Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 19:44     Subject: Re:What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:Key was like, no move to ASFS. APS said, ok, try Barcroft. Key is like, wait, what??


Well, can you imagine being forced to go to school in South Arlington when you specifically paid to go to a school in North Arlington?
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 19:32     Subject: Re:What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Key was like, no move to ASFS. APS said, ok, try Barcroft. Key is like, wait, what??
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 19:25     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
While we’re on the topic of Montessori, did anyone notice how low the K applications are? 76?! Why are we keeping that program? No one wants it for K-5 except rich white folks. Let them pay for private Montessori. Offer to ages 3-5 based on income. Can it after that. I’m tired of subsidizing their program.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 18:51     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So now that the Superintendent's proposed CIP calls for tearing down the Henry building in a few years, shouldn't we be including the Montessori school in this planning process? If not, what are we doing with that program? Montessori to Nottingham?


That could perhaps be an idea!!! Perhaps Nottingham could stay neighborhood, but with a smaller attendance zone, and add Montessori. I know it didn't work out well at Drew, but I think there was a different dynamic there. It is worth exploring. Many Montessori parents have happily traveled to Discovery and Jamestown for a while, and have hoped to get a Montessori spot there, so Nottingham is not further. I'm not sure, but it should be looked at.


No. The problem wasn't due to a specific dynamic at Drew.
Montessori is a completely different approach to education and does not even align with the K-5/6-8/9-12 structure of our schools. I'm not a Montessori person, nor a particular fan of Arlington's Montessori community; but I still say, if we're going to have Montessori, it needs to have its own building. So give it all of Nottingham, or give it none of Nottingham. No more programs within neighborhood elementary schools! One or the other, period! It's problematic enough in regards to equitable access in middle and high school.


Isn't there a Montessori middle years track at Gunston??
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 18:23     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Where does she come from? And who will take over when she’s on maternity leave?


Interesting read :


Director of Elementary Education and Title I for Cabarrus County Public Schools in North Carolina.

She also has experience implementing programs such as STEM, Language Immersion, and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.


https://www.apsva.us/post/school-board-appoints-assistant-superintendent-of-instruction/



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. The fix is in, folks. There are few things that can unite APS parents, but I think we are getting there. This isn't about any one school. This is about APS wasting an enormous amount of time, money, and effort to appear to have done their due diligence when they decided some time ago exactly what they were going to do. We are all getting rolled. Some will be lucky enough to get their desired outcome, but that's only dumb luck. Why was the timeline so ridiculously short? It was to try to stay under the radar with very little parent objection.

We deserve better than this.




Much better. Why in earth would they change the ATS model instead of just getting rid of it? And on what planet is moving it to the NW a good idea?


No we don't. Tara Nattrass was brought in to help develop a vision for the overall APS system, and that's exactly what she's trying to do -- in as inclusive and accommodating way as she possibly can in such a pompous, entitled community. She was also specifically brought in to implement "personalized learning." Dr. Nattrass' ideas and influences have been quite thoughtful, deliberate, and appropriate. So what if choice schools are a tool for her to break concentrations of high poverty in schools? It's the only tool Arlington lets her have, since this community that is so deserving of so much better will not permit any other means. I couldn't care less about IB, especially in the lower grades. But we already have an early years program and a middle years program and a secondary program. Her concept to provide two zones for the County that included the same options as each other could not have been more logical or reasonable. She also understood, despite how new she was at the time, the north/south impacts on individual schools and understood that a two-zone east/west system would address so many of the issues facing APS that this so-deserving community not only created, but perpetuated and intentionally maintained, and fights to the death to preserve.

Besides, what difference does it really make what her preferences and recommendations are? The SB doesn't adopt any of them anyway.



AMEN!!!!!!
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 17:23     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Where does she come from? And who will take over when she’s on maternity leave?


Interesting read :


Director of Elementary Education and Title I for Cabarrus County Public Schools in North Carolina.

She also has experience implementing programs such as STEM, Language Immersion, and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.


https://www.apsva.us/post/school-board-appoints-assistant-superintendent-of-instruction/



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. The fix is in, folks. There are few things that can unite APS parents, but I think we are getting there. This isn't about any one school. This is about APS wasting an enormous amount of time, money, and effort to appear to have done their due diligence when they decided some time ago exactly what they were going to do. We are all getting rolled. Some will be lucky enough to get their desired outcome, but that's only dumb luck. Why was the timeline so ridiculously short? It was to try to stay under the radar with very little parent objection.

