APS Middle School Boundary Changes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it will reach capacity in the first couple of years after the campus opens but it will get there. My kid will apply for the 26-27 school year for sure.

CS is dead as a career now. Tech is 2 decades too late.

They have a lot of other interesting programs and the expanded building can grow them.

There are many engineering and design / fabrication courses, including Project Lead the Way. There’s Aviation Technology and Flight Training. Etc. As the AT program grows, the bespoke STEM offerings will expand. Imagine being both a college graduate (associates degree) and a licensed pilot upon graduation from Arlington Tech.

What’s nice is that students who prefer a traditional high school experience (at W-L, Wakefield, Yorktown, Meridian) can still participate in Project Lead the Way, Aviation, etc., as an elective. However, many students prefer to be fully immersed in a STEM environment, where a culture of making, building, and operating advanced technology imbues many aspects of the day. That’s Arlington Tech’s sweet spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it will reach capacity in the first couple of years after the campus opens but it will get there. My kid will apply for the 26-27 school year for sure.

CS is dead as a career now. Tech is 2 decades too late.

They have a lot of other interesting programs and the expanded building can grow them.

Most parents are looking at AT as a shortcut to a cs degree and a good career. Very few Arlington students are looking at traditional engineering with much interest, even fewer in pure sciences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it will reach capacity in the first couple of years after the campus opens but it will get there. My kid will apply for the 26-27 school year for sure.

CS is dead as a career now. Tech is 2 decades too late.

They have a lot of other interesting programs and the expanded building can grow them.

Most parents are looking at AT as a shortcut to a cs degree and a good career. Very few Arlington students are looking at traditional engineering with much interest, even fewer in pure sciences.

That's not true among the teens I know, several are planning on engineering (Civil, mechanical)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

Maybe APS can put all of the elementary option school students in one location, like Kenmore, plus the middle school immersion and middle school Montessori. Then they could more easily keep other elem groups together for middle school. So if you opted into lottery for elementary, you get shunted over to there. Or even just the kids from the elems that have the highest rate of transfers. That would include Abingdon, but it would keep more of them together.

The choice middle school kids (Montessori and Immerision) are already in one location together. At Gunston MS.

Campbell and ATS don't stay together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

Maybe APS can put all of the elementary option school students in one location, like Kenmore, plus the middle school immersion and middle school Montessori. Then they could more easily keep other elem groups together for middle school. So if you opted into lottery for elementary, you get shunted over to there. Or even just the kids from the elems that have the highest rate of transfers. That would include Abingdon, but it would keep more of them together.

The choice middle school kids (Montessori and Immerision) are already in one location together. At Gunston MS.

Campbell and ATS don't stay together.

PPs were talking about the middle school option programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

Ha. Definitely took the lottery spot for my kid because of the small size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

We are in middle school, we know plenty of families at HBW, in fact even many families with multiple siblings at HBW.

No one in our NA neighborhood is talking about AT for 9th grade. Because they recognize it’s a band aid for high school overcrowding not a real program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

We are in middle school, we know plenty of families at HBW, in fact even many families with multiple siblings at HBW.

No one in our NA neighborhood is talking about AT for 9th grade. Because they recognize it’s a band aid for high school overcrowding not a real program.

Don’t blame the program itself. The genesis of Arlington Tech predates the overcrowding solution the school board voted on. People forget, but that solution was based on community input.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

We are in middle school, we know plenty of families at HBW, in fact even many families with multiple siblings at HBW.

No one in our NA neighborhood is talking about AT for 9th grade. Because they recognize it’s a band aid for high school overcrowding not a real program.

Don’t blame the program itself. The genesis of Arlington Tech predates the overcrowding solution the school board voted on. People forget, but that solution was based on community input.

Sure, but the plan to expand it to 1400 students and basically make it the defacto less-than neighborhood school to address overcrowding definitely happened well after 2012, when the proposals for a 4th comprehensive high school were being discussed with APS parent groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

We are in middle school, we know plenty of families at HBW, in fact even many families with multiple siblings at HBW.

No one in our NA neighborhood is talking about AT for 9th grade. Because they recognize it’s a band aid for high school overcrowding not a real program.

Don’t blame the program itself. The genesis of Arlington Tech predates the overcrowding solution the school board voted on. People forget, but that solution was based on community input.

Sure, but the plan to expand it to 1400 students and basically make it the defacto less-than neighborhood school to address overcrowding definitely happened well after 2012, when the proposals for a 4th comprehensive high school were being discussed with APS parent groups.

Sure. For a rough timeline: Kenmore was explored for a new comprehensive high school in the mid 2010s until the neighborhoods there blocked it. Other sites were also explored, even as far away as Long Bridge Park. The final decisions as implemented were made in 2016 or 2017. That was after APS realized they could not fit a football stadium, pool and a comprehensive high school at the Career Center site. For a brief time, the neighborhood there lobbied for a vertical, high rise comprehensive high school. All kinds of crazy ideas were thrown around like putting the pool on the roof. Not sure where the football field would have gone. Locating that at TJ was not feasible. Fast forward to today— the Penrose community is pretty psyched about the new Grace Hopper campus, even if it’s not the high rise comprehensive high school they wanted.

