Hamm Walkers

The current proposal would force children from our community to take a long and unnecessary bus ride to a distant school, rather than walk a short distance to the middle school that our neighborhood has been a part of for seven decades. This change not only disrupts the daily routines of families but also undermines the sense of community that has been fostered through generations (72 years) of neighborhood children attending Dorothy Hamm (previously Stratford Junior High School and H-B Woodlawn). The following are some of the key concerns that I wish to highlight: Loss of Community Connection: Since 1951 Dorothy Hamm has been our local school and a vital part of our community, fostering relationships among neighbors and providing a sense of belonging. The proposed change threatens to sever these connections and disrupt the fabric of our community. Decreased Family Security: The Washington, DC metropolitan area has been the site of major terrorist attacks, riots, and severe weather events. The possibility of another major disruptive event occurring is real and could necessitate parents dropping everything to ensure the safety of their children. Reports indicate that the proposed changes would re-zone a significant number of students, approximately two-thirds of the Hamm student population, to a school many miles away from their homes. Should another disaster strike the DC metro area, forcing a substantial number of parents to drive frantically, along with other distressed drivers, to a distant location, will create a chaotic and agonizing situation. This scenario is foreseeable and avoidable. By refraining from re-zoning, families would be able to reunite quickly, simply by walking to the school down the street. Living in an area that is susceptible to both natural and man-made disasters, the Arlington County School Board should be aiding families in their disaster preparedness plans, rather than creating avoidable complications during times of considerable

Please don't keep Hamm walkable for the community. Thank you!

I don't have children in APS any more but I work with children and believe that a walkable school is a serious mental health benefit and good for the community as well.

Strongly oppose this poorly thought out decision. We, like many others impacted live a couple of blocks from Hamm - which is an easy, 0.4 mile walk via multiple routes (planning unit 23120). If this goes through, our 3 children will be bused 3 miles and ~15 minutes away (without traffic) via a route that literally drives by Hamm. This proposal is shockingly bad and it goes without saying that there is not a single member of the school board who would vote in favor if it was their family and kids who would be so impacted.

Walking to school benefits middle school students and should be the highest priority. Children get more sleep and start their day with sunlight and exercise to prepare their minds for learning. There is flexibility to play or have unstructured social time after school, vitally important at this age. Also, separating elementary school classes of students removes social supports that mitigate mental health challenges at this vulnerable age. This outweighs the theoretical advantage of "balancing" middle schools. Hamm is not overcrowded and is not projected to be. Keep kids off the bus.

we just spent all this money to make Hamm a “neighborhood” school only to have children from the neighborhood removed. Does APS do any enrollment projection work accurately?

I don’t want my kids bussed across town when we live walking distance from the current school.

Please do not move students who can walk to DHMS! Being able to walk to/from school is great for exercise and community development, and APS has a shortage of bus drivers. Why would we introduce more buses and traffic into the neighborhood and send the kids far to a school much further away?

Moving students to a bus when they can walk defies logic. It also puts unnecessary strain on students and families to fill some other political agenda at hand.

Please keep students in the walkable zone walkers. We also oppose splitting the Taylor community.

We strongly oppose this proposal to move students from within the walkable zone of DHMS to be bused to a school at much greater distance.

Keep the local community centered around neighborhood schools

I advocated for a neighborhood, walkable school for my children just a few years ago, and I still want that for my children and our community. The current proposed boundary change for DHMS will split the community, reduce exercise and outdoor time for many kids (when it is already severly restriced for middle school kids in Arlington), and goes against Arlington's focus on reducing vehicles on the road. Walkers north of Lorcom Lane have a safer walking commute than those in the Cherrydale/ASFS neighborhood.

Maximizing walkers and minimizing buses must be the priority. We have 20% bus staffing shortage. Why would we increase demand?

It's important to keep elementary students together as they mature in order to form community bonds. Lengthy bus rides serve no one's best interest.

We need more options for our kids to walk to school not less.

2 years ago Featured

This school was built as a neighborhood school which included an intentional walking zone. With the continued lack of bus drivers, we need more neighborhood schools with more walkers not less.

If kids live within a short walk of a school, that is where they should go. We need to do better!

2 years ago Featured

Keep Hamm walkable. My husband and I specifically purchased our current home to continue to stay in the Hamm district (we moved from Cherrydale to Donaldson Run in 2021) and to be walkers to this school. We chose the Hamm district. Please don’t take away from us.

Keep Hamm walk zone intact and expand where possible. There are other options than furthering existing transportation issues.