We deserve better than this.




Much better. Why in earth would they change the ATS model instead of just getting rid of it? And on what planet is moving it to the NW a good idea?


No we don't. Tara Nattrass was brought in to help develop a vision for the overall APS system, and that's exactly what she's trying to do -- in as inclusive and accommodating way as she possibly can in such a pompous, entitled community. She was also specifically brought in to implement "personalized learning." Dr. Nattrass' ideas and influences have been quite thoughtful, deliberate, and appropriate. So what if choice schools are a tool for her to break concentrations of high poverty in schools? It's the only tool Arlington lets her have, since this community that is so deserving of so much better will not permit any other means. I couldn't care less about IB, especially in the lower grades. But we already have an early years program and a middle years program and a secondary program. Her concept to provide two zones for the County that included the same options as each other could not have been more logical or reasonable. She also understood, despite how new she was at the time, the north/south impacts on individual schools and understood that a two-zone east/west system would address so many of the issues facing APS that this so-deserving community not only created, but perpetuated and intentionally maintained, and fights to the death to preserve.

Besides, what difference does it really make what her preferences and recommendations are? The SB doesn't adopt any of them anyway.


Given what I've heard about her 11th hour tinkering with Montessori admission policies, by fiat and without notice, i have a little different view of her style.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:38     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:

From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Where does she come from? And who will take over when she’s on maternity leave?


Interesting read :


Director of Elementary Education and Title I for Cabarrus County Public Schools in North Carolina.

She also has experience implementing programs such as STEM, Language Immersion, and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.


https://www.apsva.us/post/school-board-appoints-assistant-superintendent-of-instruction/



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. The fix is in, folks. There are few things that can unite APS parents, but I think we are getting there. This isn't about any one school. This is about APS wasting an enormous amount of time, money, and effort to appear to have done their due diligence when they decided some time ago exactly what they were going to do. We are all getting rolled. Some will be lucky enough to get their desired outcome, but that's only dumb luck. Why was the timeline so ridiculously short? It was to try to stay under the radar with very little parent objection.

We deserve better than this.




Much better. Why in earth would they change the ATS model instead of just getting rid of it? And on what planet is moving it to the NW a good idea?


No we don't. Tara Nattrass was brought in to help develop a vision for the overall APS system, and that's exactly what she's trying to do -- in as inclusive and accommodating way as she possibly can in such a pompous, entitled community. She was also specifically brought in to implement "personalized learning." Dr. Nattrass' ideas and influences have been quite thoughtful, deliberate, and appropriate. So what if choice schools are a tool for her to break concentrations of high poverty in schools? It's the only tool Arlington lets her have, since this community that is so deserving of so much better will not permit any other means. I couldn't care less about IB, especially in the lower grades. But we already have an early years program and a middle years program and a secondary program. Her concept to provide two zones for the County that included the same options as each other could not have been more logical or reasonable. She also understood, despite how new she was at the time, the north/south impacts on individual schools and understood that a two-zone east/west system would address so many of the issues facing APS that this so-deserving community not only created, but perpetuated and intentionally maintained, and fights to the death to preserve.

Besides, what difference does it really make what her preferences and recommendations are? The SB doesn't adopt any of them anyway.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:32     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So now that the Superintendent's proposed CIP calls for tearing down the Henry building in a few years, shouldn't we be including the Montessori school in this planning process? If not, what are we doing with that program? Montessori to Nottingham?


That could perhaps be an idea!!! Perhaps Nottingham could stay neighborhood, but with a smaller attendance zone, and add Montessori. I know it didn't work out well at Drew, but I think there was a different dynamic there. It is worth exploring. Many Montessori parents have happily traveled to Discovery and Jamestown for a while, and have hoped to get a Montessori spot there, so Nottingham is not further. I'm not sure, but it should be looked at.


How big is the Nottingham building? The Montessori school will be about 500 kids at that point. Could you fit neighborhood kids in addition to that? I don't see them going back to a hybrid set up.


