Alexandria HSs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the thing w/ TC- the teachers are doing the best they can with the resources they have available to them. Any progress they make is in spite of, not thanks to, the support of both building admin and central office. The central office is made up of people who’ve either never worked in a classroom and don’t understand the basics of a teacher’s day OR people who’ve only ever worked in ACPS and thus don’t have the frame of reference to realize that there are other, perhaps better, ways to do things (or they DO realize and just don’t care). Building admin is a mess too. The new principal is trying- he really is- but in an oversized, overcrowded cluster-eff that is a school of that size, he needs a top-notch admin staff under him. Unfortunately, they waited until almost summer to fill his roster; if you know anything about the school hiring process, you know that by May, for the most part, you’re stuck with the dregs and leftovers- the people who nobody else wanted to hire. There are exceptions of course, but for the most part that’s what TCW was stuck with- either administrators that flamed out in other districts (*cough* PG *cough* DCPS *cough*) or a bunch of people who’ve bounced around ACPS for years, never staying terribly long in one job, and in a couple cases had been demoted from significantly more senior positions. I won’t name names but a quick glance at the leadership team on the school website will tell you who’s who.

So until this cycle is broken, TCW will continue to struggle. They have two potential things working in their favor: a first-year principal who’s a marked upgrade over his predecessor and an incoming new superintendent who may be hamstrung by the school board to a degree but still has the power to do some housecleaning. Or they can just stay the course and watch the good teachers flee to other districts.

People should ask hard questions about TC admin. Why is someone who was for many years a high-ranking central office administrator suddenly a vice principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would it be better for Alexandria to let those students go to TJ and then cut the post-AP math classes at TC?

That's not the either-or.

Two (e.g.) ACPS student's attending TJ will not eliminate TCW/ACPS need for post-AP math. It's a darn shame taxpaying families in Alexandria don't even get to be considered for enrollment at our state's stellar east coast STEM high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

PP, you must be on the school board. Your post is wrong. The documents are "requirements" for "compliance." The only option considered was a split into two 9-12 high schools; it was unanimously adopted. And the City just budgeted $124.2 million for the split into a second 9-12 high school. The school board even issued a press release congratulating itself on getting a city committee to pre-approve it: http://www.acpsk12.org/news/?p=7626 .

The irony is that T.C. was intended as a desegregation device, and a unified city high school was part of a civil rights litigation settlement. Now, look what you and your colleagues have destroyed.

[Anonymous]

I’m not that poster but my understanding is that the “new high school” will just be a “new” Minnie Howard that will either House TCW 9th & 10th OR a relocated International Academy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

Except they can't find a principal for thal school. And the legislature has yet to OK the building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

People should ask hard questions about TC admin. Why is someone who was for many years a high-ranking central office administrator suddenly a vice principal?

Who is that?

[Anonymous]

Hypothetically, of course, but if someone were in possession of a an email written by a sitting school board member that clearly states that the largest unspoken motivator for the recent redistricting outcome was forcing wealthy white families into under-performing schools to give the appearance that they were improving... what should one do with that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hypothetically, of course, but if someone were in possession of a an email written by a sitting school board member that clearly states that the largest unspoken motivator for the recent redistricting outcome was forcing wealthy white families into under-performing schools to give the appearance that they were improving... what should one do with that?

Publicly publish the hypothetical email. Democracy Dies in Darkness. Sunlight cleanses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

Except they can't find a principal for thal school. And the legislature has yet to OK the building.

The General Assembly in Richmond has to okay an elementary school in Alexandria? Link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not that poster but my understanding is that the “new high school” will just be a “new” Minnie Howard that will either House TCW 9th & 10th OR a relocated International Academy.

I am "that" poster, and my understanding is that it has not yet been decided if it will be as you have stated, or a second zoned high school. Either could be in compliance with the specs in the document.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

Except they can't find a principal for thal school. And the legislature has yet to OK the building.

The General Assembly in Richmond has to okay an elementary school in Alexandria? Link?

