APS: Jamestown, Discovery, Nottingham& McKinley

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a very happy Nottingham parent. About 90% of the students are walkers, which translates to several friends right around the corner (90% of families live within 1 mile of the school.) If your a social family and feel that the "community" of the school is important to you, Nottingham is a great choice. The pta and parents work very hard to enrich the experience for the kids.

Friends at Discovery seem happy, but as posters mentioned above, it's still new and figuring some things out. Also a great community feel though.

One friend that did the ATS route had wonderful things to say about the school. However, she said the biggest issue for her family is the lack of local families, barely anyone from their neighborhood to play with after school, etc. She just said her child is not having the social life after school she wished for.

I don't know enough about the others to comment.
HTH

Nottingham parent here as well - while 90% might be in the walk zone the cars line up to drop off kids in the morning it is hard to find parking in the afternoon. I bet only 30% - 40% actually walk.

It's hard to find parking if you're looking on the stretch along Ohio right next to the gym where you're not allowed park legally anyway. There's always tons of parking on Little Falls just the other side of Ohio. And the drop-off lane only backs up when the weather is bad, otherwise the worst back-up is usually at the crosswalk on Ohio where cars sometimes get held for several minutes to let all of the walkers cross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a very happy Nottingham parent. About 90% of the students are walkers, which translates to several friends right around the corner (90% of families live within 1 mile of the school.) If your a social family and feel that the "community" of the school is important to you, Nottingham is a great choice. The pta and parents work very hard to enrich the experience for the kids.

Friends at Discovery seem happy, but as posters mentioned above, it's still new and figuring some things out. Also a great community feel though.

One friend that did the ATS route had wonderful things to say about the school. However, she said the biggest issue for her family is the lack of local families, barely anyone from their neighborhood to play with after school, etc. She just said her child is not having the social life after school she wished for.

I don't know enough about the others to comment.
HTH

Nottingham parent here as well - while 90% might be in the walk zone the cars line up to drop off kids in the morning it is hard to find parking in the afternoon. I bet only 30% - 40% actually walk.

It's hard to find parking if you're looking on the stretch along Ohio right next to the gym where you're not allowed park legally anyway. There's always tons of parking on Little Falls just the other side of Ohio. And the drop-off lane only backs up when the weather is bad, otherwise the worst back-up is usually at the crosswalk on Ohio where cars sometimes get held for several minutes to let all of the walkers cross.

Also, even if you drive and park for pick-up right after school, it's hard to get through the blacktop without running into at least a half dozen people you know, so there's plenty of opportunity to see other parents and socialize. Moreover, I don't think pp's point was so much about how many people do walk as how many families are in the walk zone, which translates to a lot of families with school-aged kids in close proximity to each other, whether they walk to drive. It's nice for kids to have friends on their block or just around the corner to whose houses they can walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a very happy Nottingham parent. About 90% of the students are walkers, which translates to several friends right around the corner (90% of families live within 1 mile of the school.) If your a social family and feel that the "community" of the school is important to you, Nottingham is a great choice. The pta and parents work very hard to enrich the experience for the kids.

Friends at Discovery seem happy, but as posters mentioned above, it's still new and figuring some things out. Also a great community feel though.

One friend that did the ATS route had wonderful things to say about the school. However, she said the biggest issue for her family is the lack of local families, barely anyone from their neighborhood to play with after school, etc. She just said her child is not having the social life after school she wished for.

I don't know enough about the others to comment.
HTH

Nottingham parent here as well - while 90% might be in the walk zone the cars line up to drop off kids in the morning it is hard to find parking in the afternoon. I bet only 30% - 40% actually walk.

It's hard to find parking if you're looking on the stretch along Ohio right next to the gym where you're not allowed park legally anyway. There's always tons of parking on Little Falls just the other side of Ohio. And the drop-off lane only backs up when the weather is bad, otherwise the worst back-up is usually at the crosswalk on Ohio where cars sometimes get held for several minutes to let all of the walkers cross.

True and although we are walkers, I frequently drive simply because we trail behind frequently. I've never felt the line of cars was excessive, except on severe weather days. Parking right on Ohio near the blacktop can get crowded. But literally past where the crossing guard and down towards 29th ST always has space, it's just another minute away

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:re: Diversity: no, the schools OP mentioned aren't diverse, because that part of the county is pretty wealthy and pretty white. See the other (29-page) discussions on this board for more talk about that particular subject. Diversity was one of the reasons we chose ATS over Nottingham - I did think there was some value in my daughter going to a school where the kids were not all white (or Asian or mixed Asian/White) and rich. I love that our school's international night has up to 40 different tables representing the different nationalities of our kids.

