APS School Bd Mtg

[Anonymous]

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I'm saying what I think is the primary issue to be worried about and to try to avoid. Sure, would be nice to keep Arl Heights where it is. It would also be nice to have a pony. If the Career Ctr HS is what the board picks, it's not realistic to keep Arl Heights at Wakefield. From my position zoned for Wakefield, I think I could live with that so long as they keep the west pike area out of Wakefield too. There is no solution that's going to make everyone happy. The county is out of ponies.

And where are you zoned?

Wakefield.

Are you poster that said they will likely stay WF if this all plays out? I think you are really underestimating what a mess this this will create. I say this because after the boundary farce last fall, I have no faith the SB has the will to do right by Wakefield. Maybe we are out of ponies. Maybe this is just where we are, but I wouldn't happily go along with this idea at the career center. Ultimately is just doing what's best for north Arlington at south Arlington's expense. They don't get saddled with a mega school, and we are left with a less than school and a gutted Wakefield.
They all want to cram on that side of town? Fine, but then they get gigantic schools. Deal with it.

I am that poster. I followed the rezoning issue last fall and what I saw was eye-opening in a bad way. But, because I thought the worst possible outcome involved moving west pike to Wakefield, I was actually okay with the outcome. If you'll recall, that particular rezoning exercise was announced upfront as a limited exercise for a small amt of students, not intended to fix all of the existing diversity problems. It was a nice opportunity, but TBF I can't really fault the board for not taking it on.

The mega school vs. Wakefield tradeoff seems entirely fair to me. I think the sudden announcement of the hybrid option is a clear tell that they won't do that though, because, as you point out, they're doing what's best for the north. So, in the world in which we live, I'm trying to ID and hope to avoid the worst outcome.

Hope I didn't screw up the formatting too bad in this response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The arlington heights folks will do anything to avoid Wakefield. If the 4th goes there it could potentially have a lower farms rate than WL. Of course they are all for it.
All this says to me is that most people really think Wakefield is a shitty school and would do just about anything to avoid it. That includes not having a comparaable facility.
I'm sure the school board will be happy enough to accommodate them.
We are currently zoned Wakefield and looking at the map, it's 50/50 whether or not we got rezoned to the new school.
If this is the decision, it will tank Wakefield's scores. I really thought Wakefield would improve over time. I'm such a chump.
We plan to list if this is the decision.
Fuck this county.

You are wrong. Many of the people who spoke from Arlington Heights and Penrose have kids who will go to Wakefield before a new school is even built. What we are asking is that if the county is going to cram more seats into Arlington Heights, make it a good, thoughtful plan that enhances the school system, not just another misguided bandaid.

Look at Jefferson. The demographics there are pretty diverse. A new high school at the Career Center would be centrally located and pull many different SES levels, including Fillmore Gardens, and the two new affordable housing developments coming to the east end of the Pike.

Sorry you are so negative, but I don't understand your reasoning. Oakridge will have almost 800 kids who will go to Wakefield. All of the CAFs near Arlington Mill are zoned for WL still. Wouldn't you rather have the new CAFS be zoned for the new school, rather than concentrating them all into Wakefield? We are looking for a long term solution. We need another high school. Where is it going to go?

The hybrid option will be a waste of money and resources. Who will want to go to a "new" high school that has no field space and be housed in a junky 70's building? I heard the SB was thinking about a culinary school option. Good luck with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The arlington heights folks will do anything to avoid Wakefield. If the 4th goes there it could potentially have a lower farms rate than WL. Of course they are all for it.
All this says to me is that most people really think Wakefield is a shitty school and would do just about anything to avoid it. That includes not having a comparaable facility.
I'm sure the school board will be happy enough to accommodate them.
We are currently zoned Wakefield and looking at the map, it's 50/50 whether or not we got rezoned to the new school.
If this is the decision, it will tank Wakefield's scores. I really thought Wakefield would improve over time. I'm such a chump.
We plan to list if this is the decision.
Fuck this county.

You are wrong. Many of the people who spoke from Arlington Heights and Penrose have kids who will go to Wakefield before a new school is even built. What we are asking is that if the county is going to cram more seats into Arlington Heights, make it a good, thoughtful plan that enhances the school system, not just another misguided bandaid.

Look at Jefferson. The demographics there are pretty diverse. A new high school at the Career Center would be centrally located and pull many different SES levels, including Fillmore Gardens, and the two new affordable housing developments coming to the east end of the Pike.

