To:  CHCA

Our apologies for last Monday’s June 12th monthly meeting notice.  Takis Karantonis is out of the country on a family emergency and the meeting was canceled.  But we will reschedule next month.

Thanks so much!

CHCA Board

Civic Association Public Meeting
Monday, May 8th, 2017,  7 pm
Walter Reed Community Center
2909 16th St S, Arlington, VA 22204

-­ Meet your Elected Officials –­

AGENDA

6:45          Open Doors
7:00          Welcome and Introductions
7:05          Remarks by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-­‐49th)
7:15          Q&A (20min)
7:35          Remarks by the Hon. Katie Cristol, Vice Chair of the Arl. County Board
7:45          Q&A (30min)
8:15          Neighborhood News updates and upcoming issues (45 min)

•    Parking / Towing
•    S. Cleveland Str. Development
•    Rappahannock site & New Wellington Building developments
•    Presbyterian Church development
•    Columbia Pike pedestrian light crossing timing
•    Business & Retail: Brick Haus opening May 1st
•    New Business

9:00          Adjournment

Next Meeting: June 12, 2017, 7 pm at the Walter Reed Community Center
Proposed Theme: Columbia Pike Farmers Market

Columbia Heights Civic Association
P.O. Box 41501
Arlington, Virginia 22204

The new Patrick Henry Elementary school building is scheduled to open in September 2019 and will be located next to Thomas Jefferson Middle School (125 S. Old Glebe Rd.). The existing faculty and staff will move to the new school building. The current school building (701 S. Highland) will then be occupied by the Montessori Program currently at Drew Model School.

APS has formed a Naming Committee to recommend a name for the new elementary school to be built at the Thomas Jefferson site. The committee will submit its naming recommendation for the new school in spring 2017. First, the Naming Committee will be collecting input from the community to help inform the naming process. A Community Feedback Form will be distributed in March 2017.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Who is on the Naming Committee?

• The naming committee includes the following representatives:
• From Patrick Henry:
• Andrea Turner, Principal
• Twila Glick, Teacher Rep
• Michelle Gentry, Parent Rep
• From Thomas Jefferson:
• Christine Brittle, Parent Rep
• Catrina Tangchittsumran, Teacher Rep
• From the Neighborhoods that comprise the Patrick Henry Community:
• Mahender Dudani, Arlington Heights CA
• Andrew Greenwood, Penrose CA
• Jennifer Everling, Douglas Park CA
• Sarah Kessler, Columbia Heights CA
• Community Member-at-Large/SAWG Rep: Monique O’Grady
• Staff Liaison (non-voting): Linda Erdos

2. Will the name of the school definitely change when the staff and students move into the new building?

Not necessarily. It is policy that each new school building go through a naming process. APS could decide to keep the name–transfer the name “Patrick Henry Elementary School” from the current school building to the new school building. (The Montessori community will go through its own naming process and is not required to keep the “Patrick Henry Elementary School” name when it moves into the building in 2019.)

3. If the name changes, what happens to the awards and recognitions, like National Blue Ribbon award?

Patrick Henry Elementary School has received numerous awards and recognitions. Most recently, we were named a Title I Distinguished School for raising the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students and a National Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education based on our overall academic excellence. These are not connected to the building and would transfer with us to the new location and name.

4. Will the boundaries change when the staff and students move to the new building in 2019?

We don’t know. There will be a separate, independent process in 2018 that will look at boundaries and then decisions about boundary adjustments will be made. These are two separate issues and processes. The Patrick Henry PTA will continue to advocate for, and encourage our community to advocate for, APS keeping our entire school community together when we move to the new school building.

5. Who was Patrick Henry?

Patrick Henry was Virginia’s first and sixth governor, a U.S. Founding Father who is remembered for his “Give me liberty, or give me death!” speech. He was a plantation owner and a slave owner. Records indicate he purchased up to 78 slaves. More information can be found at:

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/15/131444425/-lion-of-liberty-patrick-henry-s-fiery-life

http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Henry_Patrick_1736-1799

http://www.nytimes.com/1860/07/09/news/the-slave-trade-an-original-letter-from-patrick-henry.html

6. What is the school’s history and why was it named Patrick Henry Elementary School?

Patrick Henry Elementary School was established in 1925, replacing the Columbia School, Arlington’s first public school. In 1959, it became Arlington’s first integrated elementary school. We asked the Center for Local History at the Arlington Central Library this question and there does not seem to be any “Arlington related” reasoning for naming the school Patrick Henry beyond the fact that he was the 1st and 6th Governor of VA. They looked through several biographies and could not find any connection between Patrick Henry and Arlington.

Click here for some cool old photos and some history of our school.

