Alexandria Public Schools - what to do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you everyone. Even beyond academics, which is a concern, are the schools safe?

Yes, for people like us. The school is segregated.

You're mostly worrying about my kid is in the wrong place at the wrong time situations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would move. I would not put up with my kids going to the flex space on Beauregard.

I wouldn’t either but the new building is scheduled to open Fall 2027 and OP said her kids are small. So I would guess they would be mostly unaffected by that.

Also have to wonder if redistricting will affect the OP? And Jefferson Houston becoming a middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you everyone. Even beyond academics, which is a concern, are the schools safe?

I've never heard anything negative about safety at the elementary schools, other than some situations with elopement issues for autistic kids, which is definitely concerning. GW and ACHS are questionable. I feel like ACHS has had at least one massive brawl each school year. I've heard a lot of things about GW... groups of kids laying claim to the bathrooms so you have to have the right friends to be able to use one, which results in bathrooms being locked most of the day. I've heard of buses being pulled over multiple times for threats from kids to the bus drive or pepper spray sprayed. I've heard of vicious fights in the middle of class. I've heard of protective orders being taken out against other students because the school/teachers/administration can't or won't do anything about persistent bullying. But at the same time, not all kids are witnessing or experiencing these things, so YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you everyone. Even beyond academics, which is a concern, are the schools safe?

I've never heard anything negative about safety at the elementary schools, other than some situations with elopement issues for autistic kids, which is definitely concerning. GW and ACHS are questionable. I feel like ACHS has had at least one massive brawl each school year. I've heard a lot of things about GW... groups of kids laying claim to the bathrooms so you have to have the right friends to be able to use one, which results in bathrooms being locked most of the day. I've heard of buses being pulled over multiple times for threats from kids to the bus drive or pepper spray sprayed. I've heard of vicious fights in the middle of class. I've heard of protective orders being taken out against other students because the school/teachers/administration can't or won't do anything about persistent bullying. But at the same time, not all kids are witnessing or experiencing these things, so YMMV.

Don't forget students assaulting teachers.

Kids in honors classes are going to avoid most of this but hear about all of it and normalize all of it.

If I had a kid who was not tracking to be in what is at the end of the day a very dumbed down honors program where anyone can self-select into the classes, you can't consider using ACPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would move. I would not put up with my kids going to the flex space on Beauregard.

I wouldn’t either but the new building is scheduled to open Fall 2027 and OP said her kids are small. So I would guess they would be mostly unaffected by that.

Also have to wonder if redistricting will affect the OP? And Jefferson Houston becoming a middle school?

Yeah, these things are hanging over all of our heads, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you everyone. Even beyond academics, which is a concern, are the schools safe?

Agree with the other people who have commented on this issue, but also they publish school safety reports every six months (I don’t think the latest is here yet) so you can see all of the details:

https://www.acps.k12.va.us/departments/facilities-operations/office-of-safety-and-security-services/school-safety-data-reports

[Anonymous]

You get what you pay for in life (and in education). Housing prices are correlated to the school systems. Move to North Arlington/McLean and more expensive housing = better schools. Send your kids to really expensive private schools = way better college outcomes.

You choose your poison: smaller house maybe and better schools? I would not send my child to ACPS, but everyone can make their own choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You get what you pay for in life (and in education). Housing prices are correlated to the school systems. Move to North Arlington/McLean and more expensive housing = better schools. Send your kids to really expensive private schools = way better college outcomes.

You choose your poison: smaller house maybe and better schools? I would not send my child to ACPS, but everyone can make their own choices.

Oh God. It's that SSSAS mom again. She pops in from time to time, but can't explain why my AC kid got into UPenn whie her SSSAS kid got waitlisted at Virginia Tech.

Too funny.

[Anonymous]

ACPS has strong programs and you may be able to afford tutoring and extracurriculars if you are concerned about academic rigor.

I know many ACPS families who are happy in the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you everyone. Even beyond academics, which is a concern, are the schools safe?

