South Arlington and North Arlington Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I should have been more clear. No I am not saying this, at all. What I am saying is that many choice schools are no longer options at all, because of the tiered lottery system currently in place. "Area" choice schools have supplanted countywide choice schools. This means that some neighborhoods have preference over others, and given the capacity crisis in both N and S Arlington, many lotteries are not open to students living outside the preferred boundary. The only true countywide choice elementary is ATS.

Just to clarify--Montessori is countywide choice, and there is no neighborhood preference in the lottery.

[Anonymous]

I'm suspicious that some posters on this thread might not be familiar with how much has changed in the last 2-3 years. possibly after their children were starting at APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I should have been more clear. No I am not saying this, at all. What I am saying is that many choice schools are no longer options at all, because of the tiered lottery system currently in place. "Area" choice schools have supplanted countywide choice schools. This means that some neighborhoods have preference over others, and given the capacity crisis in both N and S Arlington, many lotteries are not open to students living outside the preferred boundary. The only true countywide choice elementary is ATS.

Just to clarify--Montessori is countywide choice, and there is no neighborhood preference in the lottery.

Yes, my mistake. I stand corrected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I should have been more clear. No I am not saying this, at all. What I am saying is that many choice schools are no longer options at all, because of the tiered lottery system currently in place. "Area" choice schools have supplanted countywide choice schools. This means that some neighborhoods have preference over others, and given the capacity crisis in both N and S Arlington, many lotteries are not open to students living outside the preferred boundary. The only true countywide choice elementary is ATS.

Just to clarify--Montessori is countywide choice, and there is no neighborhood preference in the lottery.

Yes, my mistake. I stand corrected.

Np- that doesn't change the fact that some choices and are not a choice for all. That's a problem and before people living in ASF boundary get all bent out of shape, I don't thing it's great that they don't have a regular neighborhood school either. This system seems very dysfunctional to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I'm suspicious that some posters on this thread might not be familiar with how much has changed in the last 2-3 years. possibly after their children were starting at APS.

The reality is choice schools have become an "escape" for many families dissatisfied with their neighborhood schools, especially those with very high numbers of disadvantaged students, a result of a poor planning for affordable housing by the county board over the decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I'm suspicious that some posters on this thread might not be familiar with how much has changed in the last 2-3 years. possibly after their children were starting at APS.

The reality is choice schools have become an "escape" for many families dissatisfied with their neighborhood schools, especially those with very high numbers of disadvantaged students, a result of a poor planning for affordable housing by the county board over the decades.

There hasn't been any planning over the decades. That is the problem. They are trying to play catch up at the last minute, and doing a really crummy job.

[Anonymous]

Here's a fun story from south Arlington involving embezzlement at Hoffman Boston elementary.


https://www.arlnow.com/2015/10/30/just-in-two-charged-with-embezzling-from-elementary-school-pta/#disqus_thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Reid Goldstein. I think he'll do a fine job on the school board.

I am inclined to write in Greg Greeley, who I think would be a better SB member but, as I understand it, can't run because as a government employee, he can't seek the endorsement of a political party.

It's going to be Reid Goldstein and he is going to bow to whatever Murphy tells him to bow to. I think part of the swearing-in for school board candidates is having your spine removed.

Why does he need endorsement from a political party?
Can't he be independent?

I'd write in Greg Greeley.
I mean really, what's the point? Why is only one person running?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a fun story from south Arlington involving embezzlement at Hoffman Boston elementary.


https://www.arlnow.com/2015/10/30/just-in-two-charged-with-embezzling-from-elementary-school-pta/#disqus_thread

Omg -how classy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like Reid Goldstein. I think he'll do a fine job on the school board.

I am inclined to write in Greg Greeley, who I think would be a better SB member but, as I understand it, can't run because as a government employee, he can't seek the endorsement of a political party.

It's going to be Reid Goldstein and he is going to bow to whatever Murphy tells him to bow to. I think part of the swearing-in for school board candidates is having your spine removed.

Why does he need endorsement from a political party?
Can't he be independent?

I'd write in Greg Greeley.
I mean really, what's the point? Why is only one person running?

He's not- kinley is the other candidate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a fun story from south Arlington involving embezzlement at Hoffman Boston elementary.

https://www.arlnow.com/2015/10/30/just-in-two-charged-with-embezzling-from-elementary-school-pta/#disqus_thread

Wow. How sad and embarrassing for these people and their kids, and for the kids who were stolen from.

Our PTA money is used to give grants to teachers for projects they want to do with the kids, or for events or materials for the kids. I'm sure these kids really could have used this money.

I don't know which I blame more, the office assistant or the former head of the PTA. Head of the PTA, I think, because she REALLY should have known better.

[Anonymous]

It's a school that really needed those funds. Some of Arlington's least advantaged children go there. This story disgusts me.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little confused by the talk about mcMenamin. He may not support spending for AH, but from what I can gather, he doesn't support much spending at all. N Arlington is generally doing fine and I imagine South Arlington (and the already overcrowded schools) have the most to lose if we end up with a board that refuses to spend. Do you think it's going to result in faster and better construction of schools in South Arlington? Lots of investment to alleviate overcrowding? I just don't see it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a little confused by the talk about mcMenamin. He may not support spending for AH, but from what I can gather, he doesn't support much spending at all. N Arlington is generally doing fine and I imagine South Arlington (and the already overcrowded schools) have the most to lose if we end up with a board that refuses to spend. Do you think it's going to result in faster and better construction of schools in South Arlington? Lots of investment to alleviate overcrowding? I just don't see it.

South Arlington needs the spending on commited affordable housing to slow down. The AH developers are racing to grab county money, throw up 100% CAF high rises on the same 4 blocks of Columbia Pike, and don't care if it floods the schools. So, yes- he will be helpful to south Arlington. This ill conceived agenda needs to stop.

[Anonymous]

^^^ not to mention south Arlington will be getting a new elementary- it's being sited right now.
Wakefield is a beautiful facility and currently under capacity. Let's have a housing policy that doesn't immediately fuck everything up.