Del Ray Public Schools

[Anonymous]

We go to MVCS (not MVCC). The school has been very supportive for our children who require extra help and we haven’t had to fight a LOT like some schools tu get services and support. Our teachers have been almost universally good and most speak Spanish. They teach in pairs most of the time. Turnover/vacancies at the school aren’t huge problems like at some other schools. Our kids are not Spanish speakers and won’t be when they’re done, and the Spanish proficiency has disappointed me (especially since one could speak some Spanish when they started). Both are below grade level in at least one subject, but both have IEPs so hard to say if they’d be better off at another school. By DC standards we are not wealthy and are probably moving to Fairfax for middle. I’m very worried about my sensitive but academically strong kid finding themselves in a bad situation at GW and not being able to get out, or worse being bullied.

Communication in ACPS and from MVCS is HORRIBLE, where we often find out about something the day before or without sufficient notice. Grading is very opaque. The PTA is very active but has no influence on academic outcomes. They raise funds and coordinate activities. Funds support purchases on behalf of the school and teachers as well as the very extreme needs of lower income children. The range of populations are not well integrated beyond in the actual classrooms, and my children are not friends with any Spanish speaking families’ children (though we’ve tried, the language and income gaps are hard for either group to bridge I guess) and few non white kids are in our after care, not representativa of the population. The principal rules her staff with an iron fist and tries very, very hard to never interact with any parents on specific issues. Some of the APs are very good and the really bad ones have left as far as I can tell, but the bad ones were *bad.* The economic, health, and support needs of many students are very high, and the school fills the gap for those kids.

The focus in ACPS is 200% on “equity” not positive academic outcomes. Equity only means socio economic/racial and not of different types of learners and abilities OR everyone succeeds. Equity doesn’t mean lifting up those who need more help; it means no unfair advantages (so maybe even taking away things not everyone had across ACPS). Superintendents turn over frequently. The nonpartisan school board is very liberal on progressive policies, but most don’t actually send their kids to ACPS. There are nearly as many privates in Alexandria as public, and if you’re wealthy and live in Del Ray you’d be in good company sending your kids to private. Crazy for how much homes there cost.

Cora Kelly has very similar challenges to MVCS drawing from a very similar demographic range. You can opt out of MVCS if you do not want dual language but not CK. Many who don’t do MVCS go to CK. The transfer process for within ACPS is painful and not at all transparent. I know less about JH except that the school is new and very nice. The academics are not up to par. MVCS is old but well maintained but had some very serious mold issues a couple years ago. CK is old and looks its age.

So I would say I’m not 100% disappointment, but I kind of wish we had lived elsewhere. Del Ray is a lovely but pretty clique-y community. Commutes from there to Arlington or downtown DC are pretty easy though.

I was one of those parents that thought “Well mine are white and well off, so we’ll be fine statistically,” but at the time I didn’t know my kids would both need more than standard and wouldn’t sail through school easily.

[Anonymous]

Last poster—should correct that I’m worried about my sensitive and NOT academically strong kid going to GW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We go to MVCS (not MVCC). The school has been very supportive for our children who require extra help and we haven’t had to fight a LOT like some schools tu get services and support. Our teachers have been almost universally good and most speak Spanish. They teach in pairs most of the time. Turnover/vacancies at the school aren’t huge problems like at some other schools. Our kids are not Spanish speakers and won’t be when they’re done, and the Spanish proficiency has disappointed me (especially since one could speak some Spanish when they started). Both are below grade level in at least one subject, but both have IEPs so hard to say if they’d be better off at another school. By DC standards we are not wealthy and are probably moving to Fairfax for middle. I’m very worried about my sensitive but academically strong kid finding themselves in a bad situation at GW and not being able to get out, or worse being bullied.

Communication in ACPS and from MVCS is HORRIBLE, where we often find out about something the day before or without sufficient notice. Grading is very opaque. The PTA is very active but has no influence on academic outcomes. They raise funds and coordinate activities. Funds support purchases on behalf of the school and teachers as well as the very extreme needs of lower income children. The range of populations are not well integrated beyond in the actual classrooms, and my children are not friends with any Spanish speaking families’ children (though we’ve tried, the language and income gaps are hard for either group to bridge I guess) and few non white kids are in our after care, not representativa of the population. The principal rules her staff with an iron fist and tries very, very hard to never interact with any parents on specific issues. Some of the APs are very good and the really bad ones have left as far as I can tell, but the bad ones were *bad.* The economic, health, and support needs of many students are very high, and the school fills the gap for those kids.

