South Arlington elementary school boundary adjustments 2019

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Campbell a Title I school, and isn't it high performing?

It performs fine.
It’s a choice school and self selecting.

Do applications at choice schools need to be made for the kindergarten year or is 1st grade also a possibility? Is one preferred?

It depends on what you are applying to, and what your situation is. You can apply anytime, however your chances of getting in are much better in general your kindergarten year.
At ATS the waitlist carries over from year to year- so if you apply as a 1st grader for the first time you would be behind all the waitlisted kindergartners.
immersion is the same way- without the same lengthy waitlist.
montessori is a little different b/c of the cycle.

That's for this year. Next year, they will hold a new lottery for open spots at every grade level at the choice schools so that you have a shot if you moved here after the Kindergarten lottery.

What's your basis for that statement? I tracked the changes to the option policies pretty closely, and don't recall any discussion along those lines. Plus the new policy says 'maintain a waitlist'
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SBP-25-2.2-Options-and-Transfers.pdf

I don't know where it came from, but I think it's part of the PIP, which comes from the Super, not the policy that the SB voted on. It's on the APS website on the options page, and it's what the principals are saying on the Kindergarten school tours.

PP is correct- after 2018-19 school year, waitlists at option elementary schools will no longer carry over year to year. This will allow new residents/military families chances to get spots. Also, since the lotteries are are centralized this year, if you apply to multiple choice schools and get into one, your child's name will be removed from the running for others. There are many reasons for this including people sitting on multiple waiting lists or holding off on committing to a school while waiting to see if you get off the waitlist for another. Once you are offered a spot, I you have one week to accept or you loose your spot. This is what principals are telling prospective families on tours and to staff.

Oh, that's interesting and I had not heard this yet. I haven't seen or heard that explicitly explained anywhere.

So they conduct the lotteries simultaneously, but take your name off waitlists for others if you accept a spot at one option school? Couldn't someone get into all the schools, in theory? How does this work if they are conducting the lotteries simultaneously? If they aren't simultaneous, how do they decide which school goes first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Campbell a Title I school, and isn't it high performing?

It performs fine.
It’s a choice school and self selecting.

Do applications at choice schools need to be made for the kindergarten year or is 1st grade also a possibility? Is one preferred?

It depends on what you are applying to, and what your situation is. You can apply anytime, however your chances of getting in are much better in general your kindergarten year.
At ATS the waitlist carries over from year to year- so if you apply as a 1st grader for the first time you would be behind all the waitlisted kindergartners.
immersion is the same way- without the same lengthy waitlist.
montessori is a little different b/c of the cycle.

Unless you are a native speaker, you can’t do immersion unless you start in kindergarten. You have to test extremely proficient in the language. So I don’t think there is a waiting list after kindergarten.

That's definitely wrong. You can enter as a first grader as well- and after that just have to be as proficient as if you had been in the program

Just my experience living in the key zone, the only kids I know who didn’t start as kindergarteners are native speakers. The school told me when I moved that my then first grader could not join because she was not a native speaker. Maybe there was a miscommunication there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Campbell a Title I school, and isn't it high performing?

It performs fine.
It’s a choice school and self selecting.

Do applications at choice schools need to be made for the kindergarten year or is 1st grade also a possibility? Is one preferred?

It depends on what you are applying to, and what your situation is. You can apply anytime, however your chances of getting in are much better in general your kindergarten year.
At ATS the waitlist carries over from year to year- so if you apply as a 1st grader for the first time you would be behind all the waitlisted kindergartners.
immersion is the same way- without the same lengthy waitlist.
montessori is a little different b/c of the cycle.

That's for this year. Next year, they will hold a new lottery for open spots at every grade level at the choice schools so that you have a shot if you moved here after the Kindergarten lottery.

What's your basis for that statement? I tracked the changes to the option policies pretty closely, and don't recall any discussion along those lines. Plus the new policy says 'maintain a waitlist'
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SBP-25-2.2-Options-and-Transfers.pdf

I don't know where it came from, but I think it's part of the PIP, which comes from the Super, not the policy that the SB voted on. It's on the APS website on the options page, and it's what the principals are saying on the Kindergarten school tours.

PP is correct- after 2018-19 school year, waitlists at option elementary schools will no longer carry over year to year. This will allow new residents/military families chances to get spots. Also, since the lotteries are are centralized this year, if you apply to multiple choice schools and get into one, your child's name will be removed from the running for others. There are many reasons for this including people sitting on multiple waiting lists or holding off on committing to a school while waiting to see if you get off the waitlist for another. Once you are offered a spot, I you have one week to accept or you loose your spot. This is what principals are telling prospective families on tours and to staff.

