Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school?

[Anonymous]

Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school? Our ACPS elementary had 3 homerooms for every grade. Now 3-5 it is only 2 and there are over 28 children in a class. I thought that ACPS had a policy of having low numbers in elementary. I can't find it online anymore, but this was one of the reasons we chose ACPS over APS (we needed to be on a metro line for work). Are students and their families being turned away from their in bound school while classrooms sit empty? This is not a teacher recruitment issue either. Our school had a high rate of retention and our principal was very transparent with families about it. It sounds like this decision was made at Dr. Kay-Wyatt's level. I am super frustrated as I have emailed the school board and central office and no one has responded. It was weeks ago. I wrote a very thoughtful and practical based email. I understand the teacher shortage. I understand that we have lower enrollment. But I know of families who live in our neighborhood and in boundaries who are going to a school that is not walking distance and they do not get bus service either. Please someone tell me that I am the only one without a response and you have heard back from ACPS or a school board member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school? Our ACPS elementary had 3 homerooms for every grade. Now 3-5 it is only 2 and there are over 28 children in a class. I thought that ACPS had a policy of having low numbers in elementary. I can't find it online anymore, but this was one of the reasons we chose ACPS over APS (we needed to be on a metro line for work). Are students and their families being turned away from their in bound school while classrooms sit empty? This is not a teacher recruitment issue either. Our school had a high rate of retention and our principal was very transparent with families about it. It sounds like this decision was made at Dr. Kay-Wyatt's level. I am super frustrated as I have emailed the school board and central office and no one has responded. It was weeks ago. I wrote a very thoughtful and practical based email. I understand the teacher shortage. I understand that we have lower enrollment. But I know of families who live in our neighborhood and in boundaries who are going to a school that is not walking distance and they do not get bus service either. Please someone tell me that I am the only one without a response and you have heard back from ACPS or a school board member.

Sounds like you chose poorly. Have you considered moving or private?

[Anonymous]

No, not interested in moving. Our jobs are both DC based. We are not interested in private schools and I am not sure why that is always the "solution".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school? Our ACPS elementary had 3 homerooms for every grade. Now 3-5 it is only 2 and there are over 28 children in a class. I thought that ACPS had a policy of having low numbers in elementary. I can't find it online anymore, but this was one of the reasons we chose ACPS over APS (we needed to be on a metro line for work). Are students and their families being turned away from their in bound school while classrooms sit empty? This is not a teacher recruitment issue either. Our school had a high rate of retention and our principal was very transparent with families about it. It sounds like this decision was made at Dr. Kay-Wyatt's level. I am super frustrated as I have emailed the school board and central office and no one has responded. It was weeks ago. I wrote a very thoughtful and practical based email. I understand the teacher shortage. I understand that we have lower enrollment. But I know of families who live in our neighborhood and in boundaries who are going to a school that is not walking distance and they do not get bus service either. Please someone tell me that I am the only one without a response and you have heard back from ACPS or a school board member.

hahahaha, I'm so sorry but you must be new. ACPS does not respond to emails. They assume that if you've taken the time to write to them about anything, you must be racist, crazy, privileged, unhinged, republican, etc. and therefore not worth responding to. It's a very convenient communications policy they've created for themselves. The board has actually stated that they exist to serve those that don't communicate with them, because of course, they know best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school? Our ACPS elementary had 3 homerooms for every grade. Now 3-5 it is only 2 and there are over 28 children in a class. I thought that ACPS had a policy of having low numbers in elementary. I can't find it online anymore, but this was one of the reasons we chose ACPS over APS (we needed to be on a metro line for work). Are students and their families being turned away from their in bound school while classrooms sit empty? This is not a teacher recruitment issue either. Our school had a high rate of retention and our principal was very transparent with families about it. It sounds like this decision was made at Dr. Kay-Wyatt's level. I am super frustrated as I have emailed the school board and central office and no one has responded. It was weeks ago. I wrote a very thoughtful and practical based email. I understand the teacher shortage. I understand that we have lower enrollment. But I know of families who live in our neighborhood and in boundaries who are going to a school that is not walking distance and they do not get bus service either. Please someone tell me that I am the only one without a response and you have heard back from ACPS or a school board member.

hahahaha, I'm so sorry but you must be new. ACPS does not respond to emails. They assume that if you've taken the time to write to them about anything, you must be racist, crazy, privileged, unhinged, republican, etc. and therefore not worth responding to. It's a very convenient communications policy they've created for themselves. The board has actually stated that they exist to serve those that don't communicate with them, because of course, they know best.

Are you serious? They serve people who don't communicate with them? How do these people get elected/re-elected? I thought most of the newish people ran on communication and transparency, but not one of them has responded to me. Thanks for letting me know that my expectations are too high and I need to encourage some people to run for School Board when these folks' terms are up! I'm not "new" but I have a third grader and I have never written the school board or ACPS before.

[Anonymous]

Again, you chose poorly. Have an APS fifth grader with 22 in the class.

