James Madison High School

[Anonymous]

We’re moving to the area. Dc will be an 11th grader next school year.

What is JMHS like? How are the academics? The teachers? What’s the school culture like? Is there a drug problem?

Thx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re moving to the area. Dc will be an 11th grader next school year.

What is JMHS like? How are the academics? The teachers? What’s the school culture like? Is there a drug problem?

Thx

It’s very sports oriented. Academics are generally solid, but less of a selling point than nearby McLean or Langley high schools. Madison serves a tight knit community centered around the Town of Vienna which is nice. The school’s new addition includes a state of the art library.

Overall it’s one of the better high schools in FCPS. Good all around.

[Anonymous]

Op here, thanks.

Do kids have issues with class scheduling? At my dc’s current school (not in VA) there aren’t enough teachers for multiple sections of AP classes so it’s almost like a lottery for some classes.

I’ve been reading on here and it seems like kids take a lot of APs. My kids taken one so far which is the norm at his current school. Is it a pressure cooker environment or it’s manageable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here, thanks.

Do kids have issues with class scheduling? At my dc’s current school (not in VA) there aren’t enough teachers for multiple sections of AP classes so it’s almost like a lottery for some classes.

I’ve been reading on here and it seems like kids take a lot of APs. My kids taken one so far which is the norm at his current school. Is it a pressure cooker environment or it’s manageable?

I have one JMHS grad, and one kid there currently. Neither has had trouble getting the AP classes they wanted (#1 took 7, #2 has taking her first as a sophomore). Sometimes that means getting a second or third choice elective to make it work, but that's true anywhere.

As far as the sports oriented culture pp mentioned, it's a lot better in now than it was 7 or so years ago. My older kid never attended a single sporting event in four years and did just fine. My younger kid is a varsity athlete, but her team is really low-key and focused more on being enjoyable than on winning.

Do I have complaints? Sure. I loathe standards based grading, and the teachers who are trying are stretched much too thin by PD, lack of planning time, etc. (which has led to a handful of teachers who are clearly not doing any more than the minimum required, and sometimes not even that much as evidenced by delayed grading, lack of feedback, and no availability for help outside of class). I don't think that those things are unique to JMHS, though.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP that there is no trouble at all getting AP classes if you sign up for them during registration in Feb/Mar. If you wait until Jun, Jul or Aug. and suddenly decide that you really want an AP class instead of honors, you may or may not get it. They tell you to assume that you won't get it... space available only at that time. But, if you signed up for it on time, you are going to get that class.

As for the sports stuff... I think Madison teams have been very successful lately, so people think of Madison as a "sporty" school. Neither of my kids has ANY interest in sports. In fact, I'm the one telling them that the basketball team is playing in the state championship or the football team is doing the same. My kid who is there now could not care less about sports. And I'd say that's the same for most of the kids in our neighborhood. They are more the computer/robotics types, and the occasional band kid. One neighbor was on womens crew. That's about it.

The attendance zone is pretty compact (around Vienna), unlike some HSs that stretch far and wide. As a result, there is more of a local focus on activities (i.e. the homecoming parade down the main street). But, you really can choose what groups you want to belong to (orchestra? band? theatre? sports? robotics? nothing!).

My 10th grades really likes standards based grading b/c he can choose not to do practice homework and just do the tests if he thinks he knows the material. Some teachers are much more insistent on the students doing the practice work (even if it isn't technically used for the grade, those teachers really press the kids that it IS mandatory). Other teachers, according to my 10th grader, do not push the homework/practice work as much. But, like I said, my kid thinks this is a good thing. Since he's managing his outcomes himself, and the outcomes are pretty good, I can't complain about it.

THE most important thing for me is that my kid is safe both physically and emotionally -- that my kid is not being bullied or actually exposed to other kids in fights and verbal or physical assaults. My kid feels safe and has not been exposed to this.

