Fall 2021 Boundary Process: Wakefield to Washington-Liberty

Rationale | Proposal | Summary of Student Data | Process Timeline | Community Engagement| Return to main page

Status Update

• Dec 2 – School Board Action Item on Superintendent’s Proposal for Boundary Adjustments and Elementary Immersion Feeder for the 2022-23 School Year
  • Presentation
  • Meeting Recording (Presentation begins at 1:32:17)
• November 16 – School Board Information Item – Superintendent’s Proposal for Boundary Adjustments and Elementary Immersion Feeder Schools for the 2022-23 School Year
  • Presentation
  • Meeting Recording (Presentation begins at 3:19:18)
• November 3 – School Board Work Session to review the boundary proposals, immersion feeders, Q&A
  • Recording | Presentation
• October 20 – Virtual Community Meeting (SPANISH Only,No English)
  • Recording | Presentation
• October 19- Virtual Community Meeting
  • Recording | Presentation (See Oct. 16 presentation- same presentation)
• October 16- Virtual Community Meeting #1 (11:00-12:30)
  • Recording | Presentation
• October 15-
  • School Talk notification message to families in planning units (46110, 46111, 46120, 48160, 48180, 48290, 46140, 48150, 48280, 48281) proposed for reassignment from Wakefield to Washington-Liberty
    • Gr. 8  Notification- English | Spanish | Amharic | Arabic | Mongolian
    • Gr. 9-11 Notification – English | Spanish | Amharic | Arabic | Mongolian

• •  Intent form –  emailed to families in affected planning units from (apsboundaries@apsva.us). Please complete online through email link by October 31.
    • Gr. 8  Form- English | Spanish | Amharic | Arabic | Mongolian
    • Gr. 9-11 Form – English | Spanish | Amharic | Arabic | Mongolian

NOTE:

• • • If unable to complete the intent form online through the email link that was sent, other ways to complete include:
      • Download or obtain a paper copy of the form from the Bilingual Family Liaison or main office of your student’s school and then return completed form back to the main office OR
      • Send completed form OR photo of the completed form via email to apsboundaries@apsva.us 
      • If you need assistance completing this form, please email apsboundaries@apsva.us or contact the main office of your student’s school and ask to speak with the bilingual family liaison.

Rationale for Wakefield to Washington-Liberty Boundary Change

• Wakefield is the only high school where enrollment currently exceeds the permanent building capacity ​
• The proposed high school boundary adjustments aim to bring enrollment at Wakefield to more manageable levels for 2022-23 by utilizing the available capacity at Washington-Liberty, and ​
• The proposed adjustments focus on planning units that were moved from Washington-Liberty to Wakefield in the 2016 high school boundary process
• The planning units proposed for reassignment does not turn any walkers into bus riders as they are outside of the walk zone for all the schools involved

High School Capacity Utilization based on Jan. 2022 Capacity and Sept. 30, 2021 Enrollment)

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Wakefield to Washington-Liberty Boundary Adjustment Proposal

Objectives:

• Move some planning units from Wakefield to Washington-Liberty to bring enrollment at Wakefield to more manageable levels in 2022-23 by utilizing the available  capacity at Washington-Liberty​
• Plan for IB capacity – consider reducing the waitlist by increasing the number lottery seats offered to students at Yorktown and Wakefield
  • Planning for IB capacity avoids the mistake in the 2017 M.S. Boundary process where the proposal did not accurately account for students from other schools attending Immersion and Montessori at Gunston.

Proposal:  ​

• Reassign 10 Planning Units  (46110, 46111, 46120, 48160, 48180, 48290, 46140, 48150, 48280, 48281) from Wakefield to Washington-Liberty (effective 2022-23)​
• Communities Impacted: ● Penrose ● Foxcroft Heights ● Arlington View ● Columbia Heights​
• Applies as students enter high school (grade 9 or new to APS) beginning in 2022-23​
• Current Gr. 9-11 Wakefield students in affected planning units will not be reassigned to W-L but may attend W-L (newly assigned neighborhood school) beginning in 2022-23​
• Current Gr. 9-11 Wakefield students who remain at Wakefield will be provided APS transportation via Hub Stops​
• Students attending W-L will be provided transportation​
• Planning units are not in the walk zone for either Wakefield or W-L. Proposal does not turn any walkers into bus riders​
• In addition, targeted transfers may be offered if needed for current Wakefield and/or Yorktown students to attend Washington-Liberty for the 2022-23 school year

Proposed Grandfathering with Transportation ​

• • Current Grade 9-11 students can remain at Wakefield​
  • APS transportation will be provided to eligible students via hub stops

Impact of boundary proposal on future processes

• Reassigning planning units on the eastern edge of the county helps preserve flexibility and options in the next boundary process​

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Summary of Student Data

• Data tables include counts of currently enrolled (Sept. 30, 2021) Gr. 6-8 students who reside in planning units (46110, 46111, 46120,46140, 48150, 48160, 48180, 48280, 48281,48290) proposed for reassignment from Wakefield to Washington-Liberty
  • Excludes students in PU attending option schools
• The boundary proposal applies to all incoming Grade 9 students (currently in Grade 8 in 2021-22) and all other new and future incoming high school students. ​
• Current Gr. 9-11 Wakefield students in affected planning units will not be reassigned to W-L but may attend W-L (newly assigned neighborhood school) beginning in 2022-23)

Data sheet will be posted on Wednesday, October 20

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Boundary Process Timeline

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Community Engagement

Public Participation Goal – Consult*

• Obtain feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decision​

Support Transitions​

• Staff will connect with families whose students will be reassigned to a different school in the proposals to ensure they understand the proposed changes and respond to have questions and concerns they have.
• Work with affected families to support them in transitions

*Source: sustainingcommunity.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/spectrum-of-public-participation

Virtual Community Meeting – Short presentation of proposal followed by Q&A

• The same information will be presented at each session​
• Simultaneous interpretation available in Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, and Mongolian​
• English not available at the Spanish Only sessions​
• Meetings will be recorded and posted on the Fall 2021 Boundary Process Engage page

Virtual Open Office Hours – Q&A session only

• Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Spanish​
• Meetings will be recorded and posted on the Fall 2021 Boundary Process Engage page

Outreach

• The community engagement schedule and links to the virtual community meetings and open office hours was communicated to families through multiple channels beginning on Sept. 30.​
• Families will be notified of the proposal on Oct. 15  and those in affected planning units who would be impacted in school year 2022-23 will receive additional communication​
• In addition, P&E will be working collaboratively with Bilingual Family Liaisons to conduct targeted outreach to the families in affected planning units