Anonymous
11/21/2025 21:24
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Interestingly the neighborhood adjacent to TJ is completely against using the ACC building as swing space for TJ and has publicly stated Montessori will need to move in as promised, and that the old Patrick Henry School be demolished so the neighborhood will get some field space. The neighborhood would likely support moving TJ to Nottingham for a couple years.
I’m in that neighborhood with several kids, and I haven’t heard that in particular (except yes to the green space or field space). I doubt that Nottingham is big enough though to accommodate the students of a middle school. All I can say is that we are willing to go to any swing space, anywhere, and immediately, if needed. The Career Center seems to be the obvious choice due to its larger size and walking distance to TJ.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 20:56
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
Close Jamestown, Taylor or Tuckahoe instead. Those buildings are all in far worse shape than Nottingham. Nottingham was renovated-makes no sense to close it.
Tuckahoe was renovated too. Taylor is needed in that part of the county unless Madison or Woodmont reopens.
Not anymore after Innovation opened. Kids could be reshuffled just as they would have to be for any school that closes.
It's poor planning to leave an entire section of the county without a neighborhood elementary school. Bussing all the way to Science Focus, Innovation, Glebe, and/or Jamestown is not a good solution. Makes better sense to close Nottingham or Tuckahoe even if they are newly renovated.
omg the outrage! there are several nearby schools...you mention them. Arlington is a small county and the NE corner has plenty of coverage. There is no money to renovate your precious Taylor just to keep it open for your personal preference when other schools are in much better shape. Taylor just like TJ has that awful open classroom design with flimsy walls that are not real walls. Time to go.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 20:39
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
Close Jamestown, Taylor or Tuckahoe instead. Those buildings are all in far worse shape than Nottingham. Nottingham was renovated-makes no sense to close it.
Tuckahoe was renovated too. Taylor is needed in that part of the county unless Madison or Woodmont reopens.
Not anymore after Innovation opened. Kids could be reshuffled just as they would have to be for any school that closes.
It's poor planning to leave an entire section of the county without a neighborhood elementary school. Bussing all the way to Science Focus, Innovation, Glebe, and/or Jamestown is not a good solution. Makes better sense to close Nottingham or Tuckahoe even if they are newly renovated.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 19:20
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
Close Jamestown, Taylor or Tuckahoe instead. Those buildings are all in far worse shape than Nottingham. Nottingham was renovated-makes no sense to close it.
Tuckahoe was renovated too. Taylor is needed in that part of the county unless Madison or Woodmont reopens.
Not anymore after Innovation opened. Kids could be reshuffled just as they would have to be for any school that closes.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 16:14
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Interestingly the neighborhood adjacent to TJ is completely against using the ACC building as swing space for TJ and has publicly stated Montessori will need to move in as promised, and that the old Patrick Henry School be demolished so the neighborhood will get some field space. The neighborhood would likely support moving TJ to Nottingham for a couple years.
Yeah, this is...not true. The civic association is captured by Montessori parents, and so that's why it's being noisy about this. If the TJ community were asked to move to Nottingham for "a couple years" I'm pretty sure they would riot. but I also think APS would never actually suggest such a thing because of how manifestly crazy it would be.
For starters, Nottingham is a 500-seat elementary school and would not be ideal for hosting a 1,000 student middle school.
More importantly, it's really, really far away from TJMS. Like you'd be talking 100% busing a 1,000 kid school. Operationally I don't know how APS would do that. I'm not sure they could given the huge increase in the number of buses and bus drivers they would need on what's clearly a temporary basis.
The Career Center building, on the other hand, used to actually be a middle school, and they were planning some renovations to support it being the Montessori building which could then be postponed. It's also within the TJ sending area so it wouldn't affect walker/bus ratios. So as far as swing space is concerned, it would be really really hard to make the case for TJ to go anywhere else just because of the cost and operational factors.
The Career Center site was a junior high, not the career center building itself. TJ moving there for two years would be a homecoming of sorts. Montessori moves to another holding facility for a couple years, so the kids and neighborhood will have their field space. Montessori can always move into the career center building once the TJ and Swanson renovations are complete.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 15:54
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Interestingly the neighborhood adjacent to TJ is completely against using the ACC building as swing space for TJ and has publicly stated Montessori will need to move in as promised, and that the old Patrick Henry School be demolished so the neighborhood will get some field space. The neighborhood would likely support moving TJ to Nottingham for a couple years.
Yeah, this is...not true. The civic association is captured by Montessori parents, and so that's why it's being noisy about this. If the TJ community were asked to move to Nottingham for "a couple years" I'm pretty sure they would riot. but I also think APS would never actually suggest such a thing because of how manifestly crazy it would be.
