APS 2018-19 Fall Ambassador Meeting September 17, 2018 APS 2018-19 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

APS 2018-19 Fall Ambassador Meeting

September 17, 2018

APS 2018-19 Fall Ambassador Meeting

Welcome

Patrick K. Murphy, Ed.D. Superintendent

Welcome to the 2018-19 School Year

APS Student Enrollment

• First Day Enrollment: 27,522 students
• Spring projections: 28,022
• September 30, 2017 Official Count: 26,941
• 581 more students than last year’s official Sept. 30 count
• Enrollment will continue to fluctuate this month

−

Final/Official Enrollment will be counted on September 30

Getting Ready for the Future

Preparing for New Schools

• Opening in September 2019

− Alice W. Fleet Elementary School − Drew as a full neighborhood school − New middle school at Stratford − H-B Woodlawn and Stratford programs at Wilson site − Montessori program at Henry site

• Opening in September 2021

New elementary school at Reed Expansion of W-Lee into redeveloped Education

Center

Adopt New Elementary School Boundaries Monitor and provide resources to open, relocate or refocus five schools/programs in Sept. 2019

2018-19 School Board Action Plan

New Policies & Policy Revisions Operational Planning

Review, update and/or adopt policies on:

Inclusion (students learn in shared environment) School Board Policies (Section A, formerly Section 10) Acceptable Use (staff & social media) Equity Pre-K Programs Options & Transfers Follow-up Other policies scheduled for revisions

Adopt 2018-24 Strategic Plan – Performance Objectives Approve PreK-12 Instructional Program Pathways Adopt the FY 2020 Budget Review the Evaluation of 1 to 1 Approve School Naming Recommendations Monitor and approve plans to strengthen Safety & Security

New Schools & Program Moves (2019) Capital Initiatives

Approve Schematic Design for renovation of the Ed Center Receive and review the Career Center Working Group’s report and plan for next steps

Additional Focus in Support of the 2018-24 Strategic Plan Goals

Monitor to ensure that all students make equitable progress Emphasize system-wide consistency in the delivery of instruction and student supports Ensure that all schools develop and strengthen plans to support the “whole child” Ensure continued emphasis on recruiting, hiring and nurturing diverse staff Monitor allocation of resources and assets to address enrollment growth Monitor plans to identify community opportunities to help students become “life ready”

APS Community Engagement

• Informing community members about countywide APS initiatives

− Post timelines and materials at www.aspva.us/engage − Present to groups and share information at events − Partner with Schools, Ambassadors, CCPTA and PTAs − Distribute via School Talk and social media channels

• Gathering community input

− Seek questions and comments at community meetings and via questionnaires − Obtain input from Ambassadors and PTAs − Hear from residents at engage@apsva.us

APS 2018-19 Fall Ambassador Meeting

Thank you for serving as an Ambassador!

Meeting Agenda

I. Introductions

• II. APS School Ambassador Program
• III. Update: 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Plan
• IV. Status Update on Recent Initiatives
• V. Initial Initiatives for 2018-19 School Year
• VI. Additional Q&A and Wrap-up

APS School Ambassador Program

Ambassador Program Overview

Kathy Mimberg

Coordinator of Community Engagement APS Planning & Evaluation

School Ambassadors

• About 50 Ambassadors from 30 schools/programs
• Each school/program has 1-2 Ambassadors – some schools

benefit from having an Ambassador who speaks Spanish, Arabic or another language

• List of Ambassadors at www.apsva.us/engage
• Ambassadors receive weekly bilingual email updates from APS
• Two Ambassador meetings per year: Fall and Winter

Ambassador Program Overview

School Ambassador Role

• Distribute information from weekly updates to your school

community so families are up to date on APS initiatives

• Provide details and links from Ambassador updates that help

families get engaged with APS

• Share questions and concerns you hear with staff so these can

inform FAQs and other communications with the community

Ambassador Program Overview

Sample Weekly Update

Ambassador Program Overview

Other Examples of Information Provided to Ambassadors:

Links to:

Ambassador Program Overview

School Ambassador Communication Options

• Copy blurbs from the Ambassador update in the PTA newsletter
• Post updates on the school or PTA website
• Provide a brief update at a PTA meeting or other school event
• Share information to families via email listserv or WhatsApp text
• Post information on PTA or school social media
• Print items from the updates and post on school bulletin boards

Every school community has preferred communication channels -- touch base with your school principal, PTA leadership and others

Ambassador Program Overview

Example: W-L High School PTA Newsletter

Example: Oakridge Elementary PTA Email

Example: Kenmore Hispanic Parents Association WhatsApp Text Message

Ambassador Feedback

• Questions/Concerns/Suggestions from community members
• We want to clarify any confusion or misperceptions in the

community

• Let us know how this program is working and share your ideas

Your feedback is important as we seek to help families stay informed and engaged. Thank you!

