the Key/ASFS building switch...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s debateable that it will remain a good program when it will have to decrease enrollment, put more kids in trailers, and be less accessible to parents. Location and facilities still matter to parents who are choosing a school, not to APS, but to parents at least. I don’t really think it’s debatable about which location is better, which is why the wealthy parents lobbied so hard to take the Key location. I guess the prospect of putting your kid on a bus hurts, and look at all those Hispanic kids going to the nice school across from your expensive house. At least people in charge still listen to upset white women with cash.

Hey, here’s hoping they leave some of the good science infrastructure stuff apparently in the asfs building behind.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I only skimmed it, but my initial reaction is that if you support the swap, I don't think there's much in there that's a surprise. If you are against the swap, I don't think there's anything in there that will convince you otherwise.

There should be for those who are listening to the Key folks who are trying to use their (small) Latino/ED families who currently walk to Key as justification for not moving. The convenience they seek is for THEM, the wealthy non-Latino families who want to be close to their current school and/or Metro. Moving Immersion to ASFS will not make it any less inaccessible for the majority of Latino/ED families who live in Arlington, because those families don't live along the Orange Line anyway. And yes, not swapping would result in yet another very wealthy, very white neighborhood school at ASFS. By swapping, they can get two somewhat diverse schools: one that is ethnically/linguistically/economically diverse by design, and one that is diverse because it pulls from a neighborhood that is itself more diverse than most of North Arlington (with the exception of Buckingham).

Blah, blah, blah. This benefits the rich Lyon Vilage people who want a walkable non immersion school. Live right, vote left.

I don’t understand. Lyon Village has been going to ASFS For years, maybe decades. I never heard anyone express any interest in the Key location until they turned ASFS into a neighborhood school, and the walk zone boundaries were going to kick out a lot of the current student body.

Some of Lyon Village was zoned Key/ASFS. They could choose. Very few chose Key. I find that strange.

Why is it strange? Not everyone wants to have to fire up google translate to simply read their kids homework? If the parents speak spanish, I'm sure it's fine, but its hard enough being a parent without adding this challenge. I feel for the parents who immigrate here without knowing the language, this would be just a taste of what they go through.

Call me old fashioned, but I think a real liberal living ina lily white wealthy enclave would have embraced immersion.

What do you know about “real liberals”?

I am one.

Sure...

Why do you think one educational program is the best fit for all kids?

I’m sorry, but I am just having a hard time understanding why two way immersion wouldn't work for everybody.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only skimmed it, but my initial reaction is that if you support the swap, I don't think there's much in there that's a surprise. If you are against the swap, I don't think there's anything in there that will convince you otherwise.

There should be for those who are listening to the Key folks who are trying to use their (small) Latino/ED families who currently walk to Key as justification for not moving. The convenience they seek is for THEM, the wealthy non-Latino families who want to be close to their current school and/or Metro. Moving Immersion to ASFS will not make it any less inaccessible for the majority of Latino/ED families who live in Arlington, because those families don't live along the Orange Line anyway. And yes, not swapping would result in yet another very wealthy, very white neighborhood school at ASFS. By swapping, they can get two somewhat diverse schools: one that is ethnically/linguistically/economically diverse by design, and one that is diverse because it pulls from a neighborhood that is itself more diverse than most of North Arlington (with the exception of Buckingham).

Blah, blah, blah. This benefits the rich Lyon Vilage people who want a walkable non immersion school. Live right, vote left.

I don’t understand. Lyon Village has been going to ASFS For years, maybe decades. I never heard anyone express any interest in the Key location until they turned ASFS into a neighborhood school, and the walk zone boundaries were going to kick out a lot of the current student body.

Some of Lyon Village was zoned Key/ASFS. They could choose. Very few chose Key. I find that strange.

Why is it strange? Not everyone wants to have to fire up google translate to simply read their kids homework? If the parents speak spanish, I'm sure it's fine, but its hard enough being a parent without adding this challenge. I feel for the parents who immigrate here without knowing the language, this would be just a taste of what they go through.

Call me old fashioned, but I think a real liberal living ina lily white wealthy enclave would have embraced immersion.

What do you know about “real liberals”?

I am one.

Sure...

Why do you think one educational program is the best fit for all kids?

