Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here was the process: Last year, everyone at ASFS pretty much opposed getting rid of the Team boundaries knowing that it was going to create further capacity issues if the Key zone didn’t have both Key and ASFS to use as neighborhood schools. Then there was some “engagement” on the walk zones until April when APS came out and said Key should be a neighborhood school and ASFS an option. This “swap” idea came (according to Lisa Stengel) from a parent at ASFS who lives near Key and wanted ASFS in their neighborhood.The walkers around ASFS and the teachers/faculty lobbied otherwise and 3 weeks later, APS announces that both schools should be neighborhood schools. Now those living near Key and Rosslyn were up in arms because they didn’t want just any old neighborhood school in their neighborhood but they wanted the ASFS program/teachers, science lab, etc.

After a month of fighting, Murphy calls for a stand down and says moving Key would be tabled for now and basically, everyone just shut up and sit down. Then all summer APS posts updates that some ASFS’ boundaries might get changed in 2019 but by the end of July states definitively that all of ASFS’ boundaries would be changed in 2019; thus, supporting Murphy’s decree that no options would be moving and APS would have to figure out a way to draw new boundaries around ASFS (or just leave them alone and let ASFS sit outside its boundaries).

This “plan of action” was touted all through August by APS when they met with Key’s and ASFS’ principals. It wasn’t until 4 hours before Murphy’s August 28th announcement that APS gave the schools the heads up that everything they had been told over the summer was a lie and that they were swapping schools. And the reason? Not to fix capacity at either school, but to just let ASFS’ current community stick together (never mind they’ll all be in middle school in a few years, or that APS is still going to have to redraw boundaries around the new ASFS and kick more than just the transfers out).

So yeah, if that’s the amazing “process” by which APS operates, we should all feel good about the decisions they make and the community engagement that they do.

This is not what happened, at all. Just stop.

+1

Fiction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

Not true-some of Cherrydale wants to walk to ASFS, but many are happy going to Taylor. And those that do want to walk to ASFS also believe Rosslyn should walk to school as well. That was going to happen when APS announced that both schools should be neighborhood schools. No one in Cherrydale ever advocated that Rosslyn shouldn't be able to walk or go to the Key building.

That's the one thing everyone keeps glossing over-- there doesn't have to be only one neighborhood school between Rosslyn and Cherrydale. APS could send Immersion somewhere else (and somewhere that makes more sense for the program) and then everyone would be happy-- except, of course, the parents at the school where Immersion ends up. But it makes no sense to have only one neighborhood school in the east while there are underpopulated schools in the west. APS doesn't have the guts to deal with that issue or those parents, though. It's just easier for them to dump on the people in the east.

I want to see September enrollment numbers before I pass judgment on anything, because I wonder if APS is seeing shifts we’re not aware of yet (because they have the data and we don’t). Yes, the county as a whole is growing and some schools started with more students than projected, but other schools started with fewer, especially in the kindergarten numbers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

Not true-some of Cherrydale wants to walk to ASFS, but many are happy going to Taylor. And those that do want to walk to ASFS also believe Rosslyn should walk to school as well. That was going to happen when APS announced that both schools should be neighborhood schools. No one in Cherrydale ever advocated that Rosslyn shouldn't be able to walk or go to the Key building.

That's the one thing everyone keeps glossing over-- there doesn't have to be only one neighborhood school between Rosslyn and Cherrydale. APS could send Immersion somewhere else (and somewhere that makes more sense for the program) and then everyone would be happy-- except, of course, the parents at the school where Immersion ends up. But it makes no sense to have only one neighborhood school in the east while there are underpopulated schools in the west. APS doesn't have the guts to deal with that issue or those parents, though. It's just easier for them to dump on the people in the east.

I would disagree with this statement or at least think it needs to be clarified that the vocal parents at ASFS most certainly wanted the ASFS program at Key. I was at the May ASFS PTA meeting and parents were stunned when APS announced that there would be two neighborhood schools. No one from Rosslyn or who lives around the Key building were rejoicing. No one was saying, "wow, this is great news, we get to walk to school! No more long bus ride!" It was bitterness and sadness that they wouldn't be at ASFS anymore. They literally accused the teachers and faculty of not caring about their children when some of them said they wanted to stay with the building and the fixtures in the buildings that support their curriculum. The manta was, two schools would tear the community apart! But if 80% of ASFS was going to Key, then most of the community would move together and be together. So the message (at least last year) was that ASFS had to be moved at all costs, not that Rosslyn needed a shorter commute. Which is still evident this year-- if they weren't fighting for the science program, then why is there a demand that every fixture in the ASFS building be moved with the swap? Rosslyn could and should definitely advocate for a neighborhood school but they did so at the expense of current ASFS building when they lobbied that ASFS had to move with them. All of ASFS could have been on the same page about moving the immersion program and then everyone would have gotten a walkable school but the Rosslyn folks couldn't bear the thought that Cherrydale would get "their" school while they went to a different/new school. So all the strife at and between the parents at ASFS revolve around the program, the stuff inside the building and the faculty, not the commute. If it was just about the commute, then the two neighborhood schools would have been a relief or welcome news.

