Elementary Lottery Schools - APS

[Anonymous]

I would think really long and hard about that commute. It is a long way from Abingdon to ATS on very congested roads. Will you be using extended day? Do you both work? Where are you commuting too? If one of you is commuting to Ballston or Tysons or something that's one thing- but I would not sign up for that grind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would think really long and hard about that commute. It is a long way from Abingdon to ATS on very congested roads. Will you be using extended day? Do you both work? Where are you commuting too? If one of you is commuting to Ballston or Tysons or something that's one thing- but I would not sign up for that grind.

+1 I work in Ballston and live near Abingdon. It’s not terrible (about 20 minutes) but it does impact sports and activities

[Anonymous]

I live close to Abington and my neighbor was at ATS last year. Both were big class sizes, but ATS felt less overcrowded. The commute to ATS was rough. They could do it because they had a stay at home mom, but she said it felt like all she did was commute to and from school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live close to Abington and my neighbor was at ATS last year. Both were big class sizes, but ATS felt less overcrowded. The commute to ATS was rough. They could do it because they had a stay at home mom, but she said it felt like all she did was commute to and from school.

There is a bus to/from ATS and a hub stop, so a stay at home mom should only have to drive as far as the hub stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live close to Abington and my neighbor was at ATS last year. Both were big class sizes, but ATS felt less overcrowded. The commute to ATS was rough. They could do it because they had a stay at home mom, but she said it felt like all she did was commute to and from school.

There is a bus to/from ATS and a hub stop, so a stay at home mom should only have to drive as far as the hub stop.

The hub stop (across from Abingdon) picks up at 7:06, others nearby a few minutes later

[Anonymous]

Do it OP! The Kindergarten team is amazing. If you don’t like it you can always go back to your neighborhood school. The big three negatives re APS are: (1) hub stops, (2) homework and (3) bigger classrooms

[Anonymous]

We live close to Abington (not zoned for there) but attend ATS. We drop off and it’s not that bad. It’s a 12 to 15 minute drive and we are at work by 8:15 most days. I know people say the classrooms are larger but it doesn’t feel that way for some reason, which I haven’t been able to figure out. The kinder team is amazing and we’ve been impressed with our child’s math and reading levels. And it’s not because we do anything at home. Haha

I would take the slot. We move our child to kinder after the fourth week of school. 😬

[Anonymous]

Take the spot. Your kid will be fine switching schools after a 4 day school week. It’s a great school. You likely won’t have the chance again.

[Anonymous]

There’s a cap of 24 students per elementary school classroom this year across all of APS including ATS. I don’t consider that a big class.

[Anonymous]

If you were previously very willing to do ATS, I would do it. I would not let the fact that you have already done a few days at your current school stop you.

Yes it will be a bit of upheaval for your kindergarten kid. I have one now and he is EXAHUSTED. But it's short term pain for a payoff you really want, right?

[Anonymous]

If you don’t want the spot there’s a long line of families behind you who will gladly take it.

[Anonymous]

If you want ATS, take the spot. My oldest started K twice because we took an immersion spot we got shortly after school had started. No regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live close to Abington (not zoned for there) but attend ATS. We drop off and it’s not that bad. It’s a 12 to 15 minute drive and we are at work by 8:15 most days. I know people say the classrooms are larger but it doesn’t feel that way for some reason, which I haven’t been able to figure out. The kinder team is amazing and we’ve been impressed with our child’s math and reading levels. And it’s not because we do anything at home. Haha

I would take the slot. We move our child to kinder after the fourth week of school. 😬

All lottery schools with a waitlist must max out all classrooms so there are always going to be 24kids in all lottery school ES classrooms.

Neighborhood schools, OTOH don't call Larla's parents when Larlo moves to Jersey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do it OP! The Kindergarten team is amazing. If you don’t like it you can always go back to your neighborhood school. The big three negatives re APS are: (1) hub stops, (2) homework and (3) bigger classrooms

I’m the PP who posted the above. I want to make it clear that we love ATS despite the large classroom sizes. But it’s still something to keep in mind. I have a first grader and a 2nd grader at ATS. In first grade there are a whopping 5 classes. I don’t think they maxed out in each class. The sheer size of the first grade class probably means that my first grader will never end up knowing a large portion of the first grade class by the time she graduates. Also the chance of having the same kids in her class more than once is low so there is less of a chance to solidify friendships. That being said her kindergarten teacher did make sure to put two of her good friends with her in first grade so that the transition from first to second isn’t that bad socially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do it OP! The Kindergarten team is amazing. If you don’t like it you can always go back to your neighborhood school. The big three negatives re APS are: (1) hub stops, (2) homework and (3) bigger classrooms

I’m the PP who posted the above. I want to make it clear that we love ATS despite the large classroom sizes. But it’s still something to keep in mind. I have a first grader and a 2nd grader at ATS. In first grade there are a whopping 5 classes. I don’t think they maxed out in each class. The sheer size of the first grade class probably means that my first grader will never end up knowing a large portion of the first grade class by the time she graduates. Also the chance of having the same kids in her class more than once is low so there is less of a chance to solidify friendships. That being said her kindergarten teacher did make sure to put two of her good friends with her in first grade so that the transition from first to second isn’t that bad socially.

4th grade has 5 and my 4th grader knows all the kids somehow...didn't last year. Trouble is that once they. make friends, they might not be in class with their friends again. That's our problem. The school I'm zoned for ad a few grades with 6...