Forum Index
»
VA Public Schools other than FCPS
APS Closing Nottingham
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
You're delusional. You think people haven't tried???? This sounds like someone who has sat back and does nothing but somehow thinks it's easy. |
Anonymous
How good can the admin be if they can't keep teachers? |
Anonymous
You don't know anything about me, but thanks for calling me awful. Take a look at the pedestrian injury/fatality map in Arlington. https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOTljN2M0YjQtNjU4ZS00MDJmLWI1NjMtYjc4MDRkMDI5ZjU1IiwidCI6IjgwMzU0ODA0LTFmZGYtNDI4ZS05ZjVmLTUwOTFlOTk0Y2Y1NCIsImMiOjF9 There certainly is a cluster of deaths and injuries along Little Falls, but also check out 2nd St S in Arlington Heights. You can see 2 deaths and 2 injuries in the last 10 years (and that's ignoring all the injuries along Rt. 50 just north of there). This neighborhood is home to 4 schools: TJ, Fleet, MPSA, and the Career Center. Over 3,000+ students. And, you are not even talking about APS adding a new school at Tuckahoe. They are changing the traffic patterns around an existing site -- I would guess adding a lot more buses and fewer cars. And, for the third time, yes, I am sorry about the traffic concerns, and I think they are real, but that does not mean APS can't or should not do this. But, I say this as a site neighbor to the Career Center site which is going to be under construction for MANY YEARS, in a neighborhood that already has a lot of students and a lot of traffic and also a lot of injuries, I do think this is part of living in an urban environment. I'm not saying to ignore safety, but I don't think we can not make changes because of traffic. We just have to do the best we can to mitigate it. And, again, really, I feel your pain. I do. A lot of us do. APS does not value continuity for kids at all, as it has shown in every single boundary process. |
Anonymous
No you already said you don't think the traffic concerns around Nottingham are real. You flippantly told us all we'd be ok before you were even aware of the deaths. I couldn't give 2 flips about the continuity. It's the TRAFFIC and the SAFETY that is the problem with this plan. You are completely wrong in your guess that this will bring fewer cars. It will bring MORE cars. |
Anonymous
|
I never said they weren't real. Mainly I am saying that just because a project will bring traffic doesn't mean it can't happen. Every single APS project has traffic implications. Nottingham is not unique in this regard. And yes, there is a terrible history there I was not specifically aware of, but if you look at the map I shared, this part of Arlington does not have the most safety concerns of anywhere in Arlington. Look at Columbia Pike for example.
I also think YOU are not aware of the issues other communities deal with. Are you aware of the specific traffic concerns the communities south of Rt 50 deal with? That doesn't stop new schools from being built here. We've also had fatalities. It's also awful. Do you want to stop every APS project in Arlington? I am just saying, it does not make sense to not consider this just because of traffic issues. We have to manage and deal with the traffic issues as best we can. And that's the truth. |
Anonymous
So, just where do you think it is in the best interest of kids to put a 100% drop-off school? What school do you think would be appropriate for this? |
Anonymous
Just like at many other/most/all other schools in the county. |
Anonymous
|
Also, for the record, I fully support Nottingham residents in advocating for whatever traffic/safety measures are appropriate around the site, and also agree that Arlington is slow to adopt them for reasons I do not understand.
BUT, I don't think these concerns are a reason not to do it, because these concerns exist at every site. That's my point. |
Anonymous
Well, first of all she had driven... Second, this only supports the argument for making it a "100% drop off" school. |
Anonymous
No, it isn't unreasonable for people to be concerned about additional traffic. The point is, EVERYone is ALWAYS rightfully concerned about increased traffic; but schools need to be built somewhere, additions need to be made somewhere, and school buildings are going to be used how the managers of our school system determine to use them. There is not one single neighborhood in this county that is not going to be concerned about traffic. There are other neighborhoods with equally legitimate concerns about traffic. So express your concerns; but understand that your concerns are problems everywhere and aren't worse or take more priority because they're in your neighborhood. |
Anonymous
|
Good lord these Nottingham parents, I can't even. There is ALWAYS something getting in the way of using their resources for the greater good of the community. It's such a strange coincidence, but there is always one thing that just makes the plan unworkable for them where it would work for every other community.
PP has been so polite to Nottingham parent in explaining that other schools also deal with traffic issues and manage to get through it, and Notting parent has been nothing but snotty and rude to them. What kind of discourse is this, Nottingham parent? What will it take for you to understand that other APS school communities go through this stuff all the time, and manage to get through it, without being jerks to everyone around them. The real solution here is not to stand there and argumentatively block the move, but to work towards making it as safe as possible for everyone -- but of course you won't be doing that if your safety concerns are really just a pretext for not wanting your local school to be used in this way. |
Anonymous
Just how do you expect APS to be prepared for you to make the "choice" NOW? That's absolutely absurd and demonstrates an absolute lack of understanding or concern or interest in what it takes to plan and prepare for these changes. You want us all to just snap our fingers and "make it so?" |
Anonymous
Since Nottingham has never permitted any changes, it's understandable that you don't realize that APS does look at traffic issues when they make the plans for the actual change. Emphasis on "when they make the plans for the actual change." APS knows there are traffic concerns and issues at EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL LOCATION; and it is not possible to never make any changes or decisions. They "deal with" it when the time comes to plan and prepare. The COUNTY is your bigger problem because they are often rigid about their rules and pre-requisites for stop signs, 4 way stops, hawk signals, crosswalks, speed bumps, traffic circles, etc. Y'all just got some stop signs. I'm sure you can continue to wield your importance - I mean influence and resources - to have the County work more with APS to provide what you think is necessary. |
Anonymous
No. Wakefield HS has several buses. 2000 students from - what, a third? - of the county. Still, I seriously doubt it is "several dozen" buses. Two dozen would be 24. "two" is not "several." Buses make whole loops and routes. They don't just send one bus for every block and bring kids individually to school. Buses hold 50 - 70 kids. 600 kids divided by 60 per bus = 10 buses. That's hardly "several dozen." |
Anonymous
DP I am not trying to minimize or dismiss your concerns. Traffic concerns at schools are justified no matter where one lives. Nevertheless, driver habits (such as routes they take) are often impacted when something in their path changes. Having multiple school buses and a kiss n- ride, for example, lined up along the main road in front of Nottingham will automatically alter driver behaviors. There will be an adjustment and enforcement and monitoring is necessary. But let's not continue this discussion under the impression that the only thing that would change is more of the same plus countless buses and parent drivers. |