APS new middle school boundary options posted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very happy they are giving us this info as it is available rather than once it's vetted and cleaned up. Parents are very vocal and having their input early will reduce the chance of radical change at the end.

I'm in favor of releasing options under consideration before one is decided upon, but there's no excuse for not bothering to format the options clearly or consistently before releasing them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that if you want to have neighborhood schools in a densely populated area, you're likely to end up with segregated schools. I want my kids to be able to walk, although for the right program, I'd put them on a bus. (For me, H-B or a duplicate would be the right program; for a lot of parents, ATS or ASFS through middle or high school would be it. I think popular NArl programs should be moved south, but then we'd be taking away the neighborhood schools in SArl, which would be obnoxious.)

ASFS is a neighborhood school, not a program like ATS.

But it doesn't have to be. They could put a regular elementary school in that space, and then people in the neighborhood who don't do immersion would not be taking up spaces in a very popular program when all they want/need is to NOT be in immersion.

Well--many of the parents bought homes specifically to get into this school. We did want this program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in Key/ASFS, so we'd be going to the new school (walking! yay!), but I don't think the new school will actually be done in time (will it? youngest is in 3rd).

Have you studied the sixth slide where they draw a circle around HB Woodlawn as a potential new MS site? (The slide doesn't have a title - you have to scroll down to the sixth one).

Under that scenario, they seem to be keeping Rosslyn/Courthouse kids at Williamsburg - both areas are the same color pink. That would imply that Rosslyn/Courthouse kids would be bused past the HBW location (which would be a closer middle school for this group and is also on the 3A/3Y bus route for after hours activities).

They would be taken another 2 or miles onto Williamsburg MS, which is difficult to reach with public transportation for after hours activities like PTA meetings/evening concerts etc

It seems odd to create a neighborhood school for some, and to bus another group over 5 miles to the county's border with McLean. It's probably more than 5 miles given that school buses don't take a direct route.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that if you want to have neighborhood schools in a densely populated area, you're likely to end up with segregated schools. I want my kids to be able to walk, although for the right program, I'd put them on a bus. (For me, H-B or a duplicate would be the right program; for a lot of parents, ATS or ASFS through middle or high school would be it. I think popular NArl programs should be moved south, but then we'd be taking away the neighborhood schools in SArl, which would be obnoxious.)

ASFS is a neighborhood school, not a program like ATS.

But it doesn't have to be. They could put a regular elementary school in that space, and then people in the neighborhood who don't do immersion would not be taking up spaces in a very popular program when all they want/need is to NOT be in immersion.

Well--many of the parents bought homes specifically to get into this school. We did want this program.

True. Lots of people buy into Key b/c it's a guaranteed way to buy into a choice school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that if you want to have neighborhood schools in a densely populated area, you're likely to end up with segregated schools. I want my kids to be able to walk, although for the right program, I'd put them on a bus. (For me, H-B or a duplicate would be the right program; for a lot of parents, ATS or ASFS through middle or high school would be it. I think popular NArl programs should be moved south, but then we'd be taking away the neighborhood schools in SArl, which would be obnoxious.)

ASFS is a neighborhood school, not a program like ATS.

But it doesn't have to be. They could put a regular elementary school in that space, and then people in the neighborhood who don't do immersion would not be taking up spaces in a very popular program when all they want/need is to NOT be in immersion.

Well--many of the parents bought homes specifically to get into this school. We did want this program.

True. Lots of people buy into Key b/c it's a guaranteed way to buy into a choice school.

We bought in Key for ASFS. But I don't think the current system makes sense. Key & ASFS should be choice schools and there should be a regular walkable (high performing) neighborhood school. After my kids are done.

[Anonymous]

I'm new to Arlington and confused about the decision process here. What is the timeline for a FINAL decision and what makes it final? Does the BOE just vote on it, or is there some other body it has to go through to get funding approval? Or can we expect this to drag out for a couple of years while we sit in limbo not knowing where our kids will be going? Obviously there's not public consensus on the Wilson school - is public debate still in the future, which presumably would drag the process out? I like the idea of the school in Rosslyn, FWIW, but the boundary changes could impact where we decide to buy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that if you want to have neighborhood schools in a densely populated area, you're likely to end up with segregated schools. I want my kids to be able to walk, although for the right program, I'd put them on a bus. (For me, H-B or a duplicate would be the right program; for a lot of parents, ATS or ASFS through middle or high school would be it. I think popular NArl programs should be moved south, but then we'd be taking away the neighborhood schools in SArl, which would be obnoxious.)

ASFS is a neighborhood school, not a program like ATS.

But it doesn't have to be. They could put a regular elementary school in that space, and then people in the neighborhood who don't do immersion would not be taking up spaces in a very popular program when all they want/need is to NOT be in immersion.

Well--many of the parents bought homes specifically to get into this school. We did want this program.

But I'm sure you see how as a matter of public policy, that's not relevant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm new to Arlington and confused about the decision process here. What is the timeline for a FINAL decision and what makes it final? Does the BOE just vote on it, or is there some other body it has to go through to get funding approval? Or can we expect this to drag out for a couple of years while we sit in limbo not knowing where our kids will be going? Obviously there's not public consensus on the Wilson school - is public debate still in the future, which presumably would drag the process out? I like the idea of the school in Rosslyn, FWIW, but the boundary changes could impact where we decide to buy.