I’m sorry, but I am just having a hard time understanding why two way immersion wouldn't work for everybody.

Really? “Everybody”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only skimmed it, but my initial reaction is that if you support the swap, I don't think there's much in there that's a surprise. If you are against the swap, I don't think there's anything in there that will convince you otherwise.

There should be for those who are listening to the Key folks who are trying to use their (small) Latino/ED families who currently walk to Key as justification for not moving. The convenience they seek is for THEM, the wealthy non-Latino families who want to be close to their current school and/or Metro. Moving Immersion to ASFS will not make it any less inaccessible for the majority of Latino/ED families who live in Arlington, because those families don't live along the Orange Line anyway. And yes, not swapping would result in yet another very wealthy, very white neighborhood school at ASFS. By swapping, they can get two somewhat diverse schools: one that is ethnically/linguistically/economically diverse by design, and one that is diverse because it pulls from a neighborhood that is itself more diverse than most of North Arlington (with the exception of Buckingham).

Blah, blah, blah. This benefits the rich Lyon Vilage people who want a walkable non immersion school. Live right, vote left.

I don’t understand. Lyon Village has been going to ASFS For years, maybe decades. I never heard anyone express any interest in the Key location until they turned ASFS into a neighborhood school, and the walk zone boundaries were going to kick out a lot of the current student body.

Some of Lyon Village was zoned Key/ASFS. They could choose. Very few chose Key. I find that strange.

Why is it strange? Not everyone wants to have to fire up google translate to simply read their kids homework? If the parents speak spanish, I'm sure it's fine, but its hard enough being a parent without adding this challenge. I feel for the parents who immigrate here without knowing the language, this would be just a taste of what they go through.

Call me old fashioned, but I think a real liberal living ina lily white wealthy enclave would have embraced immersion.

What do you know about “real liberals”?

I am one.

Sure...

Why do you think one educational program is the best fit for all kids?

I’m sorry, but I am just having a hard time understanding why two way immersion wouldn't work for everybody.

It's not what everyone wants, for one. But it's also not a great fit for kids with certain learning impediments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s debateable that it will remain a good program when it will have to decrease enrollment, put more kids in trailers, and be less accessible to parents. Location and facilities still matter to parents who are choosing a school, not to APS, but to parents at least. I don’t really think it’s debatable about which location is better, which is why the wealthy parents lobbied so hard to take the Key location. I guess the prospect of putting your kid on a bus hurts, and look at all those Hispanic kids going to the nice school across from your expensive house. At least people in charge still listen to upset white women with cash.

Hey, here’s hoping they leave some of the good science infrastructure stuff apparently in the asfs building behind.

Oh I guarantee that the principal will be taking the Gucci lab with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, firing up Google translate is so hard. I have to rub two sticks together as fast as I can to translate elementary school “homework”. Go learn something about what dual language immersion is.

Look, you are not helping your cause here. I am a supporter of Immersion. In fact, had we gotten in, we likely would have sent our kid there. But it's not for everyone and it should always be a choice, not forced, and not a "right" either. Everyone should have the same chance to get in, or not. APS did the right thing by abolishing the neighborhood preferrence. And they're doing the right thing, for most, by swapping schools. If you're truly worried about making sure Hispanic ELL or ED students continue to have equitable access to Immersion, then you would support the changes to admission policies, and instead of demanding to "keep Key on Key," you would have spoken out months ago about moving Immersion closer to either Buckingham or the Western Pike. But that's not what you did, because that's not what your focus is either. Stop trying to use people to justify your selfish agenda.

DP. What’s your agenda, other than attacking other people’s motives, about which you know nothing?

I have no agenda. You are welcome to your own opinions, but not your own facts. FACTS and DATA, not agendas or lobbying, should be driving every decision the school system makes. In this case, facts and data are driving this decision, and it's about time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, firing up Google translate is so hard. I have to rub two sticks together as fast as I can to translate elementary school “homework”. Go learn something about what dual language immersion is.