The irony is, APS won't move all that stuff. And even though most of the staff and faculty will probably make the transition, it won't be ASFS anymore, or the ASFS that everyone who currently attends ASFS knows. So Rosslyn is going to end up pretty much in the same position if they had just embraced APS' announcement that there would be two neighborhood schools instead of fighting it.

APS never, I repeat never, announced two neighborhood schools. Did not. If that's what you heard, you heard wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

Not true-some of Cherrydale wants to walk to ASFS, but many are happy going to Taylor. And those that do want to walk to ASFS also believe Rosslyn should walk to school as well. That was going to happen when APS announced that both schools should be neighborhood schools. No one in Cherrydale ever advocated that Rosslyn shouldn't be able to walk or go to the Key building.

That's the one thing everyone keeps glossing over-- there doesn't have to be only one neighborhood school between Rosslyn and Cherrydale. APS could send Immersion somewhere else (and somewhere that makes more sense for the program) and then everyone would be happy-- except, of course, the parents at the school where Immersion ends up. But it makes no sense to have only one neighborhood school in the east while there are underpopulated schools in the west. APS doesn't have the guts to deal with that issue or those parents, though. It's just easier for them to dump on the people in the east.

I would disagree with this statement or at least think it needs to be clarified that the vocal parents at ASFS most certainly wanted the ASFS program at Key. I was at the May ASFS PTA meeting and parents were stunned when APS announced that there would be two neighborhood schools. No one from Rosslyn or who lives around the Key building were rejoicing. No one was saying, "wow, this is great news, we get to walk to school! No more long bus ride!" It was bitterness and sadness that they wouldn't be at ASFS anymore. They literally accused the teachers and faculty of not caring about their children when some of them said they wanted to stay with the building and the fixtures in the buildings that support their curriculum. The manta was, two schools would tear the community apart! But if 80% of ASFS was going to Key, then most of the community would move together and be together. So the message (at least last year) was that ASFS had to be moved at all costs, not that Rosslyn needed a shorter commute. Which is still evident this year-- if they weren't fighting for the science program, then why is there a demand that every fixture in the ASFS building be moved with the swap? Rosslyn could and should definitely advocate for a neighborhood school but they did so at the expense of current ASFS building when they lobbied that ASFS had to move with them. All of ASFS could have been on the same page about moving the immersion program and then everyone would have gotten a walkable school but the Rosslyn folks couldn't bear the thought that Cherrydale would get "their" school while they went to a different/new school. So all the strife at and between the parents at ASFS revolve around the program, the stuff inside the building and the faculty, not the commute. If it was just about the commute, then the two neighborhood schools would have been a relief or welcome news.

The irony is, APS won't move all that stuff. And even though most of the staff and faculty will probably make the transition, it won't be ASFS anymore, or the ASFS that everyone who currently attends ASFS knows. So Rosslyn is going to end up pretty much in the same position if they had just embraced APS' announcement that there would be two neighborhood schools instead of fighting it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

Not true-some of Cherrydale wants to walk to ASFS, but many are happy going to Taylor. And those that do want to walk to ASFS also believe Rosslyn should walk to school as well. That was going to happen when APS announced that both schools should be neighborhood schools. No one in Cherrydale ever advocated that Rosslyn shouldn't be able to walk or go to the Key building.

That's the one thing everyone keeps glossing over-- there doesn't have to be only one neighborhood school between Rosslyn and Cherrydale. APS could send Immersion somewhere else (and somewhere that makes more sense for the program) and then everyone would be happy-- except, of course, the parents at the school where Immersion ends up. But it makes no sense to have only one neighborhood school in the east while there are underpopulated schools in the west. APS doesn't have the guts to deal with that issue or those parents, though. It's just easier for them to dump on the people in the east.