The focus in ACPS is 200% on “equity” not positive academic outcomes. Equity only means socio economic/racial and not of different types of learners and abilities OR everyone succeeds. Equity doesn’t mean lifting up those who need more help; it means no unfair advantages (so maybe even taking away things not everyone had across ACPS). Superintendents turn over frequently. The nonpartisan school board is very liberal on progressive policies, but most don’t actually send their kids to ACPS. There are nearly as many privates in Alexandria as public, and if you’re wealthy and live in Del Ray you’d be in good company sending your kids to private. Crazy for how much homes there cost.

Cora Kelly has very similar challenges to MVCS drawing from a very similar demographic range. You can opt out of MVCS if you do not want dual language but not CK. Many who don’t do MVCS go to CK. The transfer process for within ACPS is painful and not at all transparent. I know less about JH except that the school is new and very nice. The academics are not up to par. MVCS is old but well maintained but had some very serious mold issues a couple years ago. CK is old and looks its age.

So I would say I’m not 100% disappointment, but I kind of wish we had lived elsewhere. Del Ray is a lovely but pretty clique-y community. Commutes from there to Arlington or downtown DC are pretty easy though.

I was one of those parents that thought “Well mine are white and well off, so we’ll be fine statistically,” but at the time I didn’t know my kids would both need more than standard and wouldn’t sail through school easily.

wow this is an amazingly succinct and accurate description. Everything you wrote exactly reflects our thoughts on our experience as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is my popcorn?

I’ll grab the butter.

[Anonymous]

Replying to long post.

We are at Charles Barrett with similar make-up, but with Parkfairfax I think there is broader socio economic spread among whites. With that, I think bridging the gap of racial and socio economic differences has been more successful than MVCS. I am always happy to see the parents who often do not speak
English at birthday parties with their kids who truly are friends with my lower grade child. I suspect the differences will become clearer as they age, but for now, the segregation implied is not true amongst all the schools. Interestingly, it is the super progressive white parents of Del Ray that seem to be all about signs in yards and nothing more.

[Anonymous]

Thank you to the two PP for their very thoughtful posts.

[Anonymous]

Last poster—should correct that I’m worried about my sensitive and NOT academically strong kid going to GW.

If you plan to send them anyway, I have two suggestions:
1) If they play an instrument, band or orchestra is a good way to connect with other sensitive or nerdier kids. It has helped my son socially.
2) I would not select all honors classes if your child is not academically strong. Some of them are not much work, but some of them have a very heavy workload. I would target classes that your child is more interested in for honors. I regret having chosen honors Language Arts for my son. He is not interested, and it is a giant time suck in terms of constant assignments.

[Anonymous]

I’m very worried about my sensitive but academically strong kid finding themselves in a bad situation at GW and not being able to get out, or worse being bullied.

Honestly, it's not likely that either of these things will happen. My son is on an IEP and has some social skills issues due to a disability, and neither of these things has ever been an issue in his 3 years at the school. However, what may happen is that your child may not make social connections, and if he or she doesn't stay friends with friends from middle school, and doesn't make new ones, that can be really tough, because the school doesn't do much to step in. Luckily my son made friends through a club, but I can't guarantee that would happen for others.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have first hand experience with Jefferson-Houston? I'm not interested in rumors about the school but information from parents who currently have kids there or know kids who attend the school.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have first hand experience with Jefferson-Houston? I'm not interested in rumors about the school but information from parents who currently have kids there or know kids who attend the school.

My son did not attend, but one of his good friends did. He entered the school in middle, and it was really socially hard because most kids had been there already and already had their friends. I can't speak to what it would be like socially for new entrants in K or younger grades. However, my son's friend and his family really tried to put themselves out there upon entering in middle, and it didn't lead to many friendships for the kid.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Does anyone have first hand experience with Jefferson-Houston? I'm not interested in rumors about the school but information from parents who currently have kids there or know kids who attend the school.[/quote]

Take a look at the proficiency numbers. They are some of the worst in ACPS. And the gap between economically disadvantaged kids and all students is not big. Indicates that the school isn't even doing a good job of educating any UMC kids who go there. There is usually a huge difference in that number at other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Last poster—should correct that I’m worried about my sensitive and NOT academically strong kid going to GW.

If you plan to send them anyway, I have two suggestions:
1) If they play an instrument, band or orchestra is a good way to connect with other sensitive or nerdier kids. It has helped my son socially.
2) I would not select all honors classes if your child is not academically strong. Some of them are not much work, but some of them have a very heavy workload. I would target classes that your child is more interested in for honors. I regret having chosen honors Language Arts for my son. He is not interested, and it is a giant time suck in terms of constant assignments.

