Jefferson vs. Swanson vs. Williamsburg

[Anonymous]

OP here. PP, I mean this kindly, but I do think you misunderstood the teacher. I think all public elementary Arlington schools are supposed to differentiate, if necessary. But the "gifted" designation is different -- that is above and beyond differentiation, and only a very few students are designated as "gifted." Other posters, correct me if I am wrong, but this is my understanding.

[Anonymous]

No, that's right. The official gifted designation doesn't happen until 3rd grade. Before that, kids are grouped by ability for instruction, at least for some subjects, but meetings with the gifted teacher are more for activities to get a sense of who might be gifted. Regular pull-outs for gifted kids don't happen until third grade. (I think it was third -- I have a gifted kid saddled with a mom who's flaky about what happened when. Sex, then pregnancy, then baby, then I dunno.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you. PP, your sister in law teaches at Jefferson? Or does she teach somewhere else ("TJ")? Thanks again! Have not yet visited the schools, but it is on my "to do" list.

Yes - teaches at Jefferson aka TJ (Thomas Jefferson).

As for the question about being in the "basement" of TJ rec center - not true. They do share space/are at the same location but definitely not "in the basement" LOL.

FYI Jefferson Principal Sharon Monde was Arlington County Principal of the Year this year......

[Anonymous]

PP, thank you. I am sorry to be so dense, but I am still unclear about whether your sister-in-law teaches at Thomas Jefferson Science and Technology High School, or Thomas Jefferson middle school? Am I correct that she teaches at the middle school and enjoys it and her students? No worries from her regarding school safety? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, thank you. I am sorry to be so dense, but I am still unclear about whether your sister-in-law teaches at Thomas Jefferson Science and Technology High School, or Thomas Jefferson middle school? Am I correct that she teaches at the middle school and enjoys it and her students? No worries from her regarding school safety? Thanks!

Yes, my sister in law teaches at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Arlington VA. Yes, she enjoys it and her students and has been there for quite a while. In addition to teaching during the day, she also sponsors a club after school and regularly takes her students on outings after the school day had ended. She really enjoys the kids. No, she has never expressed to me any worries regarding safety. For the record, the school is commonly referred to as TJ. No, I am not talking about the high school magnet program in Fairfax County. I am talking about the middle school located just off of Glebe Rd south of Rt 50.

As I mentioned before, Sharon Monde, principal of Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Arlington, VA was named Arlington County Principal of the year this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thank you. But to be honest, I am just as worried about Kenmore as I am about Jefferson. The test scores are dramatically lower than those for Swanson and Williamsburg, and there are many more disruptive behavior/safety incidents at Jeff/Ken also. I have been inside the Kenmore building, and it is beautiful. It's the students I am worried about!

OP, can I ask where you are getting your data? I just looked on the Arlington Co. website under their "suspension data" and the rates at Jefferson for 2007-2008 (the most recent they have) is comparable to Williamsburg, the "best" Middle School in Arl. Co. Jefferson had 70 suspensions that year and Williamsburg had 69. In contrast, Kenmore had 17 suspensions and Swanson had 26.

http://www.apsva.us/15401081104241813/lib/15401081104241813/Suspension%20Data%2007-08.pdf

[Anonymous]

OP here, my data is from a friend, who forwarded me reports on all 3 schools, I think from the VA Dept of Education, but I will check that tonight. The disparity between Jefferson and the other 2 is quite apparent, when looking at the disruptive behavior incidents (300 range per year for Jefferson, and more like 10 each for the others 2 schools). I will try and post the link tonight. I also don't know what "disruptive behavior" means -- maybe not serious enough to warrant a suspension, but still MANY more incidents at Jefferson (which by the way, has 60% of the kids on free/reduced lunch - not saying there is a correlation, just including another fact about Jefferson -- the other 2 schools have very few kids from a lower socioeconomic class).

[Anonymous]

OP - Our son will be going to Jefferson when he is of age. The middle school is not the basement. It is most of the facility, with the community center tacked on. Yeah, the facility isn't very nice, but the class sizes are small and that's most of what I care about.

Jefferson does differentiate by ability.

If you want affluent kids surrounding your children at all times, you will never be happy with Jefferson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want affluent kids surrounding your children at all times, you will never be happy with Jefferson.

nailed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want affluent kids surrounding your children at all times, you will never be happy with Jefferson.

nailed it.

I am the PP with sister in law who teaches at Jefferson (NOT THE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL IN FAIRFAX!!!) and I have to agree with this as well.

I feel like DCUM has this discussion about 30 times a year regarding public schools (often in Arlington!) and the tension between socioeconomic differentiation, racial/ethnic differentiation, test scores, etc. and the conclusions are always the same.

If you want your kid to go to a public school with "high test scores" you are probably looking at a very homogeneous (read: white and upper-middle/upper class) student body. There are plenty of schools out there (particularly in Arlington) where your kid WILL get a good education, WILL be placed in groups according to ability, WILL be challenged, but may not get the best test scores because (horror!) there are children attending who maybe don't speak English as a first language and maybe some of these same children will (gasp!) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

I'm not saying it's wrong to want your child to be in a good school, but good schools take on many forms. I wish people would consider more options instead of always glomming on to whatever other people say is best.

I think a great principal and good program are worth more than test scores.

[Anonymous]

I'm the above quoted poster - thanks for the follow-up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want affluent kids surrounding your children at all times, you will never be happy with Jefferson.

nailed it.

I am the PP with sister in law who teaches at Jefferson (NOT THE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL IN FAIRFAX!!!) and I have to agree with this as well.

I feel like DCUM has this discussion about 30 times a year regarding public schools (often in Arlington!) and the tension between socioeconomic differentiation, racial/ethnic differentiation, test scores, etc. and the conclusions are always the same.

If you want your kid to go to a public school with "high test scores" you are probably looking at a very homogeneous (read: white and upper-middle/upper class) student body. There are plenty of schools out there (particularly in Arlington) where your kid WILL get a good education, WILL be placed in groups according to ability, WILL be challenged, but may not get the best test scores because (horror!) there are children attending who maybe don't speak English as a first language and maybe some of these same children will (gasp!) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

I'm not saying it's wrong to want your child to be in a good school, but good schools take on many forms. I wish people would consider more options instead of always glomming on to whatever other people say is best.

I think a great principal and good program are worth more than test scores.

Very, very, very well said! I totally agree.

I plan on sending my child to Glebe Elementary in the fall..it, too, has a reputation of being "not as good" as the other N. Arlington schools because its test scores are not as high and it has a more diverse student body. I can't say for sure if it will be a good fit for my child, but I do like that he will be meeting some kids from all different backgrounds who don't look just like he does.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I just looked more carefully at the info provided by my friend - it is for Jefferson Davis Middle School in Hampton, VA! NOT Jefferson in the Arlington system -- I am so sorry for saying there were 300 behavioral incidents...I was looking at statistics for a completely different school!! And for the record, I am not interested in my kid being surrounded by affluent white kids.

[Anonymous]

OP here, again...go to the following for statistics....

https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/

The correct statistics for Jefferson -- 4 behavioral incidents in 2008-2009, 8 the year before, and 38 the year before that. Very similar to reports for Swanson and Williamsburg. Again, I am very very sorry!!