I've never heard anything negative about safety at the elementary schools, other than some situations with elopement issues for autistic kids, which is definitely concerning. GW and ACHS are questionable. I feel like ACHS has had at least one massive brawl each school year. I've heard a lot of things about GW... groups of kids laying claim to the bathrooms so you have to have the right friends to be able to use one, which results in bathrooms being locked most of the day. I've heard of buses being pulled over multiple times for threats from kids to the bus drive or pepper spray sprayed. I've heard of vicious fights in the middle of class. I've heard of protective orders being taken out against other students because the school/teachers/administration can't or won't do anything about persistent bullying. But at the same time, not all kids are witnessing or experiencing these things, so YMMV.

Don't forget students assaulting teachers.

Kids in honors classes are going to avoid most of this but hear about all of it and normalize all of it.

If I had a kid who was not tracking to be in what is at the end of the day a very dumbed down honors program where anyone can self-select into the classes, you can't consider using ACPS.

I have never heard of the bathroom issue at GW. That’s not a typical experience for the many students I know there.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know what elementary school will replace Jefferson Houston for the Parker Gray/Braddock metro neighborhood? Primary options seem to be either Maury (Rosemont) or Lyles Crouch (SE quadrant). It will be interesting to see if property values in the area currently zoned to Jefferson Houston increase once JH is no longer the elementary school for the neighborhood (or one at all).

[Anonymous]

OP. Thanks for all of this information even though some of it is wildly disturbing (brawls, bathrooms). Our oldest would have to be in the swing space for a year, which is far from ideal, and of course depends on the project being completed on time. I don’t love that.

Just really seems like there are no good answers here. Our house in Alexandria is already small and very expensive, so I don’t think the small house in McLean or Arlington suggestion is doable for us. We also both work downtown.

I guess it’s time to plant a money tree. This is depressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what elementary school will replace Jefferson Houston for the Parker Gray/Braddock metro neighborhood? Primary options seem to be either Maury (Rosemont) or Lyles Crouch (SE quadrant). It will be interesting to see if property values in the area currently zoned to Jefferson Houston increase once JH is no longer the elementary school for the neighborhood (or one at all).

Probably more to Brooks (it’s no longer Maury) and then some to LC but LC is close to capacity so it will be tougher. They can send some of the western parts of the LC zone elsewhere, I guess, to free up some space there.

I suspect the Potomac Yard part of the current JH zone may get sent to Cora Kelly which has plenty of space and is due for a new building at some point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. Thanks for all of this information even though some of it is wildly disturbing (brawls, bathrooms). Our oldest would have to be in the swing space for a year, which is far from ideal, and of course depends on the project being completed on time. I don’t love that.

Just really seems like there are no good answers here. Our house in Alexandria is already small and very expensive, so I don’t think the small house in McLean or Arlington suggestion is doable for us. We also both work downtown.

I guess it’s time to plant a money tree. This is depressing.

I feel you, OP. I commented previously that it seemed there were no good options to this. We are zoned for MVCS which seems fine but I just can’t see us doing middle or high school here at this point. We also work downtown which makes McLean more challenging. Maybe Arlington but I’ve heard enough stories of people moving there and ending up in private anyway that it worries me to get the more expensive house, and non-parochial private is too expensive for two kids. Not sure what the answer is but I get where you are coming from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you everyone. Even beyond academics, which is a concern, are the schools safe?

I've never heard anything negative about safety at the elementary schools, other than some situations with elopement issues for autistic kids, which is definitely concerning. GW and ACHS are questionable. I feel like ACHS has had at least one massive brawl each school year. I've heard a lot of things about GW... groups of kids laying claim to the bathrooms so you have to have the right friends to be able to use one, which results in bathrooms being locked most of the day. I've heard of buses being pulled over multiple times for threats from kids to the bus drive or pepper spray sprayed. I've heard of vicious fights in the middle of class. I've heard of protective orders being taken out against other students because the school/teachers/administration can't or won't do anything about persistent bullying. But at the same time, not all kids are witnessing or experiencing these things, so YMMV.

All of this is true. I’m one of the PP who commented and moved. You always hear people give advice to make sure your kids are in honors classes and things will be fine. I didn’t plan for one of mine to have special needs and need an IEP. I didn’t know that would be the case when he was little or even before we moved. I was sure even then he would be in honors when he got to HS in his new school. I’m very glad we moved.