Jefferson middle school Arlington

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have first hand experience with their child at Jefferson middle school in Arlington and care to share? We are looking at SFHs zoned for that middle school.

If anyone has first hand knowledge to compare to Dorothy Hamm that would be super useful. I have an older daughter finishing up at DH but my younger daughter would go to Jefferson if we move.

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1156747.page#25824029

[Anonymous]

The curriculum would mostly be the same, except for the pre-IB grading system TJMS does, which makes sense if you read their emails. Both schools have decent-to-good reputations when it comes to faculty and admin.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/06/Civil-Rights-Table-1-2022-web.pdf

DHMS is 50% white, TJMS 30%. DHMS is 19% Free/Reduced Lunch, TJMS 42%.

Those are your biggest differences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum would mostly be the same, except for the pre-IB grading system TJMS does, which makes sense if you read their emails. Both schools have decent-to-good reputations when it comes to faculty and admin.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2023/06/Civil-Rights-Table-1-2022-web.pdf

DHMS is 50% white, TJMS 30%. DHMS is 19% Free/Reduced Lunch, TJMS 42%.

Those are your biggest differences.

Hamm's principal came from TJ where she was an assistant principal. She is very well liked at Hamm, as she was at TJ.

[Anonymous]

We have a 7th grader at TJMS and a high school 10th grader who graduated from TJMS.

The IB program and the language options were great--though it might only make a difference for 6th graders.
As all 7th graders have access to language.

We had 2 friends transfer to Hamm from TJMS. We've also had 2 friends transfer in from Swanson (?).
There are some great teachers, and some not great teachers. When we first started there I was concerned about the size of the school and number of students. But I been very happy. The math and science teachers for the most part have been great. And some of the English and history teachers are fantastic.

If I had another kid, I'd be happy to send them to TJMS. If I lived in a neighborhood that had another option, I might consider it. But it's been great for my two kids so far.

[Anonymous]

For what it's worth, I substitute frequently at that school and I'd have no issues with my kid going there.

[Anonymous]

We have a 6th grader and an 8th grader at TJMS and like it just fine. My kids both play wind instruments seriously and think that the band director is terrific. She organizes a band members' field trip to an amusement park in the spring. We like the diversity - my kids have sweet friends whose families immigrated from Asia, the Middle East, Central America. These kids are good student and study buddies. We don't hear about discipline problems. The 8th grader takes intensified core classes across the board, for science, English, geography for HS credit, algebra II. When my older child was admitted to a competitive STEM summer sleep-away camp the spring that ran during the last week of school, she was excused from school that week by admins not only with zero fuss, but with encouragement to go enjoy the camp. Friendly, well-run school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a 6th grader and an 8th grader at TJMS and like it just fine. My kids both play wind instruments seriously and think that the band director is terrific. She organizes a band members' field trip to an amusement park in the spring. We like the diversity - my kids have sweet friends whose families immigrated from Asia, the Middle East, Central America. These kids are good student and study buddies. We don't hear about discipline problems. The 8th grader takes intensified core classes across the board, for science, English, geography for HS credit, algebra II. When my older child was admitted to a competitive STEM summer sleep-away camp the spring that ran during the last week of school, she was excused from school that week by admins not only with zero fuss, but with encouragement to go enjoy the camp. Friendly, well-run school.

That is really interesting about Algebra II. I did not realize that APS offered Algebra II in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a 6th grader and an 8th grader at TJMS and like it just fine. My kids both play wind instruments seriously and think that the band director is terrific. She organizes a band members' field trip to an amusement park in the spring. We like the diversity - my kids have sweet friends whose families immigrated from Asia, the Middle East, Central America. These kids are good student and study buddies. We don't hear about discipline problems. The 8th grader takes intensified core classes across the board, for science, English, geography for HS credit, algebra II. When my older child was admitted to a competitive STEM summer sleep-away camp the spring that ran during the last week of school, she was excused from school that week by admins not only with zero fuss, but with encouragement to go enjoy the camp. Friendly, well-run school.

That is really interesting about Algebra II. I did not realize that APS offered Algebra II in middle school.

Algebra II is not on the middle school pathway for math. They might offer it to kids under special circumstances, but it’s definitely not the norm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a 6th grader and an 8th grader at TJMS and like it just fine. My kids both play wind instruments seriously and think that the band director is terrific. She organizes a band members' field trip to an amusement park in the spring. We like the diversity - my kids have sweet friends whose families immigrated from Asia, the Middle East, Central America. These kids are good student and study buddies. We don't hear about discipline problems. The 8th grader takes intensified core classes across the board, for science, English, geography for HS credit, algebra II. When my older child was admitted to a competitive STEM summer sleep-away camp the spring that ran during the last week of school, she was excused from school that week by admins not only with zero fuss, but with encouragement to go enjoy the camp. Friendly, well-run school.

That is really interesting about Algebra II. I did not realize that APS offered Algebra II in middle school.

Algebra II is not on the middle school pathway for math. They might offer it to kids under special circumstances, but it’s definitely not the norm.