Look, you are not helping your cause here. I am a supporter of Immersion. In fact, had we gotten in, we likely would have sent our kid there. But it's not for everyone and it should always be a choice, not forced, and not a "right" either. Everyone should have the same chance to get in, or not. APS did the right thing by abolishing the neighborhood preferrence. And they're doing the right thing, for most, by swapping schools. If you're truly worried about making sure Hispanic ELL or ED students continue to have equitable access to Immersion, then you would support the changes to admission policies, and instead of demanding to "keep Key on Key," you would have spoken out months ago about moving Immersion closer to either Buckingham or the Western Pike. But that's not what you did, because that's not what your focus is either. Stop trying to use people to justify your selfish agenda.

DP. What’s your agenda, other than attacking other people’s motives, about which you know nothing?

I have no agenda. You are welcome to your own opinions, but not your own facts. FACTS and DATA, not agendas or lobbying, should be driving every decision the school system makes. In this case, facts and data are driving this decision, and it's about time!

Agree.

[Anonymous]

I can picture an advance team of ASFS Mighty Moms assessing the Key building and criticizing the decorating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, firing up Google translate is so hard. I have to rub two sticks together as fast as I can to translate elementary school “homework”. Go learn something about what dual language immersion is.

Look, you are not helping your cause here. I am a supporter of Immersion. In fact, had we gotten in, we likely would have sent our kid there. But it's not for everyone and it should always be a choice, not forced, and not a "right" either. Everyone should have the same chance to get in, or not. APS did the right thing by abolishing the neighborhood preferrence. And they're doing the right thing, for most, by swapping schools. If you're truly worried about making sure Hispanic ELL or ED students continue to have equitable access to Immersion, then you would support the changes to admission policies, and instead of demanding to "keep Key on Key," you would have spoken out months ago about moving Immersion closer to either Buckingham or the Western Pike. But that's not what you did, because that's not what your focus is either. Stop trying to use people to justify your selfish agenda.

DP. What’s your agenda, other than attacking other people’s motives, about which you know nothing?

I have no agenda. You are welcome to your own opinions, but not your own facts. FACTS and DATA, not agendas or lobbying, should be driving every decision the school system makes. In this case, facts and data are driving this decision, and it's about time!

Agree.

Data, yes, to a large degree. But the superintendent finally put his foot down.

[Anonymous]

Yes, he put his foot down on our Hispanic community.

[Anonymous]

“Lord, give me the confidence of a mediocre white man” with an ED. d.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he put his foot down on our Hispanic community.

There are 40 walkers to key. Period. Only 10 of those are Hispanic. Everyone else is bussed and would have a 0.5 mile longer bus ride

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he put his foot down on our Hispanic community.

Here's the tough thing about immersion in Arlington in general, and Key in particular. The dual immersion is supposed to primarily benefit native spanish speakers, so they can learn in their own language. There is plenty of educational research to back up the idea that they will do better if they are taught in both languages. But the native Spanish speaking community in Arlington is not convinced of this. This year Key had reserved seats for native spanish speakers. They ended up having to give those slots to native english speakers over the summer or else seats would have gone unfilled.
How do you convince native spanish speakers that there are better off in immersion? Well an obvious place to start would be looking at test scores. You would expect to see (based on educational research) that the scores for English Language learners would be much better at Key, then elsewhere in the division. But they aren't. http://schoolquality.virginia.gov/schools/francis-scott-key-elementary#fndtn-desktopTabs-assessments
The reading scores are about the same. The math scores are actually lower at Key for English Language learners- which is surprising given that they are being taught math in their native language. Claremont has similar results to Key. http://schoolquality.virginia.gov/schools/claremont-immersion#fndtn-desktopTabs-assessments

It's hard to see how moving Key is a strike against the hispanic community when they aren't currently filling all the slots alloted for them at Key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s debateable that it will remain a good program when it will have to decrease enrollment, put more kids in trailers, and be less accessible to parents. Location and facilities still matter to parents who are choosing a school, not to APS, but to parents at least. I don’t really think it’s debatable about which location is better, which is why the wealthy parents lobbied so hard to take the Key location. I guess the prospect of putting your kid on a bus hurts, and look at all those Hispanic kids going to the nice school across from your expensive house. At least people in charge still listen to upset white women with cash.

Hey, here’s hoping they leave some of the good science infrastructure stuff apparently in the asfs building behind.

In the memo they say investigation station would get converted to two classrooms. That just leaves the aquariums, and the pond/courtyard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he put his foot down on our Hispanic community.

Why aren’t you advocating for a move to Carlin Springs? That would truly help the Hispanic community.