APS DHMS walk zone nuclear option

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in other ways to relieve Gunston that don’t involve busing my kid to Williamsburg. And I understand that things may not work in my favor, but I want to be honest and open about trying other solutions that could work.

If I’m looking at the documents correctly, moving Immersion immediately solves Gunston’s overcrowding, correct? Sticking it at Kenmore (which has space but not enough for all of Immersion) means that some Kenmore kids need to go to other middle schools which creates this cascade effect, correct?

We need to not just say “don’t bus my kid when he can walk” but also “here’s what you can do instead.”

I also think high school alignment is an issue here.

If my child has to be bused, I can live with it as long as our planning units are not the only ones moved and he’s isolated from the majority of Taylor. If they’re going to split us up, they need to move a critical mass.

It looks like they could move Immersion to Williamsburg, tweak a few units with alignment issues, and then be done. No walk zones broken. Almost everyone moved with the school when Key moved despite dire warnings otherwise. People who are dedicated to the program will travel for it.

I’m not sure about this. They can’t run Immersion at all without enough native Spanish speakers. Williamsburg seems like the worst middle school to pick for Immersion, based on geography and where people are likely to live.

But it's okay because Ethan will still get to walk to Hamm this way.

Immersion is an OPTION not an ENTITLEMENT. If you want the option, get on a bus. If you want the run of the mill school, go walk to it and stop spending everyone’s time and money busing kids all over the county for these ridiculous programs. I mean, APS values language so much they do not offer it in in public schools for children until 7TH GRADE. If you desire it so much and APS will pay for it, the cost may be you have to get on a bus. And if not enough kids join, then what the heck are we doing? Why are we doing this?? For a handful of kids? Nuts.

I do think they need to look at all the option schools and re-evaluate. HB Woodlawn is a huge expense and it’s a brand new building right where we need seats. I would axe Claremont, Montessori (except prek - K), and ATS (but would implement what’s working in all the elementary schools). Keep Immersion bc educating kids in Spanish and English just makes sense in a country with our demographics and a County like Arlington. Furthermore, with the money we save, offer (at a minimum) Spanish BEFORE 7th grade. There are many proven benefits to learning a foreign language. IDK what the proven benefits of say Claremont are….other than letting people escape their neighborhood school.

Waking up from my dream world, in this case, let the Hamm kids walk and the Rosslyn kids go to WMS if and only if APS can demonstrate that this is a long-term solution.

[Anonymous]

Move HB back to Hamm. Open up heights A’s neighborhood MS as originally planned. Ignore whiny parents in the future and just put schools where they are needed. The reason why APS plans get thrown off are because they listen too often to the overly vocal groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in other ways to relieve Gunston that don’t involve busing my kid to Williamsburg. And I understand that things may not work in my favor, but I want to be honest and open about trying other solutions that could work.

If I’m looking at the documents correctly, moving Immersion immediately solves Gunston’s overcrowding, correct? Sticking it at Kenmore (which has space but not enough for all of Immersion) means that some Kenmore kids need to go to other middle schools which creates this cascade effect, correct?

We need to not just say “don’t bus my kid when he can walk” but also “here’s what you can do instead.”

I also think high school alignment is an issue here.

If my child has to be bused, I can live with it as long as our planning units are not the only ones moved and he’s isolated from the majority of Taylor. If they’re going to split us up, they need to move a critical mass.

It looks like they could move Immersion to Williamsburg, tweak a few units with alignment issues, and then be done. No walk zones broken. Almost everyone moved with the school when Key moved despite dire warnings otherwise. People who are dedicated to the program will travel for it.

I’m not sure about this. They can’t run Immersion at all without enough native Spanish speakers. Williamsburg seems like the worst middle school to pick for Immersion, based on geography and where people are likely to live.

But it's okay because Ethan will still get to walk to Hamm this way.

