Williamsburg parent community

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

There is really no way to know this, you're just not going to get to interact with parents of your kids friends too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

There is really no way to know this, you're just not going to get to interact with parents of your kids friends too much.

I second this and add that these are the years where you start to see the work you did instilling your values onto your child either work or not work, and adjust as necessary. You start having the difficult conversations with them about who they are hanging out with and why, where are they going and why, what are doing when they are out of your house and why... What is your definition of a decent person? What have you done to instill that version of a decent person your child, and how are you going to react if they go a different direction. These are those years.

There's nothing more or less inherently decent about Williamsburg than any other APS middle school (all middle schools are evil and probably sitting on h-llmouths, but that's another thread).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

There is really no way to know this, you're just not going to get to interact with parents of your kids friends too much.

SP - there's no new students' parent mixer or playdates, like in K? Awww.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

OP here, yes, this is essentially my question. I’m not looking for a social scene but I do hope to contribute/participate in a community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We go to WMS and have no desire to join wgcc. I don’t think most people belong there but lots of Jamestown kids do. I really haven’t tried to be involved with the community, but the pta is always begging for help so I’m sure they’d love it if you got involved. Everyone drives their kids in their cars so parents never actually interact.

Thanks a lot. This is very helpful. Do you know if the PTA is successful with fundraising? Do they work closely with the teachers/staff? Do the parents really never meet otherwise?

We are at DHMS but came from DC in elementary. There is a limited need for fundraising at the middle school level in APS as compared to DCPS. And the teachers/staff work on the students building their autonomy and advocating for themselves, so there's not as much parental involvement day-to-day by design. I volunteer for PTSA things at DHMS as they come up, and unless you're on a planning committee, it's very independent driven with not a lot of teacher or administrator contact. We know a lot of Williamsburg families, and I wouldn't describe any of them as cut throat.

A better way to meet people with other middle schoolers would be through any sports, theater, scouts, clubs. Arlington has a robust rec program. There's niche things like cotillion or the youth programs at Phoenix Bikes. You can drive your kids down to Shirlington to volunteer with AWLA. And to meet other adults, you are better off walking the dog, joining a local yoga studio, volunteering at the library or something else that you are interested in, than expecting mixers or socials at the middle school level.

Thank you, good to know. Kid does already do an Arlington based club sport and we know some nice families that way.

[Anonymous]

If you are white and wealthy you will fit in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are white and wealthy you will fit in!

What do you define as wealthy?

[Anonymous]

If your student participates in band, orchestra, or chorus, there are lots of ways to get involved because they need parent volunteers at various times during the year and when they have their spring trip. There’s an active PTA as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are white and wealthy you will fit in!

What do you define as wealthy?

Living in North Arlington wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to hijack but does anyone know how much screens are used at WMS?

Daily. They all have ipads, no books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

There is really no way to know this, you're just not going to get to interact with parents of your kids friends too much.

SP - there's no new students' parent mixer or playdates, like in K? Awww.

Is this a serious question?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are white and wealthy you will fit in!

It's not that wealthy. It's UMC. I can't even think of one other parent that I've met through the school that I didn't already know. I would not call it a welcoming place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

There is really no way to know this, you're just not going to get to interact with parents of your kids friends too much.

SP - there's no new students' parent mixer or playdates, like in K? Awww.

Is this a serious question?!

No. They do have some sort of parent get togethers, coffees and maybe claire and don's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually had a thought about how the parents are at WMS as a rising 6th grade parent. We were at an option school were we had a great community. I don't want to necessarily make parent friends, but I want to know that the parents of my kids' friends are decent people.

There is really no way to know this, you're just not going to get to interact with parents of your kids friends too much.

SP - there's no new students' parent mixer or playdates, like in K? Awww.

Is this a serious question?!

No. They do have some sort of parent get togethers, coffees and maybe claire and don's.

WMS PTA does? They didn't when I was there.