What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, considering that Nottingham is still in running, was the re-work by staff actually to take ASFS out of option pool, b/c those CD parents were up in arms that their plans were backfiring?

I’m also wondering this. Didn’t the initial analysis show ASFS as a good location for an option program?
And didn’t staff admit that Nottingham’s designation as a good option site was based on two typos?
Didn’t the initial analysis show that Barcroft was good as a neighborhood school?

Oh and didn’t it show that Campbell fits all the criteria for a neighborhood school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, considering that Nottingham is still in running, was the re-work by staff actually to take ASFS out of option pool, b/c those CD parents were up in arms that their plans were backfiring?

I’m also wondering this. Didn’t the initial analysis show ASFS as a good location for an option program?
And didn’t staff admit that Nottingham’s designation as a good option site was based on two typos?
Didn’t the initial analysis show that Barcroft was good as a neighborhood school?

Yeah the whole point of rework was questions about Nottingham? ASFS was the one changed to neighborhood. The fix is in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of market rate apts still
Zoned Barcroft.
Barcroft parent you need to get a grip.
Getting rid of neighborhood schools on the west end is the staff’s only play. This is it.
Many of the neighborhood kids will take advantage of those choice programs due to proximity, and the rest will go not too much further away to a hopefully better integrated school.
It’s this or we keep getting what we’ ve Always got.

Yep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Claremont parent here, I really do not want to move to Carlin Springs and would be much happier with a move to Barcroft (but this is for selfish proximity locations). I really don't want to lose the outdoor classroom space at Claremont, but I really know nothing about the Carlin Springs campus.

It's big and it's next to 30 acres of open Kenmore space. Others have gone the distance to come to you at Claremont. Your turn.

And what are you doing?

Attending my neighborhood schools -- wherever they get moved to.

Then don’t judge others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, just WOW. Barcoft parent here. All of you love to talk about keeping communities together, but you are willing to completely divide up the Barcroft neighborhood among different schools? What are we a buffet - north Barcroft goes to Barrett, South Barcroft goes to Randolph. How are we any less of a community than north arlington communities crying that kids from their neighborhoods will get split up. I thought that was why the SB made Reed a neighborhood school, to keep that community together. Don't the kids in Barcroft get the same consideration? Do we not count anymore because so many kids choice out?

Many kids do choice out, but many do not. If all the kids in the neighborhood went to Barcroft we would have a very serious overcrowding problem.

And guess who generally does NOT CHOICE OUT - the families from lower income apartments on the south end of the neighborhood. Those are the kids - the 60-65% of the school who are on free and reduced lunch - who will get bused when they currently walk. And, they will be bused because Randolph is on the other side of Columbia Pike, a street APS says little kids cannot cross. I drive through Barcroft every morning and mountains of kids walk from the south end of the neighborhoods to Barcroft school. The school board seems to think all those kids' families will just chose immersion - well they won't and should not have to.

If Barcroft and Carlin Springs become option schools, the entire western edge of the county could have no neighborhood schools. Nothing between Barrett and Claremont all the way to the Fairfax border. And, this is the highest poverty area of the county, with the biggest density of lower income families. And, the county plans to allow more low income housing. You don't solve socio economic disparities by removing neighborhoods schools.

You do when the county has decided to move all of its AH to one geographic quadrant. There is no other way. You do this, or you do nothing. Choose.

DP. How does this solve the socioeconomic problems? Rich folk won’t bus to Barcroft or wherever. It’s just going to exacerbate segregation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, considering that Nottingham is still in running, was the re-work by staff actually to take ASFS out of option pool, b/c those CD parents were up in arms that their plans were backfiring?

I’m also wondering this. Didn’t the initial analysis show ASFS as a good location for an option program?
And didn’t staff admit that Nottingham’s designation as a good option site was based on two typos?
Didn’t the initial analysis show that Barcroft was good as a neighborhood school?

Oh and didn’t it show that Campbell fits all the criteria for a neighborhood school?

