think Arlington would have to say that these students at the new arts school could not participate in sports at their home school (they would just have gym class for general health). The tradeoff would be better arts programs. Everyone can't have everything.

You won't attract enough students with an art focused program in ARLINGTON. NYC, sure? DC, yeah because by being a selective program its already better than most of their high schools. For kids to leave our generally well regarded schools for an ART school? Maybe the overcrowding will push them, but its a long shot which is why the SB hasn't pursued that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

They tossed that around back in the same timeframe when they were coming up with Arlington Tech. It still is a question of whether that is sufficient to be a comprehensive high school or if it's a program like Tech and HB, where the kids can still go back to the comprehensive schools for any classes, sports or extracurriculars that they want. Which means that they haven't totally offloaded the overcrowding at those schools.

For this to work I think Arlington would have to say that these students at the new arts school could not participate in sports at their home school (they would just have gym class for general health). The tradeoff would be better arts programs. Everyone can't have everything.

So HB and Tech can return to the comprehensives, but the new Art program can't? That would be a non starter and kill the program. Now maybe you take it away comprehensives from the other programs and make them proper schools -- but I'm sure the HB mafia would quash that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Are people really complaining about overcrowding and then saying we should only have another high school if it can have a pool and a field?

Good grief. We are doomed.

Here's the problem. If it's a comprehensive high school then kids are zoned there just like WL, YT and W. You can't build a "lesser" school and require kids to attend. Imagine being told your kid can't play soccer or be in a marching band because of where you live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where will they build this 4th High School?

I think they could build it at the Barcroft Rec center but I doubt they ever would since they invested so much in the race facility there. But it has a lot of land and is off a main road.

I think it would be a great idea to turn off community center Into a high school, it’s better for the entire community! Luckily, we are rich with community centers in Arlington so losing one would not be a great loss. However, county maintained assets are completely separate from school maintain assets so it’s not as if it’s an easy thing to do, unfortunately. Does anyone else have insight into this?

The insight is this would never happen.

Barcroft is a heavily used rec center. The County runs all of its rec gymnastics programs out of this site, which are hugely popular. The fields and outdoor areas are heavily used by sports teams and field space is already tight in Arlington. So no, the County isn't going to tear down a relatively new rec center and give it to APS to build a school. Even if they wanted to, the community would flip out (and rightly so).

Wakefield HS is also less than a mile down the road from Barcroft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is probably for a new thread, but if Arlington can't build a 4th comprehensive high school (which is what they should do), I think they should consider an arts-focused high school that could have admission at least party by audition/portfolio. Something like the High School of Performing Arts in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. Then they could invest in a nice auditorium/art spaces and have a smaller field and no pool for gym. The trade off would be kids would not have access to many high school varsity sports but they would have access to enhanced arts education. It would be easier for find space for a school like this since it would not need a pool and a football field.

They tossed that around back in the same timeframe when they were coming up with Arlington Tech. It still is a question of whether that is sufficient to be a comprehensive high school or if it's a program like Tech and HB, where the kids can still go back to the comprehensive schools for any classes, sports or extracurriculars that they want. Which means that they haven't totally offloaded the overcrowding at those schools.

For this to work I think Arlington would have to say that these students at the new arts school could not participate in sports at their home school (they would just have gym class for general health). The tradeoff would be better arts programs. Everyone can't have everything.

So HB and Tech can return to the comprehensives, but the new Art program can't? That would be a non starter and kill the program. Now maybe you take it away comprehensives from the other programs and make them proper schools -- but I'm sure the HB mafia would quash that.

Well if you give the arts school some cool arts stuff the other schools don't have (I have no idea what that would be) and don't force anyone to go there, I don't see the harm. That said, likely kids who cared about doing team sports would not go so it would not really relieve the pressure on sports at the other three high schools since the kids who left for arts school would not have tried out for teams anyway.