Ambassador Program Overview

Recent Initiatives

Update: 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Plan

Lida Anestidou & Laura Saul Edwards

2018 Arlington School Bond Co-Chairs

Recent Initiatives

Status Update on Recent Initiatives

Lisa Stengle

Executive Director, Planning & Evaluation

Updates on Recent Initiatives

2018-24 Strategic Plan

Completed in 2017-18 October 2017 through May 2018 The Strategic Plan Steering Committee developed the Superintendent’s proposed Strategic

• Plan. The committee represented the range of APS stakeholders and used community input to

shape the plan. June 7, 2018 The School Board adopted the Strategic Plan Mission, Vision and Core Values, and Goals and directed the Superintendent to return with performance objectives this fall. Next Steps October 4, 2018 School Board Adopts Performance Objectives Once adopted:

• Staff will focus on implementing the plan
• Communication makes it clear when different tasks are connected to the strategic plan
• Follow our progress on www.apsva.us/strategic-plan/

Updates on Recent Initiatives

Your Voice Matters Survey

First Year

• APS and Arlington Partnership on Children Youth and Families (APCYF) merged

questions from APS Community Satisfaction and Site-Based Surveys and the Assets Survey

• Survey of APS students, families and staff to provide the community with a snapshot
• f school climate, staff engagement, and student and family well-being
• A new vendor with comparison data from schools across the U.S.

Survey Results

• Countywide results will be released later this fall.
• Training for APS staff and the APCYF on using the results to:

− Identify strengths and areas for improvement that align with strategic plan goals − Begin to plan for next steps to ensure student success and well-being

Education Center

• The School Board voted to renovate this facility to

provide 500-600 additional high school seats as part of W-L by Sept. 2021.

• The Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC) began

this month; members will provide input and share information with the community on the design of the facility.

New School at Reed

• The BLPC process was completed in June and now the

design and construction phase will begin so this elementary school is ready to open in September 2021.

Updates on Recent Initiatives

Career Center

• The Career Center Working Group (CCWG) has been a joint School Board-County Board effort

to recommend how APS can use the facility for 800 more high school seats, while providing room for future development.

• The CCWG will present its recent report to the School Board and the County Board in October.
• Program for the school will be defined by PreK-12 Instructional Program Pathways.

Ambassadors will learn more about this at spring meeting. Note, this work will:

Be similar to Aspire 2 Excellence and Math Pathways (secondary level),

and will define the variety of entry points to the APS instructional programs found across all schools and grade levels.

Help to ensure that all families and students have access to

information about APS schools and programs, and how they align as students move through levels.

Updates on Recent Initiatives

Initial Initiatives in 2018-19 School Year

APS FY 2020 Budget

Leslie Peterson

Assistant Superintendent, Finance & Management

Initial 2018-19 Initiatives

APS FY 2020 Budget

• Budget development process is just beginning and will continue through fall
• Enrollment continues to grow, with the official count taking place on Sept. 30
• Currently forecasting a budget gap of approximately $43M

− Based on FY 2019 Adopted budget − Includes opening of 5 new schools/programs − Budget estimates will continue to be refined through the fall

• Resources available:

− Engage with APS! − Budget website: www.apsva.us/budget-finance − Citizen’s Guide to Understanding the Budget

