ACPS - George Mason Elementary becoming middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the George Mason neighborhood has an ally in their NIMBY-ism: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/01/28/curry-family-opposes-plan-to-add-multi-family-housing-near-atherton-abode/

Everything needs to be on the table. It's been a couple of years since housing at GM was proposed. Wilson, City Council and school board should try again. I hope that the last election emboldened them so they don't need to hedge or hide their views.

A rumor going around town is that the George Mason kids will be moved permanently to MacArthur district and housing will be built at GM. It's a rumor and it would take a lot of work on the george mason deed to make it happen but why not?

George Mason has a tiny population and MacArthur will have the space. Single Family Zoning is soon to be a thing of the past in Alexandria. Everything is aligned. Wilson has a mandate to be bold and the neighborhood supports him.

I cannot imagine ACPS has the property to give up George Mason as a school. It makes no sense when you consider that ACPS has converted an office building to be an elementary school.

Agree, that is not happening. These are baseless rumors.

That's what the city, school board and superintendent said about housing on school grounds too. Then it was revealed that they all knew and had been talking about it in public meetings for months.

I'm sure some people would say that GM potentially becoming a K-8 is a rumor too. But those people don't watch school board meetings. I've seen a lot from ACPS. Anything is possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the George Mason neighborhood has an ally in their NIMBY-ism: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/01/28/curry-family-opposes-plan-to-add-multi-family-housing-near-atherton-abode/

Everything needs to be on the table. It's been a couple of years since housing at GM was proposed. Wilson, City Council and school board should try again. I hope that the last election emboldened them so they don't need to hedge or hide their views.

A rumor going around town is that the George Mason kids will be moved permanently to MacArthur district and housing will be built at GM. It's a rumor and it would take a lot of work on the george mason deed to make it happen but why not?

George Mason has a tiny population and MacArthur will have the space. Single Family Zoning is soon to be a thing of the past in Alexandria. Everything is aligned. Wilson has a mandate to be bold and the neighborhood supports him.

I cannot imagine ACPS has the property to give up George Mason as a school. It makes no sense when you consider that ACPS has converted an office building to be an elementary school.

Agree, that is not happening. These are baseless rumors.

That's what the city, school board and superintendent said about housing on school grounds too. Then it was revealed that they all knew and had been talking about it in public meetings for months.

I'm sure some people would say that GM potentially becoming a K-8 is a rumor too. But those people don't watch school board meetings. I've seen a lot from ACPS. Anything is possible.

They are not going to get rid of any schools. Not happening.

[Anonymous]

Has GM ever gotten smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors? Pre-covid the PTA raised that the 80 year old wood frame building didn't have any. No one at the school or ACPS seemed to be concerned.

That 130K new building is desperately needed even if they are going to pave the fields.

[Anonymous]

GM was on a performance plan and it looks like the school failed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GM was on a performance plan and it looks like the school failed it.

What does this mean? - ACPS elem parent but not at GM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has GM ever gotten smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors? Pre-covid the PTA raised that the 80 year old wood frame building didn't have any. No one at the school or ACPS seemed to be concerned.

That 130K new building is desperately needed even if they are going to pave the fields.

I doubt the school is wood frame. Schools and homes back then were built with load bearing masonry walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has GM ever gotten smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors? Pre-covid the PTA raised that the 80 year old wood frame building didn't have any. No one at the school or ACPS seemed to be concerned.

That 130K new building is desperately needed even if they are going to pave the fields.

I doubt the school is wood frame. Schools and homes back then were built with load bearing masonry walls.

It could not possibly pass fire inspection without smoke detectors or co2 detectors. Schools are not exempt from fire inspection, so this sounds ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has GM ever gotten smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors? Pre-covid the PTA raised that the 80 year old wood frame building didn't have any. No one at the school or ACPS seemed to be concerned.

That 130K new building is desperately needed even if they are going to pave the fields.

I doubt the school is wood frame. Schools and homes back then were built with load bearing masonry walls.

walls are different from framing. I know someone who has been in the attic. It's all super dry wood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has GM ever gotten smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors? Pre-covid the PTA raised that the 80 year old wood frame building didn't have any. No one at the school or ACPS seemed to be concerned.

That 130K new building is desperately needed even if they are going to pave the fields.

I doubt the school is wood frame. Schools and homes back then were built with load bearing masonry walls.

It could not possibly pass fire inspection without smoke detectors or co2 detectors. Schools are not exempt from fire inspection, so this sounds ridiculous.

As of March 2020, there weren't any smoke or co2 detectors. PTA said it in a community meeting with Wilson and Alderton present. They said it in other meetings with the then principal present and at least one SB member as well. They also talked about how the electrical panel was sitting in a puddle of water in the basement. Shared photos.