Oh, that's interesting and I had not heard this yet. I haven't seen or heard that explicitly explained anywhere.

So they conduct the lotteries simultaneously, but take your name off waitlists for others if you accept a spot at one option school? Couldn't someone get into all the schools, in theory? How does this work if they are conducting the lotteries simultaneously? If they aren't simultaneous, how do they decide which school goes first?

It sounded to me like they would be simultaneous so if Larla applied to ATS, Campbell and Claremont and was pulled for admission to Campbell, Larla would immediately be removed from the pool for ATS and Claremont. I think this is in part to encourage people to apply for an option school because they feel strongly about the program because applying to multiple could actually hurt your chances of getting into your first choice. Also, in the past, Larla could have gotten into Campbell and waitlisted at ATS and her parents would wait until the last possible moment to accept the spot as they waited to see if they'd get into ATS. This won't happen anymore either, making the process more streamlined and effiecent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Campbell a Title I school, and isn't it high performing?

It performs fine.
It’s a choice school and self selecting.

Do applications at choice schools need to be made for the kindergarten year or is 1st grade also a possibility? Is one preferred?

It depends on what you are applying to, and what your situation is. You can apply anytime, however your chances of getting in are much better in general your kindergarten year.
At ATS the waitlist carries over from year to year- so if you apply as a 1st grader for the first time you would be behind all the waitlisted kindergartners.
immersion is the same way- without the same lengthy waitlist.
montessori is a little different b/c of the cycle.

That's for this year. Next year, they will hold a new lottery for open spots at every grade level at the choice schools so that you have a shot if you moved here after the Kindergarten lottery.

What's your basis for that statement? I tracked the changes to the option policies pretty closely, and don't recall any discussion along those lines. Plus the new policy says 'maintain a waitlist'
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SBP-25-2.2-Options-and-Transfers.pdf

I don't know where it came from, but I think it's part of the PIP, which comes from the Super, not the policy that the SB voted on. It's on the APS website on the options page, and it's what the principals are saying on the Kindergarten school tours.

PP is correct- after 2018-19 school year, waitlists at option elementary schools will no longer carry over year to year. This will allow new residents/military families chances to get spots. Also, since the lotteries are are centralized this year, if you apply to multiple choice schools and get into one, your child's name will be removed from the running for others. There are many reasons for this including people sitting on multiple waiting lists or holding off on committing to a school while waiting to see if you get off the waitlist for another. Once you are offered a spot, I you have one week to accept or you loose your spot. This is what principals are telling prospective families on tours and to staff.

Oh, that's interesting and I had not heard this yet. I haven't seen or heard that explicitly explained anywhere.

So they conduct the lotteries simultaneously, but take your name off waitlists for others if you accept a spot at one option school? Couldn't someone get into all the schools, in theory? How does this work if they are conducting the lotteries simultaneously? If they aren't simultaneous, how do they decide which school goes first?

It sounded to me like they would be simultaneous so if Larla applied to ATS, Campbell and Claremont and was pulled for admission to Campbell, Larla would immediately be removed from the pool for ATS and Claremont. I think this is in part to encourage people to apply for an option school because they feel strongly about the program because applying to multiple could actually hurt your chances of getting into your first choice. Also, in the past, Larla could have gotten into Campbell and waitlisted at ATS and her parents would wait until the last possible moment to accept the spot as they waited to see if they'd get into ATS. This won't happen anymore either, making the process more streamlined and effiecent.

But what happens if you get into more than one school in the first round? It's not a likely scenario, but it is possible. We have neighbors whose child got into more than one option school last year, and others whose kid got into none. Do they give families the chance to decide between schools?

From what I've heard, I think even back before all the changes schools had deadlines for accepting offers. Like, you had to accept or decline within some relatively short time frame, and couldn't just wait it out over the summer. But you could change your mind if your child got off the waitlist at another school at a later date, and then the original school could open that vacated spot up to someone else on the waitlist. I don't know if this is really solving a problem that exists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Campbell a Title I school, and isn't it high performing?

It performs fine.
It’s a choice school and self selecting.

Do applications at choice schools need to be made for the kindergarten year or is 1st grade also a possibility? Is one preferred?

It depends on what you are applying to, and what your situation is. You can apply anytime, however your chances of getting in are much better in general your kindergarten year.
At ATS the waitlist carries over from year to year- so if you apply as a 1st grader for the first time you would be behind all the waitlisted kindergartners.
immersion is the same way- without the same lengthy waitlist.
montessori is a little different b/c of the cycle.

