APS School Bd Mtg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:that map will NEVER happen. Yorktown folks will fight to keep their kids away from a kemore HS and they will win. As it is, it is hard enough to keep north of 50 kids in Kemore as a middle school.

One of reasons for not putting the HS at kemore was the lack of space for facilties and the fact that it would be a high FARMs school. So, now this wealthier area is willing to do it without the facilities to avoid a bus ride to WF or WL and avoid WF all together.

To me, if the county would allow busing to lower the FARMs rates at WF, then we could look simply at facilities and not at demographics.

Do it differently, then. YHS can have what it has. The real issue is to make sure the western Pike AH high rises and the eastern pike close in area (Johnson Hill / Hoffman-Boston area) that is gentrifying slowly aren't in the same school. Give the eastern pike time to continue to even out, and the Wakefield demographics will continue to slowly improve. West pike can continue to go to WL or can go to Career Center HS. I get that moving Arl Heights will take out some of the already-gentrified neighborhoods, and I don't know the numbers, but the concentrated high-FARMS housing is where my concern mainly lies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that map will NEVER happen. Yorktown folks will fight to keep their kids away from a kemore HS and they will win. As it is, it is hard enough to keep north of 50 kids in Kemore as a middle school.

One of reasons for not putting the HS at kemore was the lack of space for facilties and the fact that it would be a high FARMs school. So, now this wealthier area is willing to do it without the facilities to avoid a bus ride to WF or WL and avoid WF all together.

To me, if the county would allow busing to lower the FARMs rates at WF, then we could look simply at facilities and not at demographics.

Do it differently, then. YHS can have what it has. The real issue is to make sure the western Pike AH high rises and the eastern pike close in area (Johnson Hill / Hoffman-Boston area) that is gentrifying slowly aren't in the same school. Give the eastern pike time to continue to even out, and the Wakefield demographics will continue to slowly improve. West pike can continue to go to WL or can go to Career Center HS. I get that moving Arl Heights will take out some of the already-gentrified neighborhoods, and I don't know the numbers, but the concentrated high-FARMS housing is where my concern mainly lies.

What are you talking about? You are basically saying - let's make it worse by taking the best part of south arl out of Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

Hey - my map!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that map will NEVER happen. Yorktown folks will fight to keep their kids away from a kemore HS and they will win. As it is, it is hard enough to keep north of 50 kids in Kemore as a middle school.

One of reasons for not putting the HS at kemore was the lack of space for facilties and the fact that it would be a high FARMs school. So, now this wealthier area is willing to do it without the facilities to avoid a bus ride to WF or WL and avoid WF all together.

To me, if the county would allow busing to lower the FARMs rates at WF, then we could look simply at facilities and not at demographics.

Do it differently, then. YHS can have what it has. The real issue is to make sure the western Pike AH high rises and the eastern pike close in area (Johnson Hill / Hoffman-Boston area) that is gentrifying slowly aren't in the same school. Give the eastern pike time to continue to even out, and the Wakefield demographics will continue to slowly improve. West pike can continue to go to WL or can go to Career Center HS. I get that moving Arl Heights will take out some of the already-gentrified neighborhoods, and I don't know the numbers, but the concentrated high-FARMS housing is where my concern mainly lies.

What are you talking about? You are basically saying - let's make it worse by taking the best part of south arl out of Wakefield.

I'm saying what I think is the primary issue to be worried about and to try to avoid. Sure, would be nice to keep Arl Heights where it is. It would also be nice to have a pony. If the Career Ctr HS is what the board picks, it's not realistic to keep Arl Heights at Wakefield. From my position zoned for Wakefield, I think I could live with that so long as they keep the west pike area out of Wakefield too. There is no solution that's going to make everyone happy. The county is out of ponies.

