I recommend that we all comment in support of Peter's proposal on ArlNow. We've been given a great platform in public a medium the boards will see to voice support for a 4th high school and reject the alternative proposals of flex scheduling/online learning, etc.

Great. They'll move away. Problem solved.

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/arlington/Board.nsf/files/AA9RPC6E9E33/$file/APS%20Joint%20CIP%20Work%20Session%20Presentation%20052416.pdf

So here's a link to the presentation the school board made to the county two days ago. Page 30 of the deck reads:

County Sites

Buck property
•Virginia Hospital Center property on Carlin Springs
•Community Centers including:
–Gunston
–Madison

So there was some discussion about looking into the possibility of these locations for future schools. One of the Country board members did ask the School board whatever happened to Madison being a possible site for a future school. This is what gave me some hope.

https://www.arlnow.com/2016/05/26/peters-take-aps-capacity-proposals-need-further-work/

Peter says we should built a new HS

The PP is a troll. It won't be about income, it'll be about performance. That kid who is captain of the football team? He'll get the regular shift classes, since he needs to be available for practice and games at 4pm. Same thing for those in the National Honor Society or the school newspaper or the other sports teams. Active, and successful kids will get the "good schedules". AP classes sure as heck won't be offered at 8pm or 7am. They'll be at 11am, so that the high achievers have time to study in the evening and get enough sleep in the morning.

It's the middle of the road kids, those who aren't stars, who will get screwed over. Those kids who aren't anything special to the school community, they'll be the ones missing sleep for 6am classes, or having to stay at school until 7 or 8 at night.

Trying again (maybe none of us should write on our phones?)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So yes, either way a new school had to be built, whether for HB or a middle school. To me the frustrating part is when all of this was under discussion our school board leaders and employees were not looking fort her down the road and saying "hey folks, we are also going to need seats for another close to 3,000 high school students."

There was a slide saying that one of the advantages of leaving Stratford and HB where they are was that then the property would be available for future needs (after moving HB and Stratford wherever -- not the Reed site.)

But there were no other details what the property might be needed for. I'm sure some of us guessed, but we weren't in charge of the meetings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious. Does anyone have any sense how much a brand new high school would cost? I know that last meeting sounded discouraging but I thought at the end of the slides (still want to know what deck they were using since tuned in late to meeting on tv) they mentioned examining VHC property.

I just want to know how much that would cost v. the HB Woodlawn construction. Yes, PP, i know that there was a battle over the Stafford land some months back. But, it still doesn't make much sense to allocate almost $100 million for 775 seats when there are so many kids all across Arlington who won't have adequate space in their schools.

Why should we prop up such a small number of kids (who were just lucky in some random lottery drawing) when all kids need basic classrooms/schools?

This is the price we are paying for north Arlington to have a new walkable middle school. We could have spent $100 million for 1000 seats at Wilson, but are moving H-B and Stratford instead, because the neighborhoods wanted the choice program and the special needs program moved to the urban site. And now, of course, we're spending endless hours debating where to put the driveway for drop offs for the new walkable school.

This, 100x. It is fucking ridiculous. (And yes, I live in 22207.)

Anonymous wrote:But the same parents who were able to convince the county and school board to give them the expensive neighborhood school is likely moving on to the next issue: a new high school. I'm pretty confident there will be a successful push from the same contingent to keep the school board from going off the rails, and I don't think these parents are going to just shrug and accept distance learning and major schedule shifts without a fight.

I don't think so. There is no buzz on Mona. There is no buzz on that education FB page. There was even a FB page with the same name as the APS website, but wasn't APS and it's silent.

Anonymous wrote:So yes, either way a new school had to be built, whether for HB or a middle school. To me the frustrating part is when all of this was under discussion our school board leaders and employees were not looking fort her down the road and saying "hey folks, we are also going to need seats for another close to 3,000 high school students."

But there were no other details what the property might be needed for. I'm sure some of us guessed, but we weren't in charge of the meetings.

So yes, either way a new school had to be built, whether for HB or a middle school. To me the frustrating part is when all of this was under discussion our school board leaders and employees were not looking fort her down the road and saying "hey folks, we are also going to need seats for another close to 3,000 high school students."

