Grace Hopper Center Updates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?

Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.

I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is APS hobbling AT out the gate by colocating with students with absentees issues, criminal records, drug use and court mandated treatment, and students up to the age of 21?

My 7th grade DD is a nerdy science loving kid, but this mixed environment makes it a non starter for us.

HB has been colocated with an English Language Learner program with students up to age 21 for many years, meaning you have 11 year olds in the same building as 20 year olds. Seems to work out ok.

Always heard about Stratford program. What ELL program is colocated at the Heights?

My kid is at HB and it looks like it's just the support system in place for the kids who need those services and win the lottery but I'm not positive. BTW, my kid loves having the Shriver students co-located.

No that is not correct. There are students in a specific ELL program at HB and they are up to age 21 (at least). They do not get in through the regular lottery.

Why cant you post a link about this program?

I don't think there's a link for it. You don't publicly apply like the lottery. APS places the students who need it into it. It appears to be recent arrivals with high language needs. It shows up in the budget so if you're that interested you can find it there.

Hiding things in the budget is very sus.

So there is a hidden undocumented backdoor into HBW, not a separate ELL program at the Heights? How do they end up with 21 year olds in such a niche program? I cant believe it happens nearly as often as Langston program.

The budget is a public document. Others found it. Not sure why this is so hard for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?

Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.

I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

In Virginia I believe students age out after 19 in the comprehensive high schools. Or that was the case a few years ago. For 20-year olds and up, there are alternative paths to getting a high school diploma, including Langston (which still gets you a high school diploma from you home school), getting a GED, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is APS hobbling AT out the gate by colocating with students with absentees issues, criminal records, drug use and court mandated treatment, and students up to the age of 21?

My 7th grade DD is a nerdy science loving kid, but this mixed environment makes it a non starter for us.

HB has been colocated with an English Language Learner program with students up to age 21 for many years, meaning you have 11 year olds in the same building as 20 year olds. Seems to work out ok.

Always heard about Stratford program. What ELL program is colocated at the Heights?

My kid is at HB and it looks like it's just the support system in place for the kids who need those services and win the lottery but I'm not positive. BTW, my kid loves having the Shriver students co-located.

No that is not correct. There are students in a specific ELL program at HB and they are up to age 21 (at least). They do not get in through the regular lottery.

Why cant you post a link about this program?

No. Do your own research. I found it using the googler.

I did google it. PP did too. Clearly you know the program and the specific terms to search for, but we dont. Or you imagined it.

Sure. Just because you are uninformed and lack capacity to do a little research, I must have imagined it! I will stop providing information to you now, since you just insult my efforts.

I reviewed the FY 2026 School Board's Adopted Budget and also ran it through two language models for clarity.


You can find the budget document here:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2025/07/FY-2026-School-Boards-Adopted-Budget-Document.pdf

I noticed that there’s no mention of additional ELL transfers to HBW, nor is there any indication that adult students will remain there. Since students at HB are considered part of their neighborhood schools (it's a program, not a school), all 20-year-olds are transferred to Langston.

If such a language transfer does exist, I welcome any references or page numbers to clarify, but it seems this would not lead to as many or as old adults at HN as having Langston at GHC, which was the original claim.

https://hbwoodlawn.apsva.us/parents-pages/pac-site/frequently-asked-questions/
“HBW’s program, and as such HBW benefits from a number of co-enrolled students in the Shriver Program (secondary program for students with special needs) and the EL program (English Learners – secondary education and English for new immigrants, up to age 22). Students in these two programs have opportunities to attend classes and participate in activities with other HBW students. In addition, HBW includes Arlington’s Secondary Program for Autism (AS), which fully integrates into the school a number of middle and high school students with Asperger’s Syndrome.”

[Anonymous]

^^ never gonna happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ never gonna happen.

course not. first rule of APE Trumpies. Never admit you were wrong. Gaslight instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ never gonna happen.

course not. first rule of APE Trumpies. Never admit you were wrong. Gaslight instead.

First rule of APS threads-call anyone who says anything you don’t like APE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?

Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.

I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)

I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ never gonna happen.

course not. first rule of APE Trumpies. Never admit you were wrong. Gaslight instead.

First rule of APS threads-call anyone who says anything you don’t like APE

DP. No, just the irrational dickheads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?

