Please read more about two proposed plans that would impact Lyon Village elementary schools and neighborhood elementary school choice.  Even if you are not sending your child to Science Focus, or Arlington Traditional and/or you live outside of the "planning units" that are mentioned, please send a message to School Board Member Libby Garvey expressing your concern about splintering the Lyon Village community by cleaving the area west of 17th Street from the Taylor-Science Focus-Key school district.

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School Board Proposes Two Changes
Why:

In an attempt to address the problem of overcrowding in the elementary schools, the Superintendent has proposed moving Arlington Science Focus School (ASFS) or Arlington Traditional School (ATS) to the Wilson building site in five to six years.  Along with moving either school, three planning units (2319,2320,2321) within walking distance of Science Focus, including two within the Lyon Village community, will either become part of new neighborhood school at what is now ASFS or a new neighborhood school at what is now ATS.

These planning units are now part of the Taylor District and will be taken out of the team when they become part of the new school.  The link to street names for those planning units, or blocks within a neighborhood, is as follows:

http://www2.apsva.us/15401081152149600/lib/15401081152149600/taylor.pdf

School Choice:

Presently, Lyon Village is part of a team of schools – Key School, Arlington Science Focus School, Taylor Elementary and Jamestown Elementary.  As parents, we can “choose” which school best fits our child, enter a lottery for that school (that only schools within the team can be part of) and if a spot is open we place our child in the school we have chosen.  Although there would be an opportunity to go to a “neighborhood school” by taking two planning units out of Lyon Village, school choice has been removed for those parents.

What can you do?

You need to act NOW since the School Board will be making their final decision on December 18th.  On December 4th there will be a Public Hearing where you can speak about this issue. You can register to speak at that meeting starting next Wednesday, Nov. 26.  If you would like to speak, please plan on registering early since there are a limited number of speaking spots.   To do so, go to the Arlington County Public Schools website – click on School Board and on the left side under “Contents” Click on “Sign up to Speak at a School Board Meeting”. Even if you don’t want to speak, your presence can make a difference.

 
What else can you do?

Attend an informational meeting:

On Monday, November 24th at 7:00 p.m. at Arlington Science Focus School, 1501 N. Lincoln Street, in the Multi-purpose room, members of the ASFS community will provide history of this situation, discuss why the PTA voted against the proposed move and let you know what you can do to help.

Write the Board - We have only a few weeks left to let the School Board know our community does not support the Superintendent's proposal to move ASFS or the removing of planning units/school choice from our community.   We need everyone to get involved to stop this proposal!

The School Board members are Abby Raphael, Ed Fendly, Sally Baird, Libby Garvey, and Frank Wilson   - email schoolbd@arlington.k12.va.us