The second most important thing is that my kid is learning. I feel, and my kid feels, that he IS learning what he needs to learn (and more). He's not one to dance around and proclaim that he loves school... b/c it IS work, and he'd rather not do work (like all of us!). But, he's getting the education that we expect him to get.

[Anonymous]

Typo:

My 10th GRADER really likes...

[Anonymous]

Thanks, we’re moving to the area in summer so I guess that means AP classes might be full?

Yes, safety is really important. I’m glad to hear that your kid definitely feels safe at school. My kid plays sports but if it’s a highly sports competitive school it seems making the school team could be difficult. Especially as a summer, junior year transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, we’re moving to the area in summer so I guess that means AP classes might be full?

Yes, safety is really important. I’m glad to hear that your kid definitely feels safe at school. My kid plays sports but if it’s a highly sports competitive school it seems making the school team could be difficult. Especially as a summer, junior year transfer.

Reach out to the athletic director/ coaches as soon as you move, sign your lease, etc. There are also no cut sports. Crew (rowing) is a popular no cut sport, but in FCPS it is a club sport, so fees are high.

[Anonymous]

As soon as you have a contract or lease, contact the Madison office/registrar and they can get your kid signed up for classes. If you have to wait until Aug because you don't have an address/lease/contract, then yes, any FCPS high school will have a hard time satisfying your class requests. You'll just have to take what they can offer based on space available. That's not unique to Madison.

[Anonymous]

Is your junior going to drive to school? Parking has always been difficult. My current junior parks on a side street and has to leave early to grab this space.

Student parking passes can be issued but these are limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re moving to the area. Dc will be an 11th grader next school year.

What is JMHS like? How are the academics? The teachers? What’s the school culture like? Is there a drug problem?

Thx

I moved to Vienna for the schools, and it was a mistake. A previous poster made light of the new grading system stating that her kid likes to choose what work to do/not do, but I think this perspective is not shared by many. Madison is also not counting classwork. This has an impact on the quality of time spent in the classroom and my kids say that when no one does the work it impacts class discussions, ect... If academics is important to you, go to Langley or McLean. I think those parents would protest if skills-based grading was implemented there. It makes it harder for kids to get an A, it's confusing, and has caused my kids tons of stress. Think about college admission process stress - just don't add this wild card if you can.

The only reason we are at Madison is that one is an athlete and would be heartbroken if I pulled from school - which we may do anyway. The other is graduating and wish I'd just put this kid in private this year because it was a horrible experience.

The administration does not care about the impact on parents, students and teachers. If you can afford it, just do private for 2 years. FCPS is so caught up in equity and equal outcomes for all students; it's a bad time to be a student in FCPS.

Athletics has been a good experience. If your kid doesn't care about academics/not primary focus, then go to Madison. I would say those types of kids are having a good experience.

There are drugs/vape, but if your kid is against drugs he will easily find a group that is the same. It is a safe place to go to school.

[Anonymous]

As far as APs go, my DC took 5 this year, but she had friends that took 1 or 2. My kid has only taken honors and AP, but she has friends that take general classes and have hardly taken any. It's not a pressure cooker. In fact, it seems the administration tries to steer students away from taking honors or too many APs. Right now, it seems they don't want kids to think about grades at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re moving to the area. Dc will be an 11th grader next school year.

What is JMHS like? How are the academics? The teachers? What’s the school culture like? Is there a drug problem?

Thx

I moved to Vienna for the schools, and it was a mistake. A previous poster made light of the new grading system stating that her kid likes to choose what work to do/not do, but I think this perspective is not shared by many. Madison is also not counting classwork. This has an impact on the quality of time spent in the classroom and my kids say that when no one does the work it impacts class discussions, ect... If academics is important to you, go to Langley or McLean. I think those parents would protest if skills-based grading was implemented there. It makes it harder for kids to get an A, it's confusing, and has caused my kids tons of stress. Think about college admission process stress - just don't add this wild card if you can.

The only reason we are at Madison is that one is an athlete and would be heartbroken if I pulled from school - which we may do anyway. The other is graduating and wish I'd just put this kid in private this year because it was a horrible experience.