I would disagree with this statement or at least think it needs to be clarified that the vocal parents at ASFS most certainly wanted the ASFS program at Key. I was at the May ASFS PTA meeting and parents were stunned when APS announced that there would be two neighborhood schools. No one from Rosslyn or who lives around the Key building were rejoicing. No one was saying, "wow, this is great news, we get to walk to school! No more long bus ride!" It was bitterness and sadness that they wouldn't be at ASFS anymore. They literally accused the teachers and faculty of not caring about their children when some of them said they wanted to stay with the building and the fixtures in the buildings that support their curriculum. The manta was, two schools would tear the community apart! But if 80% of ASFS was going to Key, then most of the community would move together and be together. So the message (at least last year) was that ASFS had to be moved at all costs, not that Rosslyn needed a shorter commute. Which is still evident this year-- if they weren't fighting for the science program, then why is there a demand that every fixture in the ASFS building be moved with the swap? Rosslyn could and should definitely advocate for a neighborhood school but they did so at the expense of current ASFS building when they lobbied that ASFS had to move with them. All of ASFS could have been on the same page about moving the immersion program and then everyone would have gotten a walkable school but the Rosslyn folks couldn't bear the thought that Cherrydale would get "their" school while they went to a different/new school. So all the strife at and between the parents at ASFS revolve around the program, the stuff inside the building and the faculty, not the commute. If it was just about the commute, then the two neighborhood schools would have been a relief or welcome news.

The irony is, APS won't move all that stuff. And even though most of the staff and faculty will probably make the transition, it won't be ASFS anymore, or the ASFS that everyone who currently attends ASFS knows. So Rosslyn is going to end up pretty much in the same position if they had just embraced APS' announcement that there would be two neighborhood schools instead of fighting it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

Not true-some of Cherrydale wants to walk to ASFS, but many are happy going to Taylor. And those that do want to walk to ASFS also believe Rosslyn should walk to school as well. That was going to happen when APS announced that both schools should be neighborhood schools. No one in Cherrydale ever advocated that Rosslyn shouldn't be able to walk or go to the Key building.

That's the one thing everyone keeps glossing over-- there doesn't have to be only one neighborhood school between Rosslyn and Cherrydale. APS could send Immersion somewhere else (and somewhere that makes more sense for the program) and then everyone would be happy-- except, of course, the parents at the school where Immersion ends up. But it makes no sense to have only one neighborhood school in the east while there are underpopulated schools in the west. APS doesn't have the guts to deal with that issue or those parents, though. It's just easier for them to dump on the people in the east.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

Not true-some of Cherrydale wants to walk to ASFS, but many are happy going to Taylor. And those that do want to walk to ASFS also believe Rosslyn should walk to school as well. That was going to happen when APS announced that both schools should be neighborhood schools. No one in Cherrydale ever advocated that Rosslyn shouldn't be able to walk or go to the Key building.

That's the one thing everyone keeps glossing over-- there doesn't have to be only one neighborhood school between Rosslyn and Cherrydale. APS could send Immersion somewhere else (and somewhere that makes more sense for the program) and then everyone would be happy-- except, of course, the parents at the school where Immersion ends up. But it makes no sense to have only one neighborhood school in the east while there are underpopulated schools in the west. APS doesn't have the guts to deal with that issue or those parents, though. It's just easier for them to dump on the people in the east.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no asfs program. It’s an elementary school with one hour of extra science a week.
Want to know what my kids did during that hour this week?
1 drew a picture of clouds and wrote a sentence about how cloud hold rain water.
The other measured pencils and toy cars using a ruler.
This is pretty demonstrative of what they do every week in science city.
Not really sure if that’s worth fighting for.

No one is really fighting for "science" program, most people are fighting not to be bused half-way across the county. That's the root of the Cherosslyn War -- Cherrydale wants a walkable at the expense of all the neighborhoods east of them, who have no neighborhood school at all. We really probably should just do long east-west boundaries, since that's how almost all NA elementary schools are configured anyways.

I'll be interested to see what possible joint response they can come up with. I get why the Virginia Square residents would be interested in ASFS given that their current neighborhood school is Ashlawn. But the vast majority of Cherrydale goes to Taylor, including the part of Cherrydale that sits on the same side of Lee Highway as Taylor. Having a closer school that some of Cherrydale could walk to would theoretically be nice but I think most of Cherrydale is happy going to Taylor (and some live closer to Taylor).