Arlington Science Focus -- Admissions?

[Anonymous]

Could someone please explain how to get into Arlington Science Focus? In practice, is it by neighborhood? If so, what is the boundary for this school? I've heard it's impossible to "transfer" into this neighborhood school, but if anyone could share their experiences, that would be apprecited. TIA.

[Anonymous]

Right now, buy into or at least rent in the KEY district. That gives you guaranteed admissions. They are supposedly some slots (if Key doesn't fill the grade) for Taylor or Jamestown, but those are like unicorns. Watch out, though. The SB might be making a lot of changes to that area.

[Anonymous]

There haven't been ASFS space available for slots for Taylor and Jamestown for years. You have to be in the district to get in (as PP mentioned, search for the Key district, as both schools are options, but kids can not be forced to do Spanish immersion at Key.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right now, buy into or at least rent in the KEY district. That gives you guaranteed admissions. They are supposedly some slots (if Key doesn't fill the grade) for Taylor or Jamestown, but those are like unicorns. Watch out, though. The SB might be making a lot of changes to that area.

The boundary for ASFS is about to be radically changed -- there is No way to know if you will be in bound (currently living near it is not in boundary for example).

There is a possibility that Key and ASFS will swap campuses since Key is becoming a pure lottery immersion, and then ASFS will be in boundary. Or they will redraw boundaries and some key parts will go elsewhere and some Taylor parts go to ASFS.

Buy a neighborhood you like, in a house you like near a few schools you are ok with. There are guarantees now. And watch the high school changes coming -- they could be disruptive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There haven't been ASFS space available for slots for Taylor and Jamestown for years. You have to be in the district to get in (as PP mentioned, search for the Key district, as both schools are options, but kids can not be forced to do Spanish immersion at Key.)

There have always been a few nearby (Taylor) families admitted.

For 2017-18 you should be safe if you live in the Key/ASFS boundary. BUT things are changing so all bets are off after that.

[Anonymous]

If you're doing it for the extra science, it's something like an extra hour a week, according to folks on this board. So I'm not sure I'd be jumping through hoops to get in boundary for one extra hour of science. You'd be better off spending a few hundred bucks on Science Seed enrichment classes, or something.

[Anonymous]

They claim all current kids will be grandfathered regardless of potential redistricting. So if you buy in the key/asfs zone and have children that will start before 2018, your kids will be fine in theory. We currently live in the zone and have put off buying a new home because there will be uncertainty in the area until 2019-2020 due to the change in the enrollment policy. I am disappointed by how typical politicians the school board is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There haven't been ASFS space available for slots for Taylor and Jamestown for years. You have to be in the district to get in (as PP mentioned, search for the Key district, as both schools are options, but kids can not be forced to do Spanish immersion at Key.)

There have always been a few nearby (Taylor) families admitted.

For 2017-18 you should be safe if you live in the Key/ASFS boundary. BUT things are changing so all bets are off after that.

If a kid gets in in 2017-18, will he or she be grandfathered in for the remainder of elementary, i.e., guaranteed a slot in ASFS through Fifth grade? I'm sorry if I'm missing something, but I can't find the answer to this basic question anywhere in the school system's endless supply of drafts and slides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There haven't been ASFS space available for slots for Taylor and Jamestown for years. You have to be in the district to get in (as PP mentioned, search for the Key district, as both schools are options, but kids can not be forced to do Spanish immersion at Key.)

There have always been a few nearby (Taylor) families admitted.

For 2017-18 you should be safe if you live in the Key/ASFS boundary. BUT things are changing so all bets are off after that.

If a kid gets in in 2017-18, will he or she be grandfathered in for the remainder of elementary, i.e., guaranteed a slot in ASFS through Fifth grade? I'm sorry if I'm missing something, but I can't find the answer to this basic question anywhere in the school system's endless supply of drafts and slides.

My bad-I missed earlier response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right now, buy into or at least rent in the KEY district. That gives you guaranteed admissions. They are supposedly some slots (if Key doesn't fill the grade) for Taylor or Jamestown, but those are like unicorns. Watch out, though. The SB might be making a lot of changes to that area.

The boundary for ASFS is about to be radically changed -- there is No way to know if you will be in bound (currently living near it is not in boundary for example).

There is a possibility that Key and ASFS will swap campuses since Key is becoming a pure lottery immersion, and then ASFS will be in boundary. Or they will redraw boundaries and some key parts will go elsewhere and some Taylor parts go to ASFS.

Buy a neighborhood you like, in a house you like near a few schools you are ok with. There are guarantees now. And watch the high school changes coming -- they could be disruptive.

While this may very well happen, it would somewhat surprise me considering how much money the ASFS PTA and parents have invested in the building and its outdoor space over the years for various science-related teaching tools, including raising at least $150,000 less than two years ago for the science lab called investigation station. Not saying Key, if the schools swap buildings, wouldn't benefit from all of this but it seems kind of crazy for ASFS to leave it all behind and have to start all over again without it.