That's for this year. Next year, they will hold a new lottery for open spots at every grade level at the choice schools so that you have a shot if you moved here after the Kindergarten lottery.

^^ I think this is a welcome change. The one-shot kindergarten lottery was absurd. We know a lot of military and foreign service families shit out of ATS lottery because they didn't enter the kindergarten lottery and/or not allowed to apply while overseas. I know others who applied and waited out the waitlist to enroll in grades 2, 3, 4 whenever their number came up and then ensuring entry for their subsequent children.

[Anonymous]

So when is this process really getting started?
When will we get an idea of what the boundaries will be?

[Anonymous]

The boundary part starts in the fall. This spring they confirm where choice schools will and won’t be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The boundary part starts in the fall. This spring they confirm where choice schools will and won’t be.

There's a timeline schedule on the elementary planning initiative webpage but it's a pdf at the top of the page.

[Anonymous]

Are there stats on how many students apply to more than one choice program and for how many students apply to choice programs and don't get accepted at all? That would be interesting to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, do you think aurora highlands is going to drew? I'm kinda doubtful those small neighborhoods south of the pike going to Henry now are enough to transform the current graded program's student body, and there are some but not a lot of MC families in nauck, judging from the very high family poverty rate there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's mathematically and politically possible for the new drew to end up with less than 60%.

Anonymous wrote:Funny, not 5-6 years ago many of my neighbors were iffy on Campbell. Now it’s a hot ticket.
Same with Hoffman Boston. It was considered crappy not 3-4 years ago. Now it’s the new Henry.
This boundary process will be interesting for sure.
I’d be pissed if I lived in one of the long struggling under performing schools, and Drew gets 40% or lower farms rates.
They wanted to be a neighborhood school, that’s fine. I would be irritated if they pouched umc kids away from my neighborhood to boost their demographics.

We’ll see. Reading this thread there seem to be some “stake holders” that have a head start. I would bet some these areas being looked at for Drew have no clue that’s where they are headed. This whole thing is going to be nuts.

The demographics of Nauck have really changed. THe neighborhood school is not reflective of the neighborhood population anymore. We live in Nauck, we are UMC and go to Claremont. We also have a lot of neighbors that go to ATS and Hoffman Boston. I am not saying it is a mega rich neighborhood by any means but I don't know that it is overall high poverty anymore. THe neighborhood went from 97% black to something like 20%. If they force the neighborhood families to go to Drew I think it could really change the demographics of the school, but who knows.

(this was in response to the PP about Aurora Highlands..i think the quoting got messed up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, do you think aurora highlands is going to drew? I'm kinda doubtful those small neighborhoods south of the pike going to Henry now are enough to transform the current graded program's student body, and there are some but not a lot of MC families in nauck, judging from the very high family poverty rate there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's mathematically and politically possible for the new drew to end up with less than 60%.

Anonymous wrote:Funny, not 5-6 years ago many of my neighbors were iffy on Campbell. Now it’s a hot ticket.
Same with Hoffman Boston. It was considered crappy not 3-4 years ago. Now it’s the new Henry.
This boundary process will be interesting for sure.
I’d be pissed if I lived in one of the long struggling under performing schools, and Drew gets 40% or lower farms rates.
They wanted to be a neighborhood school, that’s fine. I would be irritated if they pouched umc kids away from my neighborhood to boost their demographics.

We’ll see. Reading this thread there seem to be some “stake holders” that have a head start. I would bet some these areas being looked at for Drew have no clue that’s where they are headed. This whole thing is going to be nuts.

The demographics of Nauck have really changed. THe neighborhood school is not reflective of the neighborhood population anymore. We live in Nauck, we are UMC and go to Claremont. We also have a lot of neighbors that go to ATS and Hoffman Boston. I am not saying it is a mega rich neighborhood by any means but I don't know that it is overall high poverty anymore. THe neighborhood went from 97% black to something like 20%. If they force the neighborhood families to go to Drew I think it could really change the demographics of the school, but who knows.

(this was in response to the PP about Aurora Highlands..i think the quoting got messed up.

Yes, many families in Nauck send their kids to Drew Montessori (and they look like transfers in the reports), ATS, or Claremont. There are lots and lots of kids at the bus stops in the mornings. Unclear how many would choose to send their kids to a refashioned neighborhood school in the short term. It might change over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, do you think aurora highlands is going to drew? I'm kinda doubtful those small neighborhoods south of the pike going to Henry now are enough to transform the current graded program's student body, and there are some but not a lot of MC families in nauck, judging from the very high family poverty rate there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's mathematically and politically possible for the new drew to end up with less than 60%.

