Anonymous wrote:Look. HB should be bigger. It's ridiculous to have a school admitting 75 people when the HB waitlist from a SINGLE elementary school can exceed 100. It's not reasonable for us to be funding these exclusive programs that serve too small a number of kids (not special needs kids!). Defenders claim the program is so special that it can't expand. ATS makes the same ridiculous arguments about its weekly assemblies. Spare us. We get that you have the political clout to fight this (particularly some of the just-coincidentally admitted kids of parents who are super active in the Arlington Dems). But please don't think we're naive enough to buy your talking points.

+100. It's part of the systemic mismanagement in APS. They are more interested in having a few small programs that make APS look, at least on the surface, like it has a lot of options than planning wisely and delivering high-quality services that meet the needs of all students.

Anonymous wrote:Look. HB should be bigger.

It's expanding next year when they move to a new building. Sorry that's a year too late for Larla.

It's ridiculous to have a school admitting 75 people when the HB waitlist from a SINGLE elementary school can exceed 100.

I have a hard time working up a lot of sympathy for people who can afford to live in the Discovery/Nottingham/Taylor boundaries. You made your choices.

It's not reasonable for us to be funding these exclusive programs that serve too small a number of kids (not special needs kids!).

You are not paying one cent more than you would for the kids to attend any other school. (And don't start on the busing, because H-B doesn't have a pool and most kids don't play sports.)

Defenders claim the program is so special that it can't expand. ATS makes the same ridiculous arguments about its weekly assemblies. Spare us.

It has expanded, as explained above. And will expand more, in its new building. ATS has also expanded significantly in recent years.

We get that you have the political clout to fight this (particularly some of the just-coincidentally admitted kids of parents who are super active in the Arlington Dems).

The conspiracy theories are ridiculous, it was an open lottery. There are people who meet every conspirist's criteria (APS volunteer, ACDC member, sibling at HB) and their kid is far down the wait list.

But please don't think we're naive enough to buy your talking points.

It's not propaganda, just stating (and restating) facts that people keep (apparently deliberately) ignoring to fit a self-pitying narrative. My kids were waitlisted too, both times we entered. But it drives me nuts when people fling around fake stories to drum up anger about things that aren't true.

Look. HB should be bigger. It's ridiculous to have a school admitting 75 people when the HB waitlist from a SINGLE elementary school can exceed 100. It's not reasonable for us to be funding these exclusive programs that serve too small a number of kids (not special needs kids!). Defenders claim the program is so special that it can't expand. ATS makes the same ridiculous arguments about its weekly assemblies. Spare us. We get that you have the political clout to fight this (particularly some of the just-coincidentally admitted kids of parents who are super active in the Arlington Dems). But please don't think we're naive enough to buy your talking points.

Anonymous wrote:Secondly, it’s great that HB has increased their enrollment twice, but so has just about every other APS school but on a much larger scale. If HB is doing it’s part, why was the lottery for 6th grade MS just 75? Isn’t that 100% capacity? If the class size will increase to 100 in the new building, why not admit 100 6th grader’s next year? That will bring them to 133% capacity for 6th grade 2018-19, on par with other Middle schools., and back to 100% the following year.
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Amen.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have increased the size of H-B twice recently and it will increase in the new building. H-B's high school capacity is 390 and its enrollment last year was 451, so they are at 115%--that is actually the highest for any high school. High school will be 475 in the new building. Middle school program is 221 at Stop with the fake news.

Firstly, it’s sad that you have to revert to the vile tactic of calling anything you don’t like or agree with fake news. Why can’t you just provide your facts?

Secondly, it’s great that HB has increased their enrollment twice, but so has just about every other APS school but on a much larger scale. If HB is doing it’s part, why was the lottery for 6th grade MS just 75? Isn’t that 100% capacity? If the class size will increase to 100 in the new building, why not admit 100 6th grader’s next year? That will bring them to 133% capacity for 6th grade 2018-19, on par with other Middle schools., and back to 100% the following year.