Immersion is an OPTION not an ENTITLEMENT. If you want the option, get on a bus. If you want the run of the mill school, go walk to it and stop spending everyone’s time and money busing kids all over the county for these ridiculous programs. I mean, APS values language so much they do not offer it in in public schools for children until 7TH GRADE. If you desire it so much and APS will pay for it, the cost may be you have to get on a bus. And if not enough kids join, then what the heck are we doing? Why are we doing this?? For a handful of kids? Nuts.

I do think they need to look at all the option schools and re-evaluate. HB Woodlawn is a huge expense and it’s a brand new building right where we need seats. I would axe Claremont, Montessori (except prek - K), and ATS (but would implement what’s working in all the elementary schools). Keep Immersion bc educating kids in Spanish and English just makes sense in a country with our demographics and a County like Arlington. Furthermore, with the money we save, offer (at a minimum) Spanish BEFORE 7th grade. There are many proven benefits to learning a foreign language. IDK what the proven benefits of say Claremont are….other than letting people escape their neighborhood school.

Waking up from my dream world, in this case, let the Hamm kids walk and the Rosslyn kids go to WMS if and only if APS can demonstrate that this is a long-term solution.

Yes this is what I’ve thought is best as well. Now how do we get on the school board? We never will. They LOVE option schools. Priddy opted for private for his kid. Bethany’s are at HB and tech and Turner is MPSA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference between the Rosalyn to Yorktown and Rosslyn to Williamsburg commute is maybe 2 minutes. The Rosslyn to Hamm bus is about 6 min less than the bus to Williamsburg As someone who got moved to a more walkable elementary school, I strongly advocate for keeping those in walking distance as walkers.

Exactly.

+2. They are going to Yorktown so it would make sense to change the MS to Williamsburg. Good for the school bus route, good for keeping planning units together, good for diversity. The Williamsburg diversity is frankly pitiful.

Rosslyn should be going to WL. You drive past it halfway on the way to Yorktown, just like you drive past Hamm halfway on the way to Williamsburg.

No you don’t. A rosslyn bus would go up Lorcam and Langston to YHS. WL is a 1/3 of the county south of that on Washington.

You realize that if, instead of turning right at Langston and lorcom, you turn left you are at w-l right?
I live in Lyon village so just west of Rosslyn, and getting to Williamsburg is about 15 minutes with no traffic if I’m driving the speed limit. I think the bus times for hamm are currently around 7-10 minutes, so it would be a 20 minute bus ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference between the Rosalyn to Yorktown and Rosslyn to Williamsburg commute is maybe 2 minutes. The Rosslyn to Hamm bus is about 6 min less than the bus to Williamsburg As someone who got moved to a more walkable elementary school, I strongly advocate for keeping those in walking distance as walkers.

Exactly.

+2. They are going to Yorktown so it would make sense to change the MS to Williamsburg. Good for the school bus route, good for keeping planning units together, good for diversity. The Williamsburg diversity is frankly pitiful.

Rosslyn should be going to WL. You drive past it halfway on the way to Yorktown, just like you drive past Hamm halfway on the way to Williamsburg.

No you don’t. A rosslyn bus would go up Lorcam and Langston to YHS. WL is a 1/3 of the county south of that on Washington.

You realize that if, instead of turning right at Langston and lorcom, you turn left you are at w-l right?
I live in Lyon village so just west of Rosslyn, and getting to Williamsburg is about 15 minutes with no traffic if I’m driving the speed limit. I think the bus times for hamm are currently around 7-10 minutes, so it would be a 20 minute bus ride.

I mean ok? Most Lyon Village is $$$ and goes private.

From Rosslyn you have GW and Spout Run to Lorcam — it’s way faster and more north than starting near Wilson Blvd. i

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference between the Rosalyn to Yorktown and Rosslyn to Williamsburg commute is maybe 2 minutes. The Rosslyn to Hamm bus is about 6 min less than the bus to Williamsburg As someone who got moved to a more walkable elementary school, I strongly advocate for keeping those in walking distance as walkers.

Exactly.

+2. They are going to Yorktown so it would make sense to change the MS to Williamsburg. Good for the school bus route, good for keeping planning units together, good for diversity. The Williamsburg diversity is frankly pitiful.