Anonymous wrote:Funny, not 5-6 years ago many of my neighbors were iffy on Campbell. Now it’s a hot ticket.
Same with Hoffman Boston. It was considered crappy not 3-4 years ago. Now it’s the new Henry.
This boundary process will be interesting for sure.
I’d be pissed if I lived in one of the long struggling under performing schools, and Drew gets 40% or lower farms rates.
They wanted to be a neighborhood school, that’s fine. I would be irritated if they pouched umc kids away from my neighborhood to boost their demographics.

We’ll see. Reading this thread there seem to be some “stake holders” that have a head start. I would bet some these areas being looked at for Drew have no clue that’s where they are headed. This whole thing is going to be nuts.

The demographics of Nauck have really changed. THe neighborhood school is not reflective of the neighborhood population anymore. We live in Nauck, we are UMC and go to Claremont. We also have a lot of neighbors that go to ATS and Hoffman Boston. I am not saying it is a mega rich neighborhood by any means but I don't know that it is overall high poverty anymore. THe neighborhood went from 97% black to something like 20%. If they force the neighborhood families to go to Drew I think it could really change the demographics of the school, but who knows.

(this was in response to the PP about Aurora Highlands..i think the quoting got messed up.

Yes, many families in Nauck send their kids to Drew Montessori (and they look like transfers in the reports), ATS, or Claremont. There are lots and lots of kids at the bus stops in the mornings. Unclear how many would choose to send their kids to a refashioned neighborhood school in the short term. It might change over time.

I am pretty sure it will change over time, just depends on how fast it changed I guess. The neighborhood seems to be made up of super old folks and then UMC families with kids. Those older people are selling and moving out. I don't think everyone here is going to move or want to send their kids to private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The demographics of Nauck have really changed. THe neighborhood school is not reflective of the neighborhood population anymore. We live in Nauck, we are UMC and go to Claremont. We also have a lot of neighbors that go to ATS and Hoffman Boston. I am not saying it is a mega rich neighborhood by any means but I don't know that it is overall high poverty anymore. THe neighborhood went from 97% black to something like 20%. If they force the neighborhood families to go to Drew I think it could really change the demographics of the school, but who knows.

Yep, the neighborhood has attracted some UMC families. But they tend to send their kids to option schools - either Montessori, or, in your case, Claremont. Many of them are going to follow the Montessori program to the Henry building. Poverty in Nauck is still pretty high - at least 20 percent and probably higher, and that's Census data APS has published. Especially the portion south of Glebe Road. The children in poverty are probably mostly in the regular graded program at Drew, judging from test scores (which are highly correlated to family income). Eliminating choice schools and forcing Nauck residents to go to Drew? I don't think that's going to happen. Would you stand for it? It would be unfair for low-income kids who want to attend a choice school.

Given the relatively high poverty rate, the tendency for UMC Nauck residents with children to either move away or send their kids to choice programs other than Drew Model, my best guess is that the New Drew is going to resemble the current Model program, demographically. I think APS will be under the usual pressure to cherry pick/rezone nearby low-income and AH complexes to Drew to relieve overcrowding at Oakridge, which would probably change the current demographics modestly. It's always easier to rezone poorer families, they aren't as politically powerful. That was the case regarding Arlington Forest and Wakefield, just like it was true decades ago when the decision was made to bus Nauck students out of their neighborhood, instead of bringing white, wealthier students from outside Nauck to Drew.

Though it's identity is historically black, the neighborhood is now about a third black, a third Hispanic, a quarter white and about 10% Asian or multiracial. It was 60% black, 20% Hispanic, 20% white in 2000, so it's been awhile since it was near 100% African American. It's a neighborhood of mostly modest SFH and duplexes, most pretty well kept. It's easy to assume everyone living in them has the kind of income that would enable them to buy such homes in 2018. Some families do, but others don't; they live in homes whose mortgage was paid off by parents or grandparents a long time ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The demographics of Nauck have really changed. THe neighborhood school is not reflective of the neighborhood population anymore. We live in Nauck, we are UMC and go to Claremont. We also have a lot of neighbors that go to ATS and Hoffman Boston. I am not saying it is a mega rich neighborhood by any means but I don't know that it is overall high poverty anymore. THe neighborhood went from 97% black to something like 20%. If they force the neighborhood families to go to Drew I think it could really change the demographics of the school, but who knows.

Yep, the neighborhood has attracted some UMC families. But they tend to send their kids to option schools - either Montessori, or, in your case, Claremont. Many of them are going to follow the Montessori program to the Henry building. Poverty in Nauck is still pretty high - at least 20 percent and probably higher, and that's Census data APS has published. Especially the portion south of Glebe Road. The children in poverty are probably mostly in the regular graded program at Drew, judging from test scores (which are highly correlated to family income). Eliminating choice schools and forcing Nauck residents to go to Drew? I don't think that's going to happen. Would you stand for it? It would be unfair for low-income kids who want to attend a choice school.

