APS- Nottingham

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know about you, but this thread makes me want to go to this school. 🙄

It’s the same complaints people make about every school’s PTA. People making excuses for why they don’t volunteer to help the school is not unique to Nottingham.

But they aren't posting and complaining about it on DCUM.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/785755.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1084744.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/998391.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1021084.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/809225.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1060113.page

OK, one is FCPS, 2 MontCo, 1 General Parenting thread, 1 DC, and 1 schools and education general discussion thread.
When I read "every school's PTA," I was thinking Arlington because it was a Nottingham discussion. So, my response that the other PTAs aren't posting and complaining on DCUM still holds. I'm sure somewhere at some time some other Arlington PTA got trashed here (I recall a mess with Glebe ES a few years ago); but very interesting that you quickly found 6 threads and not a single one was an APS thread. Nottingham still stands out - in a negative way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know about you, but this thread makes me want to go to this school. 🙄

It’s the same complaints people make about every school’s PTA. People making excuses for why they don’t volunteer to help the school is not unique to Nottingham.

But they aren't posting and complaining about it on DCUM.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/785755.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1084744.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/998391.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1021084.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/809225.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1060113.page

OK, one is FCPS, 2 MontCo, 1 General Parenting thread, 1 DC, and 1 schools and education general discussion thread.
When I read "every school's PTA," I was thinking Arlington because it was a Nottingham discussion. So, my response that the other PTAs aren't posting and complaining on DCUM still holds. I'm sure somewhere at some time some other Arlington PTA got trashed here (I recall a mess with Glebe ES a few years ago); but very interesting that you quickly found 6 threads and not a single one was an APS thread. Nottingham still stands out - in a negative way.

DP. This is a laughably stupid argument. You really think PTAs in FCPS, DCPS, MCPS, and unnamed schools somewhere is the DC metro area get the same complaints, but Arlington is some idyllic county where all of the PTAs are universally beloved by their school communities everywhere but Nottingham?

I don’t know what your grudge is against Nottingham, but it’s kind of unhinged.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

Why can't the school keep teachers? What's making them want to leave?

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

m
Yes, I’m talking about the fall social that raises a pathetic amount of money for a school where many of the parents live in $2m homes. I just got an email yesterday asking for donations. In the past, they have not been able to have anything great to bid on. It’s very sad compared to what other schools raise. I first saw that it was even happening a week ago. Usually it’s on the calendar way in advance. For some reason people do not want to donate to nottingham. So, they throw this big party and barely cover costs then complain about how much work it was and no one helps. I’d much rather just be solicited for $200 and give them a check.

I am not overly plugged into the inner workings of the PTA, but the fall social has been on the school calendar (and therefore my own) since at least the first week of school. I will say I haven’t heard many details about it, but I assume those will come closer to the event. I do think the auction concept is a little silly (broadly speaking, not just at NES). Just ask for donations, suggest how much you need.

They ask for donation when you join in the fall, and again toward spring when they do the no-fuss fundraiser. Neither is nearly as successful as people like to claim it would be because lots of people won’t contribute.

Let’s ask ourselves why the no fuss fundraiser only raised a few thousand dollars? The school can’t keep teachers and there isn’t much community. People don’t want to donate. It’s clear because they can afford to, but choose not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

Why can't the school keep teachers? What's making them want to leave?

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

m
Yes, I’m talking about the fall social that raises a pathetic amount of money for a school where many of the parents live in $2m homes. I just got an email yesterday asking for donations. In the past, they have not been able to have anything great to bid on. It’s very sad compared to what other schools raise. I first saw that it was even happening a week ago. Usually it’s on the calendar way in advance. For some reason people do not want to donate to nottingham. So, they throw this big party and barely cover costs then complain about how much work it was and no one helps. I’d much rather just be solicited for $200 and give them a check.

I am not overly plugged into the inner workings of the PTA, but the fall social has been on the school calendar (and therefore my own) since at least the first week of school. I will say I haven’t heard many details about it, but I assume those will come closer to the event. I do think the auction concept is a little silly (broadly speaking, not just at NES). Just ask for donations, suggest how much you need.

They ask for donation when you join in the fall, and again toward spring when they do the no-fuss fundraiser. Neither is nearly as successful as people like to claim it would be because lots of people won’t contribute.

