Reply to APS Boundary tool--anyone get it to work yet?

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[quote=Anonymous]So I watched the work session this evening.  I've read this thread describing the SB members, plus I have observed them now at various SB meetings/work sessions over the past year.  Here are my general impressions of them based on tonight's discussion.

I agree that Sanchez is over her head.  She couldn't seem to follow the most basic information regarding percentages.  Also, she clearly only cares about not adding any of the arlington mill folks to Wakefield.  So her voting seems fairly predictable.

The other gentleman, Goldstein, seemed a bit lost at first, but then caught on to the numbers etc.  He brought up the issue of school choice, and it did not seem like the time given the fast timeframe the SB is operating under and the purpose of dealing with this immediate 400 extra capactiy issue at WL.  I liked how Van Doren responded that we already have it through transfers.  Wakefield and Yorktown kids can request transfers to either of these schools from the other.  WL is currently above capacity, but the students at the other schools can apply to the IB program.  (Also presuming WL kids can request transfers to the other HS?).  It was silly when Goldstein said that the parents may not know about the trasnfer option.  So tell them then.

People may have complained about Landers in some eralier posts on this thread.  But I think the joke abou the gentleman's club is irrelevant for purposes of this school rezoning.  1) he gets tha this is a temporary measure to address the immediate overcapacity at WL; 2) he also mentioned the 2022 rezoning which will need to address the issue of the Yorktown Island.  (it doesn't make sense to bus those kids up to Williamsburg and Yorktown due to some past historical reasons, particulalry if these kids want the same walkability/proximity options as other kids in APS.  also, the arguments that some parents raised at prior meetings on boundary refinements.  how the kids come home after school and then are isolated from the rest of their classmates zoned for yorktown, etc.); 3) he gave his recommendation  for B (it was clear from the way he was phrasing things that AF and the south arlington parents have been very vocal about their desires.  it's pretty apparent that the SB members want to avoid moving any of the western planning units along columbia pike.  see how Kannien wanted to have another option (get to that later) but told Sanchez 3706 would not be part of it?); 4) he raised the issue of process (when others seemed to suggest it might be alright to discuss Kanninen's 4th option after the public hearing.  Now the APS staff are trying to have the 4th option up by Monday before the Tuesday hearing.  that seems to be the only choice given there's only tomorrow and Monday since Friday's a holiday.

Kanninen seemed pretty self-interested for yorktown.  She suggested that she would prefer not moving any kids out of WL if in 2021-2022 there migth be trailers at all 3 HSs, never mind that for the 4 preceding years there would capacity of under 97% at Yorktown for option B which was endorsed by Landers and Sanchez this evening.  It seemed pretty inconsistent with her question asking if they've left enough room at WL for IB transfers.  So let me get this straight, you don't want to move the suggested 400 or so out of WL which will be facing severe overcrowding, but you still want the APS staff to reserve enough space for the incoming IB transfers from the underenrolled Yorktown and Wakefield (if none o f the transfers are done).  She demanded a 4th option.  it will transfer less kids to the other schools, but the numbers will most likely be way more out of wack in that bulge year of 2021-22.

At least Van Dorn seemed to signal she wants to move more than what Kannien is suggesting.  She brought up the issue of safety if WL is overcrowded during the construction of that 1300 seat Ed Center.  Plus, as Landers pointed out, overcrowding can severely impact learning at a school.  Is it really fair to ask WL to shoulder all the overcrowding for 5 years and then once the 1300 seat is built on its campus?  The only sane thing that she said to me was the fact that she wanted HB Woodlawn to take more students.

the whole hope about Arlington Tech seems overly optimistic.  did anyone else notice tha tthe slide re: capacity considerations had the number o fseats they wanted for each measure (e.g., modifications at WF and YT; 1300 extra seats (clearly referencing Ed Center)) but no mention of how many seats for Arlington Tech.  I don't remember if it was 800 or 1000 seats they had projected for Arlington Tech by 2022.  If it was another HB Woodlawn, I'm sure they would not have any issues getting their numbers filled.[/quote]

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