For starters, Nottingham is a 500-seat elementary school and would not be ideal for hosting a 1,000 student middle school.
More importantly, it's really, really far away from TJMS. Like you'd be talking 100% busing a 1,000 kid school. Operationally I don't know how APS would do that. I'm not sure they could given the huge increase in the number of buses and bus drivers they would need on what's clearly a temporary basis.
The Career Center building, on the other hand, used to actually be a middle school, and they were planning some renovations to support it being the Montessori building which could then be postponed. It's also within the TJ sending area so it wouldn't affect walker/bus ratios. So as far as swing space is concerned, it would be really really hard to make the case for TJ to go anywhere else just because of the cost and operational factors.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 11:44
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
Close Jamestown, Taylor or Tuckahoe instead. Those buildings are all in far worse shape than Nottingham. Nottingham was renovated-makes no sense to close it.
Tuckahoe was renovated too. Taylor is needed in that part of the county unless Madison or Woodmont reopens.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 11:38
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
Close Jamestown, Taylor or Tuckahoe instead. Those buildings are all in far worse shape than Nottingham. Nottingham was renovated-makes no sense to close it.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 10:25
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Interestingly the neighborhood adjacent to TJ is completely against using the ACC building as swing space for TJ and has publicly stated Montessori will need to move in as promised, and that the old Patrick Henry School be demolished so the neighborhood will get some field space.The neighborhood would likely support moving TJ to Nottingham for a couple years.
I live there. I think the ACC is a not a great choice for an elementary school, but maybe they know something I don't, since Duran proposed it way back. Nottingham looks a lot nicer, and I think its not as big of a deal to send middle school kids there, if the issue is distance. Let MPSA have it if they want that building so badly.
I think the most important thing though, is for the schools to have the space. People spent way too much time trying to lobby for neighborhood benefits like a pool, or a parking garage for public events.
I think it would make more sense for Montessori to move to Nottingham for a couple years, whilst ACC hosts TJ during its renovation. The old Patrick Henry can still be demolished and the neighborhood would still get its field space on time as promised.
Wouldn't the neighborhood adjacent to TJ prefer a walkable holding school at ACC for TJ vs bussing them to Nottingham?
Anonymous
11/21/2025 10:01
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Interestingly the neighborhood adjacent to TJ is completely against using the ACC building as swing space for TJ and has publicly stated Montessori will need to move in as promised, and that the old Patrick Henry School be demolished so the neighborhood will get some field space.The neighborhood would likely support moving TJ to Nottingham for a couple years.
I live there. I think the ACC is a not a great choice for an elementary school, but maybe they know something I don't, since Duran proposed it way back. Nottingham looks a lot nicer, and I think its not as big of a deal to send middle school kids there, if the issue is distance. Let MPSA have it if they want that building so badly.
I think the most important thing though, is for the schools to have the space. People spent way too much time trying to lobby for neighborhood benefits like a pool, or a parking garage for public events.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 09:52
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Interestingly the neighborhood adjacent to TJ is completely against using the ACC building as swing space for TJ and has publicly stated Montessori will need to move in as promised, and that the old Patrick Henry School be demolished so the neighborhood will get some field space. The neighborhood would likely support moving TJ to Nottingham for a couple years.
Anonymous
11/21/2025 09:13
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
I would put Swanson or TJ at Nottingham as a swing space and let MPSA have the ACC. Then everyone can be unhappy!
Anonymous
11/21/2025 07:05
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
That was definitely true in the past and Nottingham as well, but APS is in a serious budget crisis and they are going to have to start making more unpopular decisions.
Anonymous
11/20/2025 23:30
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Closing Nottingham and using the career center as a swing space for TJ and Swanson renovations does seem to make sense
You’ll have to get past the Montessori mafia first.
Anonymous
11/20/2025 17:59
Subject: TJMS Renovations?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Swanson is equally in desperate need of renovation. APS can no longer put all the money towards one project.
Are they though? Genuinely asking. Do they have no walls between classrooms, just metal sheets? No sound insulation? Do they have leaks, and inability to control temperature? Have they had pieces fall down from the ceiling? Are the stairwells a security hazard with stampede conditions due to being severely undersized and overcrowding? Do kids get stuck in the stairwells until after the bell rings? Is there nearly triple the student population in the building than what it was designed and approved for in 1970? Are 75% of classrooms without windows? Has every closet been converted into a classroom? I could go on. Are these the conditions you are dealing with at Swanson? All of this and more? Shame on APS they let it go that far! Shame on the County’s wasteful spending and all their pet projects!
No, not every closet. Just some of them. Other than that yes, this is accurate.