What’s going on with Wilson School? Let’s start with the positive and move down.

1 (Hoorah). APS has recognized that it has a capacity problem. It commissioned and produced a study on what to do about it. Astonishingly, the consultant report includes Wilson School as a likely location for additional elementary education classrooms. The consultant’s report can be found on the APS site (www.arlington.k12.va.us), click on school board, meetings and agenda, 2009-2010, december 3 agenda, presentations, presentation by MGT of America.
The APS superintendent’s final recommendations will be presented at a Community Forum this Thursday at 7:30 PM at the APS Education Center on Quincy behind the planetarium. Dr. Murphy's recommendations should pretty much follow the consultant report. Might be a nice time for people from our community to speak up favorably.

Aside: I’ve spent a lot of time at APS meetings over the last several years (As has Paul Mulligan. Thanks Paul.). It was more fun than driving in Washington rush hour, but not much. Till this fiscal crisis hit, some APS central staff were engaged in planning that no had value other empire building. There was even a plan, backed by semi-impressive PowerPoint slides, that we needed a separate High School to teach science, technology, engineering and math (as though these topics are not now taught at a high level in each of our current High Schools). There’s something of an argument that government functions better when it is a bit starved.

2 (Good). The Child Development Center will be having a Holiday Open House at their new Wilson School location on Thursday 12/17, noon to 6:30 PM. We, the community, are all invited.

3 (Not so good). The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) recently received a grant from Citi Bank to study the Wilson parcel plus the APAH Queens Court parcel. This could be a good idea, although APAH is undoubtedly looking to increase building mass, and is probably looking to decrease greenspace. The study is deeply flawed in that the participants are APAH, Arlington Public Schools, Arlington County, Arlington Fire Dept, and one developer (Charles Smith). We, the community, are not invited. Stan Karson and I will be talking with APAH on the afternoon of the 15th. Get in touch with me if you’d like to participate.

4 (Hiss). Two years ago, a group of North Rosslyn residents filed a complaint with the Board of Zoning Appeals concerning the permanent/temporary trailers on Wilson Field (which is zoned for school/recreation). To everyone’s surprise we won. APS is trying to set aside that community-oriented decision via a filing with the Circuit Court. As with anything legal this is immensely complicated. The court will begin session at 10AM this Friday (12/11). Paul Ferguson, clerk of the court, tells me that we might expect our hearing to commence after 10:30. I don’t think we’ve got much chance; APS has legal talent and access to that bottomless kettle of taxpayer funds. But nothing ventured.......
This is open to the public. Youall are invited to the hearing at the Court Building at 1425 North Court House Road, (near the County Office Building).

Oh, the APS attorney has written a few words to the court surmising that I do not have community support on this. I’d appreciate a few notes (email is fine) of support concerning the importance of Saving Wilson School. I'll submit them to the court at the start of the hearing.