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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

If you look at only walkability then, yes, Campbell looks great for a neighborhood school. Once you consider that Campbell as a neighborhood school would create a nearly 100% FRL school.. I think that changes things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

I don't think that's universally true. For schools that are already option, they don't want to become neighborhood schools. And areas that are neighborhood don't want to become option. People who are happy want what they have don't want things to change. Duh.

[Anonymous]

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

????????

Right. The SB just took all this on because it’s so much fun for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

????????

Right. The SB just took all this on because it’s so much fun for them.

Huge unforced error.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP barcroft poster. Neither neighborhood should be split up like a pie.

It will be happening all over the county.

Yeah, neighborhoods aren't all going to stay together, because of walk zones. I honestly am just guessing about how they'd split Barcroft. The neighborhood itself won't be split like a pie. Worst case, it would be divided in half. It would be the current attendance zone that really changes, but that's going to happen in any case because of Fleet opening and Drew becoming 100% neighborhood and cascading changes resulting from a boundary being drawn around ASFS for the first time in decades. There is no way that those changes alone don't result in the Barcroft boundary being blown apart.

As for seats, making both Drew and Claremont neighborhood schools gets you a net gain of neighborhood seats. And Fleet is a much bigger building than Henry was, so more real seats gained there, too. Plus the likely scenario is that Arlington Forest south side kids will be shifted N of 50 and Glencarlyn to Ashlawn results in fewer seats occupied in South Arlington. The next new ES is supposed to be in South Arlington.

S. Arlington parent here. Glencarlyn and Arlington Forest south are among the few middle class pockets in this area of the county. Pulling those families north would effectively increase the FARMs rates at the remaining S. Arlington neighborhood schools. No Bueno.

And why is that? It's because they are zoned W-L, not Wakefield, aren't they? High school dictates real estate price more than middle/elementary. In fact I would say it's high school, elementary, middle, in that order.

[Anonymous]

Arlington Forest South goes to Wakefield.

[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.

Honestly, I think that's a big part of it. The concern for the poor Hispanic kids in the neighborhood is a smoke screen. The white families in Key want to keep their super convenient location and their preferred program at the same time. The rest of the neighborhood kids that will be shipped around as a result are not their problem.

[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.

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.

Honestly, I think that's a big part of it. The concern for the poor Hispanic kids in the neighborhood is a smoke screen. The white families in Key want to keep their super convenient location and their preferred program at the same time. The rest of the neighborhood kids that will be shipped around as a result are not their problem.

clearly-- look at the map that APS put out. There are comparatively few spanish speaking families around Key. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Number-of-K-5-Students-that-Speak-Spanish-at-Home-by-Planning-Unit_Revised-3.pdf

[Anonymous]

Look at the other map they published from the census. Lots of Spanish Speakers around Nottingham.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Language_ACS16_5Year_Count_Census.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the other map they published from the census. Lots of Spanish Speakers around Nottingham.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Language_ACS16_5Year_Count_Census.pdf

Are you planning to put teenagers into an elementary immersion program? That map looks at children 5-17, so roughly elementary through high school. The APS map pp shared reflects only the elementary-aged Spanish-speaking population in the area, which is the relevant consideration for this analysis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the other map they published from the census. Lots of Spanish Speakers around Nottingham.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Language_ACS16_5Year_Count_Census.pdf

Are you planning to put teenagers into an elementary immersion program? That map looks at children 5-17, so roughly elementary through high school. The APS map pp shared reflects only the elementary-aged Spanish-speaking population in the area, which is the relevant consideration for this analysis.

Then why did APS decide to make it an appendix?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the other map they published from the census. Lots of Spanish Speakers around Nottingham.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Language_ACS16_5Year_Count_Census.pdf

Are you planning to put teenagers into an elementary immersion program? That map looks at children 5-17, so roughly elementary through high school. The APS map pp shared reflects only the elementary-aged Spanish-speaking population in the area, which is the relevant consideration for this analysis.

Then why did APS decide to make it an appendix?

They are both relevant. Its about where spanish speaking families are. Right now the only kids impacted by this are maybe 2nd grade and below- more likely 1st grade and below.

I see that the Key parents who live near Key have switched to advocating for no changes whatsoever-
https://www.change.org/p/arlington-school-board-leave-all-elementary-schools-in-their-current-locations-and-change-boundaries?recruiter=279815821&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_message

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the other map they published from the census. Lots of Spanish Speakers around Nottingham.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Language_ACS16_5Year_Count_Census.pdf

You could also look at this chart, which shows the number of EL students in each APS school: https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2017-18-English-Learner-Fall-Statistics.pdf As of this past September, Nottingham had 11 students *total* in the school receiving ESOL/HILT services, encompassing eight different language backgrounds (Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, Russian, Chinese/Mandarin, Turkish, Vietnamese and Assamese).

But please, do tell us about the abundant native Spanish-speaking population around Nottingham. And Tuckahoe, and Discovery too, for that matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

Honestly, I think that's a big part of it. The concern for the poor Hispanic kids in the neighborhood is a smoke screen. The white families in Key want to keep their super convenient location and their preferred program at the same time. The rest of the neighborhood kids that will be shipped around as a result are not their problem.

clearly-- look at the map that APS put out. There are comparatively few spanish speaking families around Key. https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Number-of-K-5-Students-that-Speak-Spanish-at-Home-by-Planning-Unit_Revised-3.pdf

Compared to what? Looks like a solid group around Rosslyn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the other map they published from the census. Lots of Spanish Speakers around Nottingham.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Language_ACS16_5Year_Count_Census.pdf

Are you planning to put teenagers into an elementary immersion program? That map looks at children 5-17, so roughly elementary through high school. The APS map pp shared reflects only the elementary-aged Spanish-speaking population in the area, which is the relevant consideration for this analysis.

Then why did APS decide to make it an appendix?

They are both relevant. Its about where spanish speaking families are. Right now the only kids impacted by this are maybe 2nd grade and below- more likely 1st grade and below.

I see that the Key parents who live near Key have switched to advocating for no changes whatsoever-
https://www.change.org/p/arlington-school-board-leave-all-elementary-schools-in-their-current-locations-and-change-boundaries?recruiter=279815821&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_message

It actually shows where they were, because the data is at least two years out of date. Unfortunately one of the consequences of the ever-growing tear-down/rebuild process in NW has been that houses that previously were more affordably rentals have been sold off as tear-down lots that end up predominantly owned by affluent white people. That whole area has been getting less diverse the past several years, not more, and the diversity that does exist is a different, more affluent type of diversity.