Anonymous
Post 02/03/2026 12:40     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.


But what's the motive here. I really don't get it. Did their kid not get in like the HB haters? So they say people don't want it? But to what end? Kids of STEM focused kids and parents of kids who want a smaller school will apply. That's a clear fact as the waitlist has grown over the last three years. And here's the rub: It will always be a smaller school b/c the CTE and labs take up so much space. Maybe that's why? The poor, teen moms and Brown people are getting something nice and they focus instead on the AT kids? I really don't get it and hope it's not just "drama". If that's it why aren't they in the politics or relationship discussions?


It is not a good look to say that the Langston program doesn't deserve the nice new building too. Looks like opportunity hoarding. Or I don't want THOSE kids around my special snowflake.


you know that you are turning words around monkey.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 20:56     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.


But what's the motive here. I really don't get it. Did their kid not get in like the HB haters? So they say people don't want it? But to what end? Kids of STEM focused kids and parents of kids who want a smaller school will apply. That's a clear fact as the waitlist has grown over the last three years. And here's the rub: It will always be a smaller school b/c the CTE and labs take up so much space. Maybe that's why? The poor, teen moms and Brown people are getting something nice and they focus instead on the AT kids? I really don't get it and hope it's not just "drama". If that's it why aren't they in the politics or relationship discussions?


It is not a good look to say that the Langston program doesn't deserve the nice new building too. Looks like opportunity hoarding. Or I don't want THOSE kids around my special snowflake.


They should build a purpose building for Langston, not shoe horn them in here so APS can use their old space for other projects.

They have a huge investment in AT, and need to raise its stature to be successful and meet enrollment goals. This mixing doesn’t make sense and weakens the schools future.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 19:58     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.


But what's the motive here. I really don't get it. Did their kid not get in like the HB haters? So they say people don't want it? But to what end? Kids of STEM focused kids and parents of kids who want a smaller school will apply. That's a clear fact as the waitlist has grown over the last three years. And here's the rub: It will always be a smaller school b/c the CTE and labs take up so much space. Maybe that's why? The poor, teen moms and Brown people are getting something nice and they focus instead on the AT kids? I really don't get it and hope it's not just "drama". If that's it why aren't they in the politics or relationship discussions?


It is not a good look to say that the Langston program doesn't deserve the nice new building too. Looks like opportunity hoarding. Or I don't want THOSE kids around my special snowflake.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 19:56     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.


That makes sense. The APEs need a new thing to get all worked up about. These people should get another hobby.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 12:51     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.


I guess that explains their poor reading comprehension. They are intentionally avoiding direct engagement.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 12:49     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.


But what's the motive here. I really don't get it. Did their kid not get in like the HB haters? So they say people don't want it? But to what end? Kids of STEM focused kids and parents of kids who want a smaller school will apply. That's a clear fact as the waitlist has grown over the last three years. And here's the rub: It will always be a smaller school b/c the CTE and labs take up so much space. Maybe that's why? The poor, teen moms and Brown people are getting something nice and they focus instead on the AT kids? I really don't get it and hope it's not just "drama". If that's it why aren't they in the politics or relationship discussions?
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 12:46     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?


It's not the current AT parents who feel that way. It's ES parents, or MS parents who say they won't apply b/c of that. AT kids currently share space with teen parents, Arlington Academy (kids who need a little more help) vocational students and a program for children/young adults with significant needs like Down's Syndrome. Another 90 kids from the Langston program won't register to the AT real AT students. If we express concern, it's because the Langston program is working for those people and APS often makes decisions that are not in the best interest of the program at question.


“Real AT students”?!?! What does that mean?
There are a bunch of people who do not have kids at ACC in AT or any of the other programs.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 08:57     Subject: Grace Hopper Center Updates

The people in hysterics over AT sound just like the people in hysterics over APS during the pandemic when they only had preschoolers.

Some people like to spin up drama. Sometimes for political motives. Sometimes they’re just mental.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 08:51     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?


It's not the current AT parents who feel that way. It's ES parents, or MS parents who say they won't apply b/c of that. AT kids currently share space with teen parents, Arlington Academy (kids who need a little more help) vocational students and a program for children/young adults with significant needs like Down's Syndrome. Another 90 kids from the Langston program won't register to the AT real AT students. If we express concern, it's because the Langston program is working for those people and APS often makes decisions that are not in the best interest of the program at question.


“Real AT students”?!?! What does that mean?
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 08:29     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?


It's not the current AT parents who feel that way. It's ES parents, or MS parents who say they won't apply b/c of that. AT kids currently share space with teen parents, Arlington Academy (kids who need a little more help) vocational students and a program for children/young adults with significant needs like Down's Syndrome. Another 90 kids from the Langston program won't register to the AT real AT students. If we express concern, it's because the Langston program is working for those people and APS often makes decisions that are not in the best interest of the program at question.


Exactly.

Actual AT parents are not upset about kids sharing a building - they already do that.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 08:26     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?


