Arlington Public Schools will look to temporarily add more space to try to cope with its rising enrollment by adding temporary classrooms and making interior adjustments at several schools.
The Arlington County Board is expected to vote on a slew of proposals across eight schools at the elementary, middle and high school levels at its meeting Saturday (July 15). The temporary solutions are all recommended for approval by county staff, as “student enrollment is growing at a faster rate than APS can provide new schools and classrooms.”
Some are looking to add more temporary, trailer classrooms — known in APS parlance as “relocatables” — while others will make interior adjustments to add more space.
The following schools are applying to add relocatables:
- Claremont Elementary School (One relocatable, bringing total capacity up to 767)
- Arlington Traditional School (One relocatable, bringing total capacity up to 538)
- Long Branch Elementary School (Four-classroom relocatable at Fillmore Park to replace two relocatables, bringing total capacity up to 629). APS is also applying to extend the lease for Long Branch’s use of part of the park for classroom space to July 2020
- Oakridge Elementary School (Two relocatables and a relocatable gym building, increasing total capacity to 866)
- Patrick Henry Elementary School (Four-classroom relocatable, increasing total capacity to 703)
The following schools will look to make interior adjustments and modifications:
- Kenmore Middle School (Increasing total capacity to 1,060)
- Wakefield High School (Increasing total capacity to 2,203)
- Gunston Middle School (Adding two new classrooms, increasing total capacity to 1,004)
Photos Nos. 6, 7 and 8 via Google Maps
