George Mason Elementary School?

[Anonymous]

ACPS will turn the most die hard public school fan into private school parents in a snap. Seriously - they are this bad. Note the new HS campus debacle. You can infer how administrations at each school operate from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to use public schools, you shouldn’t have bought a house in Alexandria.

Really? My son was Maury - ACHS and graduated this June. He's on a full ride at Cornell. What part of that is bad?

The part where he had to go to ACHS. But you know that.

[Anonymous]

Lots of people make ACPS work if they don’t really have another choice or if they are VERY committed to their house and neighborhood, but it sounds like you’re brand new, OP. Why not pick a different school system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to use public schools, you shouldn’t have bought a house in Alexandria.

Really? My son was Maury - ACHS and graduated this June. He's on a full ride at Cornell. What part of that is bad?

The part where he had to go to ACHS. But you know that.

He loved ACHS and it got him into Cornell. I'm not seeing anything bad about that. I suspect you're a parent of a dented kid lashing out at the system instead of realizing you just produced a.... dud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to use public schools, you shouldn’t have bought a house in Alexandria.

Really? My son was Maury - ACHS and graduated this June. He's on a full ride at Cornell. What part of that is bad?

The part where he had to go to ACHS. But you know that.

He loved ACHS and it got him into Cornell. I'm not seeing anything bad about that. I suspect you're a parent of a dented kid lashing out at the system instead of realizing you just produced a.... dud.

DP but ACHS is a disaster on the whole:

https://actheogony.com/8117/opinion/the-disdained-state-of-achs/

It’s great that it worked out for your kid. In a school of over 4000 it usually does for at least a few of them. But it doesn’t make ACHS a good school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to use public schools, you shouldn’t have bought a house in Alexandria.

Really? My son was Maury - ACHS and graduated this June. He's on a full ride at Cornell. What part of that is bad?

The part where he had to go to ACHS. But you know that.

He loved ACHS and it got him into Cornell. I'm not seeing anything bad about that. I suspect you're a parent of a dented kid lashing out at the system instead of realizing you just produced a.... dud.

DP but ACHS is a disaster on the whole:

https://actheogony.com/8117/opinion/the-disdained-state-of-achs/

It’s great that it worked out for your kid. In a school of over 4000 it usually does for at least a few of them. But it doesn’t make ACHS a good school.

Ha. That article could have been written about any HS in NOVA, except maybe TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to use public schools, you shouldn’t have bought a house in Alexandria.

Really? My son was Maury - ACHS and graduated this June. He's on a full ride at Cornell. What part of that is bad?

The part where he had to go to ACHS. But you know that.

He loved ACHS and it got him into Cornell. I'm not seeing anything bad about that. I suspect you're a parent of a dented kid lashing out at the system instead of realizing you just produced a.... dud.

DP but ACHS is a disaster on the whole:

https://actheogony.com/8117/opinion/the-disdained-state-of-achs/

It’s great that it worked out for your kid. In a school of over 4000 it usually does for at least a few of them. But it doesn’t make ACHS a good school.

Ha. That article could have been written about any HS in NOVA, except maybe TJ.

No, it couldn’t have. Other high schools in NOVA don’t have 1600 students suddenly shuttling between campuses this year, with no working plan in place for them to do so and causing chaos, all because ACPS is incapable of building a second high school. Other high schools don’t have fewer than half of students reporting they feel safe at school. Most NOVA high schools are not accredited “with conditions” by the state.

All schools have their issues, but ACHS succeeds only in trying to be the worst among them.

[Anonymous]

Very hard to tell who has actually had kids at Mason vs not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're in a different ACPS elementary so I can't answer your question directly but be advised, if you don't already know, that the George Mason building is being replaced (scheduled for 2025-2027). So at least the facilities should be great after that.

https://www.acps.k12.va.us/departments/facilities-operations/office-of-capital-programs-planning-design/george-mason-elementary-modernization

I did know this, thank you!