If you're looking for diversity, go toward the middle of the county - Barrett, Ashlawn, Long Branch, ATS all have more, in part because there's more multifamily residences and better public transportation. (I also know some parents of minority kids who very specifically opted out of schools that were 97% white because they didn't want their kids to be "the only" black/asian/hispanic kid in a classroom.) Two South Arlington schools - Oakridge and Henry - currently have a real mix of kids, but not sure what will happen in the rezoning.

re: gifted services at ATS - daughter was assessed in first grade (Reading/Math) and then reassessed in second (all 4 subjects). I can't really get a good handle on what the Gifted program does, exactly, and my daughter says she doesn't see the specialist much. She's been challenged, regardless, and the work has been differentiated in her classrooms. But if she were exceptionally gifted and I wanted her more challenged, we'd probably have to consider other schools outside of APS. Fairfax may do a better job, with the AAP centers.

Hmm... OP here. So ATS has students of different nationalities? I am foreign born. Got my citizenship two years ago. DH was born here but is bilingual and lived abroad for a bit. I didn’t realize that there were schools in Arlington with many kids of different nationalities. It makes me want to consider applying to ATS. The thing that I don’t like about it is the amount of homework. We want to teach DD our language and figured the best way to do so is to put her in an immersion aftercare program.

You can look at the breakdown by race at all the APS schools here:

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Civil-Rights-Table-1-2017-12-7-web.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a very happy Nottingham parent. About 90% of the students are walkers, which translates to several friends right around the corner (90% of families live within 1 mile of the school.) If your a social family and feel that the "community" of the school is important to you, Nottingham is a great choice. The pta and parents work very hard to enrich the experience for the kids.

Friends at Discovery seem happy, but as posters mentioned above, it's still new and figuring some things out. Also a great community feel though.

One friend that did the ATS route had wonderful things to say about the school. However, she said the biggest issue for her family is the lack of local families, barely anyone from their neighborhood to play with after school, etc. She just said her child is not having the social life after school she wished for.

I don't know enough about the others to comment.
HTH

Nottingham parent here as well - while 90% might be in the walk zone the cars line up to drop off kids in the morning it is hard to find parking in the afternoon. I bet only 30% - 40% actually walk.

It's hard to find parking if you're looking on the stretch along Ohio right next to the gym where you're not allowed park legally anyway. There's always tons of parking on Little Falls just the other side of Ohio. And the drop-off lane only backs up when the weather is bad, otherwise the worst back-up is usually at the crosswalk on Ohio where cars sometimes get held for several minutes to let all of the walkers cross.

True and although we are walkers, I frequently drive simply because we trail behind frequently. I've never felt the line of cars was excessive, except on severe weather days. Parking right on Ohio near the blacktop can get crowded. But literally past where the crossing guard and down towards 29th ST always has space, it's just another minute away

Let's look at some rough numbers to determine Nottingham walkers :

524 Students
- 74 Bus riders / Martial Arts Bus / YMCA Bus...
- 150 Before/After care (most get rides)
- 20 sick or vacationing

= 280 potential walkers roughly

Some siblings or friends ride together.

Lots of cars every morning and afternoon probably 100+

So like I said maybe 30%-40% actually walk that even might be high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a very happy Nottingham parent. About 90% of the students are walkers, which translates to several friends right around the corner (90% of families live within 1 mile of the school.) If your a social family and feel that the "community" of the school is important to you, Nottingham is a great choice. The pta and parents work very hard to enrich the experience for the kids.

Friends at Discovery seem happy, but as posters mentioned above, it's still new and figuring some things out. Also a great community feel though.

One friend that did the ATS route had wonderful things to say about the school. However, she said the biggest issue for her family is the lack of local families, barely anyone from their neighborhood to play with after school, etc. She just said her child is not having the social life after school she wished for.

I don't know enough about the others to comment.
HTH

Nottingham parent here as well - while 90% might be in the walk zone the cars line up to drop off kids in the morning it is hard to find parking in the afternoon. I bet only 30% - 40% actually walk.

