APS Elementary Location Working Group 4/12

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kids cross George Mason every day with a crossing guard to get to Barrett. Most of the school's walkers, in fact. That intersection where they cross (Henderson) is also a busy street as it connects Quincy to Route 50. If elementary kids can cross there with a guard they can cross anywhere.

Sounds like it would be pretty easy to make Kirkwood crossable for ASFS. But in Arlington white kids get buses while minorities must cross busy streets?

APS is already struggling to get enough crossing guards, there are sites that have gone without permanent crossing guards all year. Given that, it would be foolish for APS to assume it will be able to hire more crossing guards to create more walking areas. You can look at whether certain crossings should be eliminated to free up those crossing guards for other locations, but you’ll have to make the case for why that’s a more efficient allocation of resources.

How much do they pay crossing guards? How does the cost compare to what they pay school bus drivers plus gas and bus maintenance? Seems to me if they pay a decent wage they should be able to find people to take the jobs.

Kids also cross Carlin Springs and cross under Route 50 to get to Kenmore. Those are also dangerous intersections that require crossing guards and in some ways are even more dangerous than the potential and actual elementary crossings because there aren't parents also walking with the kids.

I just think "uncrossable streets" is rubbish. I think people want to create artificial barriers so they won't have to leave their current schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Kids cross George Mason every day with a crossing guard to get to Barrett. Most of the school's walkers, in fact. That intersection where they cross (Henderson) is also a busy street as it connects Quincy to Route 50. If elementary kids can cross there with a guard they can cross anywhere.

Sounds like it would be pretty easy to make Kirkwood crossable for ASFS. But in Arlington white kids get buses while minorities must cross busy streets?

APS is already struggling to get enough crossing guards, there are sites that have gone without permanent crossing guards all year. Given that, it would be foolish for APS to assume it will be able to hire more crossing guards to create more walking areas. You can look at whether certain crossings should be eliminated to free up those crossing guards for other locations, but you’ll have to make the case for why that’s a more efficient allocation of resources.

How much do they pay crossing guards? How does the cost compare to what they pay school bus drivers plus gas and bus maintenance? Seems to me if they pay a decent wage they should be able to find people to take the jobs.

Kids also cross Carlin Springs and cross under Route 50 to get to Kenmore. Those are also dangerous intersections that require crossing guards and in some ways are even more dangerous than the potential and actual elementary crossings because there aren't parents also walking with the kids.

I just think "uncrossable streets" is rubbish. I think people want to create artificial barriers so they won't have to leave their current schools.

Increase crossing guard pay while also hiring more crossing guards with what money? Have you not been paying attention to the budget process at all?

Also, street crossing standards are different for middle schoolers than for elementary school students. Either way, though, the individual schools aren't the ones deciding what's crossable or not, that's the staff's call, so you can't blame the families for those decisions.

I swear, it's like you people aren't even trying anymore.

[Anonymous]

While I am sure crossing guards are paid less than bus drivers (and likely require fewer hours) I have heard APS staff members, APS police staff and a school board member all say separately that they can also be hard to hire and retain due to limited hours. Most candidates only want to work in their own neighborhoods and they can’t find candidates in all neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I am sure the parents who paid for that lab will make it go with them.

Was the lab only built in the past few years, or will every parent whose kids have gone on to middle school come back to claim their piece as well?

The lab (investigation station) as it currently is designed is about 4-5 years old. However that space has been a lab for at least 19 years and the school itself is about 24-25 years in existence. My oldest began attending ASFS in its fifth year of existence and my youngest finished there a few years ago. The PTA during that entire time raised a lot of money for, among other things, various science related additions to the school’s courtyard, gardens, lab, aquarium, etc. but the fundraising for the lab as it looks now was coordinated by a group of parents, not the PTA, and I think they are no longer at the school. Frankly, some of us at the time though it was over the top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I am sure crossing guards are paid less than bus drivers (and likely require fewer hours) I have heard APS staff members, APS police staff and a school board member all say separately that they can also be hard to hire and retain due to limited hours. Most candidates only want to work in their own neighborhoods and they can’t find candidates in all neighborhoods.

Exactly. To stretch the prospective employee pool beyond people who live in the neighborhood and would enjoy a little extra money but don't really need it would require increasing the pay exponentially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I am sure the parents who paid for that lab will make it go with them.

Was the lab only built in the past few years, or will every parent whose kids have gone on to middle school come back to claim their piece as well?

