This Thursday's (4/17) School Board meeting was a fascinating show. The current Board majority (Ed Fendley, Sally Baird, Abby Raphael) has told APS staff to come up with a plan to move the trailers, and preserve Wilson School as an elementary school. But staff continues to delay, hoping that a more development oriented Board will change that mandate and instead turn Wilson into a goldmine.

Staff certainly has development-oriented supporters on the Board. Ms. Libby Garvey, for example, stated firmly and publicly that the immediate need for $$$ provides a sufficient argument that Wilson should be ˜turned into a revenue stream.'

Wilson School usage was debated on Thursday in the context of plans for the Arlington Mills High School Continuation Program. This is a wonderful program that provides a second chance for young people to get their HS degree. At present it is heavily used by the Hispanic Community. The Arlington Mills building has long been scheduled for redevelopment by Arlington County; so the building will not be available next year. The Hispanic Community has spoken to the Board against moving the program from Arlington Mills to Wilson. They live and work near Arlington Mills and they say that the extra commuting time (to Wilson) will kill attendance.

Some board members, especially Ms. Baird and Ms. Raphael, have been moved by statements from the serviced community and have demanded that staff come up with better alternatives than Wilson. Staff instead came to Thursday's meeting with a slipshod, last-minute list of unworkable alternatives. In recognition of time pressure and the lack of a credible alternative, the School Board agreed to move the Arlington Mills Continuation Program to Wilson for one school year. The Board majority also demanded that staff put forth a much higher level of effort in finding better alternatives.

So next year we will see a High School and a Nursery School jammed together at Wilson. Two rows of trailers will be filled (as now) with the Children's School; the remaining row of trailers, plus the Wilson Building, will be used for the Arlington Mills HS Continuation Program. I have no clear indication of how this will affect the Mongolian School nor how it will affect the arts' community use of Wilson. Meanwhile staff blithely assures the board, 'no problem, mission accomplished.'

One more year of trailers covering our playfield. But reason to hope that the field may restored shortly after.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mark Antell,