[Anonymous]

The city's timeline for rebuilding schools is way too slow. This George Mason rebuild won't be complete for 10 years. Schools are overcrowded now and they are building so much housing. They should be building completely new schools NOW. Not just talking about rebuilds someone in the future. This is a case of too little to late.

Also let's talk about the Nannie J Lee rec center. This space should be a school. Not used as an office building for city employees. I don't understand why children will be without feilds on the west end in high rise office buildings when on the other end of town city office workers are chillin in a single story building surrounded by ball feilds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The city's timeline for rebuilding schools is way too slow. This George Mason rebuild won't be complete for 10 years. Schools are overcrowded now and they are building so much housing. They should be building completely new schools NOW. Not just talking about rebuilds someone in the future. This is a case of too little to late.

Also let's talk about the Nannie J Lee rec center. This space should be a school. Not used as an office building for city employees. I don't understand why children will be without feilds on the west end in high rise office buildings when on the other end of town city office workers are chillin in a single story building surrounded by ball feilds.

Where are you seeing 10 years? ACPS is saying it will be done in fall 2026.

Nannie Lee was a school. School board in the 70s I think gave it to the city. ACPS has asked for it back but city has said no multiple times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The city's timeline for rebuilding schools is way too slow. This George Mason rebuild won't be complete for 10 years. Schools are overcrowded now and they are building so much housing. They should be building completely new schools NOW. Not just talking about rebuilds someone in the future. This is a case of too little to late.

Also let's talk about the Nannie J Lee rec center. This space should be a school. Not used as an office building for city employees. I don't understand why children will be without feilds on the west end in high rise office buildings when on the other end of town city office workers are chillin in a single story building surrounded by ball feilds.

George Mason isn't overcrowded at all. It way under capacity. It continues to lose students. It used to have over 500 kids (was overcrowded) now it has just over 300.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city's timeline for rebuilding schools is way too slow. This George Mason rebuild won't be complete for 10 years. Schools are overcrowded now and they are building so much housing. They should be building completely new schools NOW. Not just talking about rebuilds someone in the future. This is a case of too little to late.

Also let's talk about the Nannie J Lee rec center. This space should be a school. Not used as an office building for city employees. I don't understand why children will be without feilds on the west end in high rise office buildings when on the other end of town city office workers are chillin in a single story building surrounded by ball feilds.

Where are you seeing 10 years? ACPS is saying it will be done in fall 2026.

Nannie Lee was a school. School board in the 70s I think gave it to the city. ACPS has asked for it back but city has said no multiple times.

+1
I grew up here and right before I started school or when I was in early elementary it was given to the city. The districting was all different bc at the time old town was zoned for elementary at Maury and then all of those kids went to lyles crouch 4-6 and then GW 7-9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city's timeline for rebuilding schools is way too slow. This George Mason rebuild won't be complete for 10 years. Schools are overcrowded now and they are building so much housing. They should be building completely new schools NOW. Not just talking about rebuilds someone in the future. This is a case of too little to late.

Also let's talk about the Nannie J Lee rec center. This space should be a school. Not used as an office building for city employees. I don't understand why children will be without feilds on the west end in high rise office buildings when on the other end of town city office workers are chillin in a single story building surrounded by ball feilds.

Where are you seeing 10 years? ACPS is saying it will be done in fall 2026.

Nannie Lee was a school. School board in the 70s I think gave it to the city. ACPS has asked for it back but city has said no multiple times.

+1
I grew up here and right before I started school or when I was in early elementary it was given to the city. The districting was all different bc at the time old town was zoned for elementary at Maury and then all of those kids went to lyles crouch 4-6 and then GW 7-9.

I believe council member Amy Jackson has proposed Manure Lee become a school again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The city's timeline for rebuilding schools is way too slow. This George Mason rebuild won't be complete for 10 years. Schools are overcrowded now and they are building so much housing. They should be building completely new schools NOW. Not just talking about rebuilds someone in the future. This is a case of too little to late.

Also let's talk about the Nannie J Lee rec center. This space should be a school. Not used as an office building for city employees. I don't understand why children will be without feilds on the west end in high rise office buildings when on the other end of town city office workers are chillin in a single story building surrounded by ball feilds.

Where are you seeing 10 years? ACPS is saying it will be done in fall 2026.

Nannie Lee was a school. School board in the 70s I think gave it to the city. ACPS has asked for it back but city has said no multiple times.

+1
I grew up here and right before I started school or when I was in early elementary it was given to the city. The districting was all different bc at the time old town was zoned for elementary at Maury and then all of those kids went to lyles crouch 4-6 and then GW 7-9.

That is so weird, to have all kids together in just one school for just 2 grades, but I suppose that explains why Minnie Howard is just 9th. What year was that?