Reply to South Arlington elementary school boundary adjustments 2019

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]^^^ on the Montessori point, my child is in the Drew program and got in as a preschooler. At the time we applied, it was my understanding that entrance as a 3 year old was the only way to guarantee access to Montessori as an elementary student. That hasn't changed and I don't know why it would change simply because Montessori is going to a new building. [b]I don't think there's anything being "designed" to retain preschoolers more than in prior years,[/b] unless maybe people think that the Henry location is more convenient and therefore are less likely to re-route their kids to their home elem starting in K. Frankly, I was confused as to why so many parents seemed to think otherwise at the Montessori meeting the other night.

That said, I also think it's pretty clear from the Montessori meeting and from the reality of Arlington's school-age population that the Montessori program will expand once located at Henry. They have done projections to expand it out to 700+ students, from its current status at around 460 students. It's not going to happen next year, so doesn't do parents of current private/sattelite Montessori programs any good, but it seems inevitable that it will expand down the line. [/quote]

I think closing the satellite locations is intentional and is an effort to retain preschoolers. They know that most families at the satellite locations were using them just for preschool and then switching over to the Option program or neighborhood school after K. So, if they're all located in one place that's probably less convenient for the families who were using the satellite locations, you've already selected out the families who aren't interested in Montessori for its pedagogy rather than its convenience. They think it means the preschool kids will be more likely to stay all the way through 5th. Not sure if this is how it'll pan out. But it does mean that there won't be any space for new people at the ES level. They're expanding from the bottom up. The program will grow, but if you're already at ES level, it's too late for you. [/quote]

Montessori poster here. I don't follow your point, which I'm sure is my fault and not yours. We are a Drew family, so I don't understand the satellite programs as fully. I will say, though, that I had also previously had the impression that satellite preschoolers were also guaranteed Montessori through elem at Drew. That now is plainly different, and I don't know if I misunderstood initially or if the rule changed. [/quote]

Students at the satellite locations do have a guarantee to attend the Montessori program at Drew to continue through ES. But not many opt not to continue in Montessori, preferring to attend the option/neighborhood school in which the satellites were located. So Montessori was "losing" students at 1st grade and therefore had some spots available to newcomers. However, now that satellites are closing, the theory is there won't be that same attrition. And I think they're correct. But that means you have to apply to Montessori at Henry if you want the chance at ES. They'll add more preschool classrooms at the new school and the school will "grow" from the preschool upward. [/quote]

I think I see what you're saying as it applies to future students: preschoolers can now only get access to Montessori while at Henry, so they're likely to then continue at Henry having already made that commitment to go outside their neighborhood (as opposed to attending Montessori at a satellite location). But parents of current students seem to be upset, as though they are no longer guaranteed access to Montessori coming from a satellite site. [/quote]

Honestly, that may be the case. I don't know, I wasn't at the meeting and haven't been following that closely. Our school was just informed that the satellite location was being dissolved. Most kids are younger siblings who had no intention of moving to Drew (or even Henry when it opens). So I don't really know whether they've even looked into whether their kids have a spot for next year or a promise to attend the Montessori ES after preschool. I thought, based on APS recommendations, that the plan was to move all the preschool classes over to the new school to grow the program from the preschool up for a few reasons: attrition and fidelity to the Montessori method (which I guess was maybe not as stringent at the satellite locations). It seemed to me like the complaint that students can't get in at ES (coming from private) would not addressed by the way in which they intend to grow the program. But maybe I've misunderstood. Maybe they are going to add more 1-5 grade classes.[/quote]

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