Students and staff have been evacuated from Jamestown Elementary School in North Arlington after smoke reportedly filled the school’s boiler room.
The evacuation comes amid frigid temperatures below 20 degrees.
Arlington County firefighters are investigating the smoke and believe it may be the result of a mechanical issue, according to scanner traffic. Police are blocking off streets due to the fire department response.
Those evacuated from the building are expected to be let back in soon.
Arlington Public Schools will be opening two hours late tomorrow (Thursday), marking the second straight day with a delay.
The school system says the delay is to allow “added time to warm buildings and address any potential mechanical issues with HVAC systems or buses.”
“The Extended Day program will also open two hours late and morning field trips are canceled,” APS staff wrote in a tweet. All essential employees and food service workers should report to work at the regular time; others should report two hours late.
The forecast for Arlington tomorrow calls for highs in the mid 20s and lows in the teens.
APS schools and offices will open 2 hours late on Jan. 31. The delay will provide added time to warm buildings and address any potential mechanical issues with HVAC systems or buses. The Extended Day program will also open two hours late and morning field trips are canceled. pic.twitter.com/yZPVw5nUSj
(Updated at 8:15 a.m.) Arlington public schools are opening on a two-hour delay Wednesday, due to expected icy conditions.
APS announced the delay Tuesday night “based on the current weather forecast and conditions,” leaving open the possibility that worse-than-expected road conditions Wednesday could prompt a cancellation. Fairfax County Public Schools announced earlier that its schools would be closed tomorrow.
Wednesday morning, APS affirmed the two-hour delay decision.
APS Will Open 2 Hours Late on Wed, Jan. 30: APS has reconfirmed that all schools and offices will open two hours late today. Essential personnel and food service workers should report to work at their scheduled time. pic.twitter.com/xcNRn5nco4
Authorities are asking anyone driving overnight and in the morning to take extra precautions due to the likelihood of dropping temperatures turning wet roads into icy hazards. Around Arlington Wednesday, there were some reports of black ice, particularly on local roads.
“VDOT asks that drivers be aware of weather and road conditions prior to making decisions to travel tonight and Wednesday morning,” said VDOT’s Northern Virginia office, in a press release. “Plan for the potential need to delay commutes Wednesday morning, as low temperatures overnight will freeze precipitation and create potential hazardous conditions.”
At least one significant crash was reported Tuesday night — a multi-vehicle wreck on I-395 near the Pentagon — but it’s unclear if weather was a factor.
INCIDENT: Accident with Injury LOCATION: NB 395 at the Pentagon IMPACT: Multiple vehicle accident is causing major delays for northbound traffic on the highway, multiple Police and Fire Units on Scene
Arlington schools officials are pumping the brakes on a controversial plan to swap the Arlington Science Focus School and Key Immersion School buildings, after new projections revealed an unexpected increase in the county’s elementary school students in the coming years.
The school system had previously planned to move Key’s Spanish immersion program to the ASFS building, and vice versa, sometime in the next two years. The move was designed to solve some complex boundary issues in North Arlington neighborhoods, as some students currently zoned to attend ASFS actually live closer to Key.
But the school system’s plans have attracted some fierce community pushback since Superintendent Patrick Murphy rolled them out in September, with parents criticizing the logistics of the move and Murphy’s decision to press ahead with the decision without putting the matter to the School Board for a vote.
Yet Arlington Public Schools officials say the decision to “pause” the swap was driven instead by the newest data about school enrollment growth in the county, which staff presented to the Board last week.
APS planners previously believed that the county’s student population growth was finally beginning to level off after years of large jumps, but they’re now expecting a 24 percent jump in the student population between now and 2028.
Notably, elementary schoolers account for most of that change. Officials are forecasting a 21 percent increase in the elementary school population alone, which translates to about 2,778 more students over the next decade — that’s about 1,000 more kids than they expected the school system would add just a year ago.
“Given this projections update and the strong commitment APS has to the dual-language immersion program, the location for elementary immersion will be reevaluated to best meet the needs of our students,” APS staff wrote in an announcement on the school system’s website. “APS will reevaluate where the immersion program can grow, either at ASFS or other locations, while providing equitable access for all students in the immersion option.”
Both schools are currently overcapacity, and each one requires several trailers to educate those students. Some parents were already concerned that the swap would pose space problems even before these projection updates, as Key is both larger and currently holds more students than ASFS. A petition urging the Board to stop the swap has already garnered more than 800 signatures.
