Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a no-brainer. Cut Duran and his entire cabinet. Can't see what any of them are doing. Probably need to reach down and cut some assistant superintendents, executive directors and directors. But APS could probably claw back $2-3 million just with Duran and his 'cabinet' of do-nothings.

The best answer in this thread.

100%
As a taxpayer I refuse to advocate for more money for the schools until I see a true effort to stop the waste of resources.

My kid is currently doing the swim program (this week). They are literally busing kids across the street from Claremont to Wakefield. Whatever that costs is a ridiculous expense, even if it is minimal. Of the 25 kids in their class, 5 seem to have limited swimming exposure. This week isn’t changing their skill. And the kids are otherwise missing a week of instructional time. My kid is having a blast but this ain’t it y’all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we shut cut the APS aquatics program.

Doesn't this make money for APS?

I think they mean the 3rd and 8th grade units where they bus kids to the pool.

I doubt that program will ever end since a large number of Arlington students don’t know how to swim. Even junior high age kids.

This swimming competency initiative goes back some 50 plus years and has a ton of support, kind of like the planetarium which almost got the axe.

I'd love if they dropped the field trips to the pool and instead just offered APS kids in certain grades free access to public swim times at APS pools. It would cost APS very little, but would improve access and encourage kids to go routinely to actually learn to swim.

The problem is how to do that equitably for students from various backgrounds. Not all families have the time, resources, ore desire to go swimming on their own. Their kids will miss out.

Doing it equitably is easy. All third graders have access for free. Send out information on swim times via the APS app several times during the year. Done.

You cant force kids to learn to swim. You can't force parents to introduce their kids to swimming. And the current field trips are disruptive and don't actually teach any kids to swim. It has to be up to kids and families. All you can do is improve access.

I’d eliminate the positions Duran created first, before going after swimming or the outdoor lab.

I'd kill swimming even if it didn't have a budget impact. It's just disruptive with no point. It doesn't teach kids to swim.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we shut cut the APS aquatics program.

Doesn't this make money for APS?

I think they mean the 3rd and 8th grade units where they bus kids to the pool.

I doubt that program will ever end since a large number of Arlington students don’t know how to swim. Even junior high age kids.

This swimming competency initiative goes back some 50 plus years and has a ton of support, kind of like the planetarium which almost got the axe.

I'd love if they dropped the field trips to the pool and instead just offered APS kids in certain grades free access to public swim times at APS pools. It would cost APS very little, but would improve access and encourage kids to go routinely to actually learn to swim.

The problem is how to do that equitably for students from various backgrounds. Not all families have the time, resources, ore desire to go swimming on their own. Their kids will miss out.

Doing it equitably is easy. All third graders have access for free. Send out information on swim times via the APS app several times during the year. Done.

You cant force kids to learn to swim. You can't force parents to introduce their kids to swimming. And the current field trips are disruptive and don't actually teach any kids to swim. It has to be up to kids and families. All you can do is improve access.

I’d eliminate the positions Duran created first, before going after swimming or the outdoor lab.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we shut cut the APS aquatics program.

Doesn't this make money for APS?

I think they mean the 3rd and 8th grade units where they bus kids to the pool.

I doubt that program will ever end since a large number of Arlington students don’t know how to swim. Even junior high age kids.

This swimming competency initiative goes back some 50 plus years and has a ton of support, kind of like the planetarium which almost got the axe.

I'd love if they dropped the field trips to the pool and instead just offered APS kids in certain grades free access to public swim times at APS pools. It would cost APS very little, but would improve access and encourage kids to go routinely to actually learn to swim.

The problem is how to do that equitably for students from various backgrounds. Not all families have the time, resources, ore desire to go swimming on their own. Their kids will miss out.

Doing it equitably is easy. All third graders have access for free. Send out information on swim times via the APS app several times during the year. Done.