APS has said no more hybrid schools. I don’t know where you put it if they decide to tear down Henry. It also seems like they aren’t budgeting for having to build another school for it. They know they will need a new neighborhood school around 2025 but that will be needed for neighborhood seats. To build two new schools seems like a stretch with all of the other building projects.

This is where the AB needs to take a serious look at all of the option programs and decide if each one is worth continuing. And I would bet that once it is time to move Montessori again the NW Quadrant schools will again be bursting at the seams.


From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Interesting. Does she live in north or south Arlington?


North. Discovery.


Lol. I should have guessed that the unelected official charged with eliminating achievement gaps would pick the toniest north Arlington enclave with the nicest newest school and zero diversity for her own family.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:31     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So now that the Superintendent's proposed CIP calls for tearing down the Henry building in a few years, shouldn't we be including the Montessori school in this planning process? If not, what are we doing with that program? Montessori to Nottingham?


That could perhaps be an idea!!! Perhaps Nottingham could stay neighborhood, but with a smaller attendance zone, and add Montessori. I know it didn't work out well at Drew, but I think there was a different dynamic there. It is worth exploring. Many Montessori parents have happily traveled to Discovery and Jamestown for a while, and have hoped to get a Montessori spot there, so Nottingham is not further. I'm not sure, but it should be looked at.


How big is the Nottingham building? The Montessori school will be about 500 kids at that point. Could you fit neighborhood kids in addition to that? I don't see them going back to a hybrid set up.


APS has said no more hybrid schools. I don’t know where you put it if they decide to tear down Henry. It also seems like they aren’t budgeting for having to build another school for it. They know they will need a new neighborhood school around 2025 but that will be needed for neighborhood seats. To build two new schools seems like a stretch with all of the other building projects.

This is where the AB needs to take a serious look at all of the option programs and decide if each one is worth continuing. And I would bet that once it is time to move Montessori again the NW Quadrant schools will again be bursting at the seams.


From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Interesting. Does she live in north or south Arlington?


I should have guessed that the unelected official charged with eliminating achievement gaps would pick the toniest north Arlington enclave with the nicest newest school and zero diversity for her own family.

North. Discovery.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:23     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So now that the Superintendent's proposed CIP calls for tearing down the Henry building in a few years, shouldn't we be including the Montessori school in this planning process? If not, what are we doing with that program? Montessori to Nottingham?


That could perhaps be an idea!!! Perhaps Nottingham could stay neighborhood, but with a smaller attendance zone, and add Montessori. I know it didn't work out well at Drew, but I think there was a different dynamic there. It is worth exploring. Many Montessori parents have happily traveled to Discovery and Jamestown for a while, and have hoped to get a Montessori spot there, so Nottingham is not further. I'm not sure, but it should be looked at.


No. The problem wasn't due to a specific dynamic at Drew.
Montessori is a completely different approach to education and does not even align with the K-5/6-8/9-12 structure of our schools. I'm not a Montessori person, nor a particular fan of Arlington's Montessori community; but I still say, if we're going to have Montessori, it needs to have its own building. So give it all of Nottingham, or give it none of Nottingham. No more programs within neighborhood elementary schools! One or the other, period! It's problematic enough in regards to equitable access in middle and high school.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:16     Subject: Re:What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Always interesting to look at the data. Over twice as many kids in South Arlington schools transfer out of their home school than North. And the top three feeders to ATS are from the schools closest to ATS. I’d like to see more of the options in South Arlington to strategically break up pockets of extreme ED and drive socioeconomic diversity. By having the options closer together, it may be possible to share buses so that buses pick up at fewer stops, then drop off at more than one school (could stagger start times).

Carlin Springs - new home for Claremont Immersion (2nd largest number of transfers out countywide, open larger building that is highly walkable and use less walkable building for option)
ATS - new home for Key Immersion (closer to Spanish speakers, more central, less walkable)
Campbell - EL
Barcroft - new home for ATS (3rd highest transfers out in county, brings a high-performing school South and may be more convenient for SA families)
Henry - new Montessori (although, perhaps put these seats at Nottingham and let the Career Center tear down the Henry building to make better use of that land for a high school)

Net-net, this would move one additional option south, but that suppports the numbers. More Souty Arlington families are choicing out of their schools, so stop fighting it and give SA more conveniently located choice schools.