It's not the current AT parents who feel that way. It's ES parents, or MS parents who say they won't apply b/c of that. AT kids currently share space with teen parents, Arlington Academy (kids who need a little more help) vocational students and a program for children/young adults with significant needs like Down's Syndrome. Another 90 kids from the Langston program won't register to the AT real AT students. If we express concern, it's because the Langston program is working for those people and APS often makes decisions that are not in the best interest of the program at question.


Fine AT can stay at 400 kids for the “real” AT students. But the county is counting on attracting about 700 more students to the program, of “fake” AT students?
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 08:22     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?

I have been following this. The original proposal was to have separate principals and pathways that could limit the CTE offerings for Tech students. Since then they have reversed course on some of that but don’t have a lot of answers about the changes that will occur.


Sorry, what exactly have they reversed course on?
It's in the email up thread. They said that AT student's access to CTE offerings won't be limited but what that means is that kids at the comprehensive high schools might not like be able to take them, like flight school.


Limiting access to care center courses might've been one way APS came up to drum up enrollment of the programs there. But the whole point of the career center from the beginning was to offer all of these specialized "polytechnic" courses to all APS high school and Falls Church City students.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 07:31     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?


Its the nature of the programs being mixed; 22 year old adults with behavioral problems mixing with geeky 14 year olds doesn’t bode well. Ive seen an 80s movie.


There are already 22 yr olds at AT though. 22 yr old adults want nothing to do with a kid who looks like he just graduated from fifth grade!
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 07:30     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

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Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?

I have been following this. The original proposal was to have separate principals and pathways that could limit the CTE offerings for Tech students. Since then they have reversed course on some of that but don’t have a lot of answers about the changes that will occur.


Sorry, what exactly have they reversed course on?
It's in the email up thread. They said that AT student's access to CTE offerings won't be limited but what that means is that kids at the comprehensive high schools might not like be able to take them, like flight school.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2026 07:28     Subject: Re:Grace Hopper Center Updates

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m confused. The Langston program is filled with kids who are bullied but also adult men who are bullies and teens with children?

Who are we protecting from whom?


Arlington Tech parents don’t want any of this around their own kids. They don’t care about others.

It’s not easy to get that type of alternative placement, they don’t just hand them out. The students who are at Langston need to be there and for some of them it might be a safety issue that could impact a larger community but is well controlled while there. I have an eighth grader who applied to Arlington Tech. It does not seem like this plan is well thought out and I’m not sure I want to send them in the first year of an experimental program in a new building.


I have a kid at AT and it's not an experimental program but rather one being actively built. Currently, there are kids, probably some who are 21, who are there. But we had 21 yr olds at my high school. Very few. Here's the thing. The CTE kids stay to themselves. The teen moms stay to themselves and the AT kids are frankly, academically oriented in STEM. 1/2 of them are in robotics club! It's going to have great facilities and hosts a wonderful group of committed teachers. I hope your kid gets inand that they love it. If you must worry about the Langston people, worry that they are not getting their "choice" school.

I don’t think Arlington Tech is experimental, I think having an alternative high school co-located with what’s is essentially a regular high school is experimental. Especially because they can’t quite clarify how it will be run at this point and we are getting pretty close to the new school year for them to still be figuring that out (if this move happens.)


I’m an old timer Millennial, but there is nothing “experimental” for having all of your programs under the same roof. My HS had thousands of students and hosted honors programs, special needs programs, regular learner programs, select vo-tech programs, and discipline/alternative programs, all under the same roof. You had to be an extraordinarily special case medical or discipline wise to get a full day placement elsewhere because the district had to pay out the nose for it.

I’d venture to say that hosting most services under one roof is the norm in cost-constrained districts.


One other impact this could have is on an enthusiasm for Arlington Tech, when you were collocated with a Neighborhood high school people did not have a choice to not attend other than moving. APS is desperately trying to grow enrollment AT, and it’s unclear this may dampen growth


They are not desperately trying to grow enrollment. They are planfully growing enrollment with a 180+ person waitlist for the incoming Freshman class.


They plan to grow this program to 1100 to 1300 students. A 180 person waitlist is cute but will be gone in a year. They need to stoke demand to fill the much larger school, but part of the interest has been because it was a SMALL school.


They are growing it by adding about 100 kids to every freshman class not just doing it all at once. So if they add 100, the waitlist will be at least 80 for the next incoming class. However, they have an incredible new building coming online soon so the waitlist will grow.

Why do you dislike AT so much?

We have no way of knowing what future waitlist numbers will look like it just depends on how many kids apply and decide to stay on the waitlist. Also, from talking to tech parents, there are a decent number of kids who start there in ninth grade and then go back to their homeschool. Tech needs to remain desirable to grow, and hopefully they can do that. Switching plans around six months before the school year starts isn’t inspiring confidence in people.


Why are AT parents so upset about sharing a large new building with another small program? There are already multiple programs in that building. What's the issue with one more?


It's not the current AT parents who feel that way. It's ES parents, or MS parents who say they won't apply b/c of that. AT kids currently share space with teen parents, Arlington Academy (kids who need a little more help) vocational students and a program for children/young adults with significant needs like Down's Syndrome. Another 90 kids from the Langston program won't register to the AT real AT students. If we express concern, it's because the Langston program is working for those people and APS often makes decisions that are not in the best interest of the program at question.