[Anonymous]

I know this happened at Brooks. I’m guessing this is the school you’re referring to. I know some parents who got responses when they complained, others who didn’t. Very mixed bag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school? Our ACPS elementary had 3 homerooms for every grade. Now 3-5 it is only 2 and there are over 28 children in a class. I thought that ACPS had a policy of having low numbers in elementary. I can't find it online anymore, but this was one of the reasons we chose ACPS over APS (we needed to be on a metro line for work). Are students and their families being turned away from their in bound school while classrooms sit empty? This is not a teacher recruitment issue either. Our school had a high rate of retention and our principal was very transparent with families about it. It sounds like this decision was made at Dr. Kay-Wyatt's level. I am super frustrated as I have emailed the school board and central office and no one has responded. It was weeks ago. I wrote a very thoughtful and practical based email. I understand the teacher shortage. I understand that we have lower enrollment. But I know of families who live in our neighborhood and in boundaries who are going to a school that is not walking distance and they do not get bus service either. Please someone tell me that I am the only one without a response and you have heard back from ACPS or a school board member.

hahahaha, I'm so sorry but you must be new. ACPS does not respond to emails. They assume that if you've taken the time to write to them about anything, you must be racist, crazy, privileged, unhinged, republican, etc. and therefore not worth responding to. It's a very convenient communications policy they've created for themselves. The board has actually stated that they exist to serve those that don't communicate with them, because of course, they know best.

Sadly this is true. At least with the previous board chair Cindy Anderson, you would get a reply. Sure she'd call you a racist but at least it was a reply! And the board chair before her (Ramee Gentry) used to openly talk about how vocal parents should have their concerns discounted. The former comms person told parents that she had a list of "problem parents".

I'm sorry but this is just how things are in Alexandria. It's the culture. I wouldn't bother raising this with your PTA or the city wide PTA. There is no difference between them, ACPS central office and the board. And you'll get a cold shoulder from other parents too.

If you want something else you'll have to go private or move as someone else suggested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did ACPS remove entire classrooms at your school? Our ACPS elementary had 3 homerooms for every grade. Now 3-5 it is only 2 and there are over 28 children in a class. I thought that ACPS had a policy of having low numbers in elementary. I can't find it online anymore, but this was one of the reasons we chose ACPS over APS (we needed to be on a metro line for work). Are students and their families being turned away from their in bound school while classrooms sit empty? This is not a teacher recruitment issue either. Our school had a high rate of retention and our principal was very transparent with families about it. It sounds like this decision was made at Dr. Kay-Wyatt's level. I am super frustrated as I have emailed the school board and central office and no one has responded. It was weeks ago. I wrote a very thoughtful and practical based email. I understand the teacher shortage. I understand that we have lower enrollment. But I know of families who live in our neighborhood and in boundaries who are going to a school that is not walking distance and they do not get bus service either. Please someone tell me that I am the only one without a response and you have heard back from ACPS or a school board member.

hahahaha, I'm so sorry but you must be new. ACPS does not respond to emails. They assume that if you've taken the time to write to them about anything, you must be racist, crazy, privileged, unhinged, republican, etc. and therefore not worth responding to. It's a very convenient communications policy they've created for themselves. The board has actually stated that they exist to serve those that don't communicate with them, because of course, they know best.

Are you serious? They serve people who don't communicate with them? How do these people get elected/re-elected? I thought most of the newish people ran on communication and transparency, but not one of them has responded to me. Thanks for letting me know that my expectations are too high and I need to encourage some people to run for School Board when these folks' terms are up! I'm not "new" but I have a third grader and I have never written the school board or ACPS before.

You're right. The new ones ran on transparency. Take Baird in B for example. She scrubbed her campaign website in the spring. Before the scrubbing there were lots of statements about transparency and communication. But then she got really cozy with "Greg" aka Hutchings. Now you have to have her permission to engage with her on social media. Booz (also in B) is another great example. She was on the board six or seven years ago. She didn't do a thing. But she got re-elected and she doesn't respond to polite questions either.

As someone who has been very involved over the years...don't waste your time. It's not worth it. Spend that time helping your kid(s) with their work. People may encourage you to speak out but don't. They are just to cowardly to do it themselves and want someone else to do it.

[Anonymous]

I thought APS had the lowest class sizes in the region?

I have a 3rd grader that's never had more than 21 in her class so far. My older child was in the 19-22 range through second grade and bumped up to 25 in 3rd.

ACPS is pretty widely known to be terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought APS had the lowest class sizes in the region?

I have a 3rd grader that's never had more than 21 in her class so far. My older child was in the 19-22 range through second grade and bumped up to 25 in 3rd.

ACPS is pretty widely known to be terrible.

To be clear the class sizes above are at APS.

[Anonymous]

ACPS always had lower class sizes when I compared to friends who work at APS. In the past 1-2 years, something happened and our class sizes at ACPS are going up a lot - close to the limits when that had never happened before in 10 years.

[Anonymous]

My kids have both had 20 or below, usually below, in their classrooms in ACPS elementary. They're both at 25 now.

[Anonymous]

ACPS is perfect and better than other schools, so you are supposed to be grateful and shut up. That mantra has worked for many years, and I imagine it will continue.

The district shut the high school for 2.5 weeks at the end of last year with no meaningful explanation or acknowledgment of its failures that led to that result. Addressing class size, I am sure is even lower on its communications priorities.

The Chair of the School Board sends her kids to private school. She used to teach at GW, but, obviously, realized it was nowhere she wanted her own children to attend.

We had no idea it would be so bad here. We cannot afford private and moving is not an option, so as I posted in another forum on ACPS - we are just going to endure the beatings until our morale improves. I just wish by parent guilt was not so intense.

[Anonymous]

Did you write to Booz or Elnoubi?

They may not represent your District but they have shown themselves as willing to challenge ACPS. They are not antagonistic but the two of them did speak up when Hutchings told board members to not speak to the press when it came to a Minnie Howard incident.

Elnoubi has this event coming up - https://mobile.twitter.com/abdelelnoubi/with_replies

And look at Booz's twitter account - she will listen and is willing to ask questions.