Thanks! Regarding #1 yes we have really pushed band and that’s currently their plan. Regarding 2 we are likely not doing any honors because we are going to try the dual language. Fingers crossed it isn’t a disaster!

[Anonymous]

Witnessing fights and other bad behavior in ACPS MS is good. It will better prepare your kids for public HS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We go to MVCS (not MVCC). The school has been very supportive for our children who require extra help and we haven’t had to fight a LOT like some schools tu get services and support. Our teachers have been almost universally good and most speak Spanish. They teach in pairs most of the time. Turnover/vacancies at the school aren’t huge problems like at some other schools. Our kids are not Spanish speakers and won’t be when they’re done, and the Spanish proficiency has disappointed me (especially since one could speak some Spanish when they started). Both are below grade level in at least one subject, but both have IEPs so hard to say if they’d be better off at another school. By DC standards we are not wealthy and are probably moving to Fairfax for middle. I’m very worried about my sensitive but academically strong kid finding themselves in a bad situation at GW and not being able to get out, or worse being bullied.

Communication in ACPS and from MVCS is HORRIBLE, where we often find out about something the day before or without sufficient notice. Grading is very opaque. The PTA is very active but has no influence on academic outcomes. They raise funds and coordinate activities. Funds support purchases on behalf of the school and teachers as well as the very extreme needs of lower income children. The range of populations are not well integrated beyond in the actual classrooms, and my children are not friends with any Spanish speaking families’ children (though we’ve tried, the language and income gaps are hard for either group to bridge I guess) and few non white kids are in our after care, not representativa of the population. The principal rules her staff with an iron fist and tries very, very hard to never interact with any parents on specific issues. Some of the APs are very good and the really bad ones have left as far as I can tell, but the bad ones were *bad.* The economic, health, and support needs of many students are very high, and the school fills the gap for those kids.

The focus in ACPS is 200% on “equity” not positive academic outcomes. Equity only means socio economic/racial and not of different types of learners and abilities OR everyone succeeds. Equity doesn’t mean lifting up those who need more help; it means no unfair advantages (so maybe even taking away things not everyone had across ACPS). Superintendents turn over frequently. The nonpartisan school board is very liberal on progressive policies, but most don’t actually send their kids to ACPS. There are nearly as many privates in Alexandria as public, and if you’re wealthy and live in Del Ray you’d be in good company sending your kids to private. Crazy for how much homes there cost.

Cora Kelly has very similar challenges to MVCS drawing from a very similar demographic range. You can opt out of MVCS if you do not want dual language but not CK. Many who don’t do MVCS go to CK. The transfer process for within ACPS is painful and not at all transparent. I know less about JH except that the school is new and very nice. The academics are not up to par. MVCS is old but well maintained but had some very serious mold issues a couple years ago. CK is old and looks its age.

So I would say I’m not 100% disappointment, but I kind of wish we had lived elsewhere. Del Ray is a lovely but pretty clique-y community. Commutes from there to Arlington or downtown DC are pretty easy though.

I was one of those parents that thought “Well mine are white and well off, so we’ll be fine statistically,” but at the time I didn’t know my kids would both need more than standard and wouldn’t sail through school easily.

Former MVCS parent here - I am so sorry to hear that the community is not what it once was. While there have always been challenges to bridging the language/economic divides, in the relatively recent past the PTA had made big strides - lots of activities designed to build community among the parents including an English/Spanish conversation group, and the Big Flea (RIP, Flea) was a great community building event that involved parents, kids, and community members from all parts of our community. My kids (now in high school/college) socialized a lot with their native Spanish speaking classmates and still have good friendships with several kids from their MVCS days. That school has such a special place in our hearts. I suspect the breakdown in community is one of the many bad results of the pandemic shut downs. Also, having lived in Del Ray for almost 30 years now, it has definitely changed - the newer residents seem more cliquey and less likely to get involved with the community. They move here because they want the events and stuff, but they don't want to be part of creating them. The great things about Del Ray were great because a bunch of people got together to do cool stuff for all of us (e.g., Art on the Ave started as a block party -- it's now a massive event. Still all volunteer run, but getting harder to do because it's a lot harder to get new people to volunteer than it used to be.)

[Anonymous]

We’ve loved MVCS for our two kids. Is it perfect? No. But we’ve had great teachers, there’s strong school leadership, and a very active parent community. It’s large, but the school staff really know the kids. Great school culture. Communication has improved overall in the time we’ve been there. We love the exposure to different cultures and learning of a second language.