If you left APS for private…

[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:

Anonymous wrote:We sent our kids to APS all the way through 8th and then private Big3 HS. Our kids did very well and had no issue coming from APS, they were well prepared. But, our private HS experience was vastly different than our public school friend at W&L and Yorktown. To each their own, but we were very happy for the children to experience the rigor of private for the HS years. I would not send my kids to private ES and expect some big difference…unless I was at a not great ES or alternatively my kid had a lot of needs. Just my two cents.

Was it mostly a difference in academic rigor between your experience and your friends W&L/Yorktown experiences?

Academic and social differences. I wouldn’t pay for private school for a different social experience, however. Plenty of great/bright kids in APS that I would’ve been more than happy for my kids to socialize with. Some weirdos in both systems so whatever; sort of a wash and kid dependent.

Academically, there were many differences but two biggest for us were: (1) amount of homework and (2) writing. My kids were doing 1.5-3 hours of homework starting in 9. Nothing like this for kids’ APS peers. Freshman/sophomore years in APS, kids peers in APS were still not really doing homework. This meant there lives were very different. My kids didn’t have free time in the same way that APS kids do. Many families don’t want this, I get it. Next, the writing. My kids were writing many page papers starting in 9, many times per year, with significant feedback/editing from their teachers with multiple rounds of submission. This wasn’t possible in APS and wasn’t the experience of my children’s peers.

Weird. My kid in private had less homework than friends in public for 9th/10th. WL kids started doing APs in 9th and/or were doing IB.

By 11th, it seemed about the same.

My post was specific to my children’s experience at a Big3 private. I am certain you could find a range of different experiences at the various private schools across DC.

Your kids were doing APs in 9th?

That’s fairly common in APS, at least with families I know. It makes sense considering you can start high school credit classes in 7th grade.

Public is more advanced in math, though the quality of instruction is a concern. But the curriculum is well defined.

But it is “toss into deep end” from no-homework MS to AP HS.

Which MS did your kids attend?

Our kids have/had homework at DHMS.

Homework at DHMS is just classwork that is not finished. My kid always completed it in the allotted classtime.

I’m not sure why this myth about no homework at APS middle schools persists. My kid was at a different MS, but he had homework. As in, the math teacher teaches for the whole period, then assigns homework to do later. In Spanish (immersion), there was lots of reading, plus long projects, to be done at home. Now, my kid might sometimes do math homework during homeroom, but it wasn’t enough time to do it all, and it wasn’t unfinished class work.

I think the reason the “myth” (for you) persists is that two families can have very different experiences in the same school/classes. Our kids never had homework; that is, they never had work that they had to finish at home. That is not to say they weren’t assigned “homework” nor is it to say that other kids weren’t doing this same work at home. Accordingly, two families/two kids and yet different experiences. 99% of the time our kids finished the purported “home” work during the remainder of the block period. Infrequently, they would have to finish during homeroom or the miscellaneous SEL time. We have very driven, academically oriented kids.

Most MS kids spend significant time in school goofing off. It’s totally normal and healthy and absolutely zero indication of how smart the kids are or how successful they will be in HS or beyond. I absolutely am not criticizing the kids nor was it a problem for our family that my kids weren’t doing homework. They did other things. Happily. As I posted earlier, my kids went on to Big3 private HS and have been very successful. I feel like APS prepared them just fine and they weren’t missing something that private MS couldn’t afforded them.

Okay, you win. Your kids are the best. They somehow completed major, complicated projects with materials they didn’t even have at school, at school, and they created and recorded podcasts and other audio recordings, and did long term science projects, all at school so that they never, ever had to do any work at home. Congratulations. Those of us with mere mortal children have kids who had to do these things, plus things like study for tests, at home sometimes.

My 8th grader has never once studied for a test. They receive all As and are on the “hardest” trek. I do not believe my child is a genius.

They skipped the study guides, never memorized vocab words for their foreign language, etc? Fascinating.

Maybe the kid cheats.

An equivalent response would be “maybe your kid isn’t that smart and needs to spend hours studying for easy tests.” See how immature, defensive and rude both of these remarks are? My kid never studied for anything when they were at APS. Your kid has a different experience - it doesn’t mean they both can’t be true.

Right. So your kid never does the study guides, practices foreign language vocab words, etc.

It just sounds like BS.