Initial 2018-19 Initiatives

Reviewing School Board Policies

Julia Burgos

Chief of Staff, Office of Superintendent

Reviewing School Board Policies

Policy Review Team Structure

• Includes School Board clerk
• Comprised of one representative from each department
• Ownership of policies moves from individual to cross-representative

group

Policy Review Charge

• Determined priorities for 2017-18 and beyond
• Mapped a calendar for completion of review
• Reviews for overlapping content and cross-references with other

policies

Reviewing School Board Policies

Policy Review Team Members

• Melanie Elliott – School Board Office
• Julia Burgos – Superintendent’s Office
• Dr. Jeannette Allen – Administrative Services
• Helena Machado – Facilities & Operations
• David Webb – Finance & Management
• Brianna Cobbins– Human Resources
• Matt Smith – Information Services
• Helene Hartman – Planning & Evaluation
• Daryl Johnson– School & Community Relations
• Kathleen Bragaw – Teaching & Learning

NEW – Process for Policy Review

• Dept. reviews

policy with community stakeholder groups

ELT members review and approve suggested policy updates

Policies reviewed by Policy Review Team Department completes initial draft of updated policy Following meeting, policies revised as needed and prepared for Info (if needed)

• r Action

At meeting, members polled to determine which policies require discussion Board Chair & VC schedule policies for “Info” or Work Session Superintendent shares with the School Board New step

Policies Reorganized by Topic

All APS policies reorganized into the following 10 Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) categories (by topic):

Improved Policy Search Capability Using Existing BoardDocs Public Access

• Provided direct link on School Board web page to all policies,

with a search capability

• Former APS policy number and new policy number clearly

annotated in crosswalk documents

• Key instructions and messages on website to guide visitors on

navigating new search tool and numbers

Reviewing School Board Policies

School Naming Policy

Linda Erdos

Assistant Superintendent, School & Community Relations

Initial 2018-19 Initiatives

School Naming Policy Revised Criteria

Names of Individuals

• The individual played a critical role or contributed to society

in ways that supported the success and well-being of the individuals who live in Arlington County, the Commonwealth

• f Virginia or the United States, now and in the future.
• The individual’s “principal legacy” (i.e. the key activity,

advocacy or accomplishment for which the individual is most known) aligns with or reflects the APS mission, vision, and core values and beliefs.

• The individual has been deceased for five or more years.

School Naming Policy Revised Criteria

Geographical Names

• Names of places in the neighboring community, Arlington, or

Virginia.

• Emphasis should be placed on selecting names of landmarks or

places that have historic or geographic significance to the Arlington community’s history and the site.

School Naming Policy Revised Criteria

Other Considerations

• School/facility names may articulate aspirations of the educational
• utcomes for Arlington’s students;
• School/facility names may also reflect the instructional focus of

the school;

• School/facility names should consider the diverse community that

they serve;

• Proposed names should avoid

duplicating names of other schools in the region to prevent possible confusion with those schools.

Engagement for Naming & Renaming Processes

• Meeting schedules will be posted on Engage section of the APS website
• Interested members of the community may attend meetings to listen
• Each committee member will be charged with soliciting input from their

corresponding school, neighborhood or community groups

• Minutes of meetings will be posted on Engage section of APS website
• Community input may be solicited via:

− School or Civic group meetings − PTA meetings − Online surveys − Engage with APS emails − Other input as received

Naming Process to Prepare for Fall 2019 School Openings & Moves

Timeframe School Sites/Building

Sept – Dec Montessori Henry Building New Middle School Vacation Lane Building H-B Woodlawn and Stratford Program New Building on Wilson Site Sept – Dec Renaming of Washington-Lee Jan - April Drew Remains in building, becomes full neighborhood schools as Montessori moves to Henry

SCR Staff Liaisons & Principal Teams

September – December 2018:

• Montessori – Dulce Carrillo & Catharina Genove
• 6th Middle School – Daryl Johnson & Ellen Smith
• Wilson Building – Catharine Ashby & Casey Robinson/Karen Gerry
• Washington-Lee – Linda Erdos & Gregg Robertson + Professional

Facilitator

January – April 2019:

• Drew – Dulce Carrillo & Kim Graves

Initial 2018-19 Initiatives

Adjusting Elementary School Boundaries

Gladis Bourdouane

Integrated Project Planner Planning & Evaluation

Adjusting Elementary School Boundaries

Why change boundaries?