It did. But it also showed it would be 100% F&RL. And then they were told to see if they could break up the pockets and integrate schools more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, just WOW. Barcoft parent here. All of you love to talk about keeping communities together, but you are willing to completely divide up the Barcroft neighborhood among different schools? What are we a buffet - north Barcroft goes to Barrett, South Barcroft goes to Randolph. How are we any less of a community than north arlington communities crying that kids from their neighborhoods will get split up. I thought that was why the SB made Reed a neighborhood school, to keep that community together. Don't the kids in Barcroft get the same consideration? Do we not count anymore because so many kids choice out?

Many kids do choice out, but many do not. If all the kids in the neighborhood went to Barcroft we would have a very serious overcrowding problem.

And guess who generally does NOT CHOICE OUT - the families from lower income apartments on the south end of the neighborhood. Those are the kids - the 60-65% of the school who are on free and reduced lunch - who will get bused when they currently walk. And, they will be bused because Randolph is on the other side of Columbia Pike, a street APS says little kids cannot cross. I drive through Barcroft every morning and mountains of kids walk from the south end of the neighborhoods to Barcroft school. The school board seems to think all those kids' families will just chose immersion - well they won't and should not have to.

If Barcroft and Carlin Springs become option schools, the entire western edge of the county could have no neighborhood schools. Nothing between Barrett and Claremont all the way to the Fairfax border. And, this is the highest poverty area of the county, with the biggest density of lower income families. And, the county plans to allow more low income housing. You don't solve socio economic disparities by removing neighborhoods schools.

You do when the county has decided to move all of its AH to one geographic quadrant. There is no other way. You do this, or you do nothing. Choose.

DP. How does this solve the socioeconomic problems? Rich folk won’t bus to Barcroft or wherever. It’s just going to exacerbate segregation.

What’s your alternative plan that would help better integrate some of these schools with a very high percentage and ED students?

I think you will get lots of rich folk still applying to ATS no matter where it is, which is why it cannot go to Nottingham or stay where it is. It has to move to S Arlington and put immersion in its current building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, just WOW. Barcoft parent here. All of you love to talk about keeping communities together, but you are willing to completely divide up the Barcroft neighborhood among different schools? What are we a buffet - north Barcroft goes to Barrett, South Barcroft goes to Randolph. How are we any less of a community than north arlington communities crying that kids from their neighborhoods will get split up. I thought that was why the SB made Reed a neighborhood school, to keep that community together. Don't the kids in Barcroft get the same consideration? Do we not count anymore because so many kids choice out?

Many kids do choice out, but many do not. If all the kids in the neighborhood went to Barcroft we would have a very serious overcrowding problem.

And guess who generally does NOT CHOICE OUT - the families from lower income apartments on the south end of the neighborhood. Those are the kids - the 60-65% of the school who are on free and reduced lunch - who will get bused when they currently walk. And, they will be bused because Randolph is on the other side of Columbia Pike, a street APS says little kids cannot cross. I drive through Barcroft every morning and mountains of kids walk from the south end of the neighborhoods to Barcroft school. The school board seems to think all those kids' families will just chose immersion - well they won't and should not have to.

If Barcroft and Carlin Springs become option schools, the entire western edge of the county could have no neighborhood schools. Nothing between Barrett and Claremont all the way to the Fairfax border. And, this is the highest poverty area of the county, with the biggest density of lower income families. And, the county plans to allow more low income housing. You don't solve socio economic disparities by removing neighborhoods schools.

You do when the county has decided to move all of its AH to one geographic quadrant. There is no other way. You do this, or you do nothing. Choose.

DP. How does this solve the socioeconomic problems? Rich folk won’t bus to Barcroft or wherever. It’s just going to exacerbate segregation.

What’s your alternative plan that would help better integrate some of these schools with a very high percentage and ED students?

I think you will get lots of rich folk still applying to ATS no matter where it is, which is why it cannot go to Nottingham or stay where it is. It has to move to S Arlington and put immersion in its current building.