So the three part solution the majority in the community liked at the time was to plop a new and large state-of-the-art Arlington Tech / Grace Hopper campus in Penrose, gut and renovate the Ed Center for W-L, and finally do a once-in-a-generation comprehensive boundary change for all schools at all levels. APS is doing it all except the county-wide boundary changes, which were cancelled during/after the pandemic, and after the planning team was fired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

We are in middle school, we know plenty of families at HBW, in fact even many families with multiple siblings at HBW.

No one in our NA neighborhood is talking about AT for 9th grade. Because they recognize it’s a band aid for high school overcrowding not a real program.

Don’t blame the program itself. The genesis of Arlington Tech predates the overcrowding solution the school board voted on. People forget, but that solution was based on community input.

Sure, but the plan to expand it to 1400 students and basically make it the defacto less-than neighborhood school to address overcrowding definitely happened well after 2012, when the proposals for a 4th comprehensive high school were being discussed with APS parent groups.

It’s not considered less than for everyone. If you need a pool or want to play sports, drama without the extra hassle, it will be but there’s plenty of kids that does not apply to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do the break up the kids from Middle school going to high school? Elementary kids in one school should all funnel to the same middle school and then should all funnel from middle to high school together. There are 6 middle schools and 2 middle schools should fully funnel to each of the 3 high schools, correct?

Unless you've looked at the Abingdon zone and fixed it, no other zone gets as jerked around in each transition.

Ashlawn parents would like a word

Is Ashlawn split into 3 middle schools?

DP, and wholeheartedly agree that the Abingdon feeder pattern to middle schools (and even to high schools) is the worst in APS. Abingdon goes to three middle schools. Abingdon-Kenmore and Abingdon-TJ are both particularly problematic, as Abingdon-Kenmore splits to two high schools, and I think Abingdon-TJ also splits to two. So, there are significant disruptions in the ES-MS transition, and again in the MS-HS transition.

If there is a more disruptive pattern in APS, I don't know about it. It's a great idea that PP had to send all ES students to the same middle school. I think Abingdon families would just like to see their kids going to only two.

A simple solution like sending all kids at an elementary school to one middle school hasn’t been overlooked, it just doesn’t work across the board in Arlington.

Yup. It really can’t work even at the middle school level, if we assign two middle schools to each high school. Unless the community is willing to give up certain benefits like walkability/proximity to schools.

When Arlington Tech is complete, that would likely be that last time for APS to pursue some kind of once-in-a-generation, large scale boundary change at all school levels. But they punted on doing that after the W-L addition. So they may decide not to do it again.

It's just not that big a deal that kids aren't in the same cohort from K-12. I even think it's good to have splits and new social combinations. It mixes up the social dynamics and encourages kids to make new friends. Arlington also isn't that big a place so kids who are close can't still stay friends outside of school.

They just need to build enough school seats to allow transfers for those that are really impacted by a split — but instead of a 4th comprehensive they are gambling on AT — which will have trouble filling i guarantee. The advantage of HB is that’s is small, AT neither has the the TJHS rigor nor the intimacy and personal touch of HBW. Heck, it doesn’t even have its own campus! Getting to 1600 will take a long time, and the other schools will be way over capacity.

Only hope is the global demographic cliff of no more babies; that is what they are counting on I suspect.

Why do you think AT will have trouble filling? I don't think it will. It's sought after already and that's in an old crappy building.

It’s only attracting kids right now because it’s small when it’s almost the same size as Yorktown they will be very little benefit

I don't think that's true. The kids I know who are there are not interested because of its size.

Yeah just like no one admits they went to HBW because of its small size. It’s for the community and open ended curriculum.

How old are your own kids, PP? And do you have a kid at either AT or HB? You sound like you know nothing about either program and are making a lot of wrong assumptions.

We are in middle school, we know plenty of families at HBW, in fact even many families with multiple siblings at HBW.

No one in our NA neighborhood is talking about AT for 9th grade. Because they recognize it’s a band aid for high school overcrowding not a real program.

Don’t blame the program itself. The genesis of Arlington Tech predates the overcrowding solution the school board voted on. People forget, but that solution was based on community input.

Sure, but the plan to expand it to 1400 students and basically make it the defacto less-than neighborhood school to address overcrowding definitely happened well after 2012, when the proposals for a 4th comprehensive high school were being discussed with APS parent groups.

It’s not considered less than for everyone. If you need a pool or want to play sports, drama without the extra hassle, it will be but there’s plenty of kids that does not apply to.

That is a huge disadvantage