Anonymous wrote:I’d be surprised if Campbell families would support that. We live in S Arlington and there’s no way I’d want my kids to trek to Williamsburg. But. I’m not a Campbell family….

Campbell family here- I absolutely don't want my kids bussed from our south Arlington neighborhood to WMS or YHS. Gross.

I’d be surprised if Campbell families would support that. We live in S Arlington and there’s no way I’d want my kids to trek to Williamsburg. But. I’m not a Campbell family….

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think either program is distinct enough to run through middles school. They need to be full school programs, because the culture is the entire point. You can nestle a culture into a bigger school. Immersion works because it's a curriculum, not just a culture. They take classes in Spanish. You can't take classes in "traditional" or "expeditionary" the same way.

I think people are arguing that the Campbell, ATS, etc students would simply be “zoned” to Williamsburg / Yorktown, since that pyramid is chronically under enrolled. So bussing would be guaranteed. No need for the continuation of a special program.

That's the idea. Someone would have to consider the bus implications, but most of the redistricting plans call for more buses so it may not be that different, especially as option paths use hub stops.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think either program is distinct enough to run through middles school. They need to be full school programs, because the culture is the entire point. You can nestle a culture into a bigger school. Immersion works because it's a curriculum, not just a culture. They take classes in Spanish. You can't take classes in "traditional" or "expeditionary" the same way.

I think people are arguing that the Campbell, ATS, etc students would simply be “zoned” to Williamsburg / Yorktown, since that pyramid is chronically under enrolled. So bussing would be guaranteed. No need for the continuation of a special program.

I don't think either program is distinct enough to run through middles school. They need to be full school programs, because the culture is the entire point. You can nestle a culture into a bigger school. Immersion works because it's a curriculum, not just a culture. They take classes in Spanish. You can't take classes in "traditional" or "expeditionary" the same way.

Change can be very good at the middle school level. Some of those elem school friendships are pretty toxic. I was so glad to escape those. The parents were NOT helping.

Anonymous wrote:Delulu

+1 I say this as a parent who had a kid go to ATS and end up at a middle school with only a couple kids he knew. There is generally so much friend shifting at this age I think elementary school parents put too much emphasis on "sticking together" sometimes change is good!

Delulu

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, no. Sounds like you need private school.

lol this is public school, lady, and those programs should be on the chopping block even at the elementary level

Yeah, no. Sounds like you need private school.

Anonymous wrote:That's kind of what you sign up for when you pick an option school.

Yes, but this is a way of rebalancing enrollment without upsetting parents across the county with new boundaries and mandatory busing. It would shift kids north while making a cohort of kids and parents happy. That's a win-win.

That's kind of what you sign up for when you pick an option school.

Anonymous wrote:You can always request a transfer to the feeder MS, Kenmore, to continue with the same cohort.

But there is no “feeder MS.” It’s a county-wide program, so the kids are from all over.

Allowing them to go to WMS - or even better continuing/expanding these programs- would be the only way to keep the cohort together.

You can always request a transfer to the feeder MS, Kenmore, to continue with the same cohort.

From the other thread, it seems like one way to balance the middle schools without zoning changes is either to create MS programs for Campbell and ATS or just let those kids continue in their cohorts there.

This would be amazing for my shy Campbell kid whose friends are going to a different MS. I don’t know the Williamsburg campus enough to know if it would work for a true Campbell program, but being able to stay with friends would be amazing.

Thanks to whoever suggested this idea. I wonder if it is possible.