I should never respond on my iphone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious. Does anyone have any sense how much a brand new high school would cost? I know that last meeting sounded discouraging but I thought at the end of the slides (still want to know what deck they were using since tuned in late to meeting on tv) they mentioned examining VHC property.

I just want to know how much that would cost v. the HB Woodlawn construction. Yes, PP, i know that there was a battle over the Stafford land some months back. But, it still doesn't make much sense to allocate almost $100 million for 775 seats when there are so many kids all across Arlington who won't have adequate space in their schools.

Why should we prop up such a small number of kids (who were just lucky in some random lottery drawing) when all kids need basic classrooms/schools?

This is the price we are paying for north Arlington to have a new walkable middle school. We could have spent $100 million for 1000 seats at Wilson, but are moving H-B and Stratford instead, because the neighborhoods wanted the choice program and the special needs program moved to the urban site. And now, of course, we're spending endless hours debating where to put the driveway for drop offs for the new walkable school.

So yes, either way a new school had to be built, whether for HB or a middle school. To me the frustrating part is when all of this was under discussion our school board leaders and employees were not looking fort her down the road and saying "hey folks

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious. Does anyone have any sense how much a brand new high school would cost? I know that last meeting sounded discouraging but I thought at the end of the slides (still want to know what deck they were using since tuned in late to meeting on tv) they mentioned examining VHC property.

I just want to know how much that would cost v. the HB Woodlawn construction. Yes, PP, i know that there was a battle over the Stafford land some months back. But, it still doesn't make much sense to allocate almost $100 million for 775 seats when there are so many kids all across Arlington who won't have adequate space in their schools.

Why should we prop up such a small number of kids (who were just lucky in some random lottery drawing) when all kids need basic classrooms/schools?

This is the price we are paying for north Arlington to have a new walkable middle school. We could have spent $100 million for 1000 seats at Wilson, but are moving H-B and Stratford instead, because the neighborhoods wanted the choice program and the special needs program moved to the urban site. And now, of course, we're spending endless hours debating where to put the driveway for drop offs for the new walkable school.

The County should increase HB Woodlawn's program or make it a regular school.

Are you saying they should increase the construction budget to build a larger school, or have a regular school with 775 seats?

But the same parents who were able to convince the county and school board to give them the expensive neighborhood school is likely moving on to the next issue: a new high school. I'm pretty confident there will be a successful push from the same contingent to keep the school board from going off the rails, and I don't think these parents are going to just shrug and accept distance learning and major schedule shifts without a fight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious. Does anyone have any sense how much a brand new high school would cost? I know that last meeting sounded discouraging but I thought at the end of the slides (still want to know what deck they were using since tuned in late to meeting on tv) they mentioned examining VHC property.

I just want to know how much that would cost v. the HB Woodlawn construction. Yes, PP, i know that there was a battle over the Stafford land some months back. But, it still doesn't make much sense to allocate almost $100 million for 775 seats when there are so many kids all across Arlington who won't have adequate space in their schools.

Why should we prop up such a small number of kids (who were just lucky in some random lottery drawing) when all kids need basic classrooms/schools?

This is the price we are paying for north Arlington to have a new walkable middle school. We could have spent $100 million for 1000 seats at Wilson, but are moving H-B and Stratford instead, because the neighborhoods wanted the choice program and the special needs program moved to the urban site. And now, of course, we're spending endless hours debating where to put the driveway for drop offs for the new walkable school.

The County should increase HB Woodlawn's program or make it a regular school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious. Does anyone have any sense how much a brand new high school would cost? I know that last meeting sounded discouraging but I thought at the end of the slides (still want to know what deck they were using since tuned in late to meeting on tv) they mentioned examining VHC property.

I just want to know how much that would cost v. the HB Woodlawn construction. Yes, PP, i know that there was a battle over the Stafford land some months back. But, it still doesn't make much sense to allocate almost $100 million for 775 seats when there are so many kids all across Arlington who won't have adequate space in their schools.

Why should we prop up such a small number of kids (who were just lucky in some random lottery drawing) when all kids need basic classrooms/schools?

This is the price we are paying for north Arlington to have a new walkable middle school. We could have spent $100 million for 1000 seats at Wilson, but are moving H-B and Stratford instead, because the neighborhoods wanted the choice program and the special needs program moved to the urban site. And now, of course, we're spending endless hours debating where to put the driveway for drop offs for the new walkable school.

+1,000