My plan has always included moving ATS to the south. I would also put a reimagined science focus school in the South. Move beyond immersion and get into the stuff many rich folk actually care about. Tge attitude about immersion is patronizing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, just WOW. Barcoft parent here. All of you love to talk about keeping communities together, but you are willing to completely divide up the Barcroft neighborhood among different schools? What are we a buffet - north Barcroft goes to Barrett, South Barcroft goes to Randolph. How are we any less of a community than north arlington communities crying that kids from their neighborhoods will get split up. I thought that was why the SB made Reed a neighborhood school, to keep that community together. Don't the kids in Barcroft get the same consideration? Do we not count anymore because so many kids choice out?

Many kids do choice out, but many do not. If all the kids in the neighborhood went to Barcroft we would have a very serious overcrowding problem.

And guess who generally does NOT CHOICE OUT - the families from lower income apartments on the south end of the neighborhood. Those are the kids - the 60-65% of the school who are on free and reduced lunch - who will get bused when they currently walk. And, they will be bused because Randolph is on the other side of Columbia Pike, a street APS says little kids cannot cross. I drive through Barcroft every morning and mountains of kids walk from the south end of the neighborhoods to Barcroft school. The school board seems to think all those kids' families will just chose immersion - well they won't and should not have to.

If Barcroft and Carlin Springs become option schools, the entire western edge of the county could have no neighborhood schools. Nothing between Barrett and Claremont all the way to the Fairfax border. And, this is the highest poverty area of the county, with the biggest density of lower income families. And, the county plans to allow more low income housing. You don't solve socio economic disparities by removing neighborhoods schools.

You do when the county has decided to move all of its AH to one geographic quadrant. There is no other way. You do this, or you do nothing. Choose.

DP. How does this solve the socioeconomic problems? Rich folk won’t bus to Barcroft or wherever. It’s just going to exacerbate segregation.

What’s your alternative plan that would help better integrate some of these schools with a very high percentage and ED students?

I think you will get lots of rich folk still applying to ATS no matter where it is, which is why it cannot go to Nottingham or stay where it is. It has to move to S Arlington and put immersion in its current building.

My plan has always included moving ATS to the south. I would also put a reimagined science focus school in the South. Move beyond immersion and get into the stuff many rich folk actually care about. Tge attitude about immersion is patronizing.

To add, yes, I would support moving ATS to the south snd moving Key to ATS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, just WOW. Barcoft parent here. All of you love to talk about keeping communities together, but you are willing to completely divide up the Barcroft neighborhood among different schools? What are we a buffet - north Barcroft goes to Barrett, South Barcroft goes to Randolph. How are we any less of a community than north arlington communities crying that kids from their neighborhoods will get split up. I thought that was why the SB made Reed a neighborhood school, to keep that community together. Don't the kids in Barcroft get the same consideration? Do we not count anymore because so many kids choice out?

Many kids do choice out, but many do not. If all the kids in the neighborhood went to Barcroft we would have a very serious overcrowding problem.

And guess who generally does NOT CHOICE OUT - the families from lower income apartments on the south end of the neighborhood. Those are the kids - the 60-65% of the school who are on free and reduced lunch - who will get bused when they currently walk. And, they will be bused because Randolph is on the other side of Columbia Pike, a street APS says little kids cannot cross. I drive through Barcroft every morning and mountains of kids walk from the south end of the neighborhoods to Barcroft school. The school board seems to think all those kids' families will just chose immersion - well they won't and should not have to.

If Barcroft and Carlin Springs become option schools, the entire western edge of the county could have no neighborhood schools. Nothing between Barrett and Claremont all the way to the Fairfax border. And, this is the highest poverty area of the county, with the biggest density of lower income families. And, the county plans to allow more low income housing. You don't solve socio economic disparities by removing neighborhoods schools.

You do when the county has decided to move all of its AH to one geographic quadrant. There is no other way. You do this, or you do nothing. Choose.

DP. How does this solve the socioeconomic problems? Rich folk won’t bus to Barcroft or wherever. It’s just going to exacerbate segregation.

