Alexandria HSs

[Anonymous]

The TC braintrust decided to move everyone to new classrooms over the summer and, surprise surprise, they've botched it. Many teachers don't have a workspace yet and many who do have not received the items from their old spaces. The admin in charge of the move? Yep, the same one who's been mentioned before. I guess 10 weeks just isn't long enough.

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titans-ic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The TC braintrust decided to move everyone to new classrooms over the summer and, surprise surprise, they've botched it. Many teachers don't have a workspace yet and many who do have not received the items from their old spaces. The admin in charge of the move? Yep, the same one who's been mentioned before. I guess 10 weeks just isn't long enough.

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titans-ic.

Relax. School doesn't start for more than a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TC braintrust decided to move everyone to new classrooms over the summer and, surprise surprise, they've botched it. Many teachers don't have a workspace yet and many who do have not received the items from their old spaces. The admin in charge of the move? Yep, the same one who's been mentioned before. I guess 10 weeks just isn't long enough.

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titans-ic.

Relax. School doesn't start for more than a week.

Exactly. The best course of action is, just relax, let the school board do whatever they want, it's all perfect, nothing has ever gone wrong before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider moving to Old Town or Del Ray if west Alexandria got its own high school.

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

And there is no evidence of this except for a couple of people who keep tendentiously misinterpreting one spec document. And whose principle motivation appears to be to throw a monkey wrench into any plan to add more HS seats, because they don't want to pay more taxes for schools.

There’s no evidence at all, except for the school board’s unanimous votes adopting a split of TC Williams high school into two or more 9-12 high schools, each serving different neighborhoods. It’s in writing. The vote was taken four times. Now they’re just implementing their plan.

Show me the writing (not just the link to the specs document, which is NOT a plan for two schools)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

[Anonymous]

I don't know what the solution will be, but it's clear we need a separate high school (huge single TCW will be bad as no one learns when too big/cumbersome/unwieldy.

The only available land is at a) super weird Minnie Howard that needs to be razed and rebuilt. This should be for 9th and 10th grades which makes sense as the current TCW building down Braddock/King streets could be for 11th and 12th and go betweens and b) GW Middle School turned into the 2nd Alexandria City High School on the east end of Alexandria which offers the GREAT advantage of next to the Metro for sports and getting home and c) the Water Park land on Eisenhower which is substantially large, could incorporate a pro student athletic facility and more and is and between 2 Metro stops allowing shuttles.


God I hope wisdom intervenes here. Sadly, I am not going to hold my breath as this is Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

Totally. All kids east of 395 will be plumbers and all kids west of 395 will be electricians. Or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

Totally. All kids east of 395 will be plumbers and all kids west of 395 will be electricians. Or something like that.

WELP. This latter statement is true for sure if we continue w ACPS and our City Council requirement of no academic progress with ACPS. isn't it time to give up and redo ACPS from the Board on down with City oversight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

Totally. All kids east of 395 will be plumbers and all kids west of 395 will be electricians. Or something like that.

WELP. This latter statement is true for sure if we continue w ACPS and our City Council requirement of no academic progress with ACPS. isn't it time to give up and redo ACPS from the Board on down with City oversight?

Yes; long past due. Alexandria isn't a little town any more. Time to get rid of the amateur, tinkering, favorite-playing elected school board. The first productive step is, don't vote for any incumbent school board member in November. Not one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TC braintrust decided to move everyone to new classrooms over the summer and, surprise surprise, they've botched it. Many teachers don't have a workspace yet and many who do have not received the items from their old spaces. The admin in charge of the move? Yep, the same one who's been mentioned before. I guess 10 weeks just isn't long enough.

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titans-ic.

Relax. School doesn't start for more than a week.

I still don't have a space and many don't have their stuff yet. Do we have your permission to unrelax yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The TC braintrust decided to move everyone to new classrooms over the summer and, surprise surprise, they've botched it. Many teachers don't have a workspace yet and many who do have not received the items from their old spaces. The admin in charge of the move? Yep, the same one who's been mentioned before. I guess 10 weeks just isn't long enough.

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titans-ic.

Relax. School doesn't start for more than a week.

I still don't have a space and many don't have their stuff yet. Do we have your permission to unrelax yet?

If you were real, yes. But youre trolling, so no. All teachers now have spots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

Again, I see no evidence for the above. And not sure its even legal to make one HS vocational and one "college prep".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

Totally. All kids east of 395 will be plumbers and all kids west of 395 will be electricians. Or something like that.

WELP. This latter statement is true for sure if we continue w ACPS and our City Council requirement of no academic progress with ACPS. isn't it time to give up and redo ACPS from the Board on down with City oversight?

No. I think it would be a huge waste of time and energy for the Council to try a massive change in how ACPS is run, eliminating the independent school board, because of A. A phantom "two high school" plan and B. Test results at least 80% due to demographics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That’s the school board’s intention. Their desire is to stick the West end kids into a separate high school, which is assured to be not full-service.

Where is the evidence that a West end high school would "not be full-service"?

School board has already indicated that there will be no athletic fields except at TC. That was covered by the Alexandria Times as recently as April. The school board's ed-spec regulation doesn't include numerous features of TC in the new high school final design (so much won't be at the new high school that it's impossible to fully list - no planetarium, no full-time scholarship fund college assistance office, etc). The school board's current gimmick is conducting a "high school experience" survey; the results will be presented in late September as evidence of the minimum goals and features.

Actually all of that sounds like evidence that they are NOT leaning towards a second comprehensive HS. More likely they will either expand TCW (bye bye to some of that land at Chinquapin) OR add capacity at Minnie Howard (9-10 maybe?) or add specialized mini campuses elsewhere.

No, they’re already planning the specific design features for a second 9-12 HS. They have already hired two of the consulting contractors. It’s just that the new HS (which will be in the West End) will be vocational and not full-service college prep. All West End kids will be zoned for it.

Totally. All kids east of 395 will be plumbers and all kids west of 395 will be electricians. Or something like that.

WELP. This latter statement is true for sure if we continue w ACPS and our City Council requirement of no academic progress with ACPS. isn't it time to give up and redo ACPS from the Board on down with City oversight?

No. I think it would be a huge waste of time and energy for the Council to try a massive change in how ACPS is run, eliminating the independent school board, because of A. A phantom "two high school" plan and B. Test results at least 80% due to demographics.

School board has already taken bids on the land procurement and architecture. The specs for the land are underway. Check it out at https://acps.munisselfservice.com/Vendors/VBids/SearchResults.aspx# and look for RFP 180303. Not phantom; in progress. (the tab labeled "Addenda" contains even more).