You again? Did you copy this verbatim from your earlier post or did you type this out a second time? I guess my kid did them in school? I really don’t care if you believe me, though I find it a weird fixation that you think multiple people are lying about this. I’ve also learned a lot about this subset of APS parents through this thread. Though, I know you are a minority since I have completely normal friends sending their kids thru HB, Yorktown and W-L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

I am directly answering the question was to what is the problem with APS and why we left.

I detailed the anti-academic preferences, from reducing homework and the emphasis on non academic aspects of school above coursework.

What is “indicative” about my post that you find fault with? And we had and have kids in APS and private, so our experience is valid to the OP.

Not that PP, but your post states that kids either get bad grades and get jobs through parental connections, or they go to a fancy private school where they actually work hard to get ahead in life. That’s a ridiculous dichotomy. Most kids are in neither category. Many kids in public school work hard & get good grades & eventually good jobs, even without 3-4 hours of homework a night in HS. And kids with significant parental connections are far more likely to attend private school…. Not APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

I am directly answering the question was to what is the problem with APS and why we left.

I detailed the anti-academic preferences, from reducing homework and the emphasis on non academic aspects of school above coursework.

What is “indicative” about my post that you find fault with? And we had and have kids in APS and private, so our experience is valid to the OP.

Not that PP, but your post states that kids either get bad grades and get jobs through parental connections, or they go to a fancy private school where they actually work hard to get ahead in life. That’s a ridiculous dichotomy. Most kids are in neither category. Many kids in public school work hard & get good grades & eventually good jobs, even without 3-4 hours of homework a night in HS. And kids with significant parental connections are far more likely to attend private school…. Not APS.

I never said anything about private school in my response.

I stated that there were parents who were against an emphasis on academic rigor and having real homework is part of that. There are definitely parents who have kids in public working hard and focused on school, but there is a large loud amount who are mostly concerned about not having homework and their kid having a phone to coordinate practice with their coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

You are cute. There’s this new thing called Recent Topics (insert sarcasm here) that shows recent threads. That’s how parents like me are finding this thread and unlike you, having something useful to say, as we moved our kid from APS to private. You public school parents are so insecure about your choice that you can’t handle the thought that someone can find fault with APS.

So I find it very hard to believe that there are 5-6 separate sets of parents with kids who are in either highschool or college who were in aps and then went to a “big 3” highschool. I find it far more likely that there is a single troll (or perhaps 2) who is commenting repeatedly on this thread, and is sock puppeting or just plain old trolling. It’s sad because this board just isn’t helpful anymore.
Right now this thread is number 67 on recent topics between traveling to Puerto Rico and questions about lacrosse goalies… doubt someone would soon scroll that much repeatedly if they weren’t a troll.

+1

RWNJ/APE trolls trying to trash APS with BS claims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

You are cute. There’s this new thing called Recent Topics (insert sarcasm here) that shows recent threads. That’s how parents like me are finding this thread and unlike you, having something useful to say, as we moved our kid from APS to private. You public school parents are so insecure about your choice that you can’t handle the thought that someone can find fault with APS.

So I find it very hard to believe that there are 5-6 separate sets of parents with kids who are in either highschool or college who were in aps and then went to a “big 3” highschool. I find it far more likely that there is a single troll (or perhaps 2) who is commenting repeatedly on this thread, and is sock puppeting or just plain old trolling. It’s sad because this board just isn’t helpful anymore.
Right now this thread is number 67 on recent topics between traveling to Puerto Rico and questions about lacrosse goalies… doubt someone would soon scroll that much repeatedly if they weren’t a troll.

+1

RWNJ/APE trolls trying to trash APS with BS claims.

There is ample evidence that kids fled for private during covid and many have not returned. North Arlington ES are under enrolled. I don’t believe that it one sock puppeting parent on here (who is also a member of APE?) “trashing” APS. I have good things to say about our early years at APS but I pulled my kid for private high school and I tried to answer OPs questions. And lots of other posters shared their different experiences. You are wrong to think there aren’t lots of us who tried APS but left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

You are cute. There’s this new thing called Recent Topics (insert sarcasm here) that shows recent threads. That’s how parents like me are finding this thread and unlike you, having something useful to say, as we moved our kid from APS to private. You public school parents are so insecure about your choice that you can’t handle the thought that someone can find fault with APS.

