Schools | ARLnow.com

Baird Endorses Greeley for School Board

Published February 6, 2014 at 4:30PM

Greeley is one of three candidates, along with Barbara Kanninen and Nancy Van Doren, vying for the Democratic nomination. The Democrats’ endorsement caucus will be held on May 15 at Drew Model School and May 17 at Washington-Lee High School.

“Greg offers a needed balance to the Arlington School Board,” Baird said in a press release. “He has the depth, temperament, and experience to be a key leader on the Board as it addresses our looming capacity crisis. And I know he values — in fact, he lives — our community’s diversity. He will work to improve our school system for all of Arlington’s children.”

South Arlington Parents Start Petition for New Elementary School

By Ethan Rothstein

Published February 6, 2014 at 3:30PM

School Board Chair Abby Raphael sent a letter to community members last month notifying them that the Board was considering diverting $4.5 million in design funds — slated for a new elementary school next to Kenmore Middle School in Glencarlyn — to relieving middle school overcrowding in North Arlington.

The elementary school was originally supposed to open in Glencarlyn in 2017. The plans are not the only changes Arlington Public Schools facilities could be due for when the Capital Improvements Plan for 2015-2024 is adopted in June — a move or expansion for H-B Woodlawn is also on the table.

Moran Launches Student App-Building Competition

By Ethan Rothstein

Published February 6, 2014 at 12:00PM

Rep. Jim Moran’s (D-Va.) district, which covers Arlington, Alexandria and parts of Fairfax County, is eligible to compete in the first House Student App Challenge. The contest was created to allow high school students to engage in Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and innovation by creating a software application for any platform.

The competition is open to the districts whose Representatives decide to participate, and Moran says the 8th District of Virginia is suited to excel.

Moving H-B Woodlawn Among School Capacity Options

By Ethan Rothstein

Published February 4, 2014 at 4:05PM | Updated February 4, 2014 at 4:47PM

Last week, the School Board held a work session to determine the basis on which it will make its decisions when it develops a new Capital Improvement Plan this spring. APS, which has been busy planning and building new elementary schools and school additions to address overcrowding in primary schools, is now shifting its construction planning focus to middle schools.

APS facilities staff presented eight options for increasing elementary school capacity, seven options for increasing middle school capacity, two options for relocating or adding on to the H-B Woodlawn secondary program’s facility in the former Stratford Junior High School, and three other options for high school capacity.

Yorktown, W-L Taste Success at Conference Swim Championships

By Ethan Rothstein

Published February 3, 2014 at 1:45PM | Updated February 3, 2014 at 2:04PM

(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) Saturday night at the Conference 6 swim championships at Yorktown High School, two Arlington high school swimmers proved what their coaches and teammates already knew: they can swim with anyone in the state.

Yorktown’s Suzanne Dolan captured titles in the girls’ 50- and 100-yard freestyle races and swam the anchor for two relay teams that qualified for the state championships. Washington-Lee’s Jay Delancey won the boys’ 200-yard freestyle, came in 3rd in the 100-yard butterfly and anchored the Generals’ first-place 400-yard relay team that surprised almost everyone in the pool with its win.

APS to Open Two Hours Late

By ARLnow.com

Published January 29, 2014 at 9:00AM

Arlington Public Schools are opening on a two hour delay today.

“There will be no elementary early release and all morning field trips are canceled,” the school system said in an email. “The Extended Day program will also open two hours late. All administrative offices and the pools will open on time.”

APS to Open on a Two Hour Delay

By ARLnow.com

Published January 23, 2014 at 12:05AM | Updated January 23, 2014 at 1:01AM

After a five-day weekend, Arlington public school students will be going back to class Thursday, albeit on a two hour delay.

“All Arlington Public Schools will open two hours late on Thursday,” according to Arlington Public Schools Director of Communication Jennifer Harris. “The Extended Day program will also open two hours late. All APS offices will open on time. Morning field trips will be cancelled.”

Wednesday: APS Closed, Feds Delay Opening, ART Service Limited

By ARLnow.com

Published January 21, 2014 at 10:20PM | Updated January 22, 2014 at 8:33AM

Update at 8:15 a.m. — County government offices and courts will open at 10:00 a.m. From Arlington Alert: “County plows are working around the clock, but road conditions remain slippery. If you must drive, please exercise caution.”

Arlington Public Schools will be closed Wednesday.

School Board Considers Scrapping 600-Seat Glencarlyn Elementary School

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 17, 2014 at 10:00AM | Updated January 17, 2014 at 1:13PM

Despite voters approving $4.5 million in design costs for the school in a 2012 referendum, the Board is looking at diverting that investment to prepare for middle school overcrowding in the coming years, which is projected to be more serious than the capacity issues in elementary schools.

School Board Chair Abby Raphael, in a letter sent to parents and community members who have inquired about the issue, says its updated projections call for elementary schools in Arlington to be 3 percent over capacity in FY 2019, while middle schools are projected to be 16 percent over capacity in the same time period.

School Board Approves $46.5 Million Williamsburg School

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 10, 2014 at 2:00PM

The Arlington School Board approved the final design and budget for the $46.5 million elementary school adjacent to Williamsburg Middle School on Thursday.

The 28-classroom building, at the corner of N. Harrison Street and 36th Street, will have a 630-student capacity and is being built to help alleviate elementary school overcrowding in North Arlington.

APS Announces Plan for Make-Up Days

By Katie Pyzyk

Published January 8, 2014 at 9:45AM | Updated January 8, 2014 at 10:11AM

Although technically there were three days off due to inclement weather — December 9 and 10 and January 3 — only January 3 needs to be made up. December 9 and 10 do not have to be made up because additional instructional hours were already built into the calendar.

The altered schedule only applies to elementary schools with Early Release, which includes Arlington Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Long Branch, Nottingham, Oakridge, Taylor and Tuckahoe. Because additional instructional hours had already been built in for middle schools, high schools and elementary schools with Limited Early Release, those schools do not have to make up the time. Limited Early Release elementary schools include Abingdon, Ashlawn, Barcroft, Barrett, Campbell, Carlin Springs, Claremont, Drew, Glebe, Henry, Hoffman-Boston, Jamestown, Key, McKinley and Randolph.

Greeley Would Be First Openly Gay Man on Arlington School Board

By Ethan Rothstein

Published January 7, 2014 at 4:05PM | Updated January 7, 2014 at 10:30PM

Greg Greeley is not your typical suburban School Board candidate. A single gay man, a father of two adopted boys, and an Air Force veteran, Greeley breaks the mold in more ways than one.

This might be big news elsewhere in the country. In Arlington, however, Greeley is just running to succeed another mold-breaker.