To prepare for the opening of the new Alice W. Fleet Elementary School and Drew Elementary as a full neighborhood school in 2019, and a new elementary school at the Reed site in 2021, Arlington Public Schools is putting in place plans to develop new elementary school boundaries between now and November 2018.  The School Board held a Work Session January 23 on elementary boundaries to discuss the scope and timeline of this work. At this session, staff proposed a two-phased approach.The School Board held a Work Session January 23 (video and presentation)* on elementary boundaries to discuss the scope and timeline of this work. Maps presented at the work session included: Current and Future Elementary Schools, Current Resident K-5 Students by Planning Unit,  Current Resident K-5 Students in Walk Zones**NOTE: The January 23 School Board work session presentation and Current Resident K-5 Students in Walk Zones map show possible areas of expansion of the current walk zones. This was based on the work of the Walk Zone Work Group (WZWG). The WZWG is a subgroup of the Joint Committee on Transportation Choices (JCTC), the staff component to the Advisory Committee on Transportation Choices (ACTC). The maps will help inform the walk zone review process. At this session, staff proposed a two-phased approach.

• Phase 1: Review of Elementary School Walk Zones and School Locations  (For School Board action Spring 2018) Staff will review the location of each elementary neighborhood and option school—and their walk zones—to consider revising the placement of the elementary option schools (Arlington Traditional, Campbell, Claremont, Key and Primary Montessori) to more strategically serve students in neighborhoods where they live, based on current enrollment data, as well as many other considerations. This could result in changing the locations of some option and neighborhood schools, while maintaining the same number of elementary neighborhood and option schools.
• Phase 2: Elementary School Boundary Process (For School Board action November 2018) After the School Board makes a decision in Spring 2018 about whether or not to move the location of any elementary option or neighborhood school(s), staff will make preparations over the summer for a boundary process in Fall 2018. The fall process will focus on engaging the community in the process to revise all neighborhood elementary school attendance zones through boundary adjustments.

Recent Past Events:

• April 12 – School Board Work Session
• April 12 – Staff will post analysis
• April 16-21 – Community Input
  • Attend a Staff Office Hour session (Spanish-speaking staff available)
    • Monday, April 16: 7-8:30 p.m. in Wakefield H.S. cafeteria
    • Friday, April 20: 7:30-9 a.m. at the Education Center, Room 101
    • Saturday, April 21: 9:30-11 a.m. in Kenmore M.S. cafeteria