HB Woodlawn - I know nothing. Help!

[Anonymous]

My DC was just offered a spot at HB Woodlawn for 9th. I know very little about the school and would love some info bc there is not much online. DC is very young for his grade (September day and will start HS at 13). We have discussed having him repeat 8th bc he isn’t ready for HS. He does have some executive function and attention issues but is bright and very bored in middle school. Our home school Yorktown HS is so big we are afraid he will get eaten alive or lost in the shuffle bc he’s young, immature and small too.

Can anyone explain what exactly HB is, whether it’s a good alternative school option for a kid with DC’s profile?

[Anonymous]

I would definitely send him to HB. (Current Yorktown parent who will be sending my youngest to Private and not Yorktown).

[Anonymous]

There is a shadow day opportunity for kids who got a spot in the lottery. Have him do that.

Read the school's website and reach out to the school counselors there now that you know he has a spot if you want it. The program was originally geared towards what are often called the quirky kids but it has become a coveted program because it is so small so you get all types of kids. Kids have a lot of freedom and self direction. Teachers are called by their first names. It can be good for lots of types of kids and not a good fit for others.

[Anonymous]

I had two kids graduate from HB. It’s been a while, but the philosophy of the school hasn’t changed. It takes a very hands off approach with its students and the students who thrive there are both fiercely independent and self driven and very capable and high achieving academically. Being on the younger side for his grade - although honestly he’s not THAT young - won’t be an issue there, but his learning style and challenges might be. Yorktown would definitely offer him more support. (I had two kids attend Yorktown as well.)

On balance, I would try HB since you were offered a highly coveted spot at an excellent academic high school, but I would carefully monitor your son’s progress and prepare for real possibility that he struggles in the classroom and doesn’t get the extra support that he apparently needs. That’s just not HB strong suit or its philosophy. You can always switch to Yorktown. You can’t do the reverse.

[Anonymous]

Lucky you! I wouldn’t delay in accepting the spot. HB grad here

[Anonymous]

You would be absolutely crazy not to take the spot. HB is a private school run by APS.

[Anonymous]

You would be absolutely crazy not to take the spot. HB is a private school run by APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You would be absolutely crazy not to take the spot. HB is a private school run by APS.

+1. It's unethical that APS pours so many resources into this school. And I would take the spot in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

My child with mental heath issues has gotten great support at HBW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would definitely send him to HB. (Current Yorktown parent who will be sending my youngest to Private and not Yorktown).

My kid is doing great at YHS because of the structure. I would be afraid they would take advantage of the freedom of HB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would definitely send him to HB. (Current Yorktown parent who will be sending my youngest to Private and not Yorktown).

My kid is doing great at YHS because of the structure. I would be afraid they would take advantage of the freedom of HB.

One of my kids attended HB and completely abused the lack of structure and literally almost never went to class and the school both never told us and did absolutely nothing about it. I don’t blame the school, because that’s the philosophy and we went in knowing it, but people need to recognize that it’s not a panacea.

[Anonymous]

My kid is a little bit of a misfit and is doing well at HB. We have an IEP. They have found friends.

Now that they are in high school, I don't find that there is much teacher feedback and my kid is learning to mostly be on top of their own grades and assignments with the help of a special "instructional studies" class that helps them focus on getting homework in etc. I used to be a lot more involved in that in middle school, even with IS.

There are a lot of older threads about HB here so you could run a search and find some useful info. Basically, I think there are fewer jock-ish types at HB because you need to go back to your home school to participate in most sports except frisbee (b/c HB doesn't have real fields). Also, HB has a slightly higher teacher/student ratio because it does not hire most non-teaching staff positions other schools have, like counselors, etc. Instead, teachers cover those same jobs, and even the principals teach, so the class size is just a bit smaller. HB doesn't have all the course offerings of bigger schools, so kids are more limited in what they can take, offerings won't be as far-ranging as at Yorktown. And in general, each yearly class is smaller - I think there are about 85 kids in 6th grade and maybe 130 kids in 9th. This is due in part to it being a combined 6th-12th grade school and a smaller single building with no real fields in the middle of Rosslyn.

Not sure why someone else is talking about "so many resources" at HB. I know the building cost was a lot, but more money per capita isn't spent on kids at HB than elsewhere -- HB cut costs in other ways as I explained above to allow the higher teacher:student ratio. It's not costing APS.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP: Don't say that part out loud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would be absolutely crazy not to take the spot. HB is a private school run by APS.

+1. It's unethical that APS pours so many resources into this school. And I would take the spot in a heartbeat.

I feel the same way — and we took the spot when offered.

[Anonymous]

what is the basis of the statement that APS pours a lot of resources into the school?