Arlington School Choice

[Anonymous]

Can someone give me the run down on this? We are looking to buy in S. Arlington maybe in the Drew district. If we are in the Nauck neighborhood does that mean we can get preference into the montessori program or do we still have the same chances as everyone else? If we apply to all the schools that are listed (Drew, Hoffman-Boston, Claremont, Campbell, Arlington Traditional School) is the chance pretty high that we would get into one of them at least?

We can also transfer into another neighborhood school right? As long as it is not at capacity? ( looks like only hoffman-boston and randolph aren't at capacity).

Sorry I just find this confusing!

[Anonymous]

Some of the schools you mention are countywide schools with admission by application and when the number of applications exceeds the spaces available, it goes to a lottery process. The lottery is typical for Drew's Montessori primary program, Arlington Traditional School (ATS), and maybe Claremont (feeder school area - Ashlawn, Barcroft, Carlin Springs, Drew, McKinley, Nottingham, Randolph, and Tuckahoe). For Claremont, students from designated cluster neighborhood school zones - Abingdon/Hoffman-Boston/Oakridge are guaranteed admission. Chances of getting in are slim for ATS and Drew Montessori's primary program. Claremont is getting tougher to get into from the feeder school area due to its rising popularity.

Drew is both a neighborhood school (graded program) and countywide school (Montessori program). If you live in the Drew neighborhood, that's your school, you would just need to register your child. I don't believe that you don't get preference for the Montessori program (primary level). Hoffman-Boston is a neighborhood school that is under-enrolled so your child would get in there.

I suggest that you review the website for each school to get an understanding of the special focus and determine what you think will be a good fit for your child to narrow down the schools to apply to. For example, Drew has a Montessori program, Campbell is an Expeditionary Learning School, Claremont is Spanish Immersion, and Arlington Traditional School - the name speaks for itself.

[Anonymous]

^^
I meant to say that you don't get preference for Drew's Primary Montessori Program.

[Anonymous]

Great job explaining. I think of you go to the APS website it indicates what schools are options for you. Anecdotally, people seem to get in to Campbell and Claremont- ATS though had nearly 300 applicants for the class of 72 and with probably about 15-20 going to VPI kids, not even all those spots were available (and then more were taken by siblings.) you might get in but I would never count on it.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I would love for DS to go to Claremont, but I am not sure we will be able to find a house in one of the guaranteed districts.

DS still has a while before kinder (he is only 22 months). So I guess I have no idea what the schools will be like then.

[Anonymous]

Yes, while there are guarantee districts for Claremont, I know it is a very viable option for many many other schools as the immersion choice/option. I would find a home school that you are happy with that has Claremont as the immersion option. There should be many options open to you. Hopefully you'll get in to Claremont, but if not have a solid neighborhood school to fall back on.

[Anonymous]

To give some perspective, my now-K son was around #200 on the ATS waitlist this year. The schools are overcrowded so they were very strict about transfers this year - I wouldn't count on a transfer that isn't part of an application/lottery process, and those are a crapshoot. The Spanish immersion schools usually have the best odds.

Pick a house with a school you could live with - in reality, they're all pretty good. Don't let the S. Arlington haters convince you that they're bad schools and your kid is relegated to being a sanitation engineer if they wind up zoned for Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

If Randolph is still below capacity you might want to consider a transfer. We know several families with kids at Randolph and they are very happy with it.

[Anonymous]

OP, you might want to hold off on moving until the new choice school in south Arlington has been determined and the boundary revisions have been made for south Arlington schools. The feeder schools to Claremont might change too if that is a school you are considering. The process is scheduled to start this fall and go through the Spring. North Arlington schools just completed the process http://www.apsva.us//site/Default.aspx?PageID=19099

Personally, I'd like to see another Science/ Environmental Focus school. I'm also holding my breath about the upcoming boundary changes as I am expecting to get rezoned to a less desirable neighborhood school option. I live on the outer fringe of the zone for my neighborhood school, Oakridge, which is projected to be the most crowded if it is not already. That zone will definately get reduced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To give some perspective, my now-K son was around #200 on the ATS waitlist this year. The schools are overcrowded so they were very strict about transfers this year - I wouldn't count on a transfer that isn't part of an application/lottery process, and those are a crapshoot. The Spanish immersion schools usually have the best odds.