Boundaries will change in accordance to School Board policy B-2.1 By 2019, APS will adjust boundaries for:

• Opening of the new Alice W. Fleet Elementary School
• Montessori program move to the Henry building
• Drew opening as a full neighborhood school
• Better balance of enrollment across schools involved

Schools Involved in Boundary Process

The following schools’ Planning Units will be included in the upcoming boundary processes as listed:

Fall 2018 *Both Fall 2018 & Fall 2020 Fall 2020

• Drew
• Fleet (Henry)
• Hoffman-Boston
• Oakridge
• Randolph
• Abingdon
• Barcroft
• Long Branch
• Arlington Science Focus

(ASF)

• Ashlawn
• Barrett
• Carlin Springs
• Discovery
• Glebe
• Jamestown
• McKinley
• Nottingham
• Reed
• Taylor
• Tuckahoe

*A school may be involved in both processes. Staff will minimize the number of times a specific planning unit is impacted.

Source: SB Policy B-2.1 Boundaries

Schools Involved in Boundary Process

Elementary Boundaries Approach

• Use Planning Unit-level data with resident1 student

demographics and enrollment estimates2

• Take into account students who attend Option Schools
• Assume Pre-K classrooms across elementary schools
• Use the Expanded Walk Zones developed this Spring

–Areas identified for walk zone expansion do not require significant infrastructure improvements at this time –APS Transportation Dept. will determine final walk zones

• nce boundaries are approved

1 Students that reside in the planning unit 2 Estimates approach is posted in the FAQ’s at www.apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change

Elementary Boundaries Approach

• Develop boundaries based on an evolving process of:

–Optimizing boundaries based on the six policy considerations –Creating school boundaries that blend the policy considerations –Gathering input from community

Boundary Policy Considerations

Efficiency

minimizing future capital and operating costs

Proximity

keeping students close to the schools so they can walk safely or minimizing bus ride times

Stability

minimizing the number of times that boundary changes affect an individual student who has continued to reside in a particular attendance area, and minimizing the number of students moved to a different school, within a school level

Alignment

minimizing separation of small groups of students from their classmates when moving between school levels

Demographics

promoting demographic diversity

Contiguity

maintaining attendance zones that are contiguous and contain the school to which students are assigned

Fall 2018 Boundary Process Timeline

Status Date Milestone/Meeting

• June 7

SB Monitoring Report

• August 28

SB Work Session September 26 “Getting Started” Community Meeting Sept 26 – Oct 10 Online Input on boundary scenarios that balance the policy considerations October 3 Open Office Hours October 17 “What We Heard” Community Meeting November 8 SB Information Item on Elementary Boundaries November 27 SB Public Hearing December 6 SB Adoption of Elementary Boundaries January 28, 2019 Kindergarten Information Night

Boundary Process Pre-Engagement Activities

Community Outreach Began this Summer

• Handout shared at June 11 CCPTA Meeting
• APS Traveling Trolley (to public libraries) – Info table at

Drew, Barcroft and Randolph – July 18, 25 and Aug. 1

• School Talk messages, social media posts and website updates,

including timeline, maps and policy considerations – July-Sept.

• Staff Open Office Hours Session – Aug. 7

apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change/

Fall 2018 Boundaries Community Engagement

Community Input

The community will be asked to provide input on the draft boundary scenario(s) and grandfathering options.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

• Sept. 26 (7-8:30 p.m.): “Getting Started” Community Meeting at

Kenmore M.S. – Initial Proposal. Live-streamed; simultaneous

interpretation

• Sept. 26-Oct. 10: Online Input on boundary scenario(s)
• Oct. 3 (7-8:30 p.m.): Open Office Hours at Kenmore M.S.
• Oct. 17 (7-8:30 p.m.): “What We Heard” Community Meeting at

Kenmore M.S. – Revised Proposal. Live-streamed; simultaneous

interpretation

apsva.us/elementary-school-boundary-change

APS 2018-19 Winter Ambassador Meeting

Draft Agenda for Meeting in January-February 2019

• Options & Transfer Follow-Up Process

– Includes PreK12 Instructional Program Pathways

• Plan for addressing issues related to the ASFS/Key Building

swap (to be published in Jan. 2019)

• Naming of full neighborhood school at Drew

APS 2018-19 Fall Ambassador Meeting

Wrap-up and Questions

APS 2018-19 Fall Ambassador Meeting

September 17, 2018