Culture at Carson vs. Franklin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a weird entitlement Carson kids have. Many of them think they are smarter than their teachers and are extremely segregated within their own cultures. We went to a diverse elementary school where this was not the case, but in my time volunteering at Carson it is almost disturbing. Zero emphasis on building tolerance and inclusivity. Super anti LGBTQ. It feels like the 90s. By older twins went to Franklin, and it was never like that (one AAP one just run of the mill mix of honors with lower level math).

Your personal envy against Carson is showing. FCPS says Carson Middle is their flagship stem school.

It soooo flagship that Science Olympiad was banned for several years. I assume that is also pure envy.

Why did they get banned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard some pretty terrible things from the neighborhood moms at Crossfield that makes me think Franklin may be a better choice for my 6th grader next year. Lots of racist language, unchecked sexism and homophonic slurs among the male students, out of control busses, unchecked discipline issues and a poor relationship between teachers and administrators, and administrators with parents. My child is AAP but no interest in TJ. The parents with kids at Franklin just seem much happier. Am I better skipping the drama and sending my child to Franklin? Or is the AAP program worth the terrible culture?

Crossfield doesn’t feed into Franklin.

I don’t think the OP said her kid goes to Crossfield just that she heard it from them. The lines are all so weird that at one point half our neighborhood had Herndon zip codes and part had Oakton. So it could be that too.

If you’re a gossiping with Crossfield mommies, then it follows your child must also go to Crossfield. My guess is since the child is AAP, they are actually at Navy for AAP. They should be talking to Navy AAP parents whose go to Carson for AAP. Crossfield kids who end up going to Carson are mostly not in AAP. Regular classes at Carson are totally different from AAP classes at Carson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a weird entitlement Carson kids have. Many of them think they are smarter than their teachers and are extremely segregated within their own cultures. We went to a diverse elementary school where this was not the case, but in my time volunteering at Carson it is almost disturbing. Zero emphasis on building tolerance and inclusivity. Super anti LGBTQ. It feels like the 90s. By older twins went to Franklin, and it was never like that (one AAP one just run of the mill mix of honors with lower level math).

Your personal envy against Carson is showing. FCPS says Carson Middle is their flagship stem school.

It soooo flagship that Science Olympiad was banned for several years. I assume that is also pure envy.

Yeah, right! Envy drives a person to invent lies.

Facts from FCPS:

"Carson's Science Olympiad team has placed in the top 5 at both the state and national level competitions for the past 3 years. In 2022 Rachel Carson was named the Middle School Division Rookie of the Year. "
https://carsonms.fcps.edu/why-carson-shines-10-outstanding-features

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Hard disagree on #2. By better credentials, I mean better universities or colleges. For example, at Carson off the top of my head I can think of 2 teachers who went to W&M and UVA. There were also a few who went to JMU. In contrast, Franklin teachers failed to mention their education at Back to School Night which I found interesting.

[Anonymous]

Also, another difference between the schools seem to be counselors. At Carson, the counselor made contact with use before school even started which was impressive. Within the first two weeks she also emailed us to check in and had met my child. In contrast, at Franklin I haven’t heard a peep from my child’s counselor and my child hasn’t spoken to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Not at all! Did you actually have a child go to Carson recently?

[Anonymous]

My child is NOT AAP and is having a great experience at Carson in Honors classes. That said, I don't think she has any exposure to the AAP kids outside of maybe in her electives. I believe Carson keeps them completely separated from the normal kids, so it's possible that there is a totally different culture amongst AAP kids that my child has not been exposed to in the normal Carson community. I haven't heard anything about racist comments, etc., but I have heard in the past that the AAP friend groups in Carson are very ethnically driven (e.g. white kids, Indian kids, Chinese kids all have their own cliques). We haven't had this issue in the normal classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, another difference between the schools seem to be counselors. At Carson, the counselor made contact with use before school even started which was impressive. Within the first two weeks she also emailed us to check in and had met my child. In contrast, at Franklin I haven’t heard a peep from my child’s counselor and my child hasn’t spoken to them.

Our Carson counselor emailed us about our child's 504 but then hasn't responded to any of our follow up emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is NOT AAP and is having a great experience at Carson in Honors classes. That said, I don't think she has any exposure to the AAP kids outside of maybe in her electives. I believe Carson keeps them completely separated from the normal kids, so it's possible that there is a totally different culture amongst AAP kids that my child has not been exposed to in the normal Carson community. I haven't heard anything about racist comments, etc., but I have heard in the past that the AAP friend groups in Carson are very ethnically driven (e.g. white kids, Indian kids, Chinese kids all have their own cliques). We haven't had this issue in the normal classes.

My kid is in AAP but his team has kids not in AAP as well. He has electives, PE, lunch, and the like with non-AAP kids. The AAP kids have their own classes and I think that the Algebra 1H and Geometry class my kid has taken/is taking are all AAP kids, but I am not sure about Geometry.

I think friend groups are based a lot of ES and EC. My kid talks a lot with the kids in the clubs that he is in and his ES friends. He is in some of the STEM type clubs as a white kid and talks about his non-white friends a lot. He mainly hangs out with his ES friends after school.