Rosslyn should be going to WL. You drive past it halfway on the way to Yorktown, just like you drive past Hamm halfway on the way to Williamsburg.

No you don’t. A rosslyn bus would go up Lorcam and Langston to YHS. WL is a 1/3 of the county south of that on Washington.

You realize that if, instead of turning right at Langston and lorcom, you turn left you are at w-l right?
I live in Lyon village so just west of Rosslyn, and getting to Williamsburg is about 15 minutes with no traffic if I’m driving the speed limit. I think the bus times for hamm are currently around 7-10 minutes, so it would be a 20 minute bus ride.

I mean ok? Most Lyon Village is $$$ and goes private.

From Rosslyn you have GW and Spout Run to Lorcam — it’s way faster and more north than starting near Wilson Blvd. i

No, "most" don't go private. DP.

[Anonymous]

Get rid of the option schools. Get rid of the option schools. Get rid of the option schools.

Do we got it yet, APS? GET RID OF THE OPTION SCHOOLS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry but Hamm people getting mad about going to Williamsburg kinda reminds me of Nottingham people getting mad about going to Jamestown or Discovery.

There’s really no pleasing some people.

That is a stupid comparison. They are closing Nottingham, and this instance, they are leaving Hamm open and replacing walkers with other students who were being bussed elsewhere already

It's really the same thing. They are leaving Nottingham open, just using it for different students who will be bused there while sending kids who can walk to Nottingham elsewhere. They aren't shutting down the Nottingham building.

They are shutting down the school that is Nottingham. You are being willfully ignorant.

No, you are stubbornly holding firm to your own interest and seeing it only the way that suits your narrative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in other ways to relieve Gunston that don’t involve busing my kid to Williamsburg. And I understand that things may not work in my favor, but I want to be honest and open about trying other solutions that could work.

If I’m looking at the documents correctly, moving Immersion immediately solves Gunston’s overcrowding, correct? Sticking it at Kenmore (which has space but not enough for all of Immersion) means that some Kenmore kids need to go to other middle schools which creates this cascade effect, correct?

We need to not just say “don’t bus my kid when he can walk” but also “here’s what you can do instead.”

I also think high school alignment is an issue here.

If my child has to be bused, I can live with it as long as our planning units are not the only ones moved and he’s isolated from the majority of Taylor. If they’re going to split us up, they need to move a critical mass.

It looks like they could move Immersion to Williamsburg, tweak a few units with alignment issues, and then be done. No walk zones broken. Almost everyone moved with the school when Key moved despite dire warnings otherwise. People who are dedicated to the program will travel for it.

I’m not sure about this. They can’t run Immersion at all without enough native Spanish speakers. Williamsburg seems like the worst middle school to pick for Immersion, based on geography and where people are likely to live.

But it's okay because Ethan will still get to walk to Hamm this way.

Immersion is an OPTION not an ENTITLEMENT. If you want the option, get on a bus. If you want the run of the mill school, go walk to it and stop spending everyone’s time and money busing kids all over the county for these ridiculous programs. I mean, APS values language so much they do not offer it in in public schools for children until 7TH GRADE. If you desire it so much and APS will pay for it, the cost may be you have to get on a bus. And if not enough kids join, then what the heck are we doing? Why are we doing this?? For a handful of kids? Nuts.

I do think they need to look at all the option schools and re-evaluate. HB Woodlawn is a huge expense and it’s a brand new building right where we need seats. I would axe Claremont, Montessori (except prek - K), and ATS (but would implement what’s working in all the elementary schools). Keep Immersion bc educating kids in Spanish and English just makes sense in a country with our demographics and a County like Arlington. Furthermore, with the money we save, offer (at a minimum) Spanish BEFORE 7th grade. There are many proven benefits to learning a foreign language. IDK what the proven benefits of say Claremont are….other than letting people escape their neighborhood school.

Waking up from my dream world, in this case, let the Hamm kids walk and the Rosslyn kids go to WMS if and only if APS can demonstrate that this is a long-term solution.

