April 26, 2018
Alcova Heights Citizens’ Association
Meeting Minutes
President Lander Allin called the meeting to order at 7:08pm. There were about 25 people in attendance.
Virginia Delegate Alfonso Lopez provided an overview of the 2018 VA Legislative session in the House. The dynamics have changed somewhat because of shifts in the make up of the VA Leg. At the same time, many policies that Arlington representatives bring forth still fail. Medicaid expansion did pass in Virginia. And the felony threshold increase passed (raised from $250 which was the third lowest threshold in the country.) Now it is $500. He wants to work to get it to $1500. VA also passed dedicated $500M funding for WMATA.
The Senate and House will return week of May 14th for budget work. The end of June is the deadline to pass the budget.
Question from neighbor to Del. Lopez about redistricting – Arlington population just rises. There are three court cases – Betheun case already went to VA Supreme Court which passed 5-3. Arlington is the largest diverse district – we are majority minority. It was remanded to 4th Circuit Rocket Docket so we’re still waiting for the release of the decision. (VA exceeded racially gerrymandered district provisions 41% of any minority in the district.) When it comes down it will probably affect 31 districts in the state, not so much change in Northern Virginia.
VA Environment & Renewable Energy – the legislature passed 2 Solar Bills
Delegate Lopez is also proud now there are 5 Latino representatives in the House of Delegates.
Career Center Working Group (CCWG)
On-going updates for the CCWG are available on the APS website https://www.apsva.us/career-center/ccwg-follow-journey/
Maura McMahon is an Alcova Heights delegate for the CCWG. Lander Allin is a Pike Presidents Group member on the CCWG. Maura provided an overview of the group with assistance from Lander Allin and Lois Koontz.
CCWG Charge
- Develop a plan for adding 700-880 seats at Career Center by 2022.
- Provide options for optimizing future development within the study through phased development
- Study area includes the Career Center block plus the commercial block to the south along the Pike
Fleet & Reed elementary school construction projects are underway. The H-B Woodlawn program is moving, current bldg. will become a new Middle School.
There is a hybrid plan to add 500-600 HS seats at the Education Center. There’s a goal to add 800 seats to the Career Center for a total of 1300 seats
The Career Center site is a 12 acre site, currently educating 1,460 students
- Career Center Building
- Career and Technical Education (CTE) program (900 total students; 300 on site at a time in 3 daily shifts)
- Additional full-day programs
(Teen Parenting, HILT, Academic Academy – 150 students)
- Arlington Tech program
(150 students with plans to grow to 600 (2022) and 800 long-term)
- Columbia Pike Library (approx. 20,000 square feet)
- Arlington Community High School (former Fenwick Building)
- Includes specialized high school library
(300 total students; no more than 200 on site at a time)
- Patrick Henry Elementary School
- Future home of Montessori program when Patrick Henry moves to new Fleet ES in 2019
- Includes several relocatables on field (463 seat capacity/660 total students)
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
There is a lot of crossover within these programs. They are incredibly diverse. They are the Gifted and the Technical, the programs augment one another.
No growth is charted (officially planed for CTE and ALT programs – they’re projected as flat despite growth in seats/demand)
The Site Study
There are two parcels the North Block is the APS owned site. The South Block is privately owned –Ethiopian Development Group (ECDC), commercial strip Subway. Does not include McDonald’s etc. – they were not invited at the beginning. Any discussions with the commercial entities are private and the CCWG is not privy to anything that may be discussed with them. The AT&T Building is full of equipment, not people.
Virginia’s New Profile of a High School Graduate
Yorktown, Wakefield, Washington-Lee ~2000-2300 actual capacity at each school, permitted for 1600 originally, each is accommodating more than 2000 students currently.
Initial plans are talking potentially significantly more than that on this site. The Career Center site could have a larger concentration of students without amenities found at other schools. It is a 12 acre site.
The CCWG has been in very strong agreement about the need for amenities on site with the exception of the playing fields and the pool.
There is also a library subcommittee because the Columbia Pike library is situated within the site. There is consensus the library needs to stay at the site and there is some push to put it more directly on Columbia Pike. The library could possibly relocate to the South Block ECDC site. The group generally supports the library on the Pike.
The group overwhelmingly supports this ideas if they can be done right. Part of the stipulation of the charge is that 2019 programs must be on site in 2022-23 (This includes Montessori at Henry.)
Scenarios
Scenario 1 – 2,500 total students on campus (2050 high school)
Scenario 2 – 3,000 total students on campus (2,550 high school)
Arlington Heights residents have called for a comprehensive HS with a neighborhood school with a pool. It could mean a neighborhood school or it could be a choice school.
CCWG has consensus on another of objectives:
- A thoughtful, well-designed approach crown jewel of the Pike
- The need to have amenities here regardless of the seats allotted.
- Beyond the school uses, parks are needed
- Broad agreement that the library should remain within this project
Within CCWG there are differing preferences about a neighborhood vs. choice school.
Funding and County resources are a top concern in addressing the need for seats. Alcova Heights residents are encouraged to learn more about school projects through https://www.apsva.us/engage/
Elementary School Walk Zones/Districting
Arlington County is also currently working on elementary school redistricting due to elementary school construction projects, including the development of Alice Fleet Elementary school which borders Alcova Heights.
Alex Stevens has been participating in the elementary school boundary process for Alcova Heights and provided an update on the walk zone phase of the process.
Information about the elementary school boundary process is available at https://www.apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change/
Bylaws Committee
The committee reviewing the civic association bylaws will meet with the board next Thursday.
Upcoming Events
5/19 Alcova Heights Park Clean Up – Larry Yungk 8:30-11am at the park
9/29 Alcova Heights Block Party – will be on and hosted by 6th St
The next AHCA meeting is in September
The AHCA board election will take place at the November meeting
Alcova Heights 