Sorry you are so negative, but I don't understand your reasoning. Oakridge will have almost 800 kids who will go to Wakefield. All of the CAFs near Arlington Mill are zoned for WL still. Wouldn't you rather have the new CAFS be zoned for the new school, rather than concentrating them all into Wakefield? We are looking for a long term solution. We need another high school. Where is it going to go?

The hybrid option will be a waste of money and resources. Who will want to go to a "new" high school that has no field space and be housed in a junky 70's building? I heard the SB was thinking about a culinary school option. Good luck with that!

I hear what you are saying, but I just don't think it'll play out in a positive way. Yes I'm negative. I've been paying attention for 10 years. I've seen this play out enough to see who wins and who loses.
Your point of view is that south Arlington will always get the short end of the stick, so let's make it a really nice little stick. My point is - f#ck north Arlington. Let them deal with their mega school and leave us alone. I'm tired of watching my south Arlington neighbors bend over and take up the ass.
I'm sick of this kumbaya sh#t that we are all one community. We're not. We never have been. Do you see the families of Yorktown agreeing to anything lesser for themselves? No.
We've got to grow some balls and stand up for what we want. The career center shouldn't be offered up on a platter. It disgusts me that all of those families are so content to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

That is not true. It if were, we wouldn't have sent our kids to Patrick Henry, which has historically been a Title I school. (This school year the level of FARMS slipped to about 38%).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

That is not true. It if were, we wouldn't have sent our kids to Patrick Henry, which has historically been a Title I school. (This school year the level of FARMS slipped to about 38%).

Yes, must have been so hard to send your child to a blue ribbon school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

That is not true. It if were, we wouldn't have sent our kids to Patrick Henry, which has historically been a Title I school. (This school year the level of FARMS slipped to about 38%).

Yes, must have been so hard to send your child to a blue ribbon school.

Yes, Patrick Henry is amazing, although I sent my kids there before it was designated a blue ribbon school. Nevertheless, my point is that pp paints us as trying to avoid FARMS kids. That's not true. The school board is going to do something to Career Center site. I'm advocating for a neighborhood school that has the amenities of all the other comprehensive high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

That is not true. It if were, we wouldn't have sent our kids to Patrick Henry, which has historically been a Title I school. (This school year the level of FARMS slipped to about 38%).

Yes, must have been so hard to send your child to a blue ribbon school.

Yes, Patrick Henry is amazing, although I sent my kids there before it was designated a blue ribbon school. Nevertheless, my point is that pp paints us as trying to avoid FARMS kids. That's not true. The school board is going to do something to Career Center site. I'm advocating for a neighborhood school that has the amenities of all the other comprehensive high schools.

Or you could advocate that WL deal with their own problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

That is not true. It if were, we wouldn't have sent our kids to Patrick Henry, which has historically been a Title I school. (This school year the level of FARMS slipped to about 38%).

Yes, must have been so hard to send your child to a blue ribbon school.

When I sent my DD there, it was a 6 on Great Schools. A 6! Can you believe it? It's come a long way, but some of us have been there for the long haul. I guess some of us really do believe in the benefits of a diverse environment.

[Anonymous]

When I sent my DD there, it was a 6 on Great Schools. A 6! Can you believe it? It's come a long way, but some of us have been there for the long haul. I guess some of us really do believe in the benefits of a diverse environment.


I agree with you and do truly believe in the importance of diversity. However, to be fair, Patrick Henry has been a more economically diverse and better- performing school for at least the last 10-12 years. I'm a long term Arlington resident, and many of us in the Barcroft, Carlin Springs and Randolph boundaries would love to have a neighborhood school that was rated a 6. My child attends one of those schools, and lower ratings don't bother me (I look at the numbers in context and am happy in our school community), but Patrick Henry has been high performing for some time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about if Wakefield drew more from the North? This was a map drawn back when this board was discussing Kenmore, but you get the idea -- slide the red area down a bit to the south and move the southern "thumb" boarder back over toward Arlington Heights -- would that balance better?

Agree with you. I get that these issues are very complicated and forever subject to the orange-shirt phenomenon, but I really think the folks carping about what a Career Center HS would do to Wakefield are getting a bit out in front of things. The boundaries would be redrawn and it's possible to do so in a way that doesn't sink Wakefield. My house is pretty far south, so we are almost certainly Wakefield no matter what, FWIW.

