900 Alexandria City HIgh School seniors graduate

[Anonymous]

OP, I've known kids who immigrated to US from another country, had to learn another language, and support their family by taking jobs while they completed their degree. Due to circumstances, they missed school, had to take remedial classes, and squeaked through with the minimum graduation requirements, but they did it.

I also know kids from well-off families who pushed for every accommodation, credit for late assignments, test re-takes, a private tutors. Kid squeaked through with minimum graduation requirements, but they did it.

At the end of the day, a diploma from any high school only represents a certain threshold being crossed. These kids will proceed with life, and their combination of drive, talent, etc will be what determines the career opportunities they have. So no need for you to drag down a school... particularly when you are basing it off random unrelated Tik Tok posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.tiktok.com/@dama.cast17/video/7236408891377028394?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7171269958092621354


This why I am so pissed off,... they missed 200+ days of school. she missed every day.

Is this your kid? If not why do you care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I've known kids who immigrated to US from another country, had to learn another language, and support their family by taking jobs while they completed their degree. Due to circumstances, they missed school, had to take remedial classes, and squeaked through with the minimum graduation requirements, but they did it.

I also know kids from well-off families who pushed for every accommodation, credit for late assignments, test re-takes, a private tutors. Kid squeaked through with minimum graduation requirements, but they did it.

At the end of the day, a diploma from any high school only represents a certain threshold being crossed. These kids will proceed with life, and their combination of drive, talent, etc will be what determines the career opportunities they have. So no need for you to drag down a school... particularly when you are basing it off random unrelated Tik Tok posts.

Not the PP. Yes, there are kids out there like the ones you mention. But there are also kids who take advantage of the system, who could care less about education and who are part of the gang warfare. It's not all hard working immigrants and struggling children of privilege.

[Anonymous]

I get your frustration but do you, deep down, think these kids are so different from their UMC or private school peers? I would not underestimate the % of parents that bully ("advocate") their kids through schooling. It's unfortunate but same-same, just different optics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get your frustration but do you, deep down, think these kids are so different from their UMC or private school peers? I would not underestimate the % of parents that bully ("advocate") their kids through schooling. It's unfortunate but same-same, just different optics.

NP. Yes, they are.
Sure there are kids from well off families who wouldn’t normally meet graduation requirements and somehow get pushed through. I have one myself. It’s impossible for a kid to be held back. Schools just won’t do it. Luckily we have the means to support this kid in developing skills that will hopefully help them be gainfully employed one day.
But kids growing up in poverty, around increased rates of crime, with parents who often don’t have a lot of education themselves, really have much lower rates of reading and math fluency than their middle class peers.
Schools (and society) are failing these kids. I know tracking has its issues, but I believe that there needs to be a system that meets these kids where they are at. It’s not serving us as a society that we end up so many young adults who really don’t have the skills to have a job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get your frustration but do you, deep down, think these kids are so different from their UMC or private school peers? I would not underestimate the % of parents that bully ("advocate") their kids through schooling. It's unfortunate but same-same, just different optics.

+1

[Anonymous]

How does that many students fit into one high school?

This is scary and very sad. How is this acceptable to anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does that many students fit into one high school?

This is scary and very sad. How is this acceptable to anyone?

Actually the common sentiment in Alexandria is that additional high schools would be so inequitable that it's viewed as racist to even bring it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does that many students fit into one high school?

This is scary and very sad. How is this acceptable to anyone?

Are you new here? Because that’s racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does that many students fit into one high school?

This is scary and very sad. How is this acceptable to anyone?

Actually the common sentiment in Alexandria is that additional high schools would be so inequitable that it's viewed as racist to even bring it up.

because the White neighborhoods will go to the new school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does that many students fit into one high school?

This is scary and very sad. How is this acceptable to anyone?

Actually the common sentiment in Alexandria is that additional high schools would be so inequitable that it's viewed as racist to even bring it up.

because the White neighborhoods will go to the new school

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. The new HS would be in the West End, where immigrants and people of color are the majority. The white neighborhoods would stay zoned for TC/ACHS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does that many students fit into one high school?

This is scary and very sad. How is this acceptable to anyone?

Actually the common sentiment in Alexandria is that additional high schools would be so inequitable that it's viewed as racist to even bring it up.

because the White neighborhoods will go to the new school

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. The new HS would be in the West End, where immigrants and people of color are the majority. The white neighborhoods would stay zoned for TC/ACHS.

Okay. So same problem. The schools would be segregated. Which I think is the post that PP was trying to make.


Listen, I'm in ACPS and I am also concerned about the overcrowding issues currently happening at ACHS, but has anyone driven past the addition at Minnie Howard??? It's HUGE. Honestly, it looks like they are building an entire additional school but that it's "one school, two campuses." Why are people against the two campuses thing? Especially with such a big addition underway that will certainly expand capacity. Are capacity constraints so challenging that a whole other high school is needed? Whenever I hear the school is crowded and another school needs to be built, it's like people forget they are literally building this huge multilevel addition to minnie howard. Or that the underlying motivation is indeed, segregating certain populations.

[Anonymous]

Do you think it makes sense for HS students to walk just under a mile from one campus to the other? Let's say math is at Minnie Howard, but I've got history at ACHS next period. Is that ideal? Do we really want hundreds of students walking from one campus to another from 8 am until 3 pm every day? Have you seen those students navigate that intersection? It will likely lead to chaos and additional safety issues, not to mention what it may well do to commuters who drive through that busy intersection.

It would make more sense to have two fully-functioning high schools and to build one of them in the West End, in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

The school has over 3500 students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think it makes sense for HS students to walk just under a mile from one campus to the other? Let's say math is at Minnie Howard, but I've got history at ACHS next period. Is that ideal? Do we really want hundreds of students walking from one campus to another from 8 am until 3 pm every day? Have you seen those students navigate that intersection? It will likely lead to chaos and additional safety issues, not to mention what it may well do to commuters who drive through that busy intersection.

It would make more sense to have two fully-functioning high schools and to build one of them in the West End, in my opinion.

Maybe ACPS will build a pedestrian bridge or utilize flashing school zone lights to make the walk easier and safer. I hope they allow 20 minutes or so between classes to account for the long walk.

One perk is it will be a lot more convenient for students to grab lunch at the Bradlee Shopping Center.