Charles Barrett or MVCS

[Anonymous]

I understand Lyles Crouch - it's the only Alexandria elementary school that performs above Virginia's very low proficiency numbers - but why Brooks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally thought people were a bit too enamored with the prior principal. And I’d venture to guess the drop in test scores and ratings has more to do with the post-pandemic landscape (wealthier families fled to private schools, leaving huge gaps for more diverse communities that struggled with 1.5 years of virtual learning).

No one—and I mean no one—would say that people were too enamored with the prior principal. Just ask any staff member who they’d prefer.

On your point about wealthy families leaving, why would they return given the decline in leadership and key staff members leaving? I’m sure more would have returned post pandemic if the prior principal were still in charge.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s hard to parse what changes at Barrett were pandemic-driven versus leadership change since those two things happened simultaneously. A lot of teachers have left the profession since the pandemic, that is a national trend. In all, CBES still has a great team of educators and is a wonderful neighborhood school! We just graduated one to middle school (have another in high school) and many of my kids’ awesome teachers are still there!

[Anonymous]

MVCS also underwent a change in leadership, with their former principal leaving for APS last year.

[Anonymous]

Does MVCS still have that massive mold issue?

[Anonymous]

Both schools have yet to address the realities that the exponential increase of migrants in Arlandria are fundamentally changing both schools. Products of both national policies and local sanctuary policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both schools have yet to address the realities that the exponential increase of migrants in Arlandria are fundamentally changing both schools. Products of both national policies and local sanctuary policies.

The numbers don't really reflect that. At Barrett, the reading proficiency scores for Hispanic kids has hovered around the same dismal 33% for the past three years. Same with economically disadvantaged at just over 30%. And 25% for the ELL kids (that is up from 17%). ]

At MVCS the numbers are about the same.

[Anonymous]

Whoa. What is going on at Barrett? "Behaviors of a safety concern": 56. "Behaviors that endanger the health, safety and welfare of others": 9

[Anonymous]

And at Brooks. 41 "behaviors of a safety concern" and 7 "behaviors that endanger the health, safety, and welfare of others".

And that doesn't even cover the non-physical stuff. wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both schools have yet to address the realities that the exponential increase of migrants in Arlandria are fundamentally changing both schools. Products of both national policies and local sanctuary policies.

The numbers don't really reflect that. At Barrett, the reading proficiency scores for Hispanic kids has hovered around the same dismal 33% for the past three years. Same with economically disadvantaged at just over 30%. And 25% for the ELL kids (that is up from 17%). ]

At MVCS the numbers are about the same.

Right, but they percentage of the underperforming make up a larger percentage of the whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both schools have yet to address the realities that the exponential increase of migrants in Arlandria are fundamentally changing both schools. Products of both national policies and local sanctuary policies.

The numbers don't really reflect that. At Barrett, the reading proficiency scores for Hispanic kids has hovered around the same dismal 33% for the past three years. Same with economically disadvantaged at just over 30%. And 25% for the ELL kids (that is up from 17%). ]

At MVCS the numbers are about the same.

Right, but they percentage of the underperforming make up a larger percentage of the whole.

CBES 19-20 School Year 190 Hispanic students, this year on September 30th 287


CBES 19-20 ELL 138
This year on September 30th 209

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both schools have yet to address the realities that the exponential increase of migrants in Arlandria are fundamentally changing both schools. Products of both national policies and local sanctuary policies.

The numbers don't really reflect that. At Barrett, the reading proficiency scores for Hispanic kids has hovered around the same dismal 33% for the past three years. Same with economically disadvantaged at just over 30%. And 25% for the ELL kids (that is up from 17%). ]

At MVCS the numbers are about the same.

Right, but they percentage of the underperforming make up a larger percentage of the whole.

It's the non-ELL and non-hispanic kids whose scores are falling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the math teachers at Charles Barrett stole my husband

Was your child a student?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both schools have yet to address the realities that the exponential increase of migrants in Arlandria are fundamentally changing both schools. Products of both national policies and local sanctuary policies.

That won’t be addressed ever. The City just ignores it. But there is also another reason for the increase. There was a boundary shift and there isn’t much turn over in the SFHs and many of the families living in them - their kids are older now - middle, high school and college - but the families aren’t moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We sent two kids through Barrett and liked it a lot. It’s got a great community feel and is a lovely neighborhood school. The principal changed right as we graduated our last kiddo during the pandemic so my info is a few years old. Neighbors with younger kids still there seem happy.

I get the sense MVCS is also a great community school but the demographics and curriculum are a bit different based on location and dual language program. You should be able to do visits at both so just ask and then you’ll get a better feel for each.

Also, dual language is technically different that bilingual programs. Do a little research so you understand. But both can certainly encourage speaking and learning another language. I actually wish the regular schools like Barrett introduced language into the curriculum.

This poster is right do your research. The dual language was implemented at MCVS years ago with the goal to improve outcomes for spanish speaking ELL students. Sadly it has not and most students still lag way behind.