And, as another FWIW, I tend to agree that this is all about Arlington Heights seeing an escape hatch from Wakefield. I personally think most of the mid-tier South Arlington folks (i.e., btwn 50 and Columbia Pike) with all their high-minded talk of diversity really just want to send diversity elsewhere so their schools' FARMS rates to improve. To each their own. Doesn't mean a Career Center site couldn't work, though I still think space is a big problem.

That is not true. It if were, we wouldn't have sent our kids to Patrick Henry, which has historically been a Title I school. (This school year the level of FARMS slipped to about 38%).

Yes, must have been so hard to send your child to a blue ribbon school.

Yes, Patrick Henry is amazing, although I sent my kids there before it was designated a blue ribbon school. Nevertheless, my point is that pp paints us as trying to avoid FARMS kids. That's not true. The school board is going to do something to Career Center site. I'm advocating for a neighborhood school that has the amenities of all the other comprehensive high schools.

Or you could advocate that WL deal with their own problems.

Sure, I completely agree with you that those families that advocated so hard to keep out of Wakefield made their own bed (I'm looking at you Arlington Forest). But I'm realistic about the future. Start a petition and I will sign it.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the "boo comprehensive at career center" poster is one of the people who argued against putting it at Kenmore, because they are making a lot of the same "screw the North" arguments.

You're not wrong, exactly. Some of those 22207 people be cray. I'm from the north (barely) and I didn't support the Kenmore option if it is "less than," and won't support a career center 4th HS if it's "less than." I'd be willing to send my kid to a school with facilities if it was less than 35% FARMS, though. Since pulling in higher income kids from the north is the fastest way to get the southern HS FARMS populations down, I'm not sure why you'd be against this. You do you, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the "boo comprehensive at career center" poster is one of the people who argued against putting it at Kenmore, because they are making a lot of the same "screw the North" arguments.

You're not wrong, exactly. Some of those 22207 people be cray. I'm from the north (barely) and I didn't support the Kenmore option if it is "less than," and won't support a career center 4th HS if it's "less than." I'd be willing to send my kid to a school with facilities if it was less than 35% FARMS, though. Since pulling in higher income kids from the north is the fastest way to get the southern HS FARMS populations down, I'm not sure why you'd be against this. You do you, though.

I was pro Kenmore, because it had the space to be a full school and could be drawn away from Wakefield. I believe Wakefield would naturally somewhat gentrify if given a chance. I think the career center option torpedoes that chance. You don't want to send your kids or a school with a higher than 35 % Farms rate? That's a pretty typical position. I believe the career center would proabaly have similar demographics, but it would be at Wakefield's expense.

[Anonymous]

What all this says to me is APS has no idea what they are doing or how they will meaningfully address capacity without the quality of the system degrading. There is no long-term strategy, which is why Murphy couldn't give SB members any coherent answer about what things looks like beyond 5 years. And I'm really not comfortable with the SB voting on a plan that isn't fleshed out and doesn't specifically detail what the next step is after this one, or what they schools/programs will be. We don't want online classes, or "early college," do we? We want brick and mortar schools, where kids are supervised and educated by a human teacher, in person. Anything else is unacceptable.

I think they should have to define what will be built and demolished/relocated at the Career Center and at the Ed Center and how much it will cost before the vote, not after. This last minute plan has not been vetted, and I don't trust anyone in APS to figure it all out after the fact, in a way that plays out equitably. They don't exactly have a strong track record on this. They'll promise fields, but if they don't have a plan to acquire/set aside land why do you believe them? I don't. And I certainly don't believe that they'll have a plan to do it from the get go, and it will be small consolation that there might be fields or clubs at some future point if it's after my own kids will have graduated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the "boo comprehensive at career center" poster is one of the people who argued against putting it at Kenmore, because they are making a lot of the same "screw the North" arguments.

You're not wrong, exactly. Some of those 22207 people be cray. I'm from the north (barely) and I didn't support the Kenmore option if it is "less than," and won't support a career center 4th HS if it's "less than." I'd be willing to send my kid to a school with facilities if it was less than 35% FARMS, though. Since pulling in higher income kids from the north is the fastest way to get the southern HS FARMS populations down, I'm not sure why you'd be against this. You do you, though.

Not PP. But if they build it at the Career Center, I think there's a good chance that they won't pull any students from the N anyway. That's Van Doren country, and her PU isn't going anywhere but W-L as long as she's on the board. I feel like they'll draw the boundary south and/or west.

[Anonymous]

It will pull away the kids from pentagon and crystal city, that is how it hurts Wakefield. In addition to the wealthier families in alcova, a heights and penrose