Career Center | ARLnow.com

State reps call on APS to provide stronger labor protections in construction of new Arlington Career Center

Published April 4, 2024 at 3:55PM

A 2023 rendering of the Arlington Career Center

Arlington’s state legislators are calling on school officials to provide more labor protections for workers building the multimillion-dollar Arlington Career Center.

Sens. Adam Ebbin and Barbara Favola, along with Delegates Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez and Adele McClure, sent a letter to the Arlington School Board last month requesting a prevailing wage requirement. This would require workers to receive wages comparable to market rates when constructing the roughly $180 million project at 816 S. Walter Reed Drive.

Schools

Arlington Career Center community to brainstorm names for its new school that represent what goes on inside

By Savannah Taffe

Published February 13, 2024 at 10:30AM

Arlington Tech Robotics club advisor, Steve Nystrom, works with students on projects (staff photo by Savannah Taffe)

One meeting down and two more to go before recommendations could emerge for a new name to adorn the forthcoming Arlington Career Center building.

Arlington Public Schools last month created a naming committee to discuss potential names for the new building, which will house the Arlington Career Center and the handful of programs within it, including Arlington Tech. As the committee has just starting meeting, no contenders have yet emerged for the building on S. Walter Reed Drive, slated for completion in the fall of 2026.

Schools

The Montessori Public School of Arlington building is showing its age. Should it move to the nearby legacy Career Center site?

By Jo DeVoe

Published February 12, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated February 12, 2024 at 12:08PM

Montessori Public School of Arlington on opening day in 2019 (file photo)

(Updated at 12 p.m.) An elementary school has become the next flashpoint in discussions of how Arlington Public Schools should use its existing buildings.

Last year, the Nottingham Elementary School community was roiled by a potential plan to close the school and turn the building into a “swing space” to accommodate students whose home schools were under renovation.

Schools

APS poised to add Walter Reed Drive road upgrades to Career Center project

By James Jarvis

Published December 20, 2023 at 11:30AM | Updated December 21, 2023 at 7:46AM

Corner of S. Walter Reed and 8th Street facing future Career Center building (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Arlington Public Schools is poised to tie planned S. Walter Reed Drive upgrades into its $180 million Arlington Career Center project.

This past Saturday, the Arlington County Board approved a memorandum of agreement permitting APS to appoint the same contractor for the Career Center’s construction to handle the road improvements — part of the county’s Neighborhood Complete Streets program — from 5th Street S. to Columbia Pike.

Schools

Arlington Career Center project approved despite some resident concerns

By Jo DeVoe

Published June 12, 2023 at 3:45PM

A 2023 rendering of the Arlington Career Center

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board approved plans to redevelop the Arlington Career Center on Columbia Pike.

Arlington Public Schools will be building a new 5-story Career Center building at 816 S. Walter Reed Drive to house students in vocational courses, such as veterinary sciences. Also set to be built: a standalone 4-story parking garage.

Schools

Advisory committee raises concerns about APS proposed capital budget

By Mavis Chan

Published June 14, 2022 at 2:00PM | Updated June 14, 2022 at 4:17PM

The School Board work session reviews the Joint Facilities Advisory Committee report (screenshot via Arlington County)

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) An advisory group meant to guide facilities planning has several concerns with Arlington Public Schools’ proposed capital spending plan, namely the cost of a new Arlington Career Center.

APS would only be able to construct the Career Center by nearly maxing out its debt capacity, according to a Joint Facilities Advisory Committee report published June 7.

News

County urges gun control measures while students hold walkouts after Texas shooting

By Mavis Chan

Published May 26, 2022 at 3:55PM | Updated May 26, 2022 at 5:12PM

Washington-Liberty High School students participated in a walkout protesting gun violence (staff photo by Pia Kramer)

(Updated at 5:10 p.m.) The Arlington County Board today called for action to stem the tide of gun violence, while groups of students around the county held walkouts in response to the elementary school shooting in Texas.

The Board condemned gun violence and urged state legislators to tighten gun control in a statement issued this afternoon.

Schools

Arlington Career Center concepts move to design phase

By Brandi Bottalico

Published May 4, 2022 at 2:40PM | Updated May 4, 2022 at 3:23PM

Rendering of the proposed Arlington Career Center (via Arlington Public Schools)

(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) Arlington Career Center plans remain on track after a contentious School Board vote late last week.

Two concepts that were presented will move to the schematic design phase after a 3-1 vote at Thursday’s meeting, which also cemented the project in the superintendent’s proposed Capital Improvement Plan, to be presented May 12.

Schools

As Arlington Career Center plans take shape, concerns linger about long-term plans for the site

By Jo DeVoe

Published April 12, 2022 at 12:45PM

Rendering of the proposed Arlington Career Center (via Arlington Public Schools)

(Updated at 12:55 p.m.) Plans are taking shape to rebuild the Arlington Career Center with improved amenities and, potentially, an additional 450 seats.

And it seems Arlington Public Schools is proposing a novel use for those seats: a middle school component to the Arlington Tech project-based learning program.

News

APS says ‘neigh’ to large animals ahead of Career Center expansion

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 16, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated March 16, 2022 at 4:06PM

Some of the animals that used to be a part of the Career Center's animal science program (via @APS_AnimalSci)

When “Rocket” — the last goat at the Arlington Career Center — died in August, the large animal component of the school’s Animal Sciences program effectively died with it.

Historically, the school has kept a menagerie of animals for students interested in pursuing careers in animal care and veterinary science, including a miniature horse, goats, cats, dogs, turtles and birds. Today, the program serves about 120 students.

Schools

APS relaunches Career Center expansion project after delaying it due to cost overruns

By Jo DeVoe

Published February 2, 2022 at 11:45AM

The Arlington Career Center (via Arlington Public Schools)

Arlington Public Schools is ramping up planning work to build a new school and parking garage at the Arlington Career Center site.

A group tasked with developing the project from 2018-2020 has reconvened and will be working quickly to flesh out the project before the School Board reviews designs this spring.