Barcroft elementary/ south Arlington crisis
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Anonymous
I also want more information in this! Is this a long term or just temporary thing? Did mentioning it here just start a stampede? |
Anonymous
Disclaimer: I don't have a student at Hoffman-Boston. They actually started the STEM thing a few years ago (2012-13 maybe?) I think in part in an effort to see if they could convince others at overcrowded schools or who wanted to go to ASF to go there. It was a failed experiment in that sense, but I have no idea what actual instruction is like. I think APS doesn't publicize it very much because we are so in flux about finding seats for overcrowded schools in Arlington - I think they have to preserve space there one way or another for the interim seats solution until the new elementary school is built in S Arlington. (Maybe make Hoffman Boston a prek/K center, maybe move 5th graders there, maybe move Montessori there, etc.) |
Anonymous
Are we holding our breath for a new elementary school? I feel like those with children in school now will not be benefitting from that. |
Anonymous
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I have heard that Randolf is in bad shape. Not sure if it is as over crowded as Barcroft, but Barcroft will have the same FARMS rate as Randolf, if it doesn't already. Kids in the western Pike have no good options in those two schools and Claremont is not really an option any more.
We shouldn't need to seek out choice schools to get out of our neighborhood schools. I don't care what color skin people have or how much money they make, I care about achievement and both Barcroft and Randolf are failing. I wonder if at some point they will have SOL issues like Kenmore? Perhaps we need a voucher program - not just for the kids in the SFHs, but for the poorer kids who have the most to lose! Voluntary busing?? I bet people would jump on it. |
Anonymous
| Barcoft used to have decent scores - something to be proud of too. But over the last couple years it has dropped, a lot. And 2014-2015 is a notable drop in scores. The only reason the school passed for science is because of the 3 yr average. |
Anonymous
| This year the school is within 5 points of missing the SOL bottom in english and below the minimum in science. |
Anonymous
| Where are you finding this year's test scores? And is this why they are losing Title 1 money? |
Anonymous
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https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/
Not sure about title I funding. I know class size has something to do with the funding. |
Anonymous
| it's a blessing in disguise. it first needs to get really bad so SB can do something bold to turn things around. |
Anonymous
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Losing funding is so nonsensical! They obviously need every resource to just to tread water!
Is Drew Montessouri an option for Barcroft parents? Does it have the capacity to take more kids? Would it be worth it for Barcroft parents to consider Randolph. It's a smaller school, and could perhaps see the benefits of an influx of diversity? Of course that zaps Barcroft... I'm getting a headache. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
The new ES (which has an approved bond), wherever they put it in S. Arlington, is supposed to open 2018-19 school year. That means current K would be entering 4th grade. So two things 1) if you are currently in ES, you need to be more concerned about the interim seats solution and 2) if you have no kids or no school aged kids, you need to be concerned about where they put the school. (TJ Site, Gunston, Aurora Highlands, etc.) They need more outreach to civic associations, but honestly most people don't focus on where the ES will be in 10 years if they don't even have kids yet... |
Anonymous
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Randolf scores are as bad as Barcroft and it has a higher FARMs rate than Barcroft. Unless Barcroft's year round schedule is a problem, why would anyone shift schools? Both are title I and both have similarly almost failing scores.
I do think an elementary school will get built in s arlington, but it will not be designed to raise the achievement gap in the western pike. I think it will still be at TJ because there is no other cheap place to put it. That can take pressure off of barcroft's population because the new school can take all the kids east of george mason. But, removing all those SFH may not help the demographics. And, it will take a decade from today to do it all. I find it incredible how easy and quickly the decision was made to actually add two schools in north arlington, but it takes a comprehensives study (of both north and south) for those of us poors to get a school. |
Anonymous
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Th aurora highlands idea is great for those kids in oak ridge, but what about the rest of s arlington. I hope they don't chose that location (or do two elementary schools)- that is the highest performing area of south arlington even with the over crowding - how will that help the west pike problem that has both overcrowding and performance issues? Same with gunston? The county is going to allow two new high rises along the pike west of george mason. that will add hundreds of kids to barcroft. Hell, they will have enough demand in the western pike for another elementary school right there!
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Anonymous
Not to be snitty, as I was the poster who shared what little direct info on Randolph I had received from a neighbor today- but isn't Randolph actually scoring a tad higher than Barcroft these days? And still just barely under enrolled? Randolph is a 5 school.. Barcroft is a 4. Splitting poorly performing hairs I know. Certainly, great schools Is a lazy way to compare data, and not the final word. I'm aware. My only point was looking for a way to create a school on the western end with a better spread of diversity. I'm sure no one wants to abandon their neighborhood school, especially since I had always understood Barcroft to be a good environment for learning- until very recently. I don't write that to disparage the teachers who work there. I've heard nothing but praise for their efforts. |