You are not alone, also confused they colocated these programs, and if one thing is clear; these kids and their parents do not want to be colocated with the regular even larger high school population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is APS hobbling AT out the gate by colocating with students with absentees issues, criminal records, drug use and court mandated treatment, and students up to the age of 21?

My 7th grade DD is a nerdy science loving kid, but this mixed environment makes it a non starter for us.

HB has been colocated with an English Language Learner program with students up to age 21 for many years, meaning you have 11 year olds in the same building as 20 year olds. Seems to work out ok.

Always heard about Stratford program. What ELL program is colocated at the Heights?

My kid is at HB and it looks like it's just the support system in place for the kids who need those services and win the lottery but I'm not positive. BTW, my kid loves having the Shriver students co-located.

No that is not correct. There are students in a specific ELL program at HB and they are up to age 21 (at least). They do not get in through the regular lottery.

Why cant you post a link about this program?

I don't think there's a link for it. You don't publicly apply like the lottery. APS places the students who need it into it. It appears to be recent arrivals with high language needs. It shows up in the budget so if you're that interested you can find it there.

Hiding things in the budget is very sus.

So there is a hidden undocumented backdoor into HBW, not a separate ELL program at the Heights? How do they end up with 21 year olds in such a niche program? I cant believe it happens nearly as often as Langston program.

Opportunity hoarder.

Wanting programs out in the open with clear processes is hoarding opportunities?

But back to original question about 21 year olds at HBW. It sounds like its for ELL, and is a niche slice of the school, versus the core mission of Langston. I would suspect there may have been a coupe of 19 year olds over the last decade, but I guess without documentation on eligibility its hard to know how the ELL program functions. To be 21, they would enter their freshman year AS ADULTS at 18. Really? That is happening at HBW?

Some red shirted kids graduate at 20.

I think 19 at graduation would be the max age from regular redshirting.

[Anonymous]

Traditionally APS students had to graduate by 19 or be referred to Langston to complete up their required credits for graduation. If a student is redshirted and also repeats a year due to some health related leave of absence, they would likely still graduate by age 19.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?

Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.

I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)

I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.

Every school districts I have worked for (including poor districts) had a separate alternative high school. Either way I am a current APS teacher and parent and don’t trust them to pull this off well.

[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 is APS hobbling AT out the gate by colocating with students with absentees issues, criminal records, drug use and court mandated treatment, and students up to the age of 21?

My 7th grade DD is a nerdy science loving kid, but this mixed environment makes it a non starter for us.

HB has been colocated with an English Language Learner program with students up to age 21 for many years, meaning you have 11 year olds in the same building as 20 year olds. Seems to work out ok.

Always heard about Stratford program. What ELL program is colocated at the Heights?

My kid is at HB and it looks like it's just the support system in place for the kids who need those services and win the lottery but I'm not positive. BTW, my kid loves having the Shriver students co-located.

No that is not correct. There are students in a specific ELL program at HB and they are up to age 21 (at least). They do not get in through the regular lottery.

Why cant you post a link about this program?

I don't think there's a link for it. You don't publicly apply like the lottery. APS places the students who need it into it. It appears to be recent arrivals with high language needs. It shows up in the budget so if you're that interested you can find it there.

Hiding things in the budget is very sus.

So there is a hidden undocumented backdoor into HBW, not a separate ELL program at the Heights? How do they end up with 21 year olds in such a niche program? I cant believe it happens nearly as often as Langston program.

Opportunity hoarder.

Wanting programs out in the open with clear processes is hoarding opportunities?

But back to original question about 21 year olds at HBW. It sounds like its for ELL, and is a niche slice of the school, versus the core mission of Langston. I would suspect there may have been a coupe of 19 year olds over the last decade, but I guess without documentation on eligibility its hard to know how the ELL program functions. To be 21, they would enter their freshman year AS ADULTS at 18. Really? That is happening at HBW?

Some red shirted kids graduate at 20.

I think 19 at graduation would be the max age from regular redshirting.

My friend's son redshirted and then held him back a year. So he will be 20 when he graduates from Yorktown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?

Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.

I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)

I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.

Every school districts I have worked for (including poor districts) had a separate alternative high school. Either way I am a current APS teacher and parent and don’t trust them to pull this off well.

I think the issue is we have multiple alternative high schools and apparently all want their own space and administrators. That’s not sustainable. It’s one thing to have a separate space for the kids who are one step away from being ejected, but I don’t think that’s what’s going on here.