APS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

The waitlists are insane, but look into Fort Myer (if you are military, fed gov, or if your kids want to join swim team) or Knights of Columbus.

[Anonymous]

We moved from DC to APS when my oldest was in K. My kids are in the Spanish immersion program, so they’ve attended/attend Key-Gunston-Wakefield. So far, we’ve been very happy, including with Wakefield (which isn’t our neighborhood HS, but it’s been worth it for immersion, plus it’s been good overall… yes, it has a lot more socioeconomic diversity, but it still has a large cohort of kids taking lots of AP classes, AP Capstone program, etc, and has many good teachers).

[Anonymous]

I'd bring up the Ashlawn ES, Swanson MS, W-L HS. It's only an area right next to Ballston that can do that but it's a bunch of great schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

lol pool lists have been like this in Arlington long before Covid. Are you new around here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

lol pool lists have been like this in Arlington long before Covid. Are you new around here?

Agreed. Best piece of advice is to put your name on the pool waitlist at the same time you put the contract on the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

lol pool lists have been like this in Arlington long before Covid. Are you new around here?

I am new, thanks for asking and being so welcoming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

Not sure this is true at overlee. It’s very hard to get into so a lot of people join pools in McLean or falls church. Look at Kent gardens, chesterbrook, tuckahoe, high point, Lee Graham.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

lol pool lists have been like this in Arlington long before Covid. Are you new around here?

Have a friend who did this when they moved here when their oldest was in K. They are now freshman in high school. Might get into the pool next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

lol pool lists have been like this in Arlington long before Covid. Are you new around here?

I am new, thanks for asking and being so welcoming.

yeah you're one of those who blames Covid for everything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow this is very helpful. It sounds like all the middle schools above are good. Any that have more substantial challenges?

What makes aps better than upper nw dcps? Is it a more affluent population that is easier to educate? A better run school system? Higher expectations of students?

There is a strong community culture in Arlington where neighborhood kids grow up together all the way through high school, since more students stick with APS through grade 12. Of course, some do leave for private or boarding school, but much less than in DC.

If you can join a pool, or buy a house with a community pool membership, that would be an ideal way to meet other families. The membership wait lists typically span multiple years.

The school system is also better run than DCPS. Principals tend to stay at schools for many years, even multiple decades like the recently retired principals at Science Focus, Arlington Traditional, Wakefield, or W-L. Satisfaction surverys are also high. In terms of facilities, APS does a better job of maintaining them. The Wilson / Jackson-Reed HS pool was closed for many years due to inadequate maintenance.

Pools are a new thing to us. How do you find out about them? And is it hard to break in if one of the kids is upper elementary?

FYA since we also had zero idea - the pool club waitlists are brutal post COVID. We moved into a house maybe 200 feet from one of the previously listed clubs last year and the current waitlist is 10-12 YEARS. People are moving and not giving up their membership in case they move back or their kid ends up buying in Arlington 10 years from now. It sucks because all summer you see the rest of the neighborhood families all walking there to hang and it’s clear that’s where a lot of the community bonds / friendships are made.

lol pool lists have been like this in Arlington long before Covid. Are you new around here?

Have a friend who did this when they moved here when their oldest was in K. They are now freshman in high school. Might get into the pool next year.

Unlikely. 70-80% of people w mortgages having sub 3% interest rates means we’re in the great hunkering down and we won’t see nearly as much waitlist movement as in the past as families moved more. Plus much more old people are aging in place. Combine that with people not giving up their membership when they sell anyways and it’s a mess. Overlees waitlist is 1500+ I believe. AF around 600. It’s a mess. Should have limited new memberships to people in the preferred zones exclusively once the waitlists started to get unmanageable.

[Anonymous]

The only pool that has such an excessive wait list is Overlee. Many people get into the pools suggested above in a more reasonable time frame and Knights of Columbus does not have a regular membership you just have to sign up every year for the summer. Yes, you have to be paying attention and sign up pretty quickly when the registration opens. Lots of families in Arlington use KoC.

[Anonymous]

Back to schools ... seems like Dorothy Hamm, Williamsburg and Swanson are good. What about the other three (immersion aside)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only pool that has such an excessive wait list is Overlee. Many people get into the pools suggested above in a more reasonable time frame and Knights of Columbus does not have a regular membership you just have to sign up every year for the summer. Yes, you have to be paying attention and sign up pretty quickly when the registration opens. Lots of families in Arlington use KoC.

+1

We didn’t even bother with Overlee, but got into Tuckahoe post COVID after about 3 years on the WL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long Branch ES, TJ MS, then W-L is another popular, walkable pyramid all the way through high school. TJ is one of the larger middle schools I think and has a well-regarded IB middle program.

We're less than a mile from Ballston metro and my kids are walkers to Glebe, Hamm and W-L.

Nearly all of Glebe is walkers, with only one bus. It's fun to see the ant trails of kids and parents every morning. It builds a lot of community.

With a start time of 9am do a lot of kids do before care? When do doors open? How have things changed with more restrictions on telework?