The School Board will vote on the CIP in June, which should lay out the options for the next round of bonds (this fall). It won't be absolutely definite (they could always discover new problems once they start really working on the site plan, and have to come up with an alternative), but the basic outline will be decided upon in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm new to Arlington and confused about the decision process here. What is the timeline for a FINAL decision and what makes it final? Does the BOE just vote on it, or is there some other body it has to go through to get funding approval? Or can we expect this to drag out for a couple of years while we sit in limbo not knowing where our kids will be going? Obviously there's not public consensus on the Wilson school - is public debate still in the future, which presumably would drag the process out? I like the idea of the school in Rosslyn, FWIW, but the boundary changes could impact where we decide to buy.

The School Board will vote on the CIP in June, which should lay out the options for the next round of bonds (this fall). It won't be absolutely definite (they could always discover new problems once they start really working on the site plan, and have to come up with an alternative), but the basic outline will be decided upon in June.

Keep in mind that the 2012 CIP included a new elementary at the Carlin Springs site and the addition at ATS, both of which are now not happening -- the bonds only went to the additions at Ashlawn and MicKinley, and the new school up by Williamsburg. I would assume that anything not covered by this round of bonds is open for manipulation in the next CIP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that if you want to have neighborhood schools in a densely populated area, you're likely to end up with segregated schools. I want my kids to be able to walk, although for the right program, I'd put them on a bus. (For me, H-B or a duplicate would be the right program; for a lot of parents, ATS or ASFS through middle or high school would be it. I think popular NArl programs should be moved south, but then we'd be taking away the neighborhood schools in SArl, which would be obnoxious.)

ASFS is a neighborhood school, not a program like ATS.

But it doesn't have to be. They could put a regular elementary school in that space, and then people in the neighborhood who don't do immersion would not be taking up spaces in a very popular program when all they want/need is to NOT be in immersion.

Well--many of the parents bought homes specifically to get into this school. We did want this program.

But I'm sure you see how as a matter of public policy, that's not relevant?

+1. This argument makes me crazy. If this is an accepted criticism of a plan for redistricting, then how can ANY changes can be made, anywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

+1. This argument makes me crazy. If this is an accepted criticism of a plan for redistricting, then how can ANY changes can be made, anywhere?

ANY argument that going to a different Arlington school is a terrible, terrible fate is appalling. Yeah, you like your school. Yeah, you prefer it to others. Yeah, you may feel a twinge if your kids have to change. But if you really think that another school in your district would be awful, you should be staying up at night worrying about the kids who go to that school now, not fretting because your precious snowflakes may lose that extra hour of science or have to take a bus.

[Anonymous]

If you live in Lyon Park, these "options" are not all good news. I really don't see Jefferson as an option under some of the scenarios.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in Key/ASFS, so we'd be going to the new school (walking! yay!), but I don't think the new school will actually be done in time (will it? youngest is in 3rd).

Have you studied the sixth slide where they draw a circle around HB Woodlawn as a potential new MS site? (The slide doesn't have a title - you have to scroll down to the sixth one).

Under that scenario, they seem to be keeping Rosslyn/Courthouse kids at Williamsburg - both areas are the same color pink. That would imply that Rosslyn/Courthouse kids would be bused past the HBW location (which would be a closer middle school for this group and is also on the 3A/3Y bus route for after hours activities).

They would be taken another 2 or miles onto Williamsburg MS, which is difficult to reach with public transportation for after hours activities like PTA meetings/evening concerts etc

It seems odd to create a neighborhood school for some, and to bus another group over 5 miles to the county's border with McLean. It's probably more than 5 miles given that school buses don't take a direct route.

I predict this will be the one that one that wins out. There is some influence enforcing that that section of Rosslyn goes to Williamsburg. Why would they even consider keeping that weird zoning anomaly unless there is a powerful champion for it. H-B woodlawn being moved is a dangerous one; it's a crown jewel program which they don't want to disrupt, but I suspect the alumni and parents don't have the clout of whomever is pushing Rosslyn to Williamsburg.

So we'll see a new middle school at the H-B Woodlawn site, H-B woodlawn would move to wilson, and Rosslyn would continue to bus to Williamsburg. But under that scenerio, what is the timeline for the new middle school? Build Wilson Sep 2018 opens as new H-B Woodlawn. *Then* start renovation, demolition of H-B woodlawn to generate a sufficiently large middle school to make all this effort worthwhile? So would we be looking at 3 more years until middle school opens?

[Anonymous]

It is worth remembering that H-B Woodlawn shares its building with the Stratford Program (for SN kids). Much as I admire the H-B philosophy, I don't think it's worth much if it can't survive transplantation. But decisions about what to do with the site need to give very careful consideration to what's best for the Stratford Program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is worth remembering that H-B Woodlawn shares its building with the Stratford Program (for SN kids). Much as I admire the H-B philosophy, I don't think it's worth much if it can't survive transplantation. But decisions about what to do with the site need to give very careful consideration to what's best for the Stratford Program.

There is NO QUESTION that H-B can survive transplantation. What it may not survive is significant expansion in enrollment.

I am a big supporter of H-B but I simply do not understand those who claim it needs to stay in its current location in order to function. Please do not talk to me about student "artwork" on the walls. It gets painted over eventually anyway so current students can make their own marks.