OP, the school board voted for Option A last Thursday if you hadn’t seen.

https://go.boarddocs.com/va/acps/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=D93VAF7FCBC9

[Anonymous]

Hi OP! We are a Maury/Brooks (name changed so older kids graduated from Maury, which is now Brooks) family. During the pandemic, our kids went to a Campagna program for essential workers (we work in health care). We fell in love with the Mason community! The parents are phenomenal and some of my kids' best friends are from Mason/Beverley Hills now that they are at ACHS/GW/Brooks. The PTA is very involved at George Mason and it is very much a neighborhood school. They host a lot of fun social events for the community and the green space and playground is a hub for the neighborhood. My kids ride their bikes to Mason from Rosemont to meet up with their BH friends.

Regarding ACPS, it is super frustrating as a parent. Be prepared to be very involved. Sometimes I wish I sent my kids to our church school (we are religious) but my older two are gifted students and the options for curriculum at the HS level cannot compare to the options at private schools. Seriously. Even my youngest, in his AAS (gifted) class is programming a robot and getting top scores on standardized tests, despite his school being accredited with conditions.

ACPS is an urban school district. At Mason, you have kids from Arlandria/Chirilagua section of Alexandria who are new arrivals from Central America and language learners. Their parents primarily work in construction and the service industry. Then you have kids in $1-2M homes here.

The thing about ACPS is that it could be exceptional. I get frustrated because my middle student at GWMS is just an average student and I worry that she will fall through the cracks. My older two and youngest, the school is not really worried or concerned about say test anxiety or social emotional issues I bring up because they are outstanding test takers who test in the top 99%. Middle school was pretty much a wash with the pandemic and honors courses that anyone could be in.

Why have we stayed? First, the curriculum is outstanding. I cannot begin to tell you what my children have achieved academically on the MAP and SOL standard tests. They have opportunities to intern at GWU labs and on national science and math projects. They have dual enrollment with several universities and the opportunity in MS to go on study abroad. The arts program from elementary through HS has been phenomenal, even with my STEM focused oldest. They learned to play an instrument, have a love of music and the arts. I found math to be very strong and my kids were in differentiated math and accelerated math. They have gone to programs in the summer for finance, journalism, science/engineering.

Second, the teachers are invested. We have so many teachers at our schools who are award winning and the highest caliber. The opportunities they afforded my sons and daughters cannot compare to my private school or what my church school would provide. They go above and beyond to help students and they have strong outcomes for middle class and upper middle class kids.

Third, the community. I have never found a more giving and inclusive community than ACPS. People don't have food, clothes, utilities paid. A parent will fundraise or provide. A teacher needs supplies or snacks? You've got it. Someone sees your kid doing something dangerous or not great. They will call them out on it and contact you. It is truly a village.

What is the "bad"? I would say central office and school board. There are people that I like as community members but they don't necessarily manage the superintendent. We've had a string of bad leadership in key roles for facilities, transportation, communications, HR, and superintendent positions.

If your kid has a learning disability or is a student with a disability and you are middle class, you are completely ignored. I find that ACPS very much focuses on the kids with the least resources, which I commend and think is great. But they should be focused on helping students achieve academic competencies and eventually excellence. Education is a great equalizer. It is how my immigrant parents got out of poverty. It is how I got out of the middle class. I worked in public schools as a teacher early in my careers and we need to hold the elected officials--city council and school board accountable. They say that they are progressive Democrats who fight for the marginalized and the issue is that they don't. Kids are living in abysmal housing projects, slum style apartments. They don't have basics like socks and underwear or food at home. Their parents can't pay utilities. We have an issue with chronic absenteeism and police reports at the middle school level. We need to have wrap around services and partner with community organizations to address and have peer mentors for parents to help them get out of this cycle of generational poverty. We are not helping anyone if there are brown and Black students who are low income failing basic math and reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ACPS is an urban school district. At Mason, you have kids from Arlandria/Chirilagua section of Alexandria who are new arrivals from Central America and language learners. Their parents primarily work in construction and the service industry. Then you have kids in $1-2M homes here.