Let’s ask ourselves why the no fuss fundraiser only raised a few thousand dollars? The school can’t keep teachers and there isn’t much community. People don’t want to donate. It’s clear because they can afford to, but choose not to.

why can't the school keep teachers? what's making them want to leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

Why can't the school keep teachers? What's making them want to leave?

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

m
Yes, I’m talking about the fall social that raises a pathetic amount of money for a school where many of the parents live in $2m homes. I just got an email yesterday asking for donations. In the past, they have not been able to have anything great to bid on. It’s very sad compared to what other schools raise. I first saw that it was even happening a week ago. Usually it’s on the calendar way in advance. For some reason people do not want to donate to nottingham. So, they throw this big party and barely cover costs then complain about how much work it was and no one helps. I’d much rather just be solicited for $200 and give them a check.

I am not overly plugged into the inner workings of the PTA, but the fall social has been on the school calendar (and therefore my own) since at least the first week of school. I will say I haven’t heard many details about it, but I assume those will come closer to the event. I do think the auction concept is a little silly (broadly speaking, not just at NES). Just ask for donations, suggest how much you need.

They ask for donation when you join in the fall, and again toward spring when they do the no-fuss fundraiser. Neither is nearly as successful as people like to claim it would be because lots of people won’t contribute.

Let’s ask ourselves why the no fuss fundraiser only raised a few thousand dollars? The school can’t keep teachers and there isn’t much community. People don’t want to donate. It’s clear because they can afford to, but choose not to.

why can't the school keep teachers? what's making them want to leave?

I don’t think that problem is unique to Nottingham. Schools everywhere are losing teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know about you, but this thread makes me want to go to this school. 🙄

It’s the same complaints people make about every school’s PTA. People making excuses for why they don’t volunteer to help the school is not unique to Nottingham.

But they aren't posting and complaining about it on DCUM.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/785755.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1084744.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/998391.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1021084.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/809225.page
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1060113.page

OK, one is FCPS, 2 MontCo, 1 General Parenting thread, 1 DC, and 1 schools and education general discussion thread.
When I read "every school's PTA," I was thinking Arlington because it was a Nottingham discussion. So, my response that the other PTAs aren't posting and complaining on DCUM still holds. I'm sure somewhere at some time some other Arlington PTA got trashed here (I recall a mess with Glebe ES a few years ago); but very interesting that you quickly found 6 threads and not a single one was an APS thread. Nottingham still stands out - in a negative way.

DP. This is a laughably stupid argument. You really think PTAs in FCPS, DCPS, MCPS, and unnamed schools somewhere is the DC metro area get the same complaints, but Arlington is some idyllic county where all of the PTAs are universally beloved by their school communities everywhere but Nottingham?

I don’t know what your grudge is against Nottingham, but it’s kind of unhinged.

No. The point was about the other Arlington PTAs not going on DCUM and b---g about cliques, people not wanting to volunteer, people not wanting to fill Board positions, and "miserly" fundraisers raising "only" $2-4K.
I have no grudge against Nottingham. Just agreeing with others' comments that this thread doesn't give a favorable impression of the Nottingham parental and PTA community.
Citing the threads above is the laughable argument because none of them address the point that was made. And you had to go to different subgroup topics on DCUM to find them instead of VA Public schools OTHER THAN FCPS!

[Anonymous]

NP. It’s hard to take seriously complaints that largely amount to “the PTA didn’t find friends for me.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

Which brings us back to the earlier point about the PTA being insular. I pay attention to all the school emails and didn’t see it on the schedule until a few weeks ago. Cut your losses and reschedule the event - it’s an embarrassment at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

Which brings us back to the earlier point about the PTA being insular. I pay attention to all the school emails and didn’t see it on the schedule until a few weeks ago. Cut your losses and reschedule the event - it’s an embarrassment at this point.

It's been in the emails since early September. I just found one in my gmail from 9/6. I will say that it seems like they've been short on details and the fundraising asks seem late. But the date has been out there since school started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

Which brings us back to the earlier point about the PTA being insular. I pay attention to all the school emails and didn’t see it on the schedule until a few weeks ago. Cut your losses and reschedule the event - it’s an embarrassment at this point.

