To APS School Board Re: Staff moving immersion to Kenmore

 Date: June 29, 2023

To: school.board@apsva.us

Subject: Please OPPOSE the efforts of staff to move the Immersion MS program to Kenmore with zero engagement

Good afternoon,


As you know, I've been an involved immersion parent, with students are Key and Gunston, for the past seven years. The immersion program is a jewel.

I find the email below, which presents the decision to move the Immersion middle school program to Kenmore as a done deal (there will be information sessions on the relocation, APS will start a boundary process assuming the relocation), deeply troubling. 

There has been no engagement with immersion families, with Kenmore families or with the public about this change. Moreover, it seems, from earlier discussions about moving the immersion middle school program, that this change would be ill-advised. Kenmore is NOT centrally located and is, in fact, our least accessible middle school for all transportation modes. There is no space available at Kenmore and putting immersion there would displace vulnerable communities who should have priority for having a school nearby. 

During the immersion visioning process, moving immersion to Dorothy Hamm middle school was discussed because (1) there's room at Hamm and (2) more families would stay with immersion at that location.

Please don't all staff to push through this I'll advised change with no engagement over the summer.

Thank you for your time and for your service

Gillian 

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