Anonymous
Post 10/23/2011 20:48     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
I read in that little Arlington paper the other day that they had identified a number of schools and school sites that could/should be enlarged, mostly elementary and middle schools in North and Central Arlington. They also identified a couple of other buildings that could be renovated or converted back to schools. I think there is a plan and things are slowly moving ahead, but it has taken a while because for years they only talked about redistricting, which nobody wanted and fought vigorously.
Anonymous
Post 10/23/2011 11:15     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:According to the capacity meeting at W-L a couple weeks ago, boundary changes are the absolute last option, and was not even a topic brought up for discussion. The focus right now is on reopening a closed N Arlington elementary--likely Madison and/or Reed, and on constructing additions to various schools. The reopened schools might be a magnet option within a "team" of schools, or they may become new neighborhood schools, necessitating boundary changes.

Redistricting to Wakefield, if it happens at all, won't happen until at least the new school construction is finished. And the school board is betting that the enrollment will substantially rise at Wakefield once its building is complete.


Actually, the new additions on existing schools will lead to boundary changes -- APS plans to help all schools with overcrowding, not just the schools where there is room for an addition. If Madison or Reed is used, how do you think APS will populate it? By boundary changes, of course. Which is sensible, but oh so unacceptable to Arlington parents.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2011 10:23     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:i think one middle school is projected to be at 140% capacity. can anyone from other jurisdiction who've experienced this before share any positive aspect of overcrowding schools? or put it another way, did it turn out not as bad as you thought? i'm talking about from parents/students perspective. tks.


APS has said they will construct additional space, just like they have in the past. There is also a contingency fund for such projects that don't fall into the bond cycle. A third N Arlington middle school would be nice, but there's no chance of reopening Stratford Jr High with the HB Woodlawn program housed there.

Anonymous wrote: Patrick Henry is an original school with zero changes since the late 50's. North Arlington gets things like WL and water parks.


The original Henry was built in the 20s. Patrick Henry was rebuilt in the 70s when the career center next door was built, and it was completely renovated about 10 years ago. It is one of the newer schools, and along with Oakridge one of the better schools in South Arlington.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2011 09:59     Subject: Re:inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:Arlington is no longer the place to be for schools. They keep talking about plans and don't seem to ever have one. Seems to me and a lot of people I know that the county needs some different management.


The influx of students to the system suggests you are wrong. The market clearly views APS as a superior system.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2011 09:58     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:went to some information meeting and was really depressed by the numbers projected for the next 5 years. i think one middle school is projected to be at 140% capacity. can anyone from other jurisdiction who've experienced this before share any positive aspect of overcrowding schools? or put it another way, did it turn out not as bad as you thought? i'm talking about from parents/students perspective. tks.


I don't believe there's any correlation between "overcrowding" and achievment. Arlington Schools are some of the best in the state and will remain that way. Except for the fact that some people view the school system as a commodity that shouldn't be shared, the influx is immaterial.

APS has been at these numbers before, anyway. It'll all be fine.
Anonymous
Post 10/21/2011 09:43     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:The current Wakefield building has or had a capacity of close to 3,000, the schools population back in the 50s and 60s. The new Wakefield is designed around 1,600 students like the new W-L and Yorktown. APS can stretch 1,600 to about 1,800 students without trailers, and some teachers will share classrooms. W-L right now is around 2,000. Yorktown is around 1,800, and Wakefield around 1,300. The consultants APS has hired suggested that the population of Wakefield will inevitably grow when the new school opens in 2013.


looks like school board is on the ball with our tax money, except for hiring consultants to tell them what hey want to hear
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 16:38     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
The current Wakefield building has or had a capacity of close to 3,000, the schools population back in the 50s and 60s. The new Wakefield is designed around 1,600 students like the new W-L and Yorktown. APS can stretch 1,600 to about 1,800 students without trailers, and some teachers will share classrooms. W-L right now is around 2,000. Yorktown is around 1,800, and Wakefield around 1,300. The consultants APS has hired suggested that the population of Wakefield will inevitably grow when the new school opens in 2013.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 16:03     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Um, South Arlington has a water park too, and I think it's newer than Lyon Village or Hayes spraygrounds.

Yeah, I took my kids to this park a few weeks ago. Beautiful park, practically empty. Saw a domestic dispute and what looked like a drug deal while we were there.


You can thank diversity and libtards for this
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 14:51     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to the capacity meeting at W-L a couple weeks ago, boundary changes are the absolute last option, and was not even a topic brought up for discussion. The focus right now is on reopening a closed N Arlington elementary--likely Madison and/or Reed, and on constructing additions to various schools. The reopened schools might be a magnet option within a "team" of schools, or they may become new neighborhood schools, necessitating boundary changes.

Redistricting to Wakefield, if it happens at all, won't happen until at least the new school construction is finished. And the school board is betting that the enrollment will substantially rise at Wakefield once its building is complete.


is this a good bet ?


What will be the capacity of the rebuilt Wakefield? I expect it's considerably higher than the school's current enrollment.

ACPS has to fill more of those seats, or they will be accused of wasting money. So either South Arlington has to attract more families with high school-age children, the county has to redistrict, or both.


Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 14:13     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:According to the capacity meeting at W-L a couple weeks ago, boundary changes are the absolute last option, and was not even a topic brought up for discussion. The focus right now is on reopening a closed N Arlington elementary--likely Madison and/or Reed, and on constructing additions to various schools. The reopened schools might be a magnet option within a "team" of schools, or they may become new neighborhood schools, necessitating boundary changes.

Redistricting to Wakefield, if it happens at all, won't happen until at least the new school construction is finished. And the school board is betting that the enrollment will substantially rise at Wakefield once its building is complete.


is this a good bet ?
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 13:22     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
Anonymous wrote:
Redistricting to Wakefield, if it happens at all, won't happen until at least the new school construction is finished. And the school board is betting that the enrollment will substantially rise at Wakefield once its building is complete.


That's exactly what you'd expect to hear at this point. It's not a discussion they want to have, and they have a reason to defer discussing it now. No one ever gets redistricted into a construction zone.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 12:02     Subject: inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
According to the capacity meeting at W-L a couple weeks ago, boundary changes are the absolute last option, and was not even a topic brought up for discussion. The focus right now is on reopening a closed N Arlington elementary--likely Madison and/or Reed, and on constructing additions to various schools. The reopened schools might be a magnet option within a "team" of schools, or they may become new neighborhood schools, necessitating boundary changes.

Redistricting to Wakefield, if it happens at all, won't happen until at least the new school construction is finished. And the school board is betting that the enrollment will substantially rise at Wakefield once its building is complete.
Anonymous
Post 10/20/2011 08:45     Subject: Re:inevitable overcrowding Arlington schools - any silver lining?
22:15 provided options to expand the enrollment at Wakefield, but the solution is to redistrict students there. If they don't do that, it tells you that it's not just a few people on DCUM who fear the school.