Claremont, but not Key?
You suggest offering Spanish before grade 7 but eliminate the immersion program which begins at the pre-K level? You admit many proven benefits to learning a foreign language but don't see any proven benefits of an immersion school aside from providing an escape route from a neighborhood school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in other ways to relieve Gunston that don’t involve busing my kid to Williamsburg. And I understand that things may not work in my favor, but I want to be honest and open about trying other solutions that could work.

If I’m looking at the documents correctly, moving Immersion immediately solves Gunston’s overcrowding, correct? Sticking it at Kenmore (which has space but not enough for all of Immersion) means that some Kenmore kids need to go to other middle schools which creates this cascade effect, correct?

We need to not just say “don’t bus my kid when he can walk” but also “here’s what you can do instead.”

I also think high school alignment is an issue here.

If my child has to be bused, I can live with it as long as our planning units are not the only ones moved and he’s isolated from the majority of Taylor. If they’re going to split us up, they need to move a critical mass.

It looks like they could move Immersion to Williamsburg, tweak a few units with alignment issues, and then be done. No walk zones broken. Almost everyone moved with the school when Key moved despite dire warnings otherwise. People who are dedicated to the program will travel for it.

I’m not sure about this. They can’t run Immersion at all without enough native Spanish speakers. Williamsburg seems like the worst middle school to pick for Immersion, based on geography and where people are likely to live.

But it's okay because Ethan will still get to walk to Hamm this way.

Immersion is an OPTION not an ENTITLEMENT. If you want the option, get on a bus. If you want the run of the mill school, go walk to it and stop spending everyone’s time and money busing kids all over the county for these ridiculous programs. I mean, APS values language so much they do not offer it in in public schools for children until 7TH GRADE. If you desire it so much and APS will pay for it, the cost may be you have to get on a bus. And if not enough kids join, then what the heck are we doing? Why are we doing this?? For a handful of kids? Nuts.

I do think they need to look at all the option schools and re-evaluate. HB Woodlawn is a huge expense and it’s a brand new building right where we need seats. I would axe Claremont, Montessori (except prek - K), and ATS (but would implement what’s working in all the elementary schools). Keep Immersion bc educating kids in Spanish and English just makes sense in a country with our demographics and a County like Arlington. Furthermore, with the money we save, offer (at a minimum) Spanish BEFORE 7th grade. There are many proven benefits to learning a foreign language. IDK what the proven benefits of say Claremont are….other than letting people escape their neighborhood school.

Waking up from my dream world, in this case, let the Hamm kids walk and the Rosslyn kids go to WMS if and only if APS can demonstrate that this is a long-term solution.

Claremont, but not Key?
You suggest offering Spanish before grade 7 but eliminate the immersion program which begins at the pre-K level? You admit many proven benefits to learning a foreign language but don't see any proven benefits of an immersion school aside from providing an escape route from a neighborhood school?

PP might have meant Campbell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in other ways to relieve Gunston that don’t involve busing my kid to Williamsburg. And I understand that things may not work in my favor, but I want to be honest and open about trying other solutions that could work.

If I’m looking at the documents correctly, moving Immersion immediately solves Gunston’s overcrowding, correct? Sticking it at Kenmore (which has space but not enough for all of Immersion) means that some Kenmore kids need to go to other middle schools which creates this cascade effect, correct?

We need to not just say “don’t bus my kid when he can walk” but also “here’s what you can do instead.”

I also think high school alignment is an issue here.

If my child has to be bused, I can live with it as long as our planning units are not the only ones moved and he’s isolated from the majority of Taylor. If they’re going to split us up, they need to move a critical mass.

It looks like they could move Immersion to Williamsburg, tweak a few units with alignment issues, and then be done. No walk zones broken. Almost everyone moved with the school when Key moved despite dire warnings otherwise. People who are dedicated to the program will travel for it.

I’m not sure about this. They can’t run Immersion at all without enough native Spanish speakers. Williamsburg seems like the worst middle school to pick for Immersion, based on geography and where people are likely to live.

But it's okay because Ethan will still get to walk to Hamm this way.