I'm a former long time ASFS parent - do not move to a home just for this school. Not worth it.

[Anonymous]

My DS went to ASFS and is now at an APS middle school. We were so glad to get out of ASFS. It was a cold place with some mean people running the show. Nasty parents, mean girls all of them. The science and math classes were especially pathetic, including the so called GT classes. My kid is so much happier and getting a better education now that he's out of ASFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right now, buy into or at least rent in the KEY district. That gives you guaranteed admissions. They are supposedly some slots (if Key doesn't fill the grade) for Taylor or Jamestown, but those are like unicorns. Watch out, though. The SB might be making a lot of changes to that area.

The boundary for ASFS is about to be radically changed -- there is No way to know if you will be in bound (currently living near it is not in boundary for example).

There is a possibility that Key and ASFS will swap campuses since Key is becoming a pure lottery immersion, and then ASFS will be in boundary. Or they will redraw boundaries and some key parts will go elsewhere and some Taylor parts go to ASFS.

Buy a neighborhood you like, in a house you like near a few schools you are ok with. There are guarantees now. And watch the high school changes coming -- they could be disruptive.

While this may very well happen, it would somewhat surprise me considering how much money the ASFS PTA and parents have invested in the building and its outdoor space over the years for various science-related teaching tools, including raising at least $150,000 less than two years ago for the science lab called investigation station. Not saying Key, if the schools swap buildings, wouldn't benefit from all of this but it seems kind of crazy for ASFS to leave it all behind and have to start all over again without it.

I'm a former long time ASFS parent - do not move to a home just for this school. Not worth it.

This is just one parent's wishful thinking. They're not swapping buildings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right now, buy into or at least rent in the KEY district. That gives you guaranteed admissions. They are supposedly some slots (if Key doesn't fill the grade) for Taylor or Jamestown, but those are like unicorns. Watch out, though. The SB might be making a lot of changes to that area.

The boundary for ASFS is about to be radically changed -- there is No way to know if you will be in bound (currently living near it is not in boundary for example).

There is a possibility that Key and ASFS will swap campuses since Key is becoming a pure lottery immersion, and then ASFS will be in boundary. Or they will redraw boundaries and some key parts will go elsewhere and some Taylor parts go to ASFS.

Buy a neighborhood you like, in a house you like near a few schools you are ok with. There are guarantees now. And watch the high school changes coming -- they could be disruptive.

While this may very well happen, it would somewhat surprise me considering how much money the ASFS PTA and parents have invested in the building and its outdoor space over the years for various science-related teaching tools, including raising at least $150,000 less than two years ago for the science lab called investigation station. Not saying Key, if the schools swap buildings, wouldn't benefit from all of this but it seems kind of crazy for ASFS to leave it all behind and have to start all over again without it.

I'm a former long time ASFS parent - do not move to a home just for this school. Not worth it.

This is just one parent's wishful thinking. They're not swapping buildings.

Not true-- it was brought up at a pta meeting as one of the options being considered. Since it's considered a neighborhood school now, moving it to a building in the actual neighborhood it's supposed to be serving makes sense. Especially since key is a larger building and could better accommodate the increased capacity of the neighborhood. Since the immersion program is an option program they could limit the size to fit within the asfs building.
There is also more space at key to grow as the number of kids in the neighborhood grows. The main thing is that the school would lose the science labs and outdoor space/gardens that have been added to help supplement the curriculum. There's a trade off because if they redraw the lines you lose a lot of the diversity that makes the school a great environment.

[Anonymous]

The $$ of ASTS is scared they paid too much to be at a regular school while those of us who moved to another boundary realize our kids are experiencing a much better school out of bounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right now, buy into or at least rent in the KEY district. That gives you guaranteed admissions. They are supposedly some slots (if Key doesn't fill the grade) for Taylor or Jamestown, but those are like unicorns. Watch out, though. The SB might be making a lot of changes to that area.

The boundary for ASFS is about to be radically changed -- there is No way to know if you will be in bound (currently living near it is not in boundary for example).

There is a possibility that Key and ASFS will swap campuses since Key is becoming a pure lottery immersion, and then ASFS will be in boundary. Or they will redraw boundaries and some key parts will go elsewhere and some Taylor parts go to ASFS.

Buy a neighborhood you like, in a house you like near a few schools you are ok with. There are guarantees now. And watch the high school changes coming -- they could be disruptive.

While this may very well happen, it would somewhat surprise me considering how much money the ASFS PTA and parents have invested in the building and its outdoor space over the years for various science-related teaching tools, including raising at least $150,000 less than two years ago for the science lab called investigation station. Not saying Key, if the schools swap buildings, wouldn't benefit from all of this but it seems kind of crazy for ASFS to leave it all behind and have to start all over again without it.

I'm a former long time ASFS parent - do not move to a home just for this school. Not worth it.

Well, it is equipment in a publuc school, so it would be nice if others could have an opportunity to benefit from it. But I highly doubt this switch will happen. Both schools must probably feel like they are having the rug pulled out from under them.