It's hard to find parking if you're looking on the stretch along Ohio right next to the gym where you're not allowed park legally anyway. There's always tons of parking on Little Falls just the other side of Ohio. And the drop-off lane only backs up when the weather is bad, otherwise the worst back-up is usually at the crosswalk on Ohio where cars sometimes get held for several minutes to let all of the walkers cross.

True and although we are walkers, I frequently drive simply because we trail behind frequently. I've never felt the line of cars was excessive, except on severe weather days. Parking right on Ohio near the blacktop can get crowded. But literally past where the crossing guard and down towards 29th ST always has space, it's just another minute away

Let's look at some rough numbers to determine Nottingham walkers :

524 Students
- 74 Bus riders / Martial Arts Bus / YMCA Bus...
- 150 Before/After care (most get rides)
- 20 sick or vacationing

= 280 potential walkers roughly

Some siblings or friends ride together.

Lots of cars every morning and afternoon probably 100+

So like I said maybe 30%-40% actually walk that even might be high.

what exactly is your point on the cars and # of walkers? The point made above is that most of the families are within close proximity to one another. Meaning more playdates, social gatherings, etc. If I have to park and walk 2 mins to drop off/pick up, whats the big deal? People with kids on buses have longer walks to/from the bus stop...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:International Night

What does that have to do with anything?

Maybe read the thread?

[Anonymous]

what exactly is your point on the cars and # of walkers? The point made above is that most of the families are within close proximity to one another. Meaning more playdates, social gatherings, etc. If I have to park and walk 2 mins to drop off/pick up, whats the big deal? People with kids on buses have longer walks to/from the bus stop...

I am confused if you identify as a 'walker' shouldn't you actually walk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

what exactly is your point on the cars and # of walkers? The point made above is that most of the families are within close proximity to one another. Meaning more playdates, social gatherings, etc. If I have to park and walk 2 mins to drop off/pick up, whats the big deal? People with kids on buses have longer walks to/from the bus stop...

I am confused if you identify as a 'walker' shouldn't you actually walk?

[Anonymous]

Everyone knows walkability is code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows walkability is code.

Yep, it's code for my kids being able to play with their friends after school on the school playground while I get to catch up with my own friends because we're all at the school every day. It's code for it being really easy for me to stop in the school and volunteer to help one of my kid's teachers with something because I'm already there every morning doing drop-off. It's code for me knowing so much of the staff and administration at the school because I see them all the time, so when there's an issue I already have a rapport with the person I help from and everything goes much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

what exactly is your point on the cars and # of walkers? The point made above is that most of the families are within close proximity to one another. Meaning more playdates, social gatherings, etc. If I have to park and walk 2 mins to drop off/pick up, whats the big deal? People with kids on buses have longer walks to/from the bus stop...

I am confused if you identify as a 'walker' shouldn't you actually walk?

A really, really stupid person clearly drew that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

what exactly is your point on the cars and # of walkers? The point made above is that most of the families are within close proximity to one another. Meaning more playdates, social gatherings, etc. If I have to park and walk 2 mins to drop off/pick up, whats the big deal? People with kids on buses have longer walks to/from the bus stop...

I am confused if you identify as a 'walker' shouldn't you actually walk?

A really, really stupid person clearly drew that.

Perhaps you like this one better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows walkability is code.

Yep, it's code for my kids being able to play with their friends after school on the school playground while I get to catch up with my own friends because we're all at the school every day. It's code for it being really easy for me to stop in the school and volunteer to help one of my kid's teachers with something because I'm already there every morning doing drop-off. It's code for me knowing so much of the staff and administration at the school because I see them all the time, so when there's an issue I already have a rapport with the person I help from and everything goes much easier.

Code for latte liberal!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows walkability is code.

Yep, it's code for my kids being able to play with their friends after school on the school playground while I get to catch up with my own friends because we're all at the school every day. It's code for it being really easy for me to stop in the school and volunteer to help one of my kid's teachers with something because I'm already there every morning doing drop-off. It's code for me knowing so much of the staff and administration at the school because I see them all the time, so when there's an issue I already have a rapport with the person I help from and everything goes much easier.

Code for latte liberal!

If latte liberal is the new term for people who care about being involved in their community, volunteering, etc., I will wear that label proudly.