The administration does not care about the impact on parents, students and teachers. If you can afford it, just do private for 2 years. FCPS is so caught up in equity and equal outcomes for all students; it's a bad time to be a student in FCPS.

Athletics has been a good experience. If your kid doesn't care about academics/not primary focus, then go to Madison. I would say those types of kids are having a good experience.

There are drugs/vape, but if your kid is against drugs he will easily find a group that is the same. It is a safe place to go to school.

Agreed. Mclean parents complain too much for the schools to implement the latest faulty thinking of FCPS. Madison is more low key on these things and more about the community as a whole. There are pluses and minuses to each approach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re moving to the area. Dc will be an 11th grader next school year.

What is JMHS like? How are the academics? The teachers? What’s the school culture like? Is there a drug problem?

Thx

I moved to Vienna for the schools, and it was a mistake. A previous poster made light of the new grading system stating that her kid likes to choose what work to do/not do, but I think this perspective is not shared by many. Madison is also not counting classwork. This has an impact on the quality of time spent in the classroom and my kids say that when no one does the work it impacts class discussions, ect... If academics is important to you, go to Langley or McLean. I think those parents would protest if skills-based grading was implemented there. It makes it harder for kids to get an A, it's confusing, and has caused my kids tons of stress. Think about college admission process stress - just don't add this wild card if you can.

The only reason we are at Madison is that one is an athlete and would be heartbroken if I pulled from school - which we may do anyway. The other is graduating and wish I'd just put this kid in private this year because it was a horrible experience.

The administration does not care about the impact on parents, students and teachers. If you can afford it, just do private for 2 years. FCPS is so caught up in equity and equal outcomes for all students; it's a bad time to be a student in FCPS.

Athletics has been a good experience. If your kid doesn't care about academics/not primary focus, then go to Madison. I would say those types of kids are having a good experience.

There are drugs/vape, but if your kid is against drugs he will easily find a group that is the same. It is a safe place to go to school.

Agreed. Mclean parents complain too much for the schools to implement the latest faulty thinking of FCPS. Madison is more low key on these things and more about the community as a whole. There are pluses and minuses to each approach.

McLean has had the same principal since 2012 (I think Madison has had three over that period). It’s a well-oiled machine when it comes to what works academically and the principal is smart enough not to upset the apple cart too much. But it’s not like the community has any more influence over FCPS policy than parents in Vienna - Madison got a big addition and new library even though it’s less overcrowded than McLean while they leave McLean kids in temporary classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


I moved to Vienna for the schools, and it was a mistake. A previous poster made light of the new grading system stating that her kid likes to choose what work to do/not do, but I think this perspective is not shared by many. Madison is also not counting classwork. This has an impact on the quality of time spent in the classroom and my kids say that when no one does the work it impacts class discussions, ect... If academics is important to you, go to Langley or McLean. I think those parents would protest if skills-based grading was implemented there. It makes it harder for kids to get an A, it's confusing, and has caused my kids tons of stress. Think about college admission process stress - just don't add this wild card if you can.

The only reason we are at Madison is that one is an athlete and would be heartbroken if I pulled from school - which we may do anyway. The other is graduating and wish I'd just put this kid in private this year because it was a horrible experience.

The administration does not care about the impact on parents, students and teachers. If you can afford it, just do private for 2 years. FCPS is so caught up in equity and equal outcomes for all students; it's a bad time to be a student in FCPS.

Athletics has been a good experience. If your kid doesn't care about academics/not primary focus, then go to Madison. I would say those types of kids are having a good experience.

There are drugs/vape, but if your kid is against drugs he will easily find a group that is the same. It is a safe place to go to school.





Agreed. Mclean parents complain too much for the schools to implement the latest faulty thinking of FCPS. Madison is more low key on these things and more about the community as a whole. There are pluses and minuses to each approach.

What makes you think the McLean parents (or principal) can decide not to implement an FCPS-wide policy? The grading system you describe is NOT unique to Madison.