Barcroft elementary/ south Arlington crisis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The ESOL children are not the problem. The fact that they are all shoe horned into a couple of schools is the problem.

Regardless of where you put them they are a much higher percentage then only 15 years a go and consume expensive services that were not budgeted properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ESOL children are not the problem. The fact that they are all shoe horned into a couple of schools is the problem.

Regardless of where you put them they are a much higher percentage then only 15 years a go and consume expensive services that were not budgeted properly.

I don't believe that is true. Back that up with a source please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ESOL children are not the problem. The fact that they are all shoe horned into a couple of schools is the problem.

Regardless of where you put them they are a much higher percentage then only 15 years a go and consume expensive services that were not budgeted properly.

I don't believe that is true. Back that up with a source please.

The opposite is true. In 2001 ESOL was 35% of the APS enrollment. in 2014 ESOL was 25%. That is a significant decline.
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/legacy_assets/www/0d3c7be38a-AFSAP-Report1.8-Web_Revised.pdf see page 22 for the ESOL statistics.

[Anonymous]

I hope everyone knows that the troll recently posting about ESOL kids in this thread and others is NOT a Barcroft parent, a Barcroft resident, and probably not a south Arlington resident. In all likelihood they've never set foot in this part of the county, if they are even a resident of Arlington. Most of you probably figured that out already, but just in case. I speak for Barcroft and South Arlington when I say that this piece of trash is not one of us.

[Anonymous]

The problem isn't the ESOL kids. The problem is putting them all in the same 3-4 schools. It's not immersive for those children. We all know better. Shameful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem isn't the ESOL kids. The problem is putting them all in the same 3-4 schools. It's not immersive for those children. We all know better. Shameful.

There seems to be a clear difference of opinion on this--not just from the trolls posting here and on ArlNow, but from many people who sincerely believe that they are doing the best thing for their kids by putting them in the "best performing schools" (and then making sure the boundaries don't change). They don't see it as shameful because they don't feel responsible for creating or contributing to the problem. And since parents are a minority in Arlington, as long as parents keep fighting amongst themselves its difficult to get anything accomplished because APS can't effectively advocate to the rest of the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem isn't the ESOL kids. The problem is putting them all in the same 3-4 schools. It's not immersive for those children. We all know better. Shameful.

There seems to be a clear difference of opinion on this--not just from the trolls posting here and on ArlNow, but from many people who sincerely believe that they are doing the best thing for their kids by putting them in the "best performing schools" (and then making sure the boundaries don't change). They don't see it as shameful because they don't feel responsible for creating or contributing to the problem. And since parents are a minority in Arlington, as long as parents keep fighting amongst themselves its difficult to get anything accomplished because APS can't effectively advocate to the rest of the community.

I'm not the PP but I appreciate the perspective. I have been active on all these South Arl threads and been trying to keep in mind that what is important to me (diversity, both race/ethnicity and socioeconomic) is not top priority for everyone. In a way, I have been very privileged to be able to make that a priority for my kids, because I know they will do fine regardless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So is the rumor about the AP and the extra training for the principal true? Those of us zoned for this school would like to know.

It was announced today the the AP has resigned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So is the rumor about the AP and the extra training for the principal true? Those of us zoned for this school would like to know.

It was announced today the the AP has resigned.

So what's the story? I think it's weird that these schools ( Randolph/ Barcroft ) are being scrutinized all of the sudden. These have been underperforming schools for years. Why does it suddenly matter?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Any details? Why now?

[Anonymous]

Sigh. Don't know about Randolph but I know several middle class families who were all in at Barcroft. Committed to diversity & neighborhood school. All that. After a year or two they moved, sent siblings to choice schools or went private. These aren't N. Arlington striver types. Just parents who couldn't let their kids continue there. not sure how much the administration was the issue.

[Anonymous]

There isn't much an administration could do. I had hope for both of those schools at one time. Just don't see a path now.



I will say the Randolph principal was not a very nice person or effective manager. That couldn't have helped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem isn't the ESOL kids. The problem is putting them all in the same 3-4 schools. It's not immersive for those children. We all know better. Shameful.

There seems to be a clear difference of opinion on this--not just from the trolls posting here and on ArlNow, but from many people who sincerely believe that they are doing the best thing for their kids by putting them in the "best performing schools" (and then making sure the boundaries don't change). They don't see it as shameful because they don't feel responsible for creating or contributing to the problem. And since parents are a minority in Arlington, as long as parents keep fighting amongst themselves its difficult to get anything accomplished because APS can't effectively advocate to the rest of the community.

I'm not the PP but I appreciate the perspective. I have been active on all these South Arl threads and been trying to keep in mind that what is important to me (diversity, both race/ethnicity and socioeconomic) is not top priority for everyone. In a way, I have been very privileged to be able to make that a priority for my kids, because I know they will do fine regardless.

Not hard to make it a priority , lots of low rated schools everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There isn't much an administration could do. I had hope for both of those schools at one time. Just don't see a path now.



I will say the Randolph principal was not a very nice person or effective manager. That couldn't have helped.

They have a new principal at Randolph now. Started this year I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There isn't much an administration could do. I had hope for both of those schools at one time. Just don't see a path now.



I will say the Randolph principal was not a very nice person or effective manager. That couldn't have helped.

They have a new principal at Randolph now. Started this year I think.

That was my point upthread. They removed Bostwick last spring. I don't see why they care all of the sudden. Randolph had sucked for years.