Not everyone in South Arlington is poor. There are over 600 South Arlington kids in the Claremont Immersion program now, and the school isn't even a Title 1 school. You think those families will all drop out if the program moved a couple miles to Barcroft or Carlin Springs? And for the families from North Arlington who are already there, either of these locations would be closer to them, as would ATS. If the wealthier families around Key aren't willing to allow their kids to travel south to enjoy Immersion, then I guess they were never all that committed to Immersion in the first place. And they will be easily replaced.

[Anonymous]

As a south Arlington parent to toddlers-
I would consider immersion as a benefit to my kid. Patronizing or not. It would definitely help keep us in south Arlington for elementary. All the better if it has improved outcomes for children coming from Spanish speaking homes.
Our plan was to apply to all lottery schools, and see what happens. We were willing to try K at our low performing neighborhood school.
Just some insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, just WOW. Barcoft parent here. All of you love to talk about keeping communities together, but you are willing to completely divide up the Barcroft neighborhood among different schools? What are we a buffet - north Barcroft goes to Barrett, South Barcroft goes to Randolph. How are we any less of a community than north arlington communities crying that kids from their neighborhoods will get split up. I thought that was why the SB made Reed a neighborhood school, to keep that community together. Don't the kids in Barcroft get the same consideration? Do we not count anymore because so many kids choice out?

Many kids do choice out, but many do not. If all the kids in the neighborhood went to Barcroft we would have a very serious overcrowding problem.

And guess who generally does NOT CHOICE OUT - the families from lower income apartments on the south end of the neighborhood. Those are the kids - the 60-65% of the school who are on free and reduced lunch - who will get bused when they currently walk. And, they will be bused because Randolph is on the other side of Columbia Pike, a street APS says little kids cannot cross. I drive through Barcroft every morning and mountains of kids walk from the south end of the neighborhoods to Barcroft school. The school board seems to think all those kids' families will just chose immersion - well they won't and should not have to.

If Barcroft and Carlin Springs become option schools, the entire western edge of the county could have no neighborhood schools. Nothing between Barrett and Claremont all the way to the Fairfax border. And, this is the highest poverty area of the county, with the biggest density of lower income families. And, the county plans to allow more low income housing. You don't solve socio economic disparities by removing neighborhoods schools.

You do when the county has decided to move all of its AH to one geographic quadrant. There is no other way. You do this, or you do nothing. Choose.

DP. How does this solve the socioeconomic problems? Rich folk won’t bus to Barcroft or wherever. It’s just going to exacerbate segregation.

Not everyone in South Arlington is poor. There are over 600 South Arlington kids in the Claremont Immersion program now, and the school isn't even a Title 1 school. You think those families will all drop out if the program moved a couple miles to Barcroft or Carlin Springs? And for the families from North Arlington who are already there, either of these locations would be closer to them, as would ATS. If the wealthier families around Key aren't willing to allow their kids to travel south to enjoy Immersion, then I guess they were never all that committed to Immersion in the first place. And they will be easily replaced.

Posters here are pitching it as a way to integrate the Barcroft school area. Very few Key zone rich white families chose Key. This is all going to make the north whiter and more economically segregated. Bank on it. Or trust fund on it or whatever.

[Anonymous]

It’s important to recall that none of this was necessary. Huge self inflicted error by the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, considering that Nottingham is still in running, was the re-work by staff actually to take ASFS out of option pool, b/c those CD parents were up in arms that their plans were backfiring?

I’m also wondering this. Didn’t the initial analysis show ASFS as a good location for an option program?
And didn’t staff admit that Nottingham’s designation as a good option site was based on two typos?
Didn’t the initial analysis show that Barcroft was good as a neighborhood school?

Oh and didn’t it show that Campbell fits all the criteria for a neighborhood school?

The phase one analysis was about proximity and efficiency. Phase two was about everything else. So some schools people thought were sure to move or not not move were reversed, given those additional considerations. I'm not sure how the School Board will come down. I don't think any of us are.

[Anonymous]

It makes me wonder if they will chose option A - move nothing - b/c of all of the controversy surrounding this. No community wants an option school. If I could, I'd run for SB and campaign against adding options and providing bussing from overcrowded schools to ones that have space. I'd never get the ACDC backing, though.