The lab (investigation station) as it currently is designed is about 4-5 years old. However that space has been a lab for at least 19 years and the school itself is about 24-25 years in existence. My oldest began attending ASFS in its fifth year of existence and my youngest finished there a few years ago. The PTA during that entire time raised a lot of money for, among other things, various science related additions to the school’s courtyard, gardens, lab, aquarium, etc. but the fundraising for the lab as it looks now was coordinated by a group of parents, not the PTA, and I think they are no longer at the school. Frankly, some of us at the time though it was over the top.

But hey, if they decide to move the lab with the people who paid for it you could come back and claim an erlenmeyer flask or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I am sure the parents who paid for that lab will make it go with them.

Was the lab only built in the past few years, or will every parent whose kids have gone on to middle school come back to claim their piece as well?

The lab (investigation station) as it currently is designed is about 4-5 years old. However that space has been a lab for at least 19 years and the school itself is about 24-25 years in existence. My oldest began attending ASFS in its fifth year of existence and my youngest finished there a few years ago. The PTA during that entire time raised a lot of money for, among other things, various science related additions to the school’s courtyard, gardens, lab, aquarium, etc. but the fundraising for the lab as it looks now was coordinated by a group of parents, not the PTA, and I think they are no longer at the school. Frankly, some of us at the time though it was over the top.

Key Immersion students will appreciate all that stuff, but the move should not happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this senseless switch happens, ASF should — nay, must — leave the pricey lab stuff behind for the benefit of the Key students. It’s the morally right thing to do.

Honestly the only people talking about that lab are the cherrydale folks who want asfs to stay where it is. That and the asfs principal and let’s not forget the investigation station teacher. Let’s see if I send in any paper towel rolls next time she asks for them!
No one I’ve talked to from the key neighborhood (Courthouse/Clarendon/Rosslyn) gives two shots about the lab. We just want the majority of kids who attend asfs currently to keep attending school together. Like every other neighborhood out there we just want to keep our neighborhood school. It’s just unfortunate since cherrydale decided it was theirs.

This. No one at ASFS was eyeing the key school. But they were disturbed by the immersion and transfers policy change which basically dumped 300 kids who used to go to immersion into the ASFS population.

Except this has yet to materialize. There is no way to know whether the demand from outside the Key zone wiuld force students who might have enrolled in Key as their neighborhood school into ASFS.

The way the policy is written, Claremont wait list may become a wrinkle here.

Basically, instead of immersion being the default neighborhood school you don’t have to file paperwork to attend (key is default; ASFS was special request but always granted), now the default will be ASFS and parents have to navigate and make the deadline for Immersion lottery.

Umm not true. You never had to file paperwork to attend asfs if you lived in the key/asfs zone. You showed them a deed and turned in the registration forms on the Aps site. You could do it the day before school started or in the middle of the year. It wasn’t a transfer.

False. It was not limited to deeds. Leases also satisfied the residency requirement. What I think you are trying to say is that key/asfs zoned folks just had to register for one or the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I am sure the parents who paid for that lab will make it go with them.

We contributed and I’m fine to leave it if we get pulled out of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The notion that the county would force an immersion school with a high-ish FARMS rate to move locations boggles my mind. What a repulsive thing to do. Key is a great community. Why should they be forced to move to a smaller, less accessible building? Seriously. If this is true, what are these pro-move people thinking?

A few interesting facts about Key:
- 390 kids (of 743) - more than half - transferred in - as in they are not in the immediate neighborhood.
- They have transfers from EVERY Arlington elementary.
- Guessing quite a few of the transfers are Spanish speakers.
- 37 from Barrett. 43 Glebe. 35 Henry. 92 Long Branch.

Looks to me like moving this great program more centrally would be if great benefit to these families and would make it easier to attract even more Spanish speakers. And no, it is not repulsive. It is common sense. Move Key to ATS or somewhere more central.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I am sure the parents who paid for that lab will make it go with them.

Was the lab only built in the past few years, or will every parent whose kids have gone on to middle school come back to claim their piece as well?

It was built last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this senseless switch happens, ASF should — nay, must — leave the pricey lab stuff behind for the benefit of the Key students. It’s the morally right thing to do.

Honestly the only people talking about that lab are the cherrydale folks who want asfs to stay where it is. That and the asfs principal and let’s not forget the investigation station teacher. Let’s see if I send in any paper towel rolls next time she asks for them!
No one I’ve talked to from the key neighborhood (Courthouse/Clarendon/Rosslyn) gives two shots about the lab. We just want the majority of kids who attend asfs currently to keep attending school together. Like every other neighborhood out there we just want to keep our neighborhood school. It’s just unfortunate since cherrydale decided it was theirs.

