What are the alternatives if you are in an Immersion school boundary in Arlington VA?

[Anonymous]

Hi, We are moving to Arlington VA in January from Australia and have been looking at a house to rent in Clarendon that falls in the Francis Scott Key elementary boundary. Now we don't have immersion schools here and my middle girl is 9 and I think that may be too old to go into an immersion school without any prior knowledge of the language. Are there alternatives to attending Key if that is your boundary school? Or is it better to find another house in a different location? I have seen that there is a Science Focus School nearby but I can't tell if the house would be in its boundary too as it doesn't show on the rental map. I would have thought that there would be an alternative to an immersion school in an area given not everyone would like to attend one. Any help would be appreciated as I am a bit confused!

[Anonymous]

For now, Science Focus would be your non-immersion option. Those boundaries may be re-drawn in the next few years so it's possible you'll end up in a different neighborhood school zone at that time, but no one is required to do immersion, you will always have a non-immersion neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Just curious why you are set on Clarendon? Unless you have your heart set on Arlignton Science Focus (which is a good school), you will be overpaying.

[Anonymous]

This is the last year that Key will have a boundary. The school board changed the policy at the end of last year. The Key boundary will be the ASFS boundary.

[Anonymous]

Not your question, but did you know there is Ozkick here? Not exactly, but as good as it gets.

Program is over for the year (which is why the website is a bit out of date), but there will be an event during the winter and then a program in June.

http://www.satmorningfooty.com/

[Anonymous]

And, I don't know why, but there are always some Australians at Taylor. You might want to call the principal.

[Anonymous]

Don't worry OP. If you live around Clarendon your child will be zoned for Science Focus, or less likely Taylor. There's never been a "requirement" to attend any Immersion school. In fact starting next fall all the choice schools will be lottery-based anyway. The immersion schools are in such demand they're both way overcrowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the last year that Key will have a boundary. The school board changed the policy at the end of last year. The Key boundary will be the ASFS boundary.

Currently, there is a key/ASFS boundary. Choose either or. Changes next year. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Rent elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rent elsewhere.

You have no idea what you're talking about. No kid is forced to go to any choice school in Arlington. Hell they're way overcrowded because so many families actually want to go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious why you are set on Clarendon? Unless you have your heart set on Arlignton Science Focus (which is a good school), you will be overpaying.

Not OP, but it's a convenient location. "Overpaying" is in the eye of the beholder.