But with this new information in hand, the school system says it plans to keep studying the issue, with the goal of maintaining the “50/50 student balance of native Spanish speakers with speakers of English” for the immersion program wherever it might land.
“It’s important to consider the best locations for the immersion program at the elementary level to ensure equitable access for all students, and encourage participation by English learners along with native English speakers,” APS staff wrote. “This is critical to the integrity of the dual-language model and helps ensure that the academic benefits of the program are fairly distributed within a community.”
School officials hope to deliver a recommendation on a path forward to the Board by December, in order to include any adjustments as part of the next round of elementary school boundary adjustments. That is set to impact 14 schools in all, coming on the heels of the Board’s boundary changes for eight South Arlington schools at the end of last year.
More broadly, the new elementary school projections are igniting some big questions for the Board.
Planners reassured school leaders at their meeting last Thursday (Jan. 24) that this sort of surprise jump in student population is “not unprecedented,” and largely driven by the relentless pace of development in the county. But it’s concerning nonetheless for Board members, who only just signed off on a biannual update of the school system’s construction plans for the next 10 years.
“Our growth is continuing long-term,” said Board member Barbara Kanninen. “Until this update, the county and our data were kind of projecting we were going to level off at some point, probably around 32,000 students. You’re going beyond that… It really shows we have continual growth.”
The Drew Model School in Nauck will soon get a new name as the school undergoes a bit of a transformation — but one key part of the building’s moniker won’t be going anywhere.
The elementary school is named after Charles Drew, a groundbreaking surgeon who grew up in Arlington. He was the first black man to hold a variety of prominent positions in the medical community, and is widely credited with establishing new storage techniques to set up lifesaving blood banks during World War II.
Drew’s family home in the Penrose neighborhood won a designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1976, and both a park and community center in Nauck also bear his name.
But the school named after the surgeon, who died in 1950, seemed set for a bit of a change after the School Board convened a committee to pick out a new name for the building earlier this month. The school system is shifting the county’s Montessori program out of the building next year, prompting the latest in a series of recentdebates over a new school name.
That will make the school a full “neighborhood” program, drawing students only from homes surrounding the school. The Montessori program will move to what was Patrick Henry Elementary, while many (but not all) Henry students will move to the new Alice West Fleet Elementary, in what became a contentious process that angered many parents.
Yet, as the Drew naming committee gathered to begin its work last week, school officials told the group that it shouldn’t plan on making too many substantial changes. According to notes from the Jan. 22 meeting, Superintendent Patrick Murphy himself told the committee that the naming process is designed to “build culture and community rather than to eliminate the recognition of Dr. Drew’s legacy, who was a preeminent scientist and wonderful role model from Arlington.”
The notes show that some committee members questioned why the group was even convened if Drew’s name wouldn’t be changed, while others said they sought to join the committee specifically to advocate for the retention of the school’s name.
But Murphy stressed that he did not believe the Board ever intended to see Drew’s name removed from the building, a point he reiterated at the Board’s meeting Thursday (Jan. 24) — the Board did not deliver a specific charge in kicking off the group’s work, unlike when it stipulated that a naming committee should not consider the prospect of retaining the original name of Washington-Lee High School.
The committee is still in the early stages of its deliberations, but the meeting notes show that it’s already considering several options that could honor the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) program that just started up at the school. Options the group has proposed so far include “Drew Science Focus School,” “Charles Drew Inspiration School,” “Charles Drew Science Academy” and “”The Charles Drew Academy.”
The committee also discussed the prospect of simply adding “of South Arlington” to the building’s current name, or perhaps adding a prominent artist’s name to the building alongside Drew’s.
The group broadly agreed to focus on priorities like “adding instructional focus,” “adding a second name to Drew,” “adding a descriptive designation such as academy” and tacking on a “geographic component” in settling on a new name. Members now plan to survey the school’s community for their preferences as well.
The committee is set to meet several more times between now and April, and the Board is planning a final vote on an updated name for Drew in May.
The Board also agreed at its Jan. 24 meeting to spend $1.8 million in capital reserve funding to speed up renovation work at both Drew and Henry to “refresh” both buildings ahead of next fall’s changes.
(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) Due to an expected snowy evening commute, federal employees are being allowed to leave work early.
“Employees should depart 2 hours earlier than their normal departure times and may request unscheduled leave to depart prior to their staggered departure times,” employees were told.
Other organizations and facilities are also closing early due to fears of a messy commute like that of January 20, 2016 or January 26, 2011. Arlington Public Schools announced Monday night that all schools will close two hours early “because of the current forecast for freezing rain and snow at dismissal time tomorrow.”