[Anonymous]

Why don't we just go ahead and bus all the low income apts to Wakefield and be done with it. They all want to be together, let them have their wish. Build a 4 th school that is lesser, but allow the gentirifiers to have their own school and "good" demographics.
Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that map will NEVER happen. Yorktown folks will fight to keep their kids away from a kemore HS and they will win. As it is, it is hard enough to keep north of 50 kids in Kemore as a middle school.

One of reasons for not putting the HS at kemore was the lack of space for facilties and the fact that it would be a high FARMs school. So, now this wealthier area is willing to do it without the facilities to avoid a bus ride to WF or WL and avoid WF all together.

To me, if the county would allow busing to lower the FARMs rates at WF, then we could look simply at facilities and not at demographics.

Do it differently, then. YHS can have what it has. The real issue is to make sure the western Pike AH high rises and the eastern pike close in area (Johnson Hill / Hoffman-Boston area) that is gentrifying slowly aren't in the same school. Give the eastern pike time to continue to even out, and the Wakefield demographics will continue to slowly improve. West pike can continue to go to WL or can go to Career Center HS. I get that moving Arl Heights will take out some of the already-gentrified neighborhoods, and I don't know the numbers, but the concentrated high-FARMS housing is where my concern mainly lies.

What are you talking about? You are basically saying - let's make it worse by taking the best part of south arl out of Wakefield.

I'm saying what I think is the primary issue to be worried about and to try to avoid. Sure, would be nice to keep Arl Heights where it is. It would also be nice to have a pony. If the Career Ctr HS is what the board picks, it's not realistic to keep Arl Heights at Wakefield. From my position zoned for Wakefield, I think I could live with that so long as they keep the west pike area out of Wakefield too. There is no solution that's going to make everyone happy. The county is out of ponies.

And where are you zoned?

[Anonymous]

Delete your account.

[Anonymous]

"Delete your account" intended for 13:07.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Alcova - I don't think people in N Arlington realize who rapidly the area around the Ed Center is gentrifying - in fact, it is mostly gentrified. Many people already send their children to W-L. If you aren't zoned for Henry, the elem that is moving, a lot of those students are transfers to other schools.

I think a high school at the Ed Center would be a stretch, but I would still support it. It would take the whole piece of land: the Ed Center, Library, and Human Services, along with Henry too though. Arlington is way too small to support all of this for long though. It would turn Wakefield into a low SES school, instead of the slow balancing that is happening.

Do you mean the Career Center?

Sorry yes - I always think of it as the Adult Education Center...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that map will NEVER happen. Yorktown folks will fight to keep their kids away from a kemore HS and they will win. As it is, it is hard enough to keep north of 50 kids in Kemore as a middle school.

One of reasons for not putting the HS at kemore was the lack of space for facilties and the fact that it would be a high FARMs school. So, now this wealthier area is willing to do it without the facilities to avoid a bus ride to WF or WL and avoid WF all together.

To me, if the county would allow busing to lower the FARMs rates at WF, then we could look simply at facilities and not at demographics.

Do it differently, then. YHS can have what it has. The real issue is to make sure the western Pike AH high rises and the eastern pike close in area (Johnson Hill / Hoffman-Boston area) that is gentrifying slowly aren't in the same school. Give the eastern pike time to continue to even out, and the Wakefield demographics will continue to slowly improve. West pike can continue to go to WL or can go to Career Center HS. I get that moving Arl Heights will take out some of the already-gentrified neighborhoods, and I don't know the numbers, but the concentrated high-FARMS housing is where my concern mainly lies.

What are you talking about? You are basically saying - let's make it worse by taking the best part of south arl out of Wakefield.

I'm saying what I think is the primary issue to be worried about and to try to avoid. Sure, would be nice to keep Arl Heights where it is. It would also be nice to have a pony. If the Career Ctr HS is what the board picks, it's not realistic to keep Arl Heights at Wakefield. From my position zoned for Wakefield, I think I could live with that so long as they keep the west pike area out of Wakefield too. There is no solution that's going to make everyone happy. The county is out of ponies.

