OMS Expansion

Ridiculous! Please come up with a better solution. Thank you!

As everyone is aware, the middle school years are tough years for so many kids. It is obvious that smaller school environments can provide a better sense of community and belonging. Using Gibbs as a second MS in Arlington would benefit everyone - and provides an opportunity to do something great for the students in our town. We can change the conversation from "Arlington schools are great, except for the huge and overcrowded middle school," to "Arlington schools are great, ESPECIALLY the middle schools." There is so much energy and enthusiasm behind this idea from parents - it is time to take advantage of the talent and commitment that we have in our residents. (Also - there are so many reasons why a larger OMS is NOT a good solution, but this petition states those clearly.)

Say NO to Mega-O

Please find a better solution.

I would like to see the town take advantage of the existing Gibbs building as a short term solution and seriously explore the opportunity a second middle school would provide for our kids.

Using the Gibbs school as a 2nd middle school, is the best educational choice for the students and the best long term solution for our town.

Build out thompson and dallin. Make them k-8 magnet schools.

I live in close proximity to Ottoson. I strongly support the Gibbs gym option. Middle schools should never be that large. It is a critical time in a child's development and large schools inhibit self confidence which is critical for character growth.

A second middle shool is very clearly necessary and required for our children. I expect the leaders our community have elected to make this happen in the timeframe required. If not, they will have failed their community and its children.

My vote is to use the Gibbs school as a 2nd middle school, as that is the best education choice and best long term solution.

Half solutions are surely harmful for the future of our kids. These will also have a long-term impact on the entire town as it will lead to mass departures driving real estate prices down (I know a couple of families with kids already entertaining the idea).

My vote is to use the Gibbs school as a 2nd middle school. This shows the town is expanding and finding wise ways to handle the growth. Adding and adding to Ottoson will create severe congestion in the area right before and right after school hours. I remember the challenges when transitioning from Elementary school into a larger school setting. Placing the students into such a large group they can easily get lost in the crowd. We are a community of support and helping. Let's continue that same attitude into our school settings as well.

We need two separate middle schools to accommodate the children of Arlington.

As much as I live the ACA, the Toen needs to take back Gibbs.

I would like to see the Gibbs used as a 6-8 middle school option instead of expanding the Ottoson.

I believe using the Gibbs building is the best option by far.

The expansion of an overextended and geographically inaccessible property seems fraught with disaster and ill advised.

In the 2/11/16 school committee meeting, one school committee member said that while a middle school with over 1,300 students "scares" him, if a second middle school were to cost three times as much, he'd vote for the former: the cheaper option. I reject this kind of thinking, which simplifies the over-crowding crisis and prioritizes $$$ over solid, forward-thinking decision making.

I support the plan to use the Gibbs School rather than the plan to expand OMS.

Such a big middle school without adequate common areas in not a good educational solution.