APS middle school boundary process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^No, you need to look up the definition of neighborhood.

Semantics aren’t going to win this argument.

This is DCUM. No arguments are ever won. Everyone remains a loser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

It doesn't change the fact that a huge proportion of Arlington families willingly bus or drive their kids to non-neighborhood schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

It doesn't change the fact that a huge proportion of Arlington families willingly bus or drive their kids to non-neighborhood schools.

And a similarly huge proportion have their kids walk to their chosen neighborhood schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

It doesn't change the fact that a huge proportion of Arlington families willingly bus or drive their kids to non-neighborhood schools.

And a similarly huge proportion have their kids walk to their chosen neighborhood schools.

Then I suggest some great walking shoes. Enjoy the longer walk!

[Anonymous]

Walking is more important in middle school than elementary. For younger elementary kids, unless you literally live next door to a school, a parent or caretaker has to available to take the child or pick them up. Many kids don't wind up walking because parents do have time to go and come back again before going to work. Middle school they can come and go without a parent having to be around - walkers actually walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walking is more important in middle school than elementary. For younger elementary kids, unless you literally live next door to a school, a parent or caretaker has to available to take the child or pick them up. Many kids don't wind up walking because parents do have time to go and come back again before going to work. Middle school they can come and go without a parent having to be around - walkers actually walk.

Disagree. Walking my kids back and forth to elementary school are some of our best memories - time to talk about the day, plan and hang out with their friends on the playground afterwards while I got to meet other parents outside my immediate neighborhood. By middle school they are independent enough to take bus on their own and often don’t even want to be seen with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Wait wait, Science Focus isn’t a choice school, that was the whole debate last year

And I doubt the numbers are as high for MS and HS, since HBW is about the only program. Careee Center is tiny and most Spanish immersion don’t continue into Wakefield over WL or YT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

Science Focus isn’t a neighborhood school either; the kids who live in its neighborhood are bused to Taylor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This is DCUM. No arguments are ever won. Everyone remains a loser.

I challenge you to a slapfight!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

Science Focus isn’t a neighborhood school either; the kids who live in its neighborhood are bused to Taylor.

It IS a neighborhood school, it just isn't located in its own neighborhood b/c the school for that neighborhood was co-opted for the Spanish immersion school b/c Key was closer to Spanish speaking communities and more metro accessible for the lottery families to get to the school.

This was a major part of the reason they took away any vestiges of the team concept b/c over the last decade it has been almost exclusively a neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did not read through all of the previous posts, so I apologize in advance if I'm missing something, but for those who state that diversity is their main goal - do you think that bussing kids from one end of the county to the other, the result being only a slight change in diversity is more important than having kids bussed out of their neighborhoods and schools that they can walk to? It's fine if that is the thought, I'm just wondering if it is.

Over a third of kids are bussed already due to choice schools, including lots of kids who presumably could be walking to neighborhood schools. Arlingtonians are fine with bussing kids all over the county.

Really? Greater than 33% of APS students go to a choice school???

No, I misspoke. About 20 percent go to choice schools, one out of five. You can look at the transfer report yourself. 300 kids go to Drew Montessori, 650 to Science Focus, 500 to ATS, 700 to Claremont, 300 to Key....not all would be bused, but that's 2,400 elementary students out of 13,000 elementary students at choice schools. 3,400 total kids transfer to other elementaries. Numbers are about the same for middle and high schools.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf

Science Focus isn't a choice school. And I wouldn't call administrative transfers a "choice".

Science Focus isn’t a neighborhood school either; the kids who live in its neighborhood are bused to Taylor.

It IS a neighborhood school, it just isn't located in its own neighborhood b/c the school for that neighborhood was co-opted for the Spanish immersion school b/c Key was closer to Spanish speaking communities and more metro accessible for the lottery families to get to the school.

This was a major part of the reason they took away any vestiges of the team concept b/c over the last decade it has been almost exclusively a neighborhood school.

Those of us who actually live in the Science Focus neighborhood disagree. And no, it's not been the last decade that it has been almost exclusively a school for those in the Key/ASFS boundaries.

[Anonymous]

This whole conversation is irrelevant. Unless the low income community in affected neighborhoods has another "sit down" with the SB about what they want, they will get screwed. That means those of us white folks in SFH get screwed too. I don't know who was it that organized the last effort in the HS process (hey you in glen carlyn area - and not the white folks) - best get organized or Kenmore will get poorer. And, those of you in Jefferson are teetering on the edge. Don't think for a second those families north of the mason dixon line (ala rt 50) won't lobby to get into the new school and leave jefferson to take more of the low income load.

[Anonymous]

Back to the topic at hand, is there any reason a planning unit couldn't be split? It appears to me (full disclosure: I don't live in the neighborhood and am not familiar with its geography/distribution of students) that 14030 and 13040 are the PUs where at least some part of that territory is VERY close to Swanson. What if those PUs were merged and then re-split along a N/S divide, rather than an E/W line? The more southern new PU could go to Kenmore and the more northern new PU, which presumably would include students within 1/2 mile of Swanson or less, could stay at Swanson. Thoughts?

Also, I really don't want to contribute to the debate on the nitty-gritty of the actual path one would take to walk between DH and Kenmore, but I note that for some reason the PUs between Wilson and 50, west of Four Mile Run, aren't considered in the walk zone for Kenmore. If that's for a particular reason, maybe the same reason would make it unsafe for some of the kids in the Swanson area to walk too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole conversation is irrelevant. Unless the low income community in affected neighborhoods has another "sit down" with the SB about what they want, they will get screwed. That means those of us white folks in SFH get screwed too. I don't know who was it that organized the last effort in the HS process (hey you in glen carlyn area - and not the white folks) - best get organized or Kenmore will get poorer. And, those of you in Jefferson are teetering on the edge. Don't think for a second those families north of the mason dixon line (ala rt 50) won't lobby to get into the new school and leave jefferson to take more of the low income load.

I’m confused about this.
The low income community in the HS boundary shift was Buckingham and they lobbied stay at WL and won.