School Board Approves High School Boundary Refinements

At last night’s meeting, the School Board approved high school boundary refinements to balance enrollment and space utilization among the three APS comprehensive high schools by the 2020-21 school year. The Board selected High School Boundary Refinement Option #4, which will move the following High School Planning Unit numbers:

1. Planning Unit Numbers # 1302, 1303, 1304, 2312, 2313 and 2314 will move from the current Washington-Lee High School boundary to the Yorktown High School boundary zone.
2. Planning Unit Numbers # 4611, 4612, 4614, 4815, 4816, 4818, 4828 and 4829 will move from the current Washington-Lee High School boundary to the Wakefield High School boundary zone.

These high school refinement changes will apply to the incoming freshman class in September 2017 and to all subsequent freshman cohorts. These changes will also apply to all high school students who are newly-enrolled in the Arlington Public Schools beginning in September 2017, regardless of their grade level.

Changes to high school boundaries will not affect students currently enrolled in the three APS comprehensive high schools. Additionally, students who will have older siblings who will be enrolled concurrently in Washington-Lee High School over the next four years will be allowed to transfer to Washington-Lee. APS transportation will be provided for those siblings who live in neighborhoods that qualify for transportation.  This sibling transfer option will be available to eligible freshman students for the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.

Comprehensive information about the boundary refinements process is available at https://aps2016.apsva.us/aps-boundaries and the full presentation on refinement options is available in BoardDocs. The online Boundary Locator Tool on the APS website will be updated next week, and updated boundary information will also be available to families at High School Information Night, scheduled on Mon, Dec. 12 from 7-9 p.m. at Washington-Lee High School.

ACTION ITEMS:
School Board 2018 Budget Direction: The School Board approved its FY 2018 budget direction, which provides guidance for the Superintendent to develop a proposed budget that will meet the growing enrollment needs of the school division. The budget direction prioritizes increased compensation for staff; supports continued investment in initiatives to meet the needs of the whole child and provide 21st century learning opportunities; provides full staffing for growing enrollment; and assumes full funding from the County’s transfer to pay for critical needs of the school division.

Revision of School Board Policy 35-8.1: The School Board approved a revision to the Salary Policy that requires the Superintendent to include a step increase in the annual proposed operating budget. The School Board will determine if sufficient funding is available to pay for it each fiscal year.

Summer School Fees: The School Board approved changes to the fee structure for Summer School in 2017. More information is available in BoardDocs.

Lease for Additional Space at Sequoia Plaza Two: The School Board approved a lease agreement that would provide additional space to move all remaining APS administrative offices and support services after Jan. 1, 2018. It would include relocation of all offices currently located at the Education Center at 1426 N. Quincy Street, to the Syphax Education Center at 2110 Washington Boulevard. The relocation of staff would allow the current Education Center building to be considered as a possibility for a new High School Instructional focus, planned for 2022.

INFORMATION ITEMS:
Revision of School Board Policy 35-6.2 Retirement: Staff proposed a change to the School Board cash match on employee contributions that would send it directly into 403(b)/457(b) accounts instead of a separate 403(a) account.

RECOGNITIONS:
The School Board recognized Arlington Career Center students Daniela Londono and Sarah Strunk, who teamed up to win first place in the fifth annual student video challenge, sponsored by the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA). The students’ video submission was selected from 86 entries that were received, and this is the fourth consecutive year that a team from the Arlington Career Center has been awarded first place in the contest.

The School Board also recognized Assistant Superintendent John Chadwick, Energy Manager Cathy Lin and all staff in the Department of Facilities and Operations, who helped APS earn platinum certification in the VSBA Green Schools Challenge. In the challenge, schools are awarded points for their efforts in several areas, such as energy efficiency, green buildings, waste management, vehicles, indoor environmental quality, employee incentives, student involvement, collaboration with local government, and innovation.

The United Way expressed its appreciation to the School Board for the school division’s ongoing support and participation in the annual fundraising campaign. The United Way presented a plaque recognizing APS for raising more than $53,000 through APS employee contributions last year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Citizens who want to comment on any of the items discussed at the School Board meeting should email the Board at school.board@apsva.us or call 703-228-6015. Citizens may call 703-228-2400 on the Monday after the School Board meetings to listen to a meeting summary. School Board meetings are also broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS Channel 41; live-streamed on the APS website, and re-broadcast on Fridays at 9 p.m. and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the meeting. All materials and minutes of the meeting will be posted to the website at aps2016.apsva.us/schoolboard upon School Board approval at a subsequent meeting.