Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wrote the super long comment- promise I’m not a gramps (yet). My kids will be in high school from 2027-2033.

Future WL parents, I feel for you. I would not send my kids to a 4000-kid school either. We are zoned for Yorktown, but I am sure that by the time my kids are of high school age, a lot will have changed.

I generally support use of the Kenmore site now, and growing it later. And I would gladly pay increased taxes, in the form of a special assessment or otherwise, to fund schools. I know not everyone has that luxury of saying that.

I have volunteered with my civic association board, and so have some experience in listening to my older neighbors comment (complain?) about the state of things. Re their home equity, I think they would say, so what. Say they bought in the 80’s for $150k. Now their house is worth $800k, and they pay ever increasing property taxes out of their not increasing pension or social security. If Arlington becomes a bit less desirable to affluent young families, and property values go down to, say, $500k, what do they care? They don’t want to sell, they do want to pay less in taxes, and having their neighborhood stay the same is worth more than paper profits. Again, I’m not saying it’s right. And, ironically, if property values go down it’s families like mine – who bought within the last 7 years or so – who won’t be able to afford to leave.

Here’s where I talk smack- less than the baby boomers, who I find unspeakably selfish are individuals who have current or recently graduated high school students, but yet feel that it’s acceptable to inform those of us with younger kids that a mega-W-L with no field space is ok. One of the Glen Carlyn speakers last night fell into that category- mom of a recent HB graduate and current senior. Because her kids are “indoorsy.” Complain about Carlin Springs traffic if you want, but please don’t tell me that (1) you thought it was necessary for your kid to attend a special 700-kid program but (2) it’s appropriate for other kids to attend a four THOUSAND kid campus. Come on.

I am PP who complimented your thoughtful long comment. I initially had precisely the same reaction to her comment and told her so in person, in a nicer way than I'm doing here, and we went on to have a long conversation. I told her about my elementary schooler and how we didn't win the lottery, so we are instead crowded into one of the largest elementaries in Arlington which truth be told my kid is not really equipped for. Maybe read the comment directly above your last one about how Carlin Springs has been screwed over by the county time and time again, and look at the quality of education their kids are receiving in comparison to what yours is if you live in the north, and maybe think about recalibrating.

I’m not sure what to recalibrate. Of course I did not speak to the woman that way, and I did not have time to stay after the meeting to chat.

I’m not at all bitter that someone had the chance to send her kids to HB. I don't think we should abolish or restrict the program. I’m glad that she found something that worked for her family. I have no problem with listening to her points about the burdens an increased population at Kenmore would cause her neighborhood. I think it's ok to say no to Kenmore, for perfectly valid reasons, including the County's history of dealing with Glen Carlyn.

I do have an issue with her stating – as have several HB parents on AEM – that we just don’t need schools with fields, or sports, because their kids didn’t use them. Or that very large high schools are ok, because they went to one. I think it’s ok to say no to Kenmore, for many valid reasons. Opposing Kenmore is quite different than affirmatively stating, in effect, that it's ok to curtail the activities, programs, and facilities for future students (from any part of the county) because my child is done with school and I now know that they wouldn't have used it. That, to me, is extremely myopic. I'm glad you went on to have a productive conversation with her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

taxpayers without children would be jumping for joys for not having to fund yet another $50M facility.

but i get it. you want WL to stay the way it is, because you like it that way!

No shit head. I do not want my kids attending HS on a campus with 4000 kids. How is that so f---king hard for anyone to understand? They talk about inequities b/c there's no pool or football field. I could give a shit about those two amenities. How is it fair for 4000 students to have to share a campus when the other 2 comprehensive HS's will be much smaller?

I also agree that building up the Ed Center pretty much guarantees the students for many years after will be stuck there. Is this really the best that Arlington can do? This is like a real freaking nightmare scenario.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to hear more about the magical high school redistricting plan that is going to balance out socioeconomic levels by introducing this new school at Kenmore in the South. Tell me, what parents from the North are going to be accepting the redistricting of their snowflakes from W-L to Kenmore with no stadium, no pool, and apparently a major pedestrian safety issue? Isn't Kenmore located so far to the south that balancing out rich/poor this way will be basically impossible?

Moreover, even if you're not committed to trying to balance this stuff out, aren't you in fact making things demonstrably worse by moving a bunch of poorer kids out of W-L to Kenmore? Doesn't this just de-diversify W-L?