So I find it very hard to believe that there are 5-6 separate sets of parents with kids who are in either highschool or college who were in aps and then went to a “big 3” highschool. I find it far more likely that there is a single troll (or perhaps 2) who is commenting repeatedly on this thread, and is sock puppeting or just plain old trolling. It’s sad because this board just isn’t helpful anymore.
Right now this thread is number 67 on recent topics between traveling to Puerto Rico and questions about lacrosse goalies… doubt someone would soon scroll that much repeatedly if they weren’t a troll.

+1

RWNJ/APE trolls trying to trash APS with BS claims.

There is ample evidence that kids fled for private during covid and many have not returned. North Arlington ES are under enrolled. I don’t believe that it one sock puppeting parent on here (who is also a member of APE?) “trashing” APS. I have good things to say about our early years at APS but I pulled my kid for private high school and I tried to answer OPs questions. And lots of other posters shared their different experiences. You are wrong to think there aren’t lots of us who tried APS but left.

I think the argument for sock puppeting is that it is highly unlikely that there are multiple sets of parents (on this board) who have multiple kids, went private just for highschool, and sent their kid to a “big 3” highschool. Lots of people went private during covid. If you went private during covid though, your kid would likely not have done middle school at aps.

[Anonymous]

If people really suspect this thread is a single poster sock puppeting, then there is a Report button and the admin can check if that is the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

You are cute. There’s this new thing called Recent Topics (insert sarcasm here) that shows recent threads. That’s how parents like me are finding this thread and unlike you, having something useful to say, as we moved our kid from APS to private. You public school parents are so insecure about your choice that you can’t handle the thought that someone can find fault with APS.

So I find it very hard to believe that there are 5-6 separate sets of parents with kids who are in either highschool or college who were in aps and then went to a “big 3” highschool. I find it far more likely that there is a single troll (or perhaps 2) who is commenting repeatedly on this thread, and is sock puppeting or just plain old trolling. It’s sad because this board just isn’t helpful anymore.
Right now this thread is number 67 on recent topics between traveling to Puerto Rico and questions about lacrosse goalies… doubt someone would soon scroll that much repeatedly if they weren’t a troll.

+1

RWNJ/APE trolls trying to trash APS with BS claims.

There is ample evidence that kids fled for private during covid and many have not returned. North Arlington ES are under enrolled. I don’t believe that it one sock puppeting parent on here (who is also a member of APE?) “trashing” APS. I have good things to say about our early years at APS but I pulled my kid for private high school and I tried to answer OPs questions. And lots of other posters shared their different experiences. You are wrong to think there aren’t lots of us who tried APS but left.

I think the argument for sock puppeting is that it is highly unlikely that there are multiple sets of parents (on this board) who have multiple kids, went private just for highschool, and sent their kid to a “big 3” highschool. Lots of people went private during covid. If you went private during covid though, your kid would likely not have done middle school at aps.

Part of it is that everyone things their school is a Big3 (it’s a bit amorphous!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread belies why APS is floundering: you have a whole swath of parents who want to focus on socializing in school and do not want homework because it will interfere with sports etc.

And for many of their kids, they will do fine, leveraging the connections their parents have to go into jobs where degrees and grades don’t matter, and that’s fine for them.

For the rest of us, who have to actually have proven skills for a living, APS is woefully lacking because of these attitudes.

Honestly this post is so indicative of what’s wrong with this board in general. I remember a few years ago I would come here to hear new stuff and be better informed, and get actual information that was more often than not accurate. Now you just have trolls. People who pedantically criticize. People who claim to have all their kids in private schools but still feel the need to read and comment here. Obvious trolling.
Just like I don’t go back to the expecting parent board, I really doubt that people who are commenting here about having moved ever actually had a kid in aps.

You are cute. There’s this new thing called Recent Topics (insert sarcasm here) that shows recent threads. That’s how parents like me are finding this thread and unlike you, having something useful to say, as we moved our kid from APS to private. You public school parents are so insecure about your choice that you can’t handle the thought that someone can find fault with APS.

So I find it very hard to believe that there are 5-6 separate sets of parents with kids who are in either highschool or college who were in aps and then went to a “big 3” highschool. I find it far more likely that there is a single troll (or perhaps 2) who is commenting repeatedly on this thread, and is sock puppeting or just plain old trolling. It’s sad because this board just isn’t helpful anymore.
Right now this thread is number 67 on recent topics between traveling to Puerto Rico and questions about lacrosse goalies… doubt someone would soon scroll that much repeatedly if they weren’t a troll.