The lottery may be factored for 100% capacity, but there will also be the students who are ushered in through the back door, hush hush process by admins who are willing to grant favors. Yes, I know a kid who got in this way- no special needs, just a parent with a special friend in the right place. The lottery doesn’t account for every admit.

Anonymous wrote:Secondly, it’s great that HB has increased their enrollment twice, but so has just about every other APS school but on a much larger scale. If HB is doing it’s part, why was the lottery for 6th grade MS just 75? Isn’t that 100% capacity? If the class size will increase to 100 in the new building, why not admit 100 6th grader’s next year? That will bring them to 133% capacity for 6th grade 2018-19, on par with other Middle schools., and back to 100% the following year.
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Amen.

Kenmore and Jefferson are under capacity and accepting transfers this year. If overcrowding is your biggest concern, you have options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have increased the size of H-B twice recently and it will increase in the new building. H-B's high school capacity is 390 and its enrollment last year was 451, so they are at 115%--that is actually the highest for any high school. High school will be 475 in the new building. Middle school program is 221 at Stop with the fake news.

Firstly, it’s sad that you have to revert to the vile tactic of calling anything you don’t like or agree with fake news. Why can’t you just provide your facts?

Secondly, it’s great that HB has increased their enrollment twice, but so has just about every other APS school but on a much larger scale. If HB is doing it’s part, why was the lottery for 6th grade MS just 75? Isn’t that 100% capacity? If the class size will increase to 100 in the new building, why not admit 100 6th grader’s next year? That will bring them to 133% capacity for 6th grade 2018-19, on par with other Middle schools., and back to 100% the following year.

Look, someone said

We should at least advocate for their numbers to increase as overall APS enrollment increases. The program can be just as successful with slightly larger class sizes. To always remain at just 100% capacity while other schools are overcrowded just doesn't make sense.

which is just not true, and easily disproven with publicly available information. I.e., fake news.

Also, as noted, they are already over capacity in middle school and high school and they are going to increase it as soon as they have the new building. The current building doesn't have the indoor or outdoor space for more kids or trailers and unlike other schools they have made no accommodations for more classes (apart from the 3 relocatables) because they are going to renovate the building next summer anyhow.

Finally, everyone seems to just forget about the Stratford program. H-B is not the only program moving to the Wilson building. Several dozen students with significant physical and mental disabilities are moving along with H-B and will occupy two floors. That accounts for a lot of the building's capacity.

Secondly, it’s great that HB has increased their enrollment twice, but so has just about every other APS school but on a much larger scale. If HB is doing it’s part, why was the lottery for 6th grade MS just 75? Isn’t that 100% capacity? If the class size will increase to 100 in the new building, why not admit 100 6th grader’s next year? That will bring them to 133% capacity for 6th grade 2018-19, on par with other Middle schools., and back to 100% the following year.
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Amen.

Anonymous wrote:They have increased the size of H-B twice recently and it will increase in the new building. H-B's high school capacity is 390 and its enrollment last year was 451, so they are at 115%--that is actually the highest for any high school. High school will be 475 in the new building. Middle school program is 221 at Stop with the fake news.

Firstly, it’s sad that you have to revert to the vile tactic of calling anything you don’t like or agree with fake news. Why can’t you just provide your facts?

Secondly, it’s great that HB has increased their enrollment twice, but so has just about every other APS school but on a much larger scale. If HB is doing it’s part, why was the lottery for 6th grade MS just 75? Isn’t that 100% capacity? If the class size will increase to 100 in the new building, why not admit 100 6th grader’s next year? That will bring them to 133% capacity for 6th grade 2018-19, on par with other Middle schools., and back to 100% the following year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm thinking of making it my mission to take down HB. It is so unfair. Shouldn't be funding this "lucky 75" stuff with public funds. Cue the HB parents now calling me bitter .... 3, 2, 1. What's wrong with being bitter over this?

I wish you luck! It's absurd that children who could actually benefit from this school are locked out b/c parents are using it as an escape route form overcrowding. It's absurd that it's numbers are artificially low. The incoming 6th grade classes next year are huge. Why is HB only 75? Why are they spending SO much money on a school for so few? I abhor so much about this situation.