It's been in the emails since early September. I just found one in my gmail from 9/6. I will say that it seems like they've been short on details and the fundraising asks seem late. But the date has been out there since school started.

9/6 was a few weeks ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

Which brings us back to the earlier point about the PTA being insular. I pay attention to all the school emails and didn’t see it on the schedule until a few weeks ago. Cut your losses and reschedule the event - it’s an embarrassment at this point.

It's been in the emails since early September. I just found one in my gmail from 9/6. I will say that it seems like they've been short on details and the fundraising asks seem late. But the date has been out there since school started.

9/6 was a few weeks ago.

DP. And was only a week after school started. Out of curiosity, how much volunteering do you do for the PTA? Do you chair any activities? You seem to have a lot of opinions about how things should be run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

Which brings us back to the earlier point about the PTA being insular. I pay attention to all the school emails and didn’t see it on the schedule until a few weeks ago. Cut your losses and reschedule the event - it’s an embarrassment at this point.

It's been in the emails since early September. I just found one in my gmail from 9/6. I will say that it seems like they've been short on details and the fundraising asks seem late. But the date has been out there since school started.

9/6 was a few weeks ago.

9/6 was more than 4 weeks ago. That's more than one month ago now. School began just two weeks before the 9/6 email. When would you like to have received the fundraising/volunteer solicitation so that you (1) would have had sufficient notice and (2) would have actually read the email and paid attention for an event more than a month away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Nottingham, but did not have any special needs to consider. Last year was a rough school year, no thanks to APS policies during the pandemic. The N. Arlington elementaries are all very similar, so not sure I’d agree with the “Nottingham or bust” poster, but it is a nice school with caring teachers and an involved community. Some of the parents can be a little much, but there are all sorts and you can find your people.

Nottingham and Tuckahoe have a better parent community than Discovery. Partly due to Discovery being a newer school (less time to build traditions, community) and partly to COVID putting a halt to most events.

I think Discovery parents would disagree. Discovery has been around a while now and the parents I know there have been lovely, involved, and concerned about schools beyond their own.

I am one, and that's my opinion.

Nottingham parent scene is cliquey.

I haven’t found this to be true at all except for the current year’s pta.

They are nice individually, but as a group very very cliquey. Maybe if I lived on Potomac/Pokomoke it would be better.

Shade!

Not sure what this means, but that’s where most of the pta moms live. In that part of the Nottingham district. They are neighborhood friends.

The PP was “shading” aka calling out the moms on those streets as cliquey in a very passive aggressive way.

Nope not the moms on those streets. The pta moms on those streets. TBH, Nottingham has not been great for my kid, and while I do volunteer more than most others, I do not want to be on the pta. Now can we talk about the Halloween party that they are just now soliciting donations for? Just give it up. It cannot be thrown together in 3 weeks.

Are you talking about the fall social? That’s an annual tradition this time of year, not some new party they are trying to throw together at the last moment. The pandemic disrupted it the past few years so if you are relative new to the school it can see why you wouldn’t be aware of that, but your unfamiliarity with things is not a reason to trash the organizers.

It isn’t a last minute event? I just got an email asking for donations for the auction - and given one week to procure items. The auction is two weeks away. This is laughably late to the game. If this isn’t the very definition of last minute, I don’t know what is.

I don’t have any inside knowledge, but since they were still asking for volunteers a few weeks ago, they probably had a hard time finding people who would agree to organize it, which then set the planning back.

Which brings us back to the earlier point about the PTA being insular. I pay attention to all the school emails and didn’t see it on the schedule until a few weeks ago. Cut your losses and reschedule the event - it’s an embarrassment at this point.

It's been in the emails since early September. I just found one in my gmail from 9/6. I will say that it seems like they've been short on details and the fundraising asks seem late. But the date has been out there since school started.

9/6 was a few weeks ago.

9/6 was more than 4 weeks ago. That's more than one month ago now. School began just two weeks before the 9/6 email. When would you like to have received the fundraising/volunteer solicitation so that you (1) would have had sufficient notice and (2) would have actually read the email and paid attention for an event more than a month away?

DP. School began 8/29, 8 days before the 9/6 email. Two weeks would be 14 days.