Where is Carlin Springs in all of this?
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Anonymous
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Can you link to that density map?
I think the CB is out of their minds approving more and more AH projects, especially the large number of multi-family ones, with NO SEATS for the children this brings in and the taxpayers asking to foot the 90K (?) per student per year, yet crying at every turn that there is NO MONEY for these students, or the existing students, and NO SPACE. They are insane to push for this increase in density, and especially to push for non-taxpaying increase in density. |
Anonymous
I live near Barcroft and most people I know do NOT choose to send their kids there in large part because of the year round calendar. If you have two kids, once one of them is in middle school it's a disaster for any kind of family planning. It's definitely doing nobody any favors at this point. Time to end the experiment. |
Anonymous
The dynamic between the SB and CB is f'd, I agree, mostly because half the SB at any given time wants to be on the CB and that basically means pledging allegiance to affordable housing. It's their top priority and our county budgets show it. That said, kids from affordable units aren't really driving crowding. It's part of the story but the schools they are zoned for are among the least crowded in the county. |
Anonymous
Secondary effects. Middle class families avoid those schools, and it increases crowding elsewhere. |
Anonymous
False. APS staff admitted it themselves. They aren't generating as many kids as SFHs, but that's because there are fewer units of AH than SFH. But per unit, CAFs generate the same number of students as a SFH (I will try to find this today). And I'll post the heat density maps, too, if I can. You can see the outlines of Arlington Mill and a couple other CAF properties. It's plain as day. When staff went over the report at one of the work sessions, NVD practically jumped down the staffer's throat saying that it didn't matter where kids were coming from and they should just move on. Oh, it DOES matter. It may look like CAFs aren't contributing to crowding because when the school they are zoned to reaches a tipping point, the kids from SFHs flee. Hence the crowding at nearby neighborhood schools that aren't very high poverty, and the option schools. But to say that they aren't contributing to crowding is just as ridiculous as claiming that the tear downs and subsequent subdivision of SFH lots isn't also contributing. It's all part of it, and we need to demand that they CB and SB work together to figure out how to build the amenities that all these people, whether they live in CAFs or SFHs, are moving here to utilize. |
Anonymous
Precisely. Which is why using walkability to save money on bussing will only exacerbates the problem of overcrowding. It will lead to more segregation and then calls from north Arlington to build more elementaries instead of sending kids south to undercapacity schools. |
Anonymous
What was the % of families who prioritized proximity? Most families want a nearby school. You are an exception. Just because you will drive up to Jamestown doesn’t mean that other families are willing to do that. |
Anonymous
I am a current Barcroft and middle school parent. The two schedules is NOT a disaster and has not been a big issue. The only issue we've had in two years of the different schedules is this year's winter concert being on the same night for both schools. That had nothing to do with Barroft's calendar, rather having two kids in two different schools that don't coordinate concerts or events. There have been hundreds of families who went through this dual-schedule before us, and I have not heard any big complaints or inability to manage it. It actually has some advantages. |
Anonymous
I venture to guess that just about everyone would prefer a nearby elementary school. But guess what. People all over the country send their kids to the school they are assigned to and they survive. It isn't a matter of personal preference. It is a matter of what allows the school system to function as best it can function. You are right about creating demands from north Arlington to build more schools for them instead of just letting APS draw boundaries according to where the schools are. That has to stop. We are not four school districts - just one. And APS needs to start functioning like one system. |
Anonymous
Guess you can't send your kid to Jamestown then. Sorry. |
Anonymous
I think PP was probably exaggerating that having kids on two different calendars is a disaster, but I think you are the exception who sees it as a plus. I know I would not ever consider it because it's just one more thing to manage in our very busy lives. Why make a school that is struggling to attract and keep the kids who live nearby any less attractive? If there were some compelling reason, such as improved test scores or educational outcomes (measured in some other way), I could get on board with a calendar that is more costly to maintain. But as far as I know, there is no such evidence of any benefit to students or even families that is not available at the traditional calendar schools. Mainly, I've heard from MC families who like to take off-peak Disney vacations and save on summer camps in August that they love this calendar. Not compelling enough a reason to have one neighborhood school on a different calendar that costs more, especially when we're looking to cut all kinds of other things and find "efficiencies" that I think will have far greater implications. |
Anonymous
Nope. They’ll be sending their kid to a commandeered Nottingham. Sorry. 
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Anonymous
I said affordable housing is part of the story. It is part. It isn't the whole story. Arlington is whiter and has less affordable housing now than 10-15 years ago. so while affordable housing certainly influences the housing market within the county, other factors are also at work. There are simply more people here too. |
Anonymous
Well, I am not the exception. Like I said, I haven't heard any big complaints from those who actually experienced it or who are currently experiencing it; and I have lost track of the number of parents in other parts of the County and teachers from other schools I have encountered who say they wish all schools had that, or "I would love that" or "that sounds great." Those off-peak vacations are a benefit that a lot of people take advantage of - and is very helpful for MC families who don't have the resources the UMC in richer parts of Arlington have, as well as to the teachers. Those total of 4 weeks of intersession opportunities do cost a lot less than summer camps -- a huge benefit to the 60% FRL families at the school and to those same non-FRL families who may not be poor but who aren't rich and are getting by, too. Ask the teachers how they like having breaks throughout the year or having the opportunity to take off-season vacations. Over 300 students are participating in intersessions -- well over 60% of the current student body. Those intersessions offer extended learning and "remedial" learning and enrichment opportunities these children would otherwise not have. And again, the school is majority students who fall into those achievement gap student groups. And even though there are some summer food programs, there are just 5-6 weeks of stress for families who can't afford to feed their children sufficiently instead of 9 or 10. Benefits may not have translated into test scores as some may have hoped - but APS needs to explore why that might be. I suspect there are several factors. But you also mention educational outcomes measured in other ways -- APS doesn't do that too well; but there are non-tangibles that can't always be measured. I'm not saying everybody would like the alternative calendar -- it's obvious how people in Arlington don't like something different or a change to their traditions and most familiars. But just because you don't think you would like it or don't want to try it does not mean others do. I've never seen the numbers for how much more it costs. But Montessori costs more, too. Exemplary projects have costs. Concentrating low-income and/or ELL students in a handful of schools have great costs, both in the way of extra resources needed and in the social and academic costs for the students. Schools weren't created to cater to parents schedules. They are here to serve the needs of children and families. Some families are better served in different ways, including an alternative calendar. |
Anonymous
| Nope. Scores at Barcroft are awful. Experiment failed. |