APS: Cardinal Elementary (considering transfer) - how is it going?

[Anonymous]

OP - thanks to all for your helpful input, specific and general. You've given me more to think about. Any feedback on what age kids usually start walking to school alone (and/or with an older sibling)?

[Anonymous]

I do wonder what APS is up to with this. But as you noted OP, who knows because it changes month to month and year to year.

Regardless, Cardinal is getting blown up in next year's boundary process. It seems this is a strong signal they are going to send all the walkable units there (as they should have in the first place). So we are a Tuckahoe family and I think going to stick it out at Tuckahoe (which we love) and then take the transition to Cardinal if it comes and make the best of it. As opposed to going next year to Cardinal only for kids to make friends who might not even be at Cardinal the following year after the next boundary process.

[Anonymous]

We were with McK/Cardinal for years. I never felt they were extremely tough on boys. It was actually quite the opposite. I think that is more about hand-tied admins and parenting, but there definitely wasn't a "hard on boys" thing going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were with McK/Cardinal for years. I never felt they were extremely tough on boys. It was actually quite the opposite. I think that is more about hand-tied admins and parenting, but there definitely wasn't a "hard on boys" thing going on.

I am the poster who said this. I can be more precise and this is only my experience and perception.

I think the admin's style is to try to intimidate the kids who cause a lot of trouble. My son (who generally had no issues with behavior) was a witness in student meetings where kids would be made to cry. The older kids talk amongst themselves about not letting the principal break them or make them cry. That's what he's going for and they know it.

I don't think this behavior is anti-boy exactly. I think some boys, as documented and written about by people who do those things, can tend to struggle on average more with the current public school education model of sit still a lot and follow the rules. So they are on the receiving end more often. That is what I have heard anecdotally often over my 8 years with this admin.

Just one person's perspective though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - thanks to all for your helpful input, specific and general. You've given me more to think about. Any feedback on what age kids usually start walking to school alone (and/or with an older sibling)?

I think there is a guideline, but I don't recall what it was/is. What are you comfortable with, given your location and the walk? My kids were bus riders; but a similar issue regarding at what age parents could let the kids go to the bus stop on their own. As someone who walked several blocks to school beginning in kindergarten, I'm inclined to let kids walk on their own to the bus stop or school earlier than later. But, given there can be issues with buses not showing or being very late, it was beneficial for me to accompany the kids (and enjoy chatting with the other parents a while). When my youngest was, I think third grade, I stopped walking to the bus stop. I figured that was old enough to use some judgement when the bus didn't show up; plus I also knew other parents were still at the bus stop in case there was an issue. Same with greeting the bus when they came home.

If we were walkers, I'd probably let them go on their own at younger age; but depends on the distance and the walk. I personally probably would not have felt comfortable with them walking to elementary school more than half mile and within the neighborhood. But if there's a reliable group of kids walking to and from school together, that would be another factor. There was no question that my kids would walk to middle school on their own!

[Anonymous]

Very personal decision on walking, OP. My kids would have had to cross two roads were people regularly went 35mph despite the posted 25mph signs, and there were no crossing guards. There have been multiple accidents over the years including pedestrians being struck, but Arlington County won't do anything. I walked with them until 5th and then would meet them at the busy corner in 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do wonder what APS is up to with this. But as you noted OP, who knows because it changes month to month and year to year.

Regardless, Cardinal is getting blown up in next year's boundary process. It seems this is a strong signal they are going to send all the walkable units there (as they should have in the first place). So we are a Tuckahoe family and I think going to stick it out at Tuckahoe (which we love) and then take the transition to Cardinal if it comes and make the best of it. As opposed to going next year to Cardinal only for kids to make friends who might not even be at Cardinal the following year after the next boundary process.

Wait there is another boundary process next year? I thought they offered voluntary Abingdon Drew transfers last year but I couldn’t tell if they actually redrew the boundary when that option failed miserably.

