School Board Discusses Next Steps at Work Session on Facilities Planning and Instruction

At a School Board Work Session held Tue, Aug. 30, School Board members discussed a variety of instructional and facilities topics related to the adopted FY 2017-26 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and provided guidance and direction to staff for moving forward. Topics and direction included the following:

• Options for Balancing High School Enrollment
  The School Board requested that staff bring back a plan to engage the community in a high school boundary refinement process this fall. The Board will act on the proposed changes later this year after the community engagement process, and will make a decision before the High School Information Night on December 12. The changes will only affect students entering high school as rising ninth graders in the fall of 2017. Additional adjustments to the admissions and transfers policy will also be considered to allow students a choice in high schools with transportation to the extent that capacity allows.

• Profile of a Virginia Graduate and High School Redesign
  Staff in the Department of Instruction will continue to follow the work of the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) as they finalize the Virginia Profile of a Graduate and potential revisions to diploma requirements.  The profile is being developed to describe the knowledge, skills, competencies, and experiences students should have as they prepare for college and careers.  The profile includes an emphasis on content knowledge, workplace skills, community engagement and civic responsibility, and career exploration.  VDOE is planning that freshman students in 2018 will be the first class of students to be impacted by this work, graduating with the new diploma requirements in 2022.  For more information, visit the VDOE website.

• Additional High School Seats
  The Education Center site was discussed as the location for adding at least 1,000 of the proposed 1,300 additional high school seats included in the adopted FY 2017-26 CIP.

• Arlington Tech at the Career Center
  Staff will move forward with the first phase of the planned expansion of Arlington Tech which will include partial renovation of the existing facility at the Career Center to be completed for the fall of 2018.  This summer, Arlington Community High School moved from the Career Center to the nearby Fenwick building, which opened up space for Arlington Tech’s expansion and renovation.  This aligns with Arlington Tech’s plan to increase enrollment in the future.

• Future Use of the Reed Building
  The Reed Building will be used as the temporary location for students in the Stratford Program during the 2018-19 school year while construction at the Stratford building is underway. The Reed Building was included in the School Board’s adopted FY 2017-26 CIP as the location for a new elementary school to open in the fall of 2021.

• Aurora Hills Community and Senior Center
  As recommended in the Arlington Community Facilities Study, the School Board will collaborate with the County Board to create a joint APS/County Strategic Facilities Planning Committee to address coordinated planning and use of facilities and properties throughout Arlington. The Aurora Hills Community and Senior Center is one such property under consideration for joint use and redevelopment.

• Trades Center
  As recommended in the Arlington Community Facilities Study, the APS/County Strategic Facilities Planning Committee will also consider how and where to provide additional space for parking buses and storing equipment, due to limited space at the Trades Center site in Shirlington.