I’ve seen this come up a couple of times in recent discussions on ACPS. To be clear, ACPS is not an urban school district. Alexandria has similar demographics to Arlington, Montgomery County, etc. But it has created such a poor school system that a disproportionate number of people with resources have fled to private schools, leaving the publics looking different than the “city” as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Very accurate response! Great job poster. I couldn't agree more. My kids are also AAS/TAG. They are excelling academically, emotionally and socially. However we are super involved. I grew up in an urban school system, also child of immigrants who only ever achieved middle class status. And I couldn't agree emote on SB and not holding the superintendent nd CO accountable. The mismanagement of the district and the way they treat teachers and school admin and staff is deplorable. Run for school board!

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP! We are a Maury/Brooks (name changed so older kids graduated from Maury, which is now Brooks) family. During the pandemic, our kids went to a Campagna program for essential workers (we work in health care). We fell in love with the Mason community! The parents are phenomenal and some of my kids' best friends are from Mason/Beverley Hills now that they are at ACHS/GW/Brooks. The PTA is very involved at George Mason and it is very much a neighborhood school. They host a lot of fun social events for the community and the green space and playground is a hub for the neighborhood. My kids ride their bikes to Mason from Rosemont to meet up with their BH friends.

Regarding ACPS, it is super frustrating as a parent. Be prepared to be very involved. Sometimes I wish I sent my kids to our church school (we are religious) but my older two are gifted students and the options for curriculum at the HS level cannot compare to the options at private schools. Seriously. Even my youngest, in his AAS (gifted) class is programming a robot and getting top scores on standardized tests, despite his school being accredited with conditions.

ACPS is an urban school district. At Mason, you have kids from Arlandria/Chirilagua section of Alexandria who are new arrivals from Central America and language learners. Their parents primarily work in construction and the service industry. Then you have kids in $1-2M homes here.

The thing about ACPS is that it could be exceptional. I get frustrated because my middle student at GWMS is just an average student and I worry that she will fall through the cracks. My older two and youngest, the school is not really worried or concerned about say test anxiety or social emotional issues I bring up because they are outstanding test takers who test in the top 99%. Middle school was pretty much a wash with the pandemic and honors courses that anyone could be in.

Why have we stayed? First, the curriculum is outstanding. I cannot begin to tell you what my children have achieved academically on the MAP and SOL standard tests. They have opportunities to intern at GWU labs and on national science and math projects. They have dual enrollment with several universities and the opportunity in MS to go on study abroad. The arts program from elementary through HS has been phenomenal, even with my STEM focused oldest. They learned to play an instrument, have a love of music and the arts. I found math to be very strong and my kids were in differentiated math and accelerated math. They have gone to programs in the summer for finance, journalism, science/engineering.

Second, the teachers are invested. We have so many teachers at our schools who are award winning and the highest caliber. The opportunities they afforded my sons and daughters cannot compare to my private school or what my church school would provide. They go above and beyond to help students and they have strong outcomes for middle class and upper middle class kids.

Third, the community. I have never found a more giving and inclusive community than ACPS. People don't have food, clothes, utilities paid. A parent will fundraise or provide. A teacher needs supplies or snacks? You've got it. Someone sees your kid doing something dangerous or not great. They will call them out on it and contact you. It is truly a village.

What is the "bad"? I would say central office and school board. There are people that I like as community members but they don't necessarily manage the superintendent. We've had a string of bad leadership in key roles for facilities, transportation, communications, HR, and superintendent positions.

If your kid has a learning disability or is a student with a disability and you are middle class, you are completely ignored. I find that ACPS very much focuses on the kids with the least resources, which I commend and think is great. But they should be focused on helping students achieve academic competencies and eventually excellence. Education is a great equalizer. It is how my immigrant parents got out of poverty. It is how I got out of the middle class. I worked in public schools as a teacher early in my careers and we need to hold the elected officials--city council and school board accountable. They say that they are progressive Democrats who fight for the marginalized and the issue is that they don't. Kids are living in abysmal housing projects, slum style apartments. They don't have basics like socks and underwear or food at home. Their parents can't pay utilities. We have an issue with chronic absenteeism and police reports at the middle school level. We need to have wrap around services and partner with community organizations to address and have peer mentors for parents to help them get out of this cycle of generational poverty. We are not helping anyone if there are brown and Black students who are low income failing basic math and reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ACPS is an urban school district. At Mason, you have kids from Arlandria/Chirilagua section of Alexandria who are new arrivals from Central America and language learners. Their parents primarily work in construction and the service industry. Then you have kids in $1-2M homes here.