Transfers:

SOUTH
Abington 413
Barcroft 297
Carlin Springs 352
Drew 107
Henry 115
Hoffman Boston 100
Oakridge 204
Randolph 160
TOTAL: 1748

NORTH
Ashlawn 122 (54 to ATS)
Barrett 108
Discovery 70
Glebe 109 (41 to ATS)
Jamestown 70
Long Branch 169
McKinley 106 (47 to ATS)
Nottingham 54
Tuckahoe 39
Taylor 225 - 105 (Sci Foc)
TOTAL: 897

Note: Not including Key with 569 because that is people who select Science Focus, effectively their neighborhood school.

Source: APS Transfer Report - https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf




Exactly.
People aren’t understanding that umc families can’t just solve this problem by enrolling at some of these neighborhood schools as they are now. We can’t have it both ways. Either we focus on diversity or EXTRME
Convenience. Barcroft kids WILLNhave a neighborhood school. It will just be a different one.


But it is not right to leave the entire west end of Columbia Pike without a neighborhood school. Everyone else on here is clamoring for their neighborhood school and how they have to have a walkable neighborhood school. Yet putting option programs in all three of CS, Campbell, and Barcroft eliminates all neighborhood schools for the entire west end of CP. Not EVERYone in all those neighborhoods want an option program, particularly immersion.


Maybe there is a solution like making the immersion a program within the neighborhood school? Although, I know, APS just got away from that with Drew.
Or, really, make it just ONE larger Spanish immersion choice program.

Where do you propose housing one 1200-seat elementary immersion program?
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:14     Subject: Re:What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Always interesting to look at the data. Over twice as many kids in South Arlington schools transfer out of their home school than North. And the top three feeders to ATS are from the schools closest to ATS. I’d like to see more of the options in South Arlington to strategically break up pockets of extreme ED and drive socioeconomic diversity. By having the options closer together, it may be possible to share buses so that buses pick up at fewer stops, then drop off at more than one school (could stagger start times).

Carlin Springs - new home for Claremont Immersion (2nd largest number of transfers out countywide, open larger building that is highly walkable and use less walkable building for option)
ATS - new home for Key Immersion (closer to Spanish speakers, more central, less walkable)
Campbell - EL
Barcroft - new home for ATS (3rd highest transfers out in county, brings a high-performing school South and may be more convenient for SA families)
Henry - new Montessori (although, perhaps put these seats at Nottingham and let the Career Center tear down the Henry building to make better use of that land for a high school)

Net-net, this would move one additional option south, but that suppports the numbers. More Souty Arlington families are choicing out of their schools, so stop fighting it and give SA more conveniently located choice schools.

Transfers:

SOUTH
Abington 413
Barcroft 297
Carlin Springs 352
Drew 107
Henry 115
Hoffman Boston 100
Oakridge 204
Randolph 160
TOTAL: 1748

NORTH
Ashlawn 122 (54 to ATS)
Barrett 108
Discovery 70
Glebe 109 (41 to ATS)
Jamestown 70
Long Branch 169
McKinley 106 (47 to ATS)
Nottingham 54
Tuckahoe 39
Taylor 225 - 105 (Sci Foc)
TOTAL: 897

Note: Not including Key with 569 because that is people who select Science Focus, effectively their neighborhood school.

Source: APS Transfer Report - https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Transfer-Report-2016-17.pdf




Exactly.
People aren’t understanding that umc families can’t just solve this problem by enrolling at some of these neighborhood schools as they are now. We can’t have it both ways. Either we focus on diversity or EXTRME
Convenience. Barcroft kids WILLNhave a neighborhood school. It will just be a different one.


But it is not right to leave the entire west end of Columbia Pike without a neighborhood school. Everyone else on here is clamoring for their neighborhood school and how they have to have a walkable neighborhood school. Yet putting option programs in all three of CS, Campbell, and Barcroft eliminates all neighborhood schools for the entire west end of CP. Not EVERYone in all those neighborhoods want an option program, particularly immersion.


Tough.

Goes both ways.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:01     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?


From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Where does she come from? And who will take over when she’s on maternity leave?


Interesting read :


Director of Elementary Education and Title I for Cabarrus County Public Schools in North Carolina.