Meh, move a bunch of the eastern Yorktown neighborhoods there along with part of W-L.

Anonymous wrote:I want to hear more about the magical high school redistricting plan that is going to balance out socioeconomic levels by introducing this new school at Kenmore in the South. Tell me, what parents from the North are going to be accepting the redistricting of their snowflakes from W-L to Kenmore with no stadium, no pool, and apparently a major pedestrian safety issue? Isn't Kenmore located so far to the south that balancing out rich/poor this way will be basically impossible?

Moreover, even if you're not committed to trying to balance this stuff out, aren't you in fact making things demonstrably worse by moving a bunch of poorer kids out of W-L to Kenmore? Doesn't this just de-diversify W-L?

Anonymous wrote:I want to hear more about the magical high school redistricting plan that is going to balance out socioeconomic levels by introducing this new school at Kenmore in the South. Tell me, what parents from the North are going to be accepting the redistricting of their snowflakes from W-L to Kenmore with no stadium, no pool, and apparently a major pedestrian safety issue? Isn't Kenmore located so far to the south that balancing out rich/poor this way will be basically impossible?

Moreover, even if you're not committed to trying to balance this stuff out, aren't you in fact making things demonstrably worse by moving a bunch of poorer kids out of W-L to Kenmore? Doesn't this just de-diversify W-L?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fail to see how this benefits S Arlington in any way. How would the demographics look? Boundaries? From where I sit it looks like another way to appease N Arlington and screw S Arlington.

Hardly, considering many at WL come from South Arlington and would be stuck at a 4,000 student HS.

Np- For IB? so what. They'll still attend if it's 4000, just like everyone else will fight tooth and nail to avoid being redistricted

No, not IB. The area around Kenmore is zoned WL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Fairfax County, where I grew up, we had pools at rec centers and not in high schools. I'm sure this is unpopular, but I think it's stupid that the Arlington high schools were built with pools to begin with. I understand they're a public benefit, but the county put themselves in this "amenities" situation.

Bottom line is, the county is ineffectively using and allocating the land they currently have. The speed of development isn't helping either. I wish they would have stepped back and slowed down 10 years ago before it became this dire.

Ditto. And it just keeps coming: https://www.arlnow.com/2017/04/26/red-cross-building-to-be-replaced-by-affordable-housing-townhomes/

Holy hell. This is in Buckingham, zoned Barrrett. Just keep building more AH in the poorest neighborhoods zoned to Title 1 schools. HAVE WE LEARNED NOTHING?

This dumbass County Board has been so stuck on AH for far too long. STOP. AC does not have the resources for this sh*t. Are we looking to make it like that ghetto area that Oldtown can't get rid of???? The shower caps sitting on milk crates right in the center of town---with crime and gun fire?

People pay top dollar to avoid neighborhoods like this. Arlington is brining it to the masses. We have had a huge spike in robberies in our neighborhood and sex crimes. Keep it coming Arlington...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Fairfax County, where I grew up, we had pools at rec centers and not in high schools. I'm sure this is unpopular, but I think it's stupid that the Arlington high schools were built with pools to begin with. I understand they're a public benefit, but the county put themselves in this "amenities" situation.

Bottom line is, the county is ineffectively using and allocating the land they currently have. The speed of development isn't helping either. I wish they would have stepped back and slowed down 10 years ago before it became this dire.

Ditto. And it just keeps coming: https://www.arlnow.com/2017/04/26/red-cross-building-to-be-replaced-by-affordable-housing-townhomes/

Holy hell. This is in Buckingham, zoned Barrrett. Just keep building more AH in the poorest neighborhoods zoned to Title 1 schools. HAVE WE LEARNED NOTHING?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fail to see how this benefits S Arlington in any way. How would the demographics look? Boundaries? From where I sit it looks like another way to appease N Arlington and screw S Arlington.

Hardly, considering many at WL come from South Arlington and would be stuck at a 4,000 student HS.

Np- For IB? so what. They'll still attend if it's 4000, just like everyone else will fight tooth and nail to avoid being redistricted

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fail to see how this benefits S Arlington in any way. How would the demographics look? Boundaries? From where I sit it looks like another way to appease N Arlington and screw S Arlington.

Hardly, considering many at WL come from South Arlington and would be stuck at a 4,000 student HS.