I’ve seen this come up a couple of times in recent discussions on ACPS. To be clear, ACPS is not an urban school district. Alexandria has similar demographics to Arlington, Montgomery County, etc. But it has created such a poor school system that a disproportionate number of people with resources have fled to private schools, leaving the publics looking different than the “city” as a whole.

You are incorrect here. While demographics in those other districts may be similar, an urban school district is characterized by the fact that it's a densely populated metropolitan area. Those other districts are suburban, however Alexandria City is 4 miles outside of DC, has a city government, a centralized school management system, a mayor, a city council, a city manager, and a robust public transportation system. It has a high population density, a diverse student population from a wide range of ethnic and socioeconomic background that's 60% FARM, and a large ELL population. Students use DASH and WMATA to navigate the city, the neighborhoods are walkable with a mix of SFH, townhomes, and high rise apartment complexes, and the city houses a tourist destination and downtown It is an urban school system.


.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ACPS is an urban school district. At Mason, you have kids from Arlandria/Chirilagua section of Alexandria who are new arrivals from Central America and language learners. Their parents primarily work in construction and the service industry. Then you have kids in $1-2M homes here.

I’ve seen this come up a couple of times in recent discussions on ACPS. To be clear, ACPS is not an urban school district. Alexandria has similar demographics to Arlington, Montgomery County, etc. But it has created such a poor school system that a disproportionate number of people with resources have fled to private schools, leaving the publics looking different than the “city” as a whole.

You are incorrect here. While demographics in those other districts may be similar, an urban school district is characterized by the fact that it's a densely populated metropolitan area. Those other districts are suburban, however Alexandria City is 4 miles outside of DC, has a city government, a centralized school management system, a mayor, a city council, a city manager, and a robust public transportation system. It has a high population density, a diverse student population from a wide range of ethnic and socioeconomic background that's 60% FARM, and a large ELL population. Students use DASH and WMATA to navigate the city, the neighborhoods are walkable with a mix of SFH, townhomes, and high rise apartment complexes, and the city houses a tourist destination and downtown It is an urban school system.


.

Yes you are right. Not sure why PP used the word city in quotes. Alexandria actually is a city and not a county. (The county portion became Arlington ~ hundred years ago.)

Parts of DC actually feel more suburban than Alexandria, and they are not upzoning the single family neighborhoods there. And they have a height limit unlike Alexandria. Also, DC doesn’t build large 6,000 student urban high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

ACPS is an urban school district. At Mason, you have kids from Arlandria/Chirilagua section of Alexandria who are new arrivals from Central America and language learners. Their parents primarily work in construction and the service industry. Then you have kids in $1-2M homes here.

I’ve seen this come up a couple of times in recent discussions on ACPS. To be clear, ACPS is not an urban school district. Alexandria has similar demographics to Arlington, Montgomery County, etc. But it has created such a poor school system that a disproportionate number of people with resources have fled to private schools, leaving the publics looking different than the “city” as a whole.

You are incorrect here. While demographics in those other districts may be similar, an urban school district is characterized by the fact that it's a densely populated metropolitan area. Those other districts are suburban, however Alexandria City is 4 miles outside of DC, has a city government, a centralized school management system, a mayor, a city council, a city manager, and a robust public transportation system. It has a high population density, a diverse student population from a wide range of ethnic and socioeconomic background that's 60% FARM, and a large ELL population. Students use DASH and WMATA to navigate the city, the neighborhoods are walkable with a mix of SFH, townhomes, and high rise apartment complexes, and the city houses a tourist destination and downtown It is an urban school system.


.

No, this is what a suburb looks like for a large city. All of the things you described are no different than Arlington, Bethesda, etc. That’s just what large city suburbs look like. This fiction that Alexandrians like to peddle about their “city,” (yes, in quotes, it’s legally incorporated as a city but it’s not a real city for all intents and purposes), when it is a suburb of an actual city is exactly why we end up with nonsense like ACPS apologism, the arena debacle, and others.