She also has experience implementing programs such as STEM, Language Immersion, and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.


https://www.apsva.us/post/school-board-appoints-assistant-superintendent-of-instruction/



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. The fix is in, folks. There are few things that can unite APS parents, but I think we are getting there. This isn't about any one school. This is about APS wasting an enormous amount of time, money, and effort to appear to have done their due diligence when they decided some time ago exactly what they were going to do. We are all getting rolled. Some will be lucky enough to get their desired outcome, but that's only dumb luck. Why was the timeline so ridiculously short? It was to try to stay under the radar with very little parent objection.

We deserve better than this.




Much better. Why in earth would they change the ATS model instead of just getting rid of it? And on what planet is moving it to the NW a good idea?
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 16:01     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So now that the Superintendent's proposed CIP calls for tearing down the Henry building in a few years, shouldn't we be including the Montessori school in this planning process? If not, what are we doing with that program? Montessori to Nottingham?


That could perhaps be an idea!!! Perhaps Nottingham could stay neighborhood, but with a smaller attendance zone, and add Montessori. I know it didn't work out well at Drew, but I think there was a different dynamic there. It is worth exploring. Many Montessori parents have happily traveled to Discovery and Jamestown for a while, and have hoped to get a Montessori spot there, so Nottingham is not further. I'm not sure, but it should be looked at.


How big is the Nottingham building? The Montessori school will be about 500 kids at that point. Could you fit neighborhood kids in addition to that? I don't see them going back to a hybrid set up.


APS has said no more hybrid schools. I don’t know where you put it if they decide to tear down Henry. It also seems like they aren’t budgeting for having to build another school for it. They know they will need a new neighborhood school around 2025 but that will be needed for neighborhood seats. To build two new schools seems like a stretch with all of the other building projects.

This is where the AB needs to take a serious look at all of the option programs and decide if each one is worth continuing. And I would bet that once it is time to move Montessori again the NW Quadrant schools will again be bursting at the seams.


Getting rid of options programs doesn't make the students in them disappear. APS will still need to find seats for them. The Superintendent's proposed CIP shows an ES seats deficit of 1424 in 2027. After you tear down Henry, the seat deficit would rise to about 1900. The proposal doesn't call for a new ES coming online until 2029. We will surely have more than a 2000 seat deficit at that time. And the Superintendent calls for one new 725 seat ES. It will not be enough even if you destroy all the options schools.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2018 15:47     Subject: What do you expect from APS staff (option/neighborhood) on 4/30?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So now that the Superintendent's proposed CIP calls for tearing down the Henry building in a few years, shouldn't we be including the Montessori school in this planning process? If not, what are we doing with that program? Montessori to Nottingham?


That could perhaps be an idea!!! Perhaps Nottingham could stay neighborhood, but with a smaller attendance zone, and add Montessori. I know it didn't work out well at Drew, but I think there was a different dynamic there. It is worth exploring. Many Montessori parents have happily traveled to Discovery and Jamestown for a while, and have hoped to get a Montessori spot there, so Nottingham is not further. I'm not sure, but it should be looked at.


How big is the Nottingham building? The Montessori school will be about 500 kids at that point. Could you fit neighborhood kids in addition to that? I don't see them going back to a hybrid set up.


APS has said no more hybrid schools. I don’t know where you put it if they decide to tear down Henry. It also seems like they aren’t budgeting for having to build another school for it. They know they will need a new neighborhood school around 2025 but that will be needed for neighborhood seats. To build two new schools seems like a stretch with all of the other building projects.

This is where the AB needs to take a serious look at all of the option programs and decide if each one is worth continuing. And I would bet that once it is time to move Montessori again the NW Quadrant schools will again be bursting at the seams.


From outward appearances, it seems to me that Tara natrass only cares about option schools insofar as they can help integrate schools in terms of SES. Otherwise I think she is hostile towards them, probably for the simple fact that they tend to bunch motivated, involved parents together, instead of balancing out less involved parents who either can't or won't get very involved in their child's education. I think she'd happily kill most option programs.


No, she comes from a school system that has used option schools in precisely that way. It makes sense and is really the justification for them to exist in today's climate. Otherwise, they serve as publicly funded private schools. I am an option school parent btw.


Interesting. Does she live in north or south Arlington?


North. Discovery.