Reply to Let’s Talk APS High Schools: 4th one or no?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The main barrier to improving access around Kenmore is not just FFX but also VDOT. And that same line-up really turned out in Arlington’s favor with the 66 tolling (not). It is frustrating as anything but I get why the CB and SB think it is a lost cause. They know it would take years of fighting with an uncertain outcome.[/quote]

I just do not understand why Arlington's ability to develop on the Kenmore site is dependent upon VDOT and FFX Co.  We built a middle school there.  There is an elementary school adjacent to the parcel.  The main traffic problem is not Carlin Springs itself, but the inefficient layout of the Kenmore site and there being only one entrance, which is also the only exit.  Getting off that site after a big event is the problem.  Traffic is the argument every single neighborhood cites to object to a new school development.  But guess what - they build it anyway.  Kenmore should be no different.  There are things that can be done even without FFX or VDOT.  And I also don't understand why the middle school students would have to relocate.  This site is the biggest in APS, isn't it?  It's bigger than Wakefield.  The elementary school does not sit on its acreage -- it has 4 acres of its own, and has separate access.

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I agree with you about the acreage.  But whatever the reasons were, they are developing the CC site NOW.  We need a fourth high school yesterday.  They are building it NOW.  Budget-wise, it would be crazy to think that they will build two new high schools within the next 10 years, or even the next 20 years.   [/quote]

They are going to add seats at the Career Center now; but as far as a full-sized high school, that's a phased development project.  They are NOT building a fourth comprehensive there "now."  More importantly, if you do want a fourth high school out of the Career Center project, you had better get engaged in that process and push for it.  The neighborhood wants it, yes.  But the neighbors to its north across route 50 in Lyon Park and Ashton Heights DON'T and are lobbying HARD against a fourth neighborhood high school at the Career Center.  Why?  Because due to their proximity, they are well within the effective walk zone and are very likely to be assigned to it.  They will fight to the death to remain at W-L.

Until this, I would have said a fourth comprehensive will ultimately go at the Career Center because we need one and the SB will eagerly accept a willing neighborhood's offer and will NOT pushback on Glencarlyn.  However, the SB is not guaranteed to accept the Career Center work group's recommendations or plan; and if they receive enough resistance to a neighborhood school there, they will placate the loud objectors and just create more option programs there instead.  Then when we still need a fourth neighborhood high school, it'll be a mess and we'll have to go to Kenmore for SOMEthing.....which brings me the comment about it all happening now at the Career Center so why bother with Kenmore:  the point about Kenmore is that it is simply unjustifiable to allow all that space that APS already owns to remain so hugely under-utilized.  You can't fit all the comprehensive high school amenities on the Career Center site.  So, hey, how about building a gigantic football stadium at Kenmore for the future 3,000 high school students on the CareerCenter site to use?![/quote]

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