Anonymous wrote:We did the move from DC to Arlington. We live in South Arlington - on purpose! We’ve found it to be a much better vibe for us vs the north Arlington neighborhoods we were looking at. We wanted more diversity and slightly less gunner attitudes. We go to a pool in north Arlington and every summer it justifies our decision.

We drove around every weekend for a few weeks and got out and walked the neighborhoods we liked. Go to the playgrounds and you’ll get a vibe of the communities.

Anonymous wrote:We did the move from DC to Arlington. We live in South Arlington - on purpose! We’ve found it to be a much better vibe for us vs the north Arlington neighborhoods we were looking at. We wanted more diversity and slightly less gunner attitudes. We go to a pool in north Arlington and every summer it justifies our decision.

We drove around every weekend for a few weeks and got out and walked the neighborhoods we liked. Go to the playgrounds and you’ll get a vibe of the communities.

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

I believe just about all kids who attend Hamm/WL are walkable to their ES/MS/HS.

I’m not sure about that. Roughly half of the Hamm zone is eligible for the bus, and that zone includes a lot of high density housing. I don’t think it’s most let alone all kids. I wonder if they have data on that, though.

There is bus service but many people still walk or bike. I believe it’s only bus service because of the Langston cross, not distance.

Hamm bus zone is in fact far from Hamm and many kids on the other side of Langston Blvd are in the walk zone.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/08/MS_Hamm_SY23_24.pdf

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

I believe just about all kids who attend Hamm/WL are walkable to their ES/MS/HS.

I’m not sure about that. Roughly half of the Hamm zone is eligible for the bus, and that zone includes a lot of high density housing. I don’t think it’s most let alone all kids. I wonder if they have data on that, though.

There is bus service but many people still walk or bike. I believe it’s only bus service because of the Langston cross, not distance.

Hamm bus zone is in fact far from Hamm and many kids on the other side of Langston Blvd are in the walk zone.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/08/MS_Hamm_SY23_24.pdf

Yeah WMS and DHMS by far have the largest walk zones. Looking at something like Gunston, it’s hemmed in by freeways etc.

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

I believe just about all kids who attend Hamm/WL are walkable to their ES/MS/HS.

I’m not sure about that. Roughly half of the Hamm zone is eligible for the bus, and that zone includes a lot of high density housing. I don’t think it’s most let alone all kids. I wonder if they have data on that, though.

There is bus service but many people still walk or bike. I believe it’s only bus service because of the Langston cross, not distance.

Hamm bus zone is in fact far from Hamm and many kids on the other side of Langston Blvd are in the walk zone.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/08/MS_Hamm_SY23_24.pdf

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

I believe just about all kids who attend Hamm/WL are walkable to their ES/MS/HS.

I’m not sure about that. Roughly half of the Hamm zone is eligible for the bus, and that zone includes a lot of high density housing. I don’t think it’s most let alone all kids. I wonder if they have data on that, though.

There is bus service but many people still walk or bike. I believe it’s only bus service because of the Langston cross, not distance.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

I believe just about all kids who attend Hamm/WL are walkable to their ES/MS/HS.

I’m not sure about that. Roughly half of the Hamm zone is eligible for the bus, and that zone includes a lot of high density housing. I don’t think it’s most let alone all kids. I wonder if they have data on that, though.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

I believe just about all kids who attend Hamm/WL are walkable to their ES/MS/HS.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

OK. I'll edit my comment. The majority of kids are not able to walk to all three levels of school without moving.

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Anonymous wrote:I had no idea it was so controversial to like to incorporate a walk with your kids into your day. Walking to the elementary school with my kids is one of my favorite things about where we live. It's just nice to get out in the morning and walk and chat with people. It links me to my community. It's feels far less stressful than getting in a vehicle and punting your progeny out into the street while someone yells at you to hurry up and reminds you not to touch them.

But yeah, the people across the street from us are zoned for a different elementary school even though they're 2.5 blocks away from the one we walk to. The way APS draws boundaries is bananas and if you're a walker now, you might not be a walker a year from now.

For actual advice that OP asked for, we like the Westover neighborhood, OP. Schools are fine.

Just as another point of view, my child bussed for all of elementary and our bus stop was a real social hub. I met all my neighbors that way. The kids really bonded too. Very community building. I think many people have never been on a bus route and don't know what it's really like so just adding the perspective.

The bolded portion of the PP's response is confusing to me and I don't know what this means.

Driving your own kids is stressful. The pickup/drop off is crazy. The line, the hustle, the enforcers. It's all very stressful. Agree that the bus and walking are both preferred.

The bus is a pain because it move the whole “get to school time” way earlier and then if your kid misses it it’s a huge pain.

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Anonymous wrote:Probably start with high school and work backward. Many people think Washington-Libery and Yorktown are equally good for HS. Some think Yorktown is better, which is code for wealthier and/or less diverse.
Middle school- people like Dorthy Hamm, then Williamsburg.
Elementary- people like ATS, if you get a spot in the lottery. Distant second is Jamestown and Taylor. I don't know why people don't mention Glebe with Jamestown and Taylor. They all seem interchangeable to me.

Basically all of the elementary schools that feed into Yorktown HS, Williamsburg and Hamm MS are interchangeable.

You get more diversity in income and testing outcomes as you move further south.

Including innovation?

I would have zero concerns with Innovation. It’s sited near what is probably the best walkable neighborhood in Arlington, and it feeds to Hamm and WL. They won’t ever move those kids anywhere but Williamsburg or Yorktown if they have to shift boundaries. It’s more diverse than the other N Arlington schools, and it’s in a solid set of schools for middle and high school.

I don't have any concerns about Innovation - I know several happy families there. I was questioning PP's comment that all ESs that feed into Hamm are interchangeable. Innovation looks a lot different than Jamestown. 30%+ vs. 4% FRL

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Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

The same is true for portions of ASFS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?

My kids are going to walk to ES, MS and HS unless APS does something insane with boundaries. And lots of kids do indeed walk, as observed by the ant trails of kids walking through the neighborhood every day. Glebe --> Hamm --> WL

All are under a mile. Two are under 0.5 mi.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not that hard to figure out. Some people simply like walking, biking.

Then take a nice walk or bike ride. It's one single factor among many factors in deciding boundaries and school use and not every kid who could walk to school is going to be able to walk to school.

Ok? I agree that it’s one of many factors that should be considered for boundary planning.

PP seemed confused about why some people prefer to walk their kids to school.

You might be missing the context of recent debates around this topic. APS needs to do redo middle school boundaries and it started a massive outcry on this very topic. People who want their children to continue to walk to school are willing to throw just about anyone under the bus (no pun intended) just so long as their kids get to keep walking.

"Walking" is such a ridiculous red-herring. All it means is they don't want to give up that particular school, because no kid is "walkable" to their elementary AND middle AND high school. At some point, they aren't "walking."

Huh? People near me do walk/bike to ES/MS/HS. 22201

You must be a uniquely situated neighborhood. So how far are they walking to each school?