Anonymous wrote:No real "options" for middle school anymore. HB lottery is hardly an option for most. I suppose immersion program still exists. In light of overcrowding I think they will not allow transfers to the other schools any longer which is sad. Some people really enjoyed the option for Arts and Technology at Kenmore or IB at Jefferson. My understanding is those are now off the table for kids in other districts which is a shame. I think Williamsburg will accept transfers since it will now be under capacity, although I get the sense it's a less desirable choice than it once was.

yes. 70 whopping kids per year. There are more children than that in my child's single grade in elementary school.

Anonymous wrote:This makes no sense .... so IN at Henry Fleet but no transfers and then Henry / Fleet kids go to Wakefield because no room for transfers to WL for IB because of overcrowding?

W-L is going to expand by 600 students, so if you want IB enough to send your child to a mega-school (relatively, that is, for Arlington), you're set.

This makes no sense .... so IN at Henry Fleet but no transfers and then Henry / Fleet kids go to Wakefield because no room for transfers to WL for IB because of overcrowding?

No real "options" for middle school anymore. HB lottery is hardly an option for most. I suppose immersion program still exists. In light of overcrowding I think they will not allow transfers to the other schools any longer which is sad. Some people really enjoyed the option for Arts and Technology at Kenmore or IB at Jefferson. My understanding is those are now off the table for kids in other districts which is a shame. I think Williamsburg will accept transfers since it will now be under capacity, although I get the sense it's a less desirable choice than it once was.

Anonymous wrote:All non-HB transfer options were taken off the table. If you have a 5th grader, you cannot expect the same opportunities as previous years.

Supposedly temporarily until the make the boundary decision. There will at least be transfers to Williamsburg given that they will be under capacity. I don't know if there will be a program, or if anyone would even want to transfer.

All non-HB transfer options were taken off the table. If you have a 5th grader, you cannot expect the same opportunities as previous years.

IB at Jefferson and STEAM Certificate at Kenmore are also transfer options, or at least they were until this year. I hope they continue to be options. Not sure why they'd want to give parents and students fewer choices as they get older and are more likely to want to develop certain strengths/passions or prepare for certain HS options.

The only other one that I know of is H-B Woodlawn, and that is lottery with wait lists in the dozens. My kid was #4 on the wait list and never got in through three years.

If your DC is participating in one of the APS middle school choice option programs, can you share what you like and dislike about your program of choice? What kind of learning style thrives or would not thrive based on your experience and what you know from other parents? (Spanish immersion would not be an option for us - curious about the others.)