[Anonymous]

OP we've been happy at Cardinal. Great group of parents and kids, lots of parent involvement, lots for kids to do. I haven't noticed that they're hard on boys; if anything we had an incident with a boy and I think he got off pretty lightly.

Principal is responsive but with the school being big I would think it's possible you go years without interacting with him (not sure that would be different anywhere else). Teachers run the gamut: some are good, some are awful, again, like anywhere else.

I think lots of kids walk out of school toward Parkhurst -- maybe go there one day and see if they continue walking your way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do wonder what APS is up to with this. But as you noted OP, who knows because it changes month to month and year to year.

Regardless, Cardinal is getting blown up in next year's boundary process. It seems this is a strong signal they are going to send all the walkable units there (as they should have in the first place). So we are a Tuckahoe family and I think going to stick it out at Tuckahoe (which we love) and then take the transition to Cardinal if it comes and make the best of it. As opposed to going next year to Cardinal only for kids to make friends who might not even be at Cardinal the following year after the next boundary process.

Wait there is another boundary process next year? I thought they offered voluntary Abingdon Drew transfers last year but I couldn’t tell if they actually redrew the boundary when that option failed miserably.

The entire County is on the table next fall for all elementary. It's what they declined to do last year because they said it would be too hard during a pandemic. They have been clear all planning units are in play.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for the replies on walking. Like a previous poster I walked to school on my own starting in kindergarten, so I worried my perspective might be skewed. We're a block north of Parkhurst, so it's a very easy/safe walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the replies on walking. Like a previous poster I walked to school on my own starting in kindergarten, so I worried my perspective might be skewed. We're a block north of Parkhurst, so it's a very easy/safe walk.

Isn't that in the current Cardinal zone? Why would you need to transfer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the replies on walking. Like a previous poster I walked to school on my own starting in kindergarten, so I worried my perspective might be skewed. We're a block north of Parkhurst, so it's a very easy/safe walk.

Isn't that in the current Cardinal zone? Why would you need to transfer?

The north side of 22nd is assigned to Tuckahoe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were with McK/Cardinal for years. I never felt they were extremely tough on boys. It was actually quite the opposite. I think that is more about hand-tied admins and parenting, but there definitely wasn't a "hard on boys" thing going on.

I am the poster who said this. I can be more precise and this is only my experience and perception.

I think the admin's style is to try to intimidate the kids who cause a lot of trouble. My son (who generally had no issues with behavior) was a witness in student meetings where kids would be made to cry. The older kids talk amongst themselves about not letting the principal break them or make them cry. That's what he's going for and they know it.

I don't think this behavior is anti-boy exactly. I think some boys, as documented and written about by people who do those things, can tend to struggle on average more with the current public school education model of sit still a lot and follow the rules. So they are on the receiving end more often. That is what I have heard anecdotally often over my 8 years with this admin.

Just one person's perspective though.

You're not wrong.

Also, if you're in the CB fan club your kid gets a pass. If you voice any disagreement it gets taken out on your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - thanks to all for your helpful input, specific and general. You've given me more to think about. Any feedback on what age kids usually start walking to school alone (and/or with an older sibling)?

ASFS official line on walkers is they can walk alone starting 4th grade. This probably aligns with Arlington County guidelines (not law) of not letting 8yo and under alone for any period of time. However, the reality is that pick-up at ASFS is very crowded and there's no way they are paying attention to whether or not a kid is walking home with or without an adult. The morning may be more obvious since kids trickle in. Don't know how this compares to other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for the replies on walking. Like a previous poster I walked to school on my own starting in kindergarten, so I worried my perspective might be skewed. We're a block north of Parkhurst, so it's a very easy/safe walk.

I'm the poster from above who has kids who walk to Cardinal from that side of the school, crossing 19th St. on the way. One of my kids does this walk in 2nd grade with an older sibling, plus some other kids from our street. I haven't specifically checked as to what happens for K and 1st, but at least for 2nd and up the kids go out the door and can walk home alone. No one from the school requires that an adult be there to claim them.