Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 20:34     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Many parents were advocating for smaller class sizes directly to SB members.

At least out of the parents we know.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 20:33     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.



The original materials only called for an increase in kindergarten sizes. At the meeting they went further and approved increased class sizes for all elementary. Barely w/o a discussion. I don’t understand how parents gets outraged about various pet issues but increased class sizes? Who is advocating to reverse this decision?


It’s pretty clear in the slides from the May SB meeting.
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FY-2022-School-Boards-Adopted-Budget-05062021.pdf

Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 20:30     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.



Budget shortfalls in the tens of millions range. Teachers also got hit hard in terms of pay scale and what might be considered appropriate raises. It's a school system in trouble in many ways. Every year they publicize their lists of Tier 1, 2 and 3 budget cuts. It's why Spanish went away two years ago, too.


So each year the services we get from APS keep going down, but taxes stay flat or up....where does the money go?


Overhead
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 14:58     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.



The original materials only called for an increase in kindergarten sizes. At the meeting they went further and approved increased class sizes for all elementary. Barely w/o a discussion. I don’t understand how parents gets outraged about various pet issues but increased class sizes? Who is advocating to reverse this decision?


There’s a Taylor parent who has put together a couple of excellent letters, supported by information he has FOIA’d, but I fear it’s too late. Taylor in particular has NO classrooms that are big enough for the amount of kids APS intends to shove in there this year.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 14:21     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.



The original materials only called for an increase in kindergarten sizes. At the meeting they went further and approved increased class sizes for all elementary. Barely w/o a discussion. I don’t understand how parents gets outraged about various pet issues but increased class sizes? Who is advocating to reverse this decision?
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 14:18     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.



Budget shortfalls in the tens of millions range. Teachers also got hit hard in terms of pay scale and what might be considered appropriate raises. It's a school system in trouble in many ways. Every year they publicize their lists of Tier 1, 2 and 3 budget cuts. It's why Spanish went away two years ago, too.


So each year the services we get from APS keep going down, but taxes stay flat or up....where does the money go?
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:54     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.



Budget shortfalls in the tens of millions range. Teachers also got hit hard in terms of pay scale and what might be considered appropriate raises. It's a school system in trouble in many ways. Every year they publicize their lists of Tier 1, 2 and 3 budget cuts. It's why Spanish went away two years ago, too.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:21     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.


They didn’t sneak it in there.

It was clearly listed in budget presentation.

Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:15     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There will not be distancing.


Where is the site to switch to online.
This is stupid.


It’s actually not stupid. The distance that it would require to prevent transmission is not possible in any classroom situation unless you had two or three kids. This is what the science has shown. 1 foot, 6 foot, 12 feet, 20 feet - no difference.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:12     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.


Nope. The school board snuck in increased class sizes for K-5 as a cost saving measure. The incoming school Board Member, Mary Kadera, has pushed for flexiblity to increase class sizes as well. How they could do this after the year these kids have had is beyond me.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:03     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.

budget cuts
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:02     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

30 kids???? 30!!! When did that happen. I thought they kept class size small.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2021 13:00     Subject: Re:Arlington classrooms .

They said last spring they can't social distance this fall.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2021 12:19     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At open house the teachers mentioned out 4th grade class could have 30 kids. Has Arlington said anything about how that works with social distancing spacing?


"Could have." How many are in the class now?

It really depends on the school and the class distribution.
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2021 15:30     Subject: Arlington classrooms .

Anonymous wrote:At open house the teachers mentioned out 4th grade class could have 30 kids. Has Arlington said anything about how that works with social distancing spacing?


"Could have." How many are in the class now?