+1 And APS recently upped the requirements for going on the accelerated track. You basically have to have been very good at math in fifth grade to be able to take Geometry in middle school. Most kids are going to do Algebra in 8th, even if they are strong math students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a 6th grader and an 8th grader at TJMS and like it just fine. My kids both play wind instruments seriously and think that the band director is terrific. She organizes a band members' field trip to an amusement park in the spring. We like the diversity - my kids have sweet friends whose families immigrated from Asia, the Middle East, Central America. These kids are good student and study buddies. We don't hear about discipline problems. The 8th grader takes intensified core classes across the board, for science, English, geography for HS credit, algebra II. When my older child was admitted to a competitive STEM summer sleep-away camp the spring that ran during the last week of school, she was excused from school that week by admins not only with zero fuss, but with encouragement to go enjoy the camp. Friendly, well-run school.

That is really interesting about Algebra II. I did not realize that APS offered Algebra II in middle school.

Algebra II is not on the middle school pathway for math. They might offer it to kids under special circumstances, but it’s definitely not the norm.

Yeah, if an APS 8th grader is taking algebra II, s/he is not taking it at a middle school in person.

[Anonymous]

Math options situation is the same at TJMS as Arlington wide. What's unique about Jefferson?

*School uses the indoor track they share with the city rec center in the same building for PE.
*School has an unusually nice auditorium/stage, again shared with city.
*School offers more languages than the other APS middle schools, and from 6th grade Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, ASL, Russian and German on demand on-line. Unusually advanced students can have their own on-line classes in 8th grade in any of these languages.
*8th grade geography for all in 8th grade due to IB Middle Years curriculum, students can take advanced geog for HS credit.
*Particularly good band, chorus and orchestra due to strong music director, "Ms. T."

Yes, more poor kids than several of the AP neighborhood middle schools but good discipline and stable teaching force manage the poor kids well enough for us. Only around 1/4 of the student at Jefferson are zoned for Washington-Liberty, but the group includes many high performers academically. Moreover, other strong students often try to lottery/test into IB studies at W-L. In a nutshell, the IBD program at W-L keeps a good cohort of strong TJMS students together for HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Math options situation is the same at TJMS as Arlington wide. What's unique about Jefferson?

*School uses the indoor track they share with the city rec center in the same building for PE.
*School has an unusually nice auditorium/stage, again shared with city.
*School offers more languages than the other APS middle schools, and from 6th grade Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, ASL, Russian and German on demand on-line. Unusually advanced students can have their own on-line classes in 8th grade in any of these languages.
*8th grade geography for all in 8th grade due to IB Middle Years curriculum, students can take advanced geog for HS credit.
*Particularly good band, chorus and orchestra due to strong music director, "Ms. T."

Yes, more poor kids than several of the AP neighborhood middle schools but good discipline and stable teaching force manage the poor kids well enough for us. Only around 1/4 of the student at Jefferson are zoned for Washington-Liberty, but the group includes many high performers academically. Moreover, other strong students often try to lottery/test into IB studies at W-L. In a nutshell, the IBD program at W-L keeps a good cohort of strong TJMS students together for HS.

Eh....debatable. Ms. T only does band. They do fine; but I wouldn't say they are "particularly good" per se.
Our kids have been out of TJ for a few years. So if Russian and German are now available in any form, that's new and very glad to hear it. Both of my kids took Latin at TJ. I assume/hope that is still an option.

The 8th grade geography class is World Geography, not advanced geography. And I thought that's systemwide, not unique to TJ or the IB program.

For those concerned at the sound of a shared indoor track for PE: they section off the indoor track/gym with a huge curtain. The students do not mix with the adults from the general public using the facilities. And I don't think it's really that many community members using it during school hours overall. I've never heard of any issues resulting from this arrangement.

Again, we've been gone a few years; but we had very good-to-outstanding teachers throughout, a great director of counseling who is no longer there, and an ok principal.

[Anonymous]

Arlington middle schools started offering "intensified" 8th grade classes in several core subjects, science, ELA and social studies, this fall. Geography at TJMS is either standard or "intensified" for HS credit. Students choose their level in consultation with counselors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Math options situation is the same at TJMS as Arlington wide. What's unique about Jefferson?

*School uses the indoor track they share with the city rec center in the same building for PE.
*School has an unusually nice auditorium/stage, again shared with city.
*School offers more languages than the other APS middle schools, and from 6th grade Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, ASL, Russian and German on demand on-line. Unusually advanced students can have their own on-line classes in 8th grade in any of these languages.
*8th grade geography for all in 8th grade due to IB Middle Years curriculum, students can take advanced geog for HS credit.
*Particularly good band, chorus and orchestra due to strong music director, "Ms. T."

Yes, more poor kids than several of the AP neighborhood middle schools but good discipline and stable teaching force manage the poor kids well enough for us. Only around 1/4 of the student at Jefferson are zoned for Washington-Liberty, but the group includes many high performers academically. Moreover, other strong students often try to lottery/test into IB studies at W-L. In a nutshell, the IBD program at W-L keeps a good cohort of strong TJMS students together for HS.

Seems like many would prefer Wakefield now given how large W-L is getting. Nicer building, too.