Immersion is an OPTION not an ENTITLEMENT. If you want the option, get on a bus. If you want the run of the mill school, go walk to it and stop spending everyone’s time and money busing kids all over the county for these ridiculous programs. I mean, APS values language so much they do not offer it in in public schools for children until 7TH GRADE. If you desire it so much and APS will pay for it, the cost may be you have to get on a bus. And if not enough kids join, then what the heck are we doing? Why are we doing this?? For a handful of kids? Nuts.

I do think they need to look at all the option schools and re-evaluate. HB Woodlawn is a huge expense and it’s a brand new building right where we need seats. I would axe Claremont, Montessori (except prek - K), and ATS (but would implement what’s working in all the elementary schools). Keep Immersion bc educating kids in Spanish and English just makes sense in a country with our demographics and a County like Arlington. Furthermore, with the money we save, offer (at a minimum) Spanish BEFORE 7th grade. There are many proven benefits to learning a foreign language. IDK what the proven benefits of say Claremont are….other than letting people escape their neighborhood school.

Waking up from my dream world, in this case, let the Hamm kids walk and the Rosslyn kids go to WMS if and only if APS can demonstrate that this is a long-term solution.

Claremont, but not Key?
You suggest offering Spanish before grade 7 but eliminate the immersion program which begins at the pre-K level? You admit many proven benefits to learning a foreign language but don't see any proven benefits of an immersion school aside from providing an escape route from a neighborhood school?

PP might have meant Campbell.

I did mean Campbell- I’m sorry for the typo. Hopefully it was obvious what I meant!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference between the Rosalyn to Yorktown and Rosslyn to Williamsburg commute is maybe 2 minutes. The Rosslyn to Hamm bus is about 6 min less than the bus to Williamsburg As someone who got moved to a more walkable elementary school, I strongly advocate for keeping those in walking distance as walkers.

Exactly.

+2. They are going to Yorktown so it would make sense to change the MS to Williamsburg. Good for the school bus route, good for keeping planning units together, good for diversity. The Williamsburg diversity is frankly pitiful.

Rosslyn should be going to WL. You drive past it halfway on the way to Yorktown, just like you drive past Hamm halfway on the way to Williamsburg.

No you don’t. A rosslyn bus would go up Lorcam and Langston to YHS. WL is a 1/3 of the county south of that on Washington.

You realize that if, instead of turning right at Langston and lorcom, you turn left you are at w-l right?
I live in Lyon village so just west of Rosslyn, and getting to Williamsburg is about 15 minutes with no traffic if I’m driving the speed limit. I think the bus times for hamm are currently around 7-10 minutes, so it would be a 20 minute bus ride.

I mean ok? Most Lyon Village is $$$ and goes private.

From Rosslyn you have GW and Spout Run to Lorcam — it’s way faster and more north than starting near Wilson Blvd. i

No, "most" don't go private. DP.

By middle school, half we know went unless they got into HBW

[Anonymous]

Without option programs APS would be an unimpressive school system. Maybe this is your goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry but Hamm people getting mad about going to Williamsburg kinda reminds me of Nottingham people getting mad about going to Jamestown or Discovery.

There’s really no pleasing some people.

That is a stupid comparison. They are closing Nottingham, and this instance, they are leaving Hamm open and replacing walkers with other students who were being bussed elsewhere already

It's really the same thing. They are leaving Nottingham open, just using it for different students who will be bused there while sending kids who can walk to Nottingham elsewhere. They aren't shutting down the Nottingham building.

They are shutting down the school that is Nottingham. You are being willfully ignorant.

No, you are stubbornly holding firm to your own interest and seeing it only the way that suits your narrative.

I’m not the one making up false comparisons. Closing a school versus busing half the population away to bus in a different population are very different things.

You could argue closing Nottingham is short sighted or a bad idea too, but it is unrelated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Without option programs APS would be an unimpressive school system. Maybe this is your goal.

No- people would go back to their neighborhood schools and APS would
have more money to invest in the neighborhood schools verses a private school experience on the public’s dime for the chosen few. The very fact that you are stating the option schools are the only good schools means you should understand the issue.