Update for Tue, Jan. 29: All APS Schools & Offices Will Close 2 Hours Early Because of the current forecast for freezing rain and snow at dismissal time tomorrow, all APS schools and offices will close two hours early on Tue, Jan. 29. Visit web for details.
Arlington County government offices and facilities are closing at 4 p.m., while courts are closing at 3 p.m. Tonight’s County Board meeting, however, is still continuing as scheduled.
Arlington County government offices & facilities will close today, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m.; Courts close at 3 p.m. The Board Recessed Meeting will continue as scheduled, starting at 3 p.m.
More closures, announced Tuesday morning by Arlington’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation.
Arlington Public Schools have announced they are closing two hours early and have cancelled all afternoon/evening activities in school buildings. DPR will proceed as follows:
All Enjoy Arlington classes, 55+ classes and nature center programs with start times of 3:30 p.m. or later today are cancelled in all County and School buildings.
Sports activities, leagues and instructional programs in APS buildings are cancelled.
Sports activities, leagues and instructional programs in County buildings with a start of 3:30 p.m. or later today are cancelled, including the Clubhouse and covered batting cages.
Carver, Drew and Gunston Community Centers are closed today.
All other community centers and the Gunston Bubble will close at 4 p.m.
Advice to drivers from VDOT:
Crews have brined bridges and ramps throughout northern Virginia and are staging along roadways today in preparation of winter weather expected during the p.m. rush hour.
VDOT Asks Drivers To:
Monitor weather closely, as forecasts can improve or worsen quickly.
Plan ahead to avoid driving during snow and freezing conditions today. Plan to leave and be home early if possible.
Check road conditions along your route before leaving, and plan to delay travel if road conditions become hazardous.
Download the free 511 app for Apple and Android, visit www.511virginia.org, or call 511 from any phone in Virginia.
Give plows and treatment trucks plenty of room. Ensure that you have enough gas, wiper fluid, proper tires, medication, and an emergency car kit.
Student Population Predicted to Keep Rising — “Arlington school officials say they now anticipate the total student population to rise an additional 24 percent by 2028, and the latest round of projections has raised fears the school system could fall further behind in its efforts to keep up with elementary-school enrollment.” [InsideNova]
Amazon to First Come to Rosslyn? — “Amazon.com Inc. is said to be in talks to take some or all of the planned WeWork co-working space set to open in Rosslyn later this year as it plots its longer term growth at National Landing,” reports the Washington Business Journal. ARLnow has also heard from a commercial real estate source that Amazon will station its initial Arlington “HQ2” employees at the Rosslyn WeWork, while its temporary space in Crystal City is built out, but we have been able to confirm the rumor. [Washington Business Journal]
Local Elm Tree Honored — An American elm tree on S. Randolph Street “has become the first elm tree to be named a specimen tree in Arlington County.” [Arlington County]
Police Outreach Meeting Postponed — “Due to projected inclement weather, the North Outreach Team Quarterly Meeting scheduled for… January 29, has been postponed. Event details on the rescheduled meeting will be provided at a later time.” [Twitter]
Patient Stops By Fire Station to Thank Rescuers — “Andrew stopped by Fire Station 10 to show his gratitude after being extricated from his overturned Jeep last week on Route 110. Andrew was released from the hospital one day after the accident with no life threatening injuries.” [Twitter]
Nearby: Landmark Mall Development Update — “There are several years until any major construction activity occurs at Landmark Mall, but Alexandria and the mall’s owner are homing in now on the parameters that will guide the nearly 6 million-square-foot redevelopment… Buildings could rise as high as 250 feet, per one recommendation.” [Washington Business Journal]
Arlington’s public schools will open on a two hour delay on Tuesday.
“Due to the extreme cold, all APS Schools and offices will open two hours late,” APS said in a statement Monday evening. “The delay will provide additional time to warm buildings and address any potential cold weather mechanical issues with buses that have been idle since Friday.”
Temperatures overnight are expected to dip to 11 degrees in Arlington.
Update for Tuesday, January 22: Due to the extreme cold, all APS Schools and offices will open two hours late. The delay will provide additional time to warm buildings and address any potential cold weather mechanical issues with buses that have been idle since Friday. pic.twitter.com/sxEjq0obfK
Tonight, temperatures will drop down into the single digits and low teens. Remember to bundle up in layers to protect yourself from the frigid conditions. pic.twitter.com/jzqhrYvkXa
As of Thursday night, Arlington Public Schools is planning to open Friday on a two hour delay.