As for the Counselors at Carson, the number of Floris ans Fox Mill kids who have gotten awful advice from the Counselors for attending SLHS is high. We know a lot of families who were told that there was no rush to take a foreign language and waited until 9th grade, only to find out that they need 5 years of a language for the IB Diploma. They were caught totally off guard. I don't know how kids are assigned to Counselors at Carson but it would be nice if they had one or two that were devoted to the SLHS kids only and understood the IB program requirements, it would be help the families a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Hard disagree on #2. By better credentials, I mean better universities or colleges. For example, at Carson off the top of my head I can think of 2 teachers who went to W&M and UVA. There were also a few who went to JMU. In contrast, Franklin teachers failed to mention their education at Back to School Night which I found interesting.

Very few people over age 30 brag about the university they attended.

There are UVA, VT, W&M, JMU, UMD, PSU, and NYU-educated teachers in every school across the county.

Telling parents you have a Masters or Doctorate is typical. Making a big deal out of which school you attended is not, unless you're a brand-new teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Not at all! Did you actually have a child go to Carson recently?

Yes, I have had two children attend Carson and two attend Franklin. The population is almost identical in terms of behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Hard disagree on #2. By better credentials, I mean better universities or colleges. For example, at Carson off the top of my head I can think of 2 teachers who went to W&M and UVA. There were also a few who went to JMU. In contrast, Franklin teachers failed to mention their education at Back to School Night which I found interesting.

Very few people over age 30 brag about the university they attended.

There are UVA, VT, W&M, JMU, UMD, PSU, and NYU-educated teachers in every school across the county.

Telling parents you have a Masters or Doctorate is typical. Making a big deal out of which school you attended is not, unless you're a brand-new teacher.

Well at Carson there seem to be many teachers who went to our excellent state schools. And they weren’t making a big deal out of it, just sharing. I just got the sense that the Carson teachers were just overall more serious about academics. They are used to dealing with the AAP parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Hard disagree on #2. By better credentials, I mean better universities or colleges. For example, at Carson off the top of my head I can think of 2 teachers who went to W&M and UVA. There were also a few who went to JMU. In contrast, Franklin teachers failed to mention their education at Back to School Night which I found interesting.

Very few people over age 30 brag about the university they attended.

There are UVA, VT, W&M, JMU, UMD, PSU, and NYU-educated teachers in every school across the county.

Telling parents you have a Masters or Doctorate is typical. Making a big deal out of which school you attended is not, unless you're a brand-new teacher.

Well at Carson there seem to be many teachers who went to our excellent state schools. And they weren’t making a big deal out of it, just sharing. I just got the sense that the Carson teachers were just overall more serious about academics. They are used to dealing with the AAP parents.

I hate to break it to you but the vast majority of teachers in FCPS went to VA state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had one go through AAP at Carson and I have one doing honors at Franklin. I’m going to be honest, most of the teachers at Franklin seem mediocre. At Carson I felt the teachers were very unique, creative and understood kids better. The Carson teachers seemed to have better credentials too. Carson was also organized and like a well oiled machine. In contrast, we have found Franklin too laid back and unorganized. The kids don’t seem to understand how anything works at the school, including the after school activities.

Franklin also has some bizarre rules such as - kids must go to the gym or cafeteria when they arrive in the am and are only released at 8:25…that’s not enough time to go to lockers. They also can’t go to their lockers before recess to put away their backpacks (backpacks with computers go outside in hot or cold weather and stay on the dirty ground). Kids also aren’t allowed to go to their lockers after lunch - my child reports a high strung teacher always yelling at them when they are simply putting their lunch boxes away in their lockers. Carson encourages locker use which I like. More chances to socialize. I guess Franklin is scared of fights? The kids are more problematic maybe?

Several schools are doing that thing with sending kids to the gym or cafeteria in the morning this year. That's not just a Franklin thing.

I've sent kids through both schools, so I feel confident saying the following:

1. There are both mediocre and outstanding teachers at both schools.

2. Neither school has teachers who are more qualified or have higher credentials.

3. Both schools have teachers who are extremely talented and engaging, just as both schools have teachers who are less than engaging.

4. The population of the schools are virtually identical. Neither school has kids that are more "problematic." It's actually pretty disturbing that an adult would describe a child as "problematic."

I wish Franklin would encourage locker use, but they don't seem to. That's the only negative thing I have to say about Franklin as a whole.

Hard disagree on #2. By better credentials, I mean better universities or colleges. For example, at Carson off the top of my head I can think of 2 teachers who went to W&M and UVA. There were also a few who went to JMU. In contrast, Franklin teachers failed to mention their education at Back to School Night which I found interesting.

Very few people over age 30 brag about the university they attended.

There are UVA, VT, W&M, JMU, UMD, PSU, and NYU-educated teachers in every school across the county.

Telling parents you have a Masters or Doctorate is typical. Making a big deal out of which school you attended is not, unless you're a brand-new teacher.

Well at Carson there seem to be many teachers who went to our excellent state schools. And they weren’t making a big deal out of it, just sharing. I just got the sense that the Carson teachers were just overall more serious about academics. They are used to dealing with the AAP parents.

I hate to break it to you but the vast majority of teachers in FCPS went to VA state schools.

+1

I think it's safe to assume that every FCPS school has quite a few teachers who attended UVA, W&M, VT, JMU, VCU, Mary Washington, GMU, ODU, CNU, and other state schools. The vast majority who went to VA schools likely attended UVA, VT, W&M, and JMU.

Every MS and HS (except for TJ) probably also has a similar percentage of teachers with doctorate degrees. It's probably between 3% and 6% of instructional staff who have a doctorate.