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Community Forum to Address Bullying of LGBT Youth

Published March 2, 2012 at 9:35AM

How can students and teachers help reduce the bullying of LGBT youth in our schools? That’s the subject of a public forum to be held in Arlington next weekend.

The Northern Virginia chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is inviting all interested parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders, residents and youth to discuss “what can be done to make schools safer for all students.” The forum is being held from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, at the Unitarian Church of Arlington (4444 Arlington Blvd).

APS Budget Includes Class Size Increase, Raise for Employees

By ARLnow.com

Published February 27, 2012 at 12:05PM | Updated February 27, 2012 at 1:13PM

At $493.8 million, the proposed budget is a 3.9 percent increase over FY 2012. The increase reflects, among other things, a 2 percent increase in the APS salary scales — Dr. Murphy says the increase is a reflection of the “cost of competing” with other Northern Virginia school systems for quality teachers and staff — and 3.9 percent growth in student enrollment.

Student enrollment is projected to jump by 857 students, from 21,841 to 22,698. APS calculates that growing enrollment will cost $1.8 million for the purchase of 16 new relocatable classrooms and $2.2 million in additional staffing costs. Though the overall budget is flat in terms of per-student spending, the official “per pupil” cost — as calculated under a set formula that differs from just looking at the overall budget — will actually increase from $18,047 to $18,400.

Nine iPads Stolen from Elementary School

By ARLnow.com

Published February 23, 2012 at 11:58AM | Updated February 23, 2012 at 3:36PM

A total of nine Apple iPads were stolen from Ashlawn Elementary School. School officials sent an email to parents on Friday informing them of the theft.

“We realized the iPads were missing early this morning and took immediate action to try to locate the devices,” the email said. “The police and the central office have been notified and the matter is currently under investigation. Please be assured that Ashlawn has taken multiple measures to keep the technology in our building secure. We are, however, considering additional ways to keep our equipment secure while maintaining the ease of access to staff and students.”

Video: Washington-Lee Basketball Buzzer Beater

By ARLnow.com

Published February 22, 2012 at 1:45PM

A YouTube video of an amazing half-court buzzer beater in a key game between Washington-Lee and Wakefield is making the rounds today among local hoops fans.

School Capacity Update To Be Held Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Published February 15, 2012 at 3:48PM

The public meeting is being held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs Road). School officials are expected to discuss the dozens of building options they’re considering in an effort to address the school system’s capacity crisis.

Officials have proposed adding 7,000 seats to the school system over the next 10 years to address the growth of Arlington’s K-12 student population. According to APS projections presented to parents on Feb. 8, school enrollment is expected to continue to grow from 21,519 in 2011 to approximately 30,000 in 2021 (excluding alternative education programs).

Morning Poll: Middle School Block Scheduling

By ARLnow.com

Published February 13, 2012 at 9:53AM

A plan to implement block scheduling at Arlington’s five middle schools has been greeted with resistance from parents.

Block scheduling allows extended classes for core subjects — like math and science — in order to increase instruction time. In a Washington Post article that termed block scheduling a “fad,” Arlington Public Schools officials said the system gives teachers greater flexibility for creative and personalized instruction.

Activities Fair Kicks Off Summer Camp Catalog Distribution

By Katie Pyzyk

Published February 9, 2012 at 11:00AM

Catalog distribution will kick off at the Summer Activities Fair at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 S. 2nd St.) tomorrow night from 6:00-8:00 p.m. More than 100 exhibitors will highlight summer activities for children from ages 3-17. Anyone who participated in a camp last year or specifically requested a catalog will receive it in the mail soon.

Registration for camps starts on Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 a.m. That’s the busiest registration day of the year, so online users are encouraged to have all camp and payment information on hand to make the process run more smoothly. Registration will also be accepted by fax and mail.

Tuckahoe Parents Upset With Relocatable Classroom Plan

By ARLnow.com

Published February 6, 2012 at 12:05PM | Updated February 6, 2012 at 12:45PM

Tuckahoe is one of the most overcrowded schools in a county school system plagued by a capacity crisis. Tuckahoe, designed to accommodate only 545 students, was projected to be at 130 percent capacity in 2012, with some 678 students. Enrollment is expected to balloon to nearly 150 percent capacity in 2017.

To temporarily help address the overcrowding, Arlington Public Schools is planning to add four new relocatable classrooms at Tuckahoe before the beginning of the next school year. That’s addition to the six mobile classrooms already in use at Tuckahoe.

Woman Facing Possible Jail Time for Booing Dance Performance

By ARLnow.com

Published January 30, 2012 at 5:00PM | Updated January 30, 2012 at 5:45PM

Jackie Carter was charged with disorderly conduct following an incident on April 30, 2011, in which she booed a Bowen McCauley Dance Company performance at Kenmore Middle School. The incident was detailed by the Afro newspaper last week, and then picked up by the Washington City Paper on Friday.

The performance, which featured live music by a Kenmore Middle School band, included a dance number that Carter said she found to be “racist and offensive to African-Americans and African American women especially.”

School Board Delays Block Scheduling Decision

By Katie Pyzyk

Published January 23, 2012 at 9:30AM

The change, which has been in the works since 2007, would extend core class times — for subjects like English, math, social studies, science and world languages — while reducing the number of classes per day. Longer “block” periods for sixth graders would be 76 minutes, and would increase to 93 minutes for seventh and eighth graders. Electives would remain at the current, shorter length.

An APS staff presentation to the School Board on the block scheduling plan, originally scheduled for March, has now been pushed back to May. Murphy said the delay will “provide additional time to continue to our ongoing dialogue with families.”

APS Employees Meet With Apple Execs

By Katie Pyzyk

Published January 20, 2012 at 9:54AM

Some of the attendees included School Board Member Libby Garvey and Superintendent Patrick Murphy. APS Spokeswoman Linda Erdos notes that of the 12, Garvey was the only one who traveled on her own dime.

As pointed out by the Arlington County Taxpayers Association, some think the trip was an excessive expense, especially considering Arlington spends more per student than any school system in the region. But APS believes it was well worth it.

Caps Players Visit Randolph Elementary

By ARLnow.com

Published January 17, 2012 at 3:15PM | Updated January 17, 2012 at 7:25PM

Defensemen Mike Green and Karl Alzner joined assistant coach Jim Johnson and mascot SlapShot at the school for “Capitals Hockey School.” The players answered questions from students in the school’s gymnasium before conducting a floor hockey clinic for 175 third through sixth graders.

“Alzner and Green instructed the students on basic hockey skills such as stick-handling, passing and shooting,” the Capitals noted in a press release. “The students were then called on to try out the skills in front of their peers.”