Snow tonight and overnight is expected to make roads and sidewalks slick Friday morning. The two hour delay will allow temperatures to rise and road conditions to improve.
More from APS via Twitter:
Update for Friday, January 18: At this time, APS plans to open schools and offices two hours late tomorrow. Essential personnel and food service workers should report to work at their scheduled time. All other employees should report two hours past their usual start time. pic.twitter.com/k8PjqS3Xsk
Gymboree Expected to Close — “Children’s clothing retailer Gymboree Group Inc. is expected to seek bankruptcy protection this week, with plans to close all 900 of its stores, according to people familiar with the matter.” The company has a Gymboree location at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall. [Wall Street Journal]
A First for the Local Real Estate Market — “The Arlington real estate market for 2018 was essentially flat compared to a year before – while, for the first time, the average sales price of single-family homes topped the $1 million mark.” [InsideNova]
Storm Response Now in ‘Phase 4’ — Arlington County’s snow removal effort is now in “Phase 4,” cleaning up problem areas with a focus on schools and county facilities. Overnight a refreeze produced black ice and made plowing more difficult and driving hazardous, the county said. Last night Arlington Public Schools decided to close schools today instead of open on a delay. [Twitter]
School Construction Project Update — Construction is running on time on both the future Alice West Fleet Elementary School and the future home of H-B Woodlawn in Rosslyn, but heavy rains have caused delays for the future Dorothy Hamm Middle School, formerly known as the Stratford School, on Vacation Lane. [InsideNova]
Update at 10 p.m. — Arlington Public Schools will be closed Tuesday.
“Because we anticipate hazardous driving and walking conditions on some neighborhood sidewalks and bus stops throughout the County due to freezing tonight, all APS Schools will be closed,” the school system said. School offices will open at 10 a.m.
Arlington County government is currently planning to open on time. The federal government is opening on a two hour delay.
Update for Tue, Jan. 15, 2019: All APS schools Will Be Closed; All Offices Will Open at 10 a.m. Because we anticipate hazardous driving and walking conditions on some neighborhood sidewalks and bus stops throughout the County due to freezing tonight, all APS Schools… pic.twitter.com/iHfvvI8C8q
1/15: Federal agencies in the DC area will OPEN with a 2-hour delay on Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Employees should plan to arrive for work no more than 2 hours later than they would be expected to arrive. Employees should visit https://t.co/XNpFS40aXT to confirm their status. pic.twitter.com/drRG2rzDet
Best advice: Stay off the roads this evening and take it very slowly in the morning. There will be black ice. Crews continue to work residential neighborhoods in Phase 3 but refreeze makes plowing more difficult. #ArlWXhttps://t.co/JnvPU3tlvuhttps://t.co/9l6ChO0rdO
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) January 15, 2019
Earlier: Arlington Public Schools will likely open on a two-hour delay tomorrow (Tuesday), as forecasters warn of a re-freeze of melting snow on county roads.
The school system announced that it will open schools and offices two hours late “based on the current forecast and conditions for tomorrow morning,” but officials plan to release a final update at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.
That means any “essential personnel” and food service workers should still report to work on time. However, APS says it will watch for “deteriorating weather and road conditions” overnight and early tomorrow.
County workers are already warning of below-freezing temperatures making roads a bit icy overnight, and forecasters fully expect that to cause more problems tomorrow. County offices, courts, and facilities are set to open as normal tomorrow, however.
Update for Tuesday, January 15, 2019: All APS Schools & Offices Will Open 2 Hours Late At this time, based on the current forecast and conditions for tomorrow morning, APS plans to open schools and offices two hours late tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/KZvQBniSu0
Drip, drip, drip. Temps into mid-30s around DMV early this afternoon and snow, icicles slowly starting what will be several day melt-off. But refreeze tonight…which will have cause slushy, wet areas to re-freeze. This has implications for schools tomorrow. SchoolCast later…
Arlington officials also plan to shift trash collection dates back by one day for the rest of the week, as snow removal continues.
A one-day shift in trash service for the remainder of the week. Regular Monday residential trash pickup will run Tuesday morning, Tuesday routes will run Wednesday etc straight through into Saturday. https://t.co/p0PuSmCOrn
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) January 14, 2019
Students and staff have been evacuated from Jamestown Elementary School in North Arlington after smoke reportedly filled the school’s boiler room.
