APS: Think the "no move" campaign is going to work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP.

To the person going on about community centers, you are insane. They are well used by all ages. Maybe not by you. But no you can’t just take them all over and turn them into schools. You think people in the County would just go for that genius plan. WTF???

Not the QP but...

Of the few entitlements, all children ARE entitled to a free public education so Arlington has no choice but to educate everybody 5-18, roughly. That's about 10%...of what? Not totally sure but I think of the adults meaning that about 10% of the voters in ARL have kids "entitled" to a free, pubic education.

There is no entitlement to a community center, or pickle ball.

I'm shocked that we can afford a 100M indoor pool place in S. ARL but not a full high-school in the same part of the county. That's my WTF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were a retired person interested in community centers, I would be really jazzed about having access to one or two really good ones rather than several depressing ones. That plus the aquatic centers and tracks at the high schools would be good, solid options.

I agree that one of the community centers would be a reasonable sacrifice for a much needed school, especially if resources could be beefed up at the other community centers.

Why not combined schools/community centeres - like TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyway..........



Key School has a late bus? I didn’t realize that. For kids who stay for extended day? Do any other elementary schools offer that?

'yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

Good points. Again, minor children are entitled to a free, public education. 55+, are not entitled to a community center. See the big, huge, wonderful space that could have been a county-wide, accessible choice school next to barrett? It's us, providing free entertainment to the 55+ers with over a mil in home equity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

Driving two miles takes a few minutes, and at either of those distances, your kid can get a bus.

Also, some people exercise more than once a week.

Sure, but proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

The majority of people in Arlington DGAF about proximity to schools.

More people care about proximity to schools than proximity to community centers.

You know that how?

Because I know that the vast majority of APS parents value proximity - the survey results speak for themselves.

Out of the people who actually use the community center more than say 10x/year how many actually care about proximity?

Parents of school aged children are a minority in Arlington, so it’s ridiculous to assume that majority of Arlington voters care deeply about school proximity.

They care more about schools than community centers.

Source?

Seriously? Please just let it drop.

I posted all of the bond votes - how many school bonds weren’t passed? People care about schools on Election Day.

How many bonds of any variety (including parks and rec) haven’t passed in the past 40 years?

Zero

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were a retired person interested in community centers, I would be really jazzed about having access to one or two really good ones rather than several depressing ones. That plus the aquatic centers and tracks at the high schools would be good, solid options.

I agree that one of the community centers would be a reasonable sacrifice for a much needed school, especially if resources could be beefed up at the other community centers.

Why not combined schools/community centeres - like TJ?

I think that could be a partial solution, but they could only function as community centers outside of school hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

Good points. Again, minor children are entitled to a free, public education. 55+, are not entitled to a community center. See the big, huge, wonderful space that could have been a county-wide, accessible choice school next to barrett? It's us, providing free entertainment to the 55+ers with over a mil in home equity.

And those students are getting an education, even if we don’t build another elementary school, so what people are “entitled” to isn’t all that relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyway..........



Key School has a late bus? I didn’t realize that. For kids who stay for extended day? Do any other elementary schools offer that?

'yes.

Late bus has nothing to do with extended day. I believe it leaves around 5 and takes kids who have student council or enrichment classes.
It has very limited stops and a reduced route. Extended day kids must be picked up by adults. They don’t take the late bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyway..........



Key School has a late bus? I didn’t realize that. For kids who stay for extended day? Do any other elementary schools offer that?

'yes.

Late bus has nothing to do with extended day. I believe it leaves around 5 and takes kids who have student council or enrichment classes.
It has very limited stops and a reduced route. Extended day kids must be picked up by adults. They don’t take the late bus.

I’ve never heard of this for elementary. Do any other APS elementary schools offer a late bus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were a retired person interested in community centers, I would be really jazzed about having access to one or two really good ones rather than several depressing ones. That plus the aquatic centers and tracks at the high schools would be good, solid options.

I agree that one of the community centers would be a reasonable sacrifice for a much needed school, especially if resources could be beefed up at the other community centers.

Why not combined schools/community centeres - like TJ?

Too dumpy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were a retired person interested in community centers, I would be really jazzed about having access to one or two really good ones rather than several depressing ones. That plus the aquatic centers and tracks at the high schools would be good, solid options.

I agree that one of the community centers would be a reasonable sacrifice for a much needed school, especially if resources could be beefed up at the other community centers.

Why not combined schools/community centeres - like TJ?

Great idea. Good utilization of space.

TJ even shares space during school hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyway..........



Key School has a late bus? I didn’t realize that. For kids who stay for extended day? Do any other elementary schools offer that?

'yes.

Late bus has nothing to do with extended day. I believe it leaves around 5 and takes kids who have student council or enrichment classes.
It has very limited stops and a reduced route. Extended day kids must be picked up by adults. They don’t take the late bus.

Does it run every day? Do they even offer enrichment every day?

[Anonymous]

McK does not have a late bus. I’ve never heard of that for elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyway..........



Key School has a late bus? I didn’t realize that. For kids who stay for extended day? Do any other elementary schools offer that?

'yes.

Late bus has nothing to do with extended day. I believe it leaves around 5 and takes kids who have student council or enrichment classes.
It has very limited stops and a reduced route. Extended day kids must be picked up by adults. They don’t take the late bus.

Does it run every day? Do they even offer enrichment every day?

The PTA has a ton of money. Don’t let the talk of the poor and downtrodden truck you into thinking they aren’t raising $100k/yr. https://key.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2018/05/Key-PTA-Treasurer-Report-2018-April.pdf

The enrichment schedule is here https://enrichmentmatters.ce.eleyo.com/courses/category/75/key-elementary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Yeah, they are. Sorry grandma.