This. No one at ASFS was eyeing the key school. But they were disturbed by the immersion and transfers policy change which basically dumped 300 kids who used to go to immersion into the ASFS population.

Except this has yet to materialize. There is no way to know whether the demand from outside the Key zone wiuld force students who might have enrolled in Key as their neighborhood school into ASFS.

The way the policy is written, Claremont wait list may become a wrinkle here.

Basically, instead of immersion being the default neighborhood school you don’t have to file paperwork to attend (key is default; ASFS was special request but always granted), now the default will be ASFS and parents have to navigate and make the deadline for Immersion lottery.

Umm not true. You never had to file paperwork to attend asfs if you lived in the key/asfs zone. You showed them a deed and turned in the registration forms on the Aps site. You could do it the day before school started or in the middle of the year. It wasn’t a transfer.

False. It was not limited to deeds. Leases also satisfied the residency requirement. What I think you are trying to say is that key/asfs zoned folks just had to register for one or the other.

They must have changed it b/c when we wanted to attend ASFS 4 years ago rather than Key, we had to attend an information session and have the Key principle sign a document to allow us to apply to the Team school at ASFS. Key *was* the neighborhood school, if you looked up your address that was the only thing it told you. NOW the default is ASFS, so the situation would be reversed and there maybe some who just went with the 'default' without much investigation b/c running around for paperwork wasn't worth it for them.

[Anonymous]

Pp who attended an info session- I'm not sure why they made you do that. I don't know any other third grade parents who did if they lived in key. I just asked my neighbor with a fifth grader and she didn't have to do that either. Are you sure that they understood you lived in the key zone?
Did you ask the front desk or call aps to figure out how to register? I had called the front desk (I have a third grader too so it would have been four years ago), and they said to just come by and show my proof of residency.
Also when I looked it up around the time of all the high school changes (not sure if it was 3/4 years ago), it said key/asfs. It also said key/asfs when I bought my house eight years ago.
It was our neighborhood school. Stop trying to change the dialogue cherrydale with sock puppeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this senseless switch happens, ASF should — nay, must — leave the pricey lab stuff behind for the benefit of the Key students. It’s the morally right thing to do.

Honestly the only people talking about that lab are the cherrydale folks who want asfs to stay where it is. That and the asfs principal and let’s not forget the investigation station teacher. Let’s see if I send in any paper towel rolls next time she asks for them!
No one I’ve talked to from the key neighborhood (Courthouse/Clarendon/Rosslyn) gives two shots about the lab. We just want the majority of kids who attend asfs currently to keep attending school together. Like every other neighborhood out there we just want to keep our neighborhood school. It’s just unfortunate since cherrydale decided it was theirs.

This. No one at ASFS was eyeing the key school. But they were disturbed by the immersion and transfers policy change which basically dumped 300 kids who used to go to immersion into the ASFS population.

Except this has yet to materialize. There is no way to know whether the demand from outside the Key zone wiuld force students who might have enrolled in Key as their neighborhood school into ASFS.

The way the policy is written, Claremont wait list may become a wrinkle here.

Basically, instead of immersion being the default neighborhood school you don’t have to file paperwork to attend (key is default; ASFS was special request but always granted), now the default will be ASFS and parents have to navigate and make the deadline for Immersion lottery.

Umm not true. You never had to file paperwork to attend asfs if you lived in the key/asfs zone. You showed them a deed and turned in the registration forms on the Aps site. You could do it the day before school started or in the middle of the year. It wasn’t a transfer.

False. It was not limited to deeds. Leases also satisfied the residency requirement. What I think you are trying to say is that key/asfs zoned folks just had to register for one or the other.

They must have changed it b/c when we wanted to attend ASFS 4 years ago rather than Key, we had to attend an information session and have the Key principle sign a document to allow us to apply to the Team school at ASFS. Key *was* the neighborhood school, if you looked up your address that was the only thing it told you. NOW the default is ASFS, so the situation would be reversed and there maybe some who just went with the 'default' without much investigation b/c running around for paperwork wasn't worth it for them.

Nope. It was Key/ASFS as the neighborhood school. If you were in that boundary, you had a choice. Either/or. A or B. Automatic in at either one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I am sure the parents who paid for that lab will make it go with them.

We contributed and I’m fine to leave it if we get pulled out of the school.

Good.