You cant force kids to learn to swim. You can't force parents to introduce their kids to swimming. And the current field trips are disruptive and don't actually teach any kids to swim. It has to be up to kids and families. All you can do is improve access.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we shut cut the APS aquatics program.

Doesn't this make money for APS?

I think they mean the 3rd and 8th grade units where they bus kids to the pool.

I doubt that program will ever end since a large number of Arlington students don’t know how to swim. Even junior high age kids.

This swimming competency initiative goes back some 50 plus years and has a ton of support, kind of like the planetarium which almost got the axe.

I'd love if they dropped the field trips to the pool and instead just offered APS kids in certain grades free access to public swim times at APS pools. It would cost APS very little, but would improve access and encourage kids to go routinely to actually learn to swim.

The problem is how to do that equitably for students from various backgrounds. Not all families have the time, resources, ore desire to go swimming on their own. Their kids will miss out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we shut cut the APS aquatics program.

Doesn't this make money for APS?

I think they mean the 3rd and 8th grade units where they bus kids to the pool.

I doubt that program will ever end since a large number of Arlington students don’t know how to swim. Even junior high age kids.

This swimming competency initiative goes back some 50 plus years and has a ton of support, kind of like the planetarium which almost got the axe.

I'd love if they dropped the field trips to the pool and instead just offered APS kids in certain grades free access to public swim times at APS pools. It would cost APS very little, but would improve access and encourage kids to go routinely to actually learn to swim.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a no-brainer. Cut Duran and his entire cabinet. Can't see what any of them are doing. Probably need to reach down and cut some assistant superintendents, executive directors and directors. But APS could probably claw back $2-3 million just with Duran and his 'cabinet' of do-nothings.

The best answer in this thread.

Yes. Didn’t Duran create many new administrative positions under him? They now do much of the work the previous superintendent did. APS should cut there.

Anonymous wrote:This is a no-brainer. Cut Duran and his entire cabinet. Can't see what any of them are doing. Probably need to reach down and cut some assistant superintendents, executive directors and directors. But APS could probably claw back $2-3 million just with Duran and his 'cabinet' of do-nothings.

The best answer in this thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Outdoor Lab is costing over 800,000. Let's cut it.

+1 Also, did they finally shutdown funding that TJHSST Sci & Tech boondoggle?

No

Anonymous wrote:The Outdoor Lab is costing over 800,000. Let's cut it.

+1 Also, did they finally shutdown funding that TJHSST Sci & Tech boondoggle?

Anonymous wrote:The Outdoor Lab is costing over 800,000. Let's cut it.

+1 Also, did they finally shutdown funding that TJHSST Sci & Tech boondoggle?

My kid LOVED Outdoor Lab, and even went to the summer program. Years and years of kids talk fondly about the adventures they had at outdoor lab. I know that one class had an unfortunate experience but I would hate to see a whole positive program with years of good memories scrapped because of that. My kid went a few years ago and the on site staff were FANTASTIC and the summer experience was really, really great.

I've been on this board for years and in general the comments about Outdoor Lab kids' experience there were very, very positive, and that matches my own kid's experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we shut cut the APS aquatics program.

Doesn't this make money for APS?

I think they mean the 3rd and 8th grade units where they bus kids to the pool.

I doubt that program will ever end since a large number of Arlington students don’t know how to swim. Even junior high age kids.

This swimming competency initiative goes back some 50 plus years and has a ton of support, kind of like the planetarium which almost got the axe.

I get the reasoning but no kid is learning to swim in the short time they’re in this program if they have no water experience. If I remember it was just a week when my kids did it.

Anonymous wrote:Oh for sure the PR department. They need a spokesperson. That’s it they don’t need a staff that puts together packets for them to win awards. It’s ridiculous. It’s been that way for YEARS. Not just under Duran. They do not need PR. Also don’t need a coach for every subject in every elementary school. Just hire more classroom teachers and let them do their jobs.

Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me there are *7* people in PR and I still get as many emails as I do that are riddled with typos, etc!??! Come on.