And where are you zoned?

Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Delete your account" intended for 13:07.

Can't even get it right, huh?

Boy, bye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the Arlington Heights folks trying to get out of Wakefield. Folks in Oakridge zone will support it too because it will get that wealthy area out of Wakefield.

If this school goes in, Wakefield's FARMs rates will go up dramatically.

Then where do you propose putting the high school?? There are only so many places to put it-Kenmore, Career Center, and Ed center. None of those sites solve the problem you are talking about.

Bullshit. Kenmore absolutely solves that problem. But it would involve pulling from Yorktown.

Right. And the Yorktown people are going to be okay with that? Of course not. Career center is a realistic plan. In a perfect world, all schools would be truly equal. But we live in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:that map will NEVER happen. Yorktown folks will fight to keep their kids away from a kemore HS and they will win. As it is, it is hard enough to keep north of 50 kids in Kemore as a middle school.

One of reasons for not putting the HS at kemore was the lack of space for facilties and the fact that it would be a high FARMs school. So, now this wealthier area is willing to do it without the facilities to avoid a bus ride to WF or WL and avoid WF all together.

To me, if the county would allow busing to lower the FARMs rates at WF, then we could look simply at facilities and not at demographics.

Do it differently, then. YHS can have what it has. The real issue is to make sure the western Pike AH high rises and the eastern pike close in area (Johnson Hill / Hoffman-Boston area) that is gentrifying slowly aren't in the same school. Give the eastern pike time to continue to even out, and the Wakefield demographics will continue to slowly improve. West pike can continue to go to WL or can go to Career Center HS. I get that moving Arl Heights will take out some of the already-gentrified neighborhoods, and I don't know the numbers, but the concentrated high-FARMS housing is where my concern mainly lies.

What are you talking about? You are basically saying - let's make it worse by taking the best part of south arl out of Wakefield.

I'm saying what I think is the primary issue to be worried about and to try to avoid. Sure, would be nice to keep Arl Heights where it is. It would also be nice to have a pony. If the Career Ctr HS is what the board picks, it's not realistic to keep Arl Heights at Wakefield. From my position zoned for Wakefield, I think I could live with that so long as they keep the west pike area out of Wakefield too. There is no solution that's going to make everyone happy. The county is out of ponies.

And where are you zoned?

Wakefield.

Are you poster that said they will likely stay WF if this all plays out? I think you are really underestimating what a mess this this will create. I say this because after the boundary farce last fall, I have no faith the SB has the will to do right by Wakefield. Maybe we are out of ponies. Maybe this is just where we are, but I wouldn't happily go along with this idea at the career center. Ultimately is just doing what's best for north Arlington at south Arlington's expense. They don't get saddled with a mega school, and we are left with a less than school and a gutted Wakefield.
They all want to cram on that side of town? Fine, but then they get gigantic schools. Deal with it.

[Anonymous]

First of all, a huge portion of the families on western Pike do not go to WL, they go to WF. If they did, then WF would have an even higher FARMs rate than now.

Second, the people living between 50 and CP, like me, don't want to bus poorer kids away. What we want is balance - diversity. A school that is 60%+ FARMs is no more diverse than one that is 10% FARMs. Many of us want-

(1) wealthier kids in NA to come to higher-FARMs rate schools in SA. This can be done by making the SA schools more attractive with neat programs they want and boundary changes.

(2) options to go to lower FARMs rate schools. Yes, OPTIONS. Despite NA Talento's rhetoric, she does not speak for everyone in the Latino community. if she did, then the poorer families around Glen Carlyn would have been happy to go to WF and would not have pushed to stay at WL. Not all poorer families want to be with other poorer families and understand the value of cohorts from families who have already found and lived the American dream.

If we rely on the SB to make boundary changes to ensure balance and diversity, we won't get it. Never have, never will.