Given the relatively high poverty rate, the tendency for UMC Nauck residents with children to either move away or send their kids to choice programs other than Drew Model, my best guess is that the New Drew is going to resemble the current Model program, demographically. I think APS will be under the usual pressure to cherry pick/rezone nearby low-income and AH complexes to Drew to relieve overcrowding at Oakridge, which would probably change the current demographics modestly. It's always easier to rezone poorer families, they aren't as politically powerful. That was the case regarding Arlington Forest and Wakefield, just like it was true decades ago when the decision was made to bus Nauck students out of their neighborhood, instead of bringing white, wealthier students from outside Nauck to Drew.

Though it's identity is historically black, the neighborhood is now about a third black, a third Hispanic, a quarter white and about 10% Asian or multiracial. It was 60% black, 20% Hispanic, 20% white in 2000, so it's been awhile since it was near 100% African American. It's a neighborhood of mostly modest SFH and duplexes, most pretty well kept. It's easy to assume everyone living in them has the kind of income that would enable them to buy such homes in 2018. Some families do, but others don't; they live in homes whose mortgage was paid off by parents or grandparents a long time ago.

Sorry by eliminating I didn't mean get rid of them completely, but right now Nauck has guaranteed admission into Claremont, Hoffman Boston, and Montessori if you attend Montessori preschool. By getting rid of guaranteed admission in all those areas you are bound to have a lot less people from Nauck attending choice schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The demographics of Nauck have really changed. THe neighborhood school is not reflective of the neighborhood population anymore. We live in Nauck, we are UMC and go to Claremont. We also have a lot of neighbors that go to ATS and Hoffman Boston. I am not saying it is a mega rich neighborhood by any means but I don't know that it is overall high poverty anymore. THe neighborhood went from 97% black to something like 20%. If they force the neighborhood families to go to Drew I think it could really change the demographics of the school, but who knows.

Yep, the neighborhood has attracted some UMC families. But they tend to send their kids to option schools - either Montessori, or, in your case, Claremont. Many of them are going to follow the Montessori program to the Henry building. Poverty in Nauck is still pretty high - at least 20 percent and probably higher, and that's Census data APS has published. Especially the portion south of Glebe Road. The children in poverty are probably mostly in the regular graded program at Drew, judging from test scores (which are highly correlated to family income). Eliminating choice schools and forcing Nauck residents to go to Drew? I don't think that's going to happen. Would you stand for it? It would be unfair for low-income kids who want to attend a choice school.

Given the relatively high poverty rate, the tendency for UMC Nauck residents with children to either move away or send their kids to choice programs other than Drew Model, my best guess is that the New Drew is going to resemble the current Model program, demographically. I think APS will be under the usual pressure to cherry pick/rezone nearby low-income and AH complexes to Drew to relieve overcrowding at Oakridge, which would probably change the current demographics modestly. It's always easier to rezone poorer families, they aren't as politically powerful. That was the case regarding Arlington Forest and Wakefield, just like it was true decades ago when the decision was made to bus Nauck students out of their neighborhood, instead of bringing white, wealthier students from outside Nauck to Drew.

Though it's identity is historically black, the neighborhood is now about a third black, a third Hispanic, a quarter white and about 10% Asian or multiracial. It was 60% black, 20% Hispanic, 20% white in 2000, so it's been awhile since it was near 100% African American. It's a neighborhood of mostly modest SFH and duplexes, most pretty well kept. It's easy to assume everyone living in them has the kind of income that would enable them to buy such homes in 2018. Some families do, but others don't; they live in homes whose mortgage was paid off by parents or grandparents a long time ago.

Sorry by eliminating I didn't mean get rid of them completely, but right now Nauck has guaranteed admission into Claremont, Hoffman Boston, and Montessori if you attend Montessori preschool. By getting rid of guaranteed admission in all those areas you are bound to have a lot less people from Nauck attending choice schools.

I understand now. Thanks for clarifying. However, avoiding the graded program at Drew is a big reason MC kids in Nauck go to Claremont, Hoffman, etc. not saying that's the case with you, but it's widely known that the model program at Drew is struggling. And the guaranteed option to go elsewhere was no doubt a consideration many UMC families made before buying a house in Nauck. Time will tell but I think many UMC families will move if they can't get into a choice school. Especially if APS chooses to rezone the poorest kids at abingdon and Oakridge to Drew.