Pick a house with a school you could live with - in reality, they're all pretty good. Don't let the S. Arlington haters convince you that they're bad schools and your kid is relegated to being a sanitation engineer if they wind up zoned for Wakefield.

+1!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you might want to hold off on moving until the new choice school in south Arlington has been determined and the boundary revisions have been made for south Arlington schools. The feeder schools to Claremont might change too if that is a school you are considering. The process is scheduled to start this fall and go through the Spring. North Arlington schools just completed the process http://www.apsva.us//site/Default.aspx?PageID=19099

Personally, I'd like to see another Science/ Environmental Focus school. I'm also holding my breath about the upcoming boundary changes as I am expecting to get rezoned to a less desirable neighborhood school option. I live on the outer fringe of the zone for my neighborhood school, Oakridge, which is projected to be the most crowded if it is not already. That zone will definately get reduced.

I think Hoffman-Boston is a STEM school already? But, people are generally frightened of Hoffman-Boston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Personally, I'd like to see another Science/ Environmental Focus school. I'm also holding my breath about the upcoming boundary changes as I am expecting to get rezoned to a less desirable neighborhood school option. I live on the outer fringe of the zone for my neighborhood school, Oakridge, which is projected to be the most crowded if it is not already. That zone will definately get reduced.

I think Hoffman-Boston is a STEM school already? But, people are generally frightened of Hoffman-Boston.

You are correct about Hoffman-Boston being STEM, but I think that just started this school year, so it may take the public time to start to appreciate the program I would think, which is why now I probably a good time to try and get into it!

http://www.apsva.us/Page/1670

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Personally, I'd like to see another Science/ Environmental Focus school. I'm also holding my breath about the upcoming boundary changes as I am expecting to get rezoned to a less desirable neighborhood school option. I live on the outer fringe of the zone for my neighborhood school, Oakridge, which is projected to be the most crowded if it is not already. That zone will definately get reduced.

I think Hoffman-Boston is a STEM school already? But, people are generally frightened of Hoffman-Boston.

You are correct about Hoffman-Boston being STEM, but I think that just started this school year, so it may take the public time to start to appreciate the program I would think, which is why now I probably a good time to try and get into it!

http://www.apsva.us/Page/1670

STEM has more of a technology/engineering focus rather than the environmental science focus at Arlington Science Focus school (focus on scientific inquiry in the sciences - chemistry, biology, ecology, zoology, etc with lots of outdoor fieldwork).

I think people, myself included, are frightened of Hoffman Boston because its one of the lowest-performing schools in the county. I say this as a black mom so the student demographics are not an issue for me - it's about academic performance, bottom line. Hopefully, implementation of the STEM program will start to change that but for now I am not ready to rush into the school. I am preparing for my child to go parochial or private in the event that I am rezoned to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you might want to hold off on moving until the new choice school in south Arlington has been determined and the boundary revisions have been made for south Arlington schools. The feeder schools to Claremont might change too if that is a school you are considering. The process is scheduled to start this fall and go through the Spring. North Arlington schools just completed the process http://www.apsva.us//site/Default.aspx?PageID=19099

Personally, I'd like to see another Science/ Environmental Focus school. I'm also holding my breath about the upcoming boundary changes as I am expecting to get rezoned to a less desirable neighborhood school option. I live on the outer fringe of the zone for my neighborhood school, Oakridge, which is projected to be the most crowded if it is not already. That zone will definately get reduced.

Interesting thanks. The house we were interested in sold. I think we are looking to move in winter/spring 2014.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To give some perspective, my now-K son was around #200 on the ATS waitlist this year. The schools are overcrowded so they were very strict about transfers this year - I wouldn't count on a transfer that isn't part of an application/lottery process, and those are a crapshoot. The Spanish immersion schools usually have the best odds.

Pick a house with a school you could live with - in reality, they're all pretty good. Don't let the S. Arlington haters convince you that they're bad schools and your kid is relegated to being a sanitation engineer if they wind up zoned for Wakefield.

I'd wait for the redistricting before buying there. That will reveal whether the Wakefield avoiders are some rare species found only on DCUM or are instead most of N. Arlington.