Because the north Arlington parents came out in force to prevent the Wilson building being used for a neighborhood middle school to relieve overcrowding at Wiliamsburg and Swanson.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm thinking of making it my mission to take down HB. It is so unfair. Shouldn't be funding this "lucky 75" stuff with public funds. Cue the HB parents now calling me bitter .... 3, 2, 1. What's wrong with being bitter over this?

I wish you luck! It's absurd that children who could actually benefit from this school are locked out b/c parents are using it as an escape route form overcrowding. It's absurd that it's numbers are artificially low. The incoming 6th grade classes next year are huge. Why is HB only 75? Why are they spending SO much money on a school for so few? I abhor so much about this situation.

It is grotesque!

I tried last year. My “word of mouth” campaign was unsuccessful . Hopefully, somebody with more time and persistence can take up the cause. I will be a strong supporter.

We should at least advocate for their numbers to increase as overall APS enrollment increases. The program can be just as successful with slightly larger class sizes. To always remain at just 100% capacity while other schools are overcrowded just doesn't make sense.

They have increased the size of H-B twice recently and it will increase in the new building. H-B's high school capacity is 390 and its enrollment last year was 451, so they are at 115%--that is actually the highest for any high school. High school will be 475 in the new building. Middle school program is 221 at capacity and they have 249 kids this year, for 113% capacity, higher than three of the other middle schools. It will be 300 in the new building. They have relocatables at the current location. They lost a parking lot due to county construction. Stop with the fake news.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not against HB and admit I wish my kid got in, but I do think they should be just as overcrowded as other schools, ie, if other schools are at 120% capacity, HB should raise it's number to be at 120%. I would feel the same way if my child did get in.

Their class numbers are actually 80 per grade for middle school grades (I believe they only take 75 via lottery so they have 5 spaces left for "administrative" assignments) - so they should add another 16 spots per grade to go from 100% capacity to 120%.

HB students are already lucky enough to be in a small school environment so the least we can expect is that they share the pain of overcrowding with the rest of APS.

Even 16 extra is representative. The incoming class next year at Swanson is enormous. It's not just a little bigger that the grade ahead of them, it's a lot bigger. HB should have taken well over 100 kids this year.

Huh. The 6th grade class at Swanson was smaller than past.

I guess next year’s 6th grade is the boom —-too bad the new MS won’t be ready until 2019.

It’s a fire hazard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't understand is why all Arlington schools can't have a "town hall" like HB Woodlawn. What is preventing them from being similar to that school? Why is there even a need for HB Woodlawn?

Why can’t Arlington use the many years of data about what “works” at the choice schools and apply those principles to ALL of the schools at that level? Why can’t every elementary school be like ATS or ASFS? It’s absurd to have these microcosms of choice and privilege when they’re letting so much flounder.

What works at the choice schools is that parents willing to put effort into their children’s education apply to them. There’s no hocus pocus that makes them great. Make every school an ATS minus the lottery and you’ll have floundering ATS schools.

Anonymous wrote:What I don't understand is why all Arlington schools can't have a "town hall" like HB Woodlawn. What is preventing them from being similar to that school? Why is there even a need for HB Woodlawn?

Why can’t Arlington use the many years of data about what “works” at the choice schools and apply those principles to ALL of the schools at that level? Why can’t every elementary school be like ATS or ASFS? It’s absurd to have these microcosms of choice and privilege when they’re letting so much flounder.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9th grade--- over 175 on Waitlist.

Hoping a lot of people were just experimenting!

175 from your middle school, or 175 total?

I'm the previous poster.

For 9th it is all one melting pot.

I just read the comment below that said there were 600 applicants and 75 spots.

At info night we were told it was about a 1 in 10 shot, so that's pretty consistent.

can we then conclude the new online process this year did not entice more people to apply? if as someone said the incoming 6th grade size is huge is correct, and the #s quoted are correct, it actually shows a decreased demand (popularity) this year in terms of %. this is the opposite of what many earlier posts claimed.