+1

RWNJ/APE trolls trying to trash APS with BS claims.

There is ample evidence that kids fled for private during covid and many have not returned. North Arlington ES are under enrolled. I don’t believe that it one sock puppeting parent on here (who is also a member of APE?) “trashing” APS. I have good things to say about our early years at APS but I pulled my kid for private high school and I tried to answer OPs questions. And lots of other posters shared their different experiences. You are wrong to think there aren’t lots of us who tried APS but left.

I think the argument for sock puppeting is that it is highly unlikely that there are multiple sets of parents (on this board) who have multiple kids, went private just for highschool, and sent their kid to a “big 3” highschool. Lots of people went private during covid. If you went private during covid though, your kid would likely not have done middle school at aps.

Part of it is that everyone things their school is a Big3 (it’s a bit amorphous!)

True, and humorous. There must be 6-7 local private schools in the "Big 3".

[Anonymous]

I posted about my experience- I didn’t claim my kids went to a big 3. I think APS defenders are so confused because they seem to think the workload and rigors is higher (than APS) only from the “big 3.” Even though they won’t acknowledge that. Uh no, it’s harder at a number of private schools. I know this because I talk to the parents of my kids’ former classmates/friends.

[Anonymous]

No, some jerk specifically mentioned “big 3”.

[Anonymous]

This is such a problematic way to gather info. People who left public were unhappy for some reason that surely is very real to them. And once you are paying $50k per year, your brain is surely going to do everything in its power to tell you it is the correct decision.

I really think with these decisions you have to tune out what others are doing and stay focused on your individual kid and their needs. Every family and kid has a different set of variables to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted about my experience- I didn’t claim my kids went to a big 3. I think APS defenders are so confused because they seem to think the workload and rigors is higher (than APS) only from the “big 3.” Even though they won’t acknowledge that. Uh no, it’s harder at a number of private schools. I know this because I talk to the parents of my kids’ former classmates/friends.

+1 Same with me. My kid isn't Big 3 but we did leave for a challenging private school. And we aren't APE or RWNJs....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted about my experience- I didn’t claim my kids went to a big 3. I think APS defenders are so confused because they seem to think the workload and rigors is higher (than APS) only from the “big 3.” Even though they won’t acknowledge that. Uh no, it’s harder at a number of private schools. I know this because I talk to the parents of my kids’ former classmates/friends.

+1 Same with me. My kid isn't Big 3 but we did leave for a challenging private school. And we aren't APE or RWNJs....

No one is saying that private schools aren’t in general more challenging and provide a better education. They are generally smaller and allow for a certain degree of accountability that it is definitely lacking once you get out of elementary school.
The thought that a kid taking 4-5 ap classes at a public school isn’t getting a challenging experience and won’t be adequately prepared for college is elitist and wrong though. Implying that a kid who is taking all intensified and ap classes and consequently has 3+ hours of homework is dumb and working too hard is elitist and wrong.

There is one jerk who has commented throughout this thread about his children going from aps to a “big 3” and how kids taking ap world as freshmen at wl don’t have homework. That guy is a troll, especially since they implied that there were multiple of them. I don’t think everyone who went to private is a troll, just that guy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted about my experience- I didn’t claim my kids went to a big 3. I think APS defenders are so confused because they seem to think the workload and rigors is higher (than APS) only from the “big 3.” Even though they won’t acknowledge that. Uh no, it’s harder at a number of private schools. I know this because I talk to the parents of my kids’ former classmates/friends.

+1 Same with me. My kid isn't Big 3 but we did leave for a challenging private school. And we aren't APE or RWNJs....

No one is saying that private schools aren’t in general more challenging and provide a better education. They are generally smaller and allow for a certain degree of accountability that it is definitely lacking once you get out of elementary school.
The thought that a kid taking 4-5 ap classes at a public school isn’t getting a challenging experience and won’t be adequately prepared for college is elitist and wrong though. Implying that a kid who is taking all intensified and ap classes and consequently has 3+ hours of homework is dumb and working too hard is elitist and wrong.

There is one jerk who has commented throughout this thread about his children going from aps to a “big 3” and how kids taking ap world as freshmen at wl don’t have homework. That guy is a troll, especially since they implied that there were multiple of them. I don’t think everyone who went to private is a troll, just that guy!

Exactly!