Swanson/W-L versus Gunston/Wakefield

[Anonymous]

There are some things I don't love about Gunston that I won't get in to but I will say that the teachers we have had have been excellent.

[Anonymous]

Average housing prices feeding into those two pyramids are very different. There are a million exceptions and pretty easy to transfer. But like everywhere else in the DMV, housing prices go hand in hand with public school quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

No way. So many kids transfer from YT to WL for IB and stronger academics and less sports culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

No way. So many kids transfer from YT to WL for IB and stronger academics and less sports culture.

There’s a lot of trolling in this forum. But I hope OP can distinguish the good from the bad advice.

Yes, YT has been a regional and state sports powerhouse (in certain sports) for generations and that can make joining teams very, very tough. Culture is very sports oriented and that has led to fights, taunting, and crowd control issues after rivalry games. W-L and Wakefield have had success at the state level over the years as well, but there is much less competition for spots.

A lot of school pride and strong teams for sure, but less cutthroat than at YT.

With the IB magnet program, W-L has a more of an academically oriented reputation.

Swanson used to be the highest regarded middle school in the county. Overcrowding (now mostly resolved), and bullying (now resolved) have put the school in the spotlight recently. But it’s still a strong school.

[Anonymous]

Our kid attended Wakefield.

Pick the house zoned for W-L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are some things I don't love about Gunston that I won't get in to but I will say that the teachers we have had have been excellent.

The whole point of answering a question like this is to get into the things, or else you’re not giving OP much information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

No way. So many kids transfer from YT to WL for IB and stronger academics and less sports culture.

WL Blows!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some things I don't love about Gunston that I won't get in to but I will say that the teachers we have had have been excellent.

The whole point of answering a question like this is to get into the things, or else you’re not giving OP much information.

Teachers are great is relevant information

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Average housing prices feeding into those two pyramids are very different. There are a million exceptions and pretty easy to transfer. But like everywhere else in the DMV, housing prices go hand in hand with public school quality.

Correction: housing prices go hand in hand with school ratings/test scores— not necessarily school quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Average housing prices feeding into those two pyramids are very different. There are a million exceptions and pretty easy to transfer. But like everywhere else in the DMV, housing prices go hand in hand with public school quality.

Correction: housing prices go hand in hand with school ratings/test scores— not necessarily school quality.

God you just have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Average housing prices feeding into those two pyramids are very different. There are a million exceptions and pretty easy to transfer. But like everywhere else in the DMV, housing prices go hand in hand with public school quality.

Correction: housing prices go hand in hand with school ratings/test scores— not necessarily school quality.

God you just have to.

Well, I could have said they go hand in hand with rich, white families, but I was trying to be nice. The greatest predictor of academic success is SES and education level of parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

Yep, I wish my kids were going to high school with a bunch of entitled kids with cars, money, access to booze, and no parental supervision...that's been working out GREAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Average housing prices feeding into those two pyramids are very different. There are a million exceptions and pretty easy to transfer. But like everywhere else in the DMV, housing prices go hand in hand with public school quality.

Correction: housing prices go hand in hand with school ratings/test scores— not necessarily school quality.

God you just have to.

Well, I could have said they go hand in hand with rich, white families, but I was trying to be nice. The greatest predictor of academic success is SES and education level of parents.

depends how you are measuring all of it. The biggest false stereotype in Arlington is that the less wealthy families whose adults work blue collar jobs are a) not intelligent and b) do not value education. But sure, the only success is if you are white, rich, and go Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

Yep, I wish my kids were going to high school with a bunch of entitled kids with cars, money, access to booze, and no parental supervision...that's been working out GREAT

parents are not only supervising, they participate!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

Yep, I wish my kids were going to high school with a bunch of entitled kids with cars, money, access to booze, and no parental supervision...that's been working out GREAT

Ha, I'm glad I'm not the one who said it.

I too wonder why you are set on Arlington, OP? Do the houses you like just happen to both be located here? I personally wouldn't recommend Arlington schools to someone. It's not bad enough to make me want to move or go private, but if we didn't have attachments here and school experience was the most important thing, we would not be in APS.

Anyway, I have a kid in Gunston and it's okay. Some good things, some bad things, but overall my kid is getting through it. He has some amazing teachers and I like the admin. However, like all APS schools (and many public schools), the school is up against the tide of kids who are poorly behaved and can't be disciplined (due to APS policies). My son, like most kids, is decently well-behaved and spends a lot of time waiting around until the teacher can get control of the 3-4 kids who disrupt instruction. Additionally, kids don't get held back anymore so you have classes with grossly mixed abilities (think kids on a college age reading level in the same class as kids who cannot sound out words). Teachers can only meet so many needs so the likelihood that you can expect that your kid will get an adequate education and that's about it. My kids' education will be fine due to their own motivation to learn outside of class, but I think I got a better education at my rural, low-ish income high and middle schools back in the late 1900s.

That said, your options are fine. Many kids go to these schools and they good experiences (or experiences that are as good as can be expected) and there is no way of knowing at this moment if swanson or gunston or some other school will be the *best* for your child. Wherever you go, there you are and all that.