The City Council alone needs to approve. The City Manager handles the budget by Council resolution, and the Council votes on the Manager's recommendation. It's in the budget. See: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/budget/info/budget2019/Section%2015%20-%20CIP%20Overview.pdf

And once the budget goes through, School Board can do anything they want with the money (if it isn't illegal). City Council cannot control one penny of the actual use. The City admits that. See: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/planning/info/JTFMemofromCAO111317.pdf

As of now, today, Alexandria has budgeted and the school board is proceeding with the division of the high school into two separate 9-12 high schools. That's just a fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I search for TC williams in the news, I never find anything disparaging. The worst I have seen are bad test scores. Where is this 'jail' part of yale or jail coming from?

A student stabbed another student off campus this year.

What were the circumstances? This did happen during school hours? Near campus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

Except they can't find a principal for thal school. And the legislature has yet to OK the building.

The General Assembly in Richmond has to okay an elementary school in Alexandria? Link?

The City Council alone needs to approve. The City Manager handles the budget by Council resolution, and the Council votes on the Manager's recommendation. It's in the budget. See: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/budget/info/budget2019/Section%2015%20-%20CIP%20Overview.pdf

And once the budget goes through, School Board can do anything they want with the money (if it isn't illegal). City Council cannot control one penny of the actual use. The City admits that. See: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/planning/info/JTFMemofromCAO111317.pdf

As of now, today, Alexandria has budgeted and the school board is proceeding with the division of the high school into two separate 9-12 high schools. That's just a fact.

(reserving $30.0 million for land acquisition and $5.15
million for new high school planning and design).


Nothing for construction. Council would still have to approve. And of course Council and School Board are now doing joint meetings on facility planning.

and still no evidence they are proceeding with two separate 9-12 high schools.

BTW, when you post a link to a multipage document that you claim proves something, it would be helpful to tell us the page number. Netiquette and all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's actually not true as of 2021. Now that Alexandria is building a low-level school to remove the West End kids from TC, half the kids in Alexandria will no longer have full academic access. The Alexandria School Board's final, unanimous plan for two different 9-12 high schools is at: http://esbpublic.acps.k12.va.us/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=9189&mtgId=1003

That is a set of theoretical specs for any possible future high school (including expansion at the present campus) It is NOT a plan for two high schools. No decision has been made on that, and it is certainly not correct that Alexandria "is building" a second high school. The only new school they are building in the West End is an elementary school on Beauregard Street.

Except they can't find a principal for thal school. And the legislature has yet to OK the building.

The General Assembly in Richmond has to okay an elementary school in Alexandria? Link?

The City Council alone needs to approve. The City Manager handles the budget by Council resolution, and the Council votes on the Manager's recommendation. It's in the budget. See: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/budget/info/budget2019/Section%2015%20-%20CIP%20Overview.pdf

And once the budget goes through, School Board can do anything they want with the money (if it isn't illegal). City Council cannot control one penny of the actual use. The City admits that. See: https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/planning/info/JTFMemofromCAO111317.pdf

As of now, today, Alexandria has budgeted and the school board is proceeding with the division of the high school into two separate 9-12 high schools. That's just a fact.

(reserving $30.0 million for land acquisition and $5.15
million for new high school planning and design).


Nothing for construction. Council would still have to approve. And of course Council and School Board are now doing joint meetings on facility planning.

and still no evidence they are proceeding with two separate 9-12 high schools.

BTW, when you post a link to a multipage document that you claim proves something, it would be helpful to tell us the page number. Netiquette and all that.

Not evidence, proof. The only option the school board identified or pursued, and the option that the school board unanimously adopted four times, and the sole option for which the school board sought the budget, after "careful and thoughtful consideration" is "high schools that serve students in grades nine through 12" - right from the educational specs. There is not a single other option that is, or has been, even looked at. School Board has already begun to look at real estate, including existing school parcels. The staff presentations say the same thing. Linked above. The only people denying the obvious are school board members themselves, who are gathering their petitions for re-election now.