Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a benefit to a specific population within that boundary. It was created to help reduce mid year absences.

Is there a specific population at this one school that is not present at Randolph, Henry, Carlin Springs, Abingdon, Claremont, Campbell, etc.? And do we make policy based on the exception rather than the rule? This policy was created in the 1980's. A LOT has changed in Arlington since that time, and a LOT has changed in this neighborhood over the same period of time. Time to take another look.

Not really
It was majority immigrant then
It’s majority immigrant now

And Randolph and Carlin Springs are majority immigrant. So what's different about the kids at Barcroft? Nothing. And the neighborhood has changed, but the families who want a regular school that aligns with all the other schools in APS and with siblings, and camp schedules, and Congressional recess, and friends outside the neighborhood don't have one. Just make it a regular calendar already. Or an option school, here or elsewhere. It's one or the other.

Barcroft became year round in 2003, and the motivation was to decrease summer learning loss, including English language skills.

Then shouldn't the calendar be paired with the school with the highest percentage of ELL students, which is coincidentally NOT Barcroft? And the neighborhood demographics have changed significantly during the same period of time, even if the school does not reflect this change. If APS is so worried about saving money, maybe they should try to get those 297 transfers from Barcroft back to their walkable neighborhood school. This calendar has not benefited the students, based on objective data. They've had 15 years to "pilot" this without any positive measurable result.

Anonymous wrote:I actually have no thoughts about the modified calendar at Barcroft. Does not affect me and wouldn't care if t he county got rid of it. Agree with some of the comments upthread that it might be better for the school. I am just not sure if Carlin Springs should be help up as an excellent model and don't think that standardized test scores of English Language Learners (or anyone) should be the only measure of a school's effectiveness or quality.

Do the scores of English language learners on standardized tests even get counted for school accreditation purposes? I don't think they do.

I actually have no thoughts about the modified calendar at Barcroft. Does not affect me and wouldn't care if t he county got rid of it. Agree with some of the comments upthread that it might be better for the school. I am just not sure if Carlin Springs should be help up as an excellent model and don't think that standardized test scores of English Language Learners (or anyone) should be the only measure of a school's effectiveness or quality.

So the modified calendar is in place to make Barcroft happy?

Carlin Springs is teaching to the test. Talk to parents (english speaking or otherwise) of both schools and see who is happier.

Based on scores compared to Carlin Springs, I don't think Barcroft's calendar is working then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a benefit to a specific population within that boundary. It was created to help reduce mid year absences.

Is there a specific population at this one school that is not present at Randolph, Henry, Carlin Springs, Abingdon, Claremont, Campbell, etc.? And do we make policy based on the exception rather than the rule? This policy was created in the 1980's. A LOT has changed in Arlington since that time, and a LOT has changed in this neighborhood over the same period of time. Time to take another look.

Not really
It was majority immigrant then
It’s majority immigrant now

And Randolph and Carlin Springs are majority immigrant. So what's different about the kids at Barcroft? Nothing. And the neighborhood has changed, but the families who want a regular school that aligns with all the other schools in APS and with siblings, and camp schedules, and Congressional recess, and friends outside the neighborhood don't have one. Just make it a regular calendar already. Or an option school, here or elsewhere. It's one or the other.

Barcroft became year round in 2003, and the motivation was to decrease summer learning loss, including English language skills.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a benefit to a specific population within that boundary. It was created to help reduce mid year absences.

Is there a specific population at this one school that is not present at Randolph, Henry, Carlin Springs, Abingdon, Claremont, Campbell, etc.? And do we make policy based on the exception rather than the rule? This policy was created in the 1980's. A LOT has changed in Arlington since that time, and a LOT has changed in this neighborhood over the same period of time. Time to take another look.

Not really
It was majority immigrant then
It’s majority immigrant now

And Randolph and Carlin Springs are majority immigrant. So what's different about the kids at Barcroft? Nothing. And the neighborhood has changed, but the families who want a regular school that aligns with all the other schools in APS and with siblings, and camp schedules, and Congressional recess, and friends outside the neighborhood don't have one. Just make it a regular calendar already. Or an option school, here or elsewhere. It's one or the other.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not make Barcoft the choice school site if they need to move one? It already has one of the highest (the highest?) transfer rates in the county, and it's under enrolled. Least disruption.

And what school has space for the 400+ kids already enrolled in Barcroft?

Practically any school around it could take a few. As it is said - it does have a high transfer rate.

Anonymous wrote:Why not make Barcoft the choice school site if they need to move one? It already has one of the highest (the highest?) transfer rates in the county, and it's under enrolled. Least disruption.

And what school has space for the 400+ kids already enrolled in Barcroft?

Why not make Barcoft the choice school site if they need to move one? It already has one of the highest (the highest?) transfer rates in the county, and it's under enrolled. Least disruption.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a benefit to a specific population within that boundary. It was created to help reduce mid year absences.

Is there a specific population at this one school that is not present at Randolph, Henry, Carlin Springs, Abingdon, Claremont, Campbell, etc.? And do we make policy based on the exception rather than the rule? This policy was created in the 1980's. A LOT has changed in Arlington since that time, and a LOT has changed in this neighborhood over the same period of time. Time to take another look.

Not really
It was majority immigrant then
It’s majority immigrant now

Anonymous wrote:It’s a benefit to a specific population within that boundary. It was created to help reduce mid year absences.

Is there a specific population at this one school that is not present at Randolph, Henry, Carlin Springs, Abingdon, Claremont, Campbell, etc.? And do we make policy based on the exception rather than the rule? This policy was created in the 1980's. A LOT has changed in Arlington since that time, and a LOT has changed in this neighborhood over the same period of time. Time to take another look.

It’s a benefit to a specific population within that boundary. It was created to help reduce mid year absences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in barcroft and send my kid to a choice school along with every single family on my street. Families go choice for 3 reasons, in this order:

Low performing neighborhood school
Year round schedule is a close second
Would choice out regardless of location bc of attraction to program, such as immersion.

If the school had a regular schedule, that would help a lot. More UMC in the school wound then maybe make a dent in reason number 1. Done.

I don't think every family would order these priorities the same way, but I do agree with your premise. And good point that if you address reason #2 you may in effect address reason #1 as well. But I get the sense APS is committed to keeping one school year-round. I know they think it helps families, but only to the extent ALL your kids are in elementary school. If you have different aged kids on different timelines, it makes planning vacations, after school care, etc a nightmare.

Why would they be committed to keeping only ONE school on this schedule of it's a neighborhood school? It's only "helping" those families who happen to live in the boundary. If it's such a benefit, it should be an option program and then kids from anywhere in the County can attend. And give the residents who DON'T want a different calendar a guaranteed neighborhood school with transportation, not a transfer, just like all the other tax payers.

That's actually a great point, hadn't considered that. Would seem to be the best of both worlds: offer the year-round option for those who want it, let other parents go to the regular school calendar. Maybe they could move the year-round option to Tuckahoe. With Reed opening, that area seems to have too many schools for too few students.