Reposting from another thread:

Beyond having the protected school size, HB, especially, is a problem because they portray themselves as a model for diversity, when in fact, they are the second least diverse middle or high school in the county. HB has 15% FARMS, while APS is 30%. HB has <3% black kids vs 10% APS. 18% Hispanic vs 39% APS.. Overall 39% non-white kids vs 53% APS. HB has become a white flight (and affluent flight) school.

At the same time, HB is selfishly sucking away capital resources with a $100M+ school for 775 seats. HB refused to let anyone co-locate with them, such as preschool or Montessori, which would have made better use of resources and brought the per seat cost down.

HB does not have a public lottery and it is very suspicious that the well-connected in Arlington magically get in. We should demand a public lottery - and broadcast it online - for alll supposed "choice" schools. Even better, run the lottery at the Ed Center by people not affiliated with the school.

https://www.apsva.us/statistics/free-and-reduced-price-meals/

http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Civ...hts-Table-1-2016-11-30-web.pdf

Anonymous wrote:But aren't class sizes capped at a decent level in Arlington?

It's not only the class size, it's the number of people squeezed into a building, it's lunch at ridiculous times in overcrowded lunchrooms, it's joining the book club in the library at lunch to discuss books and have a calm lunch only to find out there are 50 other kids with the same idea so it's not really a book club, it's English teachers who don't have enough of a particular book that students want to read, it's teachers who admit to you privately that the school and the class sizes are making it more difficult and exhausting to teach, its lockers that can't fit all your stuff because you share them so you need to carry more of your stuff around all day with you but because the hallways are so crowded you're not allowed to use your backpack to put the stuff in, it's staircases that are packed that they're probably a fire hazard, it's difficulty finding space in the school for after school activities, it's trailers becoming a permanent fixture on what used to be fields to run and play on making the remaining green space even smaller yet accommodating more students, it's feeling like you're just a number in a huge crowd, it's not having enough space in the band room to comfortably fit all the students in your band class.

That's just a start of what I come up with when I think about my DC at Swanson, after trailers at ASFS and heading into only a more overcrowded WL in a year and a half, while HB students get to enjoy their "golden ticket".

Anonymous wrote:You do have the option to transfer to TJ or Kenmore. They are both under 100% and take transfers. We've been very happy at TJ.

Oh fuck you--you know they aren't even 1/8 comparable to HB much less Swanson or WMS

+3,000,000,000

Anonymous wrote:You do have the option to transfer to TJ or Kenmore. They are both under 100% and take transfers. We've been very happy at TJ.

This. If you have concerns about class sizes, you do have options.

HB is great! We love the small class sizes!

You do have the option to transfer to TJ or Kenmore. They are both under 100% and take transfers. We've been very happy at TJ.

School size and class size are different op. I have a middle schooler at WMS. School is bursting, but most classes are in the mid-20's.

If the new building were going to be the max size and the school expanded accordingly, I'd have no objection.

But aren't class sizes capped at a decent level in Arlington?

Swanson... but all APS schools are full to bursting. Except HB.

Where are you that your child's school doesn't have reasonable class sizes?

Agree!!

YES!

If everyone can't get reasonable class sizes, then I shouldn't have to pay for some lucky people to get them. I am really annoyed that we are subsidizing the lucky few at HB. It is unfair. My kid's class shouldn't have to have 1 more kid in it just so the golden ticket holders can enjoy private school for free.