new S. Arlington elementary school---on hold AGAIN??!!
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Anonymous
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I just saw this article in Arlnow and I am FURIOUS! I realize that TJ is not a perfect solution and the ensuing redistricting is going to be painful (especially in terms of what happens to Drew if they take Montessori out) but are they really, really going to try to postpone this AGAIN! The new school was originally supposed to open in 2017. First Vihstadt killed the streetcar (which didn't bother me too much) and now he's asking everyone to consider anpother proposal when this has been on the table for two years and the working group has been studying it for months and months? Everyone knew a year ago that TJ was the best option.
So sick of S. Arlington getting the shaft. https://www.arlnow.com/2015/10/16/working-group-still-eyeing-thomas-jefferson-site-for-new-school/#disqus_thread |
Anonymous
Me too. Vihstadt sucks. |
Anonymous
| Agree. At some point they have to pull the trigger. They pulled the same thing, with throwing these last minute options on the table, when they were discussing the Stratford/Wilson/HB Woodlawn sitaution last year. Sometimes I get the feeling that people believe the population increases are temporary, and that if they just delay enough, eventually there won't be a need for new schools. |
Anonymous
That is absolutely what it is. The old folks at these meetings will come right out and say it. |
Anonymous
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Hmmm, I wish that letter and proposal had been submitted months ago....
We really need this new school built! The 1000 seats deficit will be ugly in the next years! I'm wondering which one would truly be the better site, for the kids...which one is bigger? Which one has more green space? Which one is a safer location? (Traffic wise) I mean, the developer says he has over 5.25 acres total, but not how much of that he wants to 'donate' according to his analysis ? How big a site are we talking about? And WHY does the county have to be so slow with everything they do and consider? |
Anonymous
People without kids in my (southern) neighborhood will STILL say; "We don't want ANY new school; the traffic is already bad, but how about the Reed site by the way?" Makes you want to pull your hair out. |
Anonymous
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Nothing is on hold. A spot just down the street may be a better location and serve students and county better. There are quite a few people on the SAWG who were thrilled to see the potential new option. The problem is total lack of land in south Arlington to build a new school. And the county now wants to go cheap, and heaven forbid it purchases land. Yet, it will purchase land to build affordable housing. No one wants to build at TJ if there is a better alternative.
The developer thinks it can still meet the county's deadline. The delays are the school board that clearly had not even read the offer from the developer. That is a problem bc means, again, SB and CB not communicating. The real problem is (1) why was SAWG not even notified of this option back in August when the developer went to the county? Bigger problem, got news for all of us in south Arlington, we are not getting a new school (like north Arlington got discovery). This project will merely move Henry to the new site and add some capacity. Then drew wil move its Montessori to the old Henry, opening up seats in one of the lowest performing schools in the county. So, there will still be the same number of elementary schools in south Arlington, they will just be BIGGER! If the new Henry is going to 725 students, how long do you think it will be before that school is over 800 students!!! And, the SB has tossed any possibility for another elementary school in south Arlington. Have they similarly tossed any new elementary schools in north arlington? Does adding 725 new seats solve the ocercrowding in south arlington's title I schools? |
Anonymous
| I thought the SB wouldn't commit to what kind of elementary school was going to be built. Where have they said they are moving Patrick Henry? Sounds like a rumour. |
Anonymous
| We are zoned to Oakridge which is popular but severely overcrowded; DC would start K next fall. We have given up hope of a new school or plan to alleviate the overcrowding being implemented anytime soon and decided to send DC to private school, PK-8. We also don't like the uncertainty with the new school location, upcoming boundary changes as a result, and potential for re-assignment to a different school. |
Anonymous
It will be a neighborhood school, they have said that. You can check the More Seats website if you don't believe me: http://www.apsva.us/Page/30469 And if it is built at or near TJ, it would be the new neighborhood school for kids currently zoned Henry. |
Anonymous
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And Henry would take the Montessori kids from Drew. I have no idea what boundaries would be for the new drew, but it would need a huge change because a the grades portion of that school is one of the lowest performing in the county. Rumors are that it will take some oakridge. I suspect oakridge parents would be furious to go from crowded but high peforming oakridge.
If the county sites the new school at the dominion arms site,not will be the same as tj as far as boundaries.mthey are within a couple blocks of each other. |