7. What’s Patrick Henry Elementary School’s student population like?

Patrick Henry Elementary School is a wonderfully diverse public elementary school, educating 629 students in PreK through 5th grades. Nearly 38 percent of our students qualify for free and reduced priced meals based on their parents’ income. Our students’ families represent more than 20 different nationalities and speak more than 30 different languages. One fourth of our students speak English as their second language. Approximately 16 percent of our students receive special education services.

8. Will the new school building have a design or theme, like Discovery Elementary?

The new building is being designed to highlight the environmental diversity of our world, as a nod to the rich diversity of our student body. The ocean, land, air and even layers of earth below ground will be represented, as well as the animals that live in each biosphere.

9. What is the Community Feedback Form?

The Community Feedback Form is a tool to collect information from our community that will help inform the direction of the Naming Committee in its job to make a name recommendation to APS. It will be available in English, Spanish, Mongolian, Amharic, and Arabic. Each Naming Committee member will distribute the Form and encourage his/her community to fill it out.

10. I have a great idea about a name. How do I submit it?

Great! Please complete the Community Feedback Form and include your idea.

11. I have opinions. How do I participate in this process?

Please, please fill out the Community Feedback Form.

Columbia Heights Civic Association has been concerned about predatory towing in Arlington. The County Board will be considering changes to the rules in November 2016. Attached is a letter with recommendations. We have attached an updated letter to the county board dated Dec 12th 2016 about these recommendations. We propose the following rule changes to protect consumer interests and support small businesses:

1)Require two signatures before a vehicle is towed, with only one signature provided by the towing company, regardless of their contracts with property owners.
2)Require the towing company to call in information about a vehicle to the police PRIOR to hooking up the vehicle for towing.
3)Require the towing company to photograph the vehicle from all four sides before securely hooking up the vehicle for towing.

If you support these changes, please sign our on-line petition

A Conversation About the Future of Policing in Our Community –

June 22, 2016 | 7–9 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School Library
125 S Old Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22204

About the Strategic Management Plan

The ACPD Strategic Management Plan guides
the more than 450 men and women of the
Department as they fulfill their responsibilities
and serve our community. The plan looks to the
future, focusing on crucial issues and helping ACPD
allocate resources to the most essential services.
Members of the community are invited to attend a
public information session and offer comments on
the future of ACPD’s Strategic Management Plan.

Columbia Heights Civic Association
Membership Meeting
Monday, June 13, 2016
7:00 p.m.
Walter Reed Community Center

Status Update on Traffic Calming on 16th Street
Designing a New Elementary School at Thomas Jefferson Park
Update on Bus Plans for Columbia Pike

Sarah McKinley will provide a power point presentation about development plans for a new elementary school at TJ, which will serve the Patrick Henry school community. School and county officials have been meeting with community groups to work on designs for that site, including parking, parent drop-off, and massing the school on the parking lot on the western side of the Thomas Jefferson middle school and community center.

The site design, so far, envisions buildings that will serve as joint facilities for both schools as well as the larger community. It will also increase green space, including a new soccer field.

We will also have an update on the County’s plans for transportation on Columbia Pike.

Columbia Heights Civic Association
Membership Meeting
Monday, April 11
7:00 p.m.
Walter Reed Community Center

Hot Topic: New Bus Schedules for Columbia Pike

Arlington County is planning an ambitious upgrade of bus lines for Columbia Pike and has asked for community input. But some of the changes may not be so welcome. It has come to our attention that some buses will not be stopping in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, like the bus stop in front of Penrose Plaza! Please come to discuss the bus routes and what we can do to make the County aware of our needs and concerns.

Subject line: Community Meeting to Discuss Construction Plans for Rappahannock Site

Columbia Heights Civic Association
Membership Meeting – Open to All!
New Time and Place
Thursday, April 7
6:30 p.m.
Walter Reed Community Center

This month we are joining forces with the developers of the Rappahannock Coffee Shop site. CHCA will hold a brief business meeting from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m., then join a larger community meeting to discuss the revised plans for the site that now houses the Rappahannock Coffee Shop. Since the last community meeting to discuss this proposal, there have been changes to the design.

Please join us for a full discussion of this plan and its impact on the neighborhood.

Columbia Heights Civic Association
Membership Meeting
Monday, February 8
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Walter Reed Community Center

Agenda:
Traffic Calming in Arlington Village and on 16^th Street
Pedestrian Safety
Complete Streets Program
Update on the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) – impact on CHCA

Presentation on the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee
Sarah McKinley, CHCA Board Member and Chair of NCAC

Discussion of CHCA input into the Public Spaces Master Plan

Working with neighboring civic associations along the Pike for input on open spaces, including the parks, Pike Plaza and other public space assets, both for public and recreational use. –  Takis Karantonis Board Member

http://projects.arlingtonva.us/public-spaces-master-plan-psmp-update/

“The CHCA invites you to pay your membership dues, please go to our web page, and select the tab “Become a member”.  You can make your payment online:https://columbiaheightsva.org/