Deciding between North Arlington Elementary Schools - Advice Please

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, but what ARE the details , special focus, or other neat things in regards to the mentioned elementary schools?

Go to the APS website and look at each individual school's website. I know Ashlawn has a Global Citizen Project. McKinley brings the arts into all of its subjects. Jamestown is a tech-focus, I think? They all have the same curriculum but have adopted a background theme, if you want to call it that, which weaves through all grades and all subjects.

I don't know about "tech-focused" but Jamestown does have a lot of iPads and the like. My 2nd grader was writing books on an ipad this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, but what ARE the details , special focus, or other neat things in regards to the mentioned elementary schools?

It is well known that the toilet paper at Jamestown is particularly soft thanks to an active PTA that raised funds for Charmin instead of that hard crap APS provides. This creates the optimal school restroom experience for your child. All of the studies show that not having to spend the school day distracted by the unfortunate effects of subpar t.p. will allow students to focus better on their education. Which will of course correlate directly to an increase in the statistical likelihood that these kids will gain admission to an Ivy and enjoy a lifelong standard of living measurably higher than that of their rough toilet paper counterparts. So Jamestown hands down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, but what ARE the details , special focus, or other neat things in regards to the mentioned elementary schools?

Go to the APS website and look at each individual school's website. I know Ashlawn has a Global Citizen Project. McKinley brings the arts into all of its subjects. Jamestown is a tech-focus, I think? They all have the same curriculum but have adopted a background theme, if you want to call it that, which weaves through all grades and all subjects.

I don't know about "tech-focused" but Jamestown does have a lot of iPads and the like. My 2nd grader was writing books on an ipad this year.

I'm the earlier poster and just went to the APS website myself. Here's what it says about Jamestown's exemplary project:

Project Quest, our exemplary project, is a school-wide process to ensure continuous school improvement in teaching and learning. Teachers implement the Responsive Classroom Approach to address students’ social and emotional needs as they provide a demanding academic program differentiating instruction by addressing students’ multiple intelligences and integrating technology. Every classroom begins the day with a Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting. Grade level and vertical teams analyze student work and compile data that drives instructional programming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm the earlier poster and just went to the APS website myself. Here's what it says about Jamestown's exemplary project:

Project Quest, our exemplary project, is a school-wide process to ensure continuous school improvement in teaching and learning. Teachers implement the Responsive Classroom Approach to address students’ social and emotional needs as they provide a demanding academic program differentiating instruction by addressing students’ multiple intelligences and integrating technology. Every classroom begins the day with a Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting. Grade level and vertical teams analyze student work and compile data that drives instructional programming.

Holy shit. I thought this was a joke, but this statement is straight off the web site. Is APS training students to work for Dunder Mifflin? The reference to "driv[ing] instructional programming" alone sends shivers down my spine.

Time to start looking into privates, I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, but what ARE the details , special focus, or other neat things in regards to the mentioned elementary schools?

It is well known that the toilet paper at Jamestown is particularly soft thanks to an active PTA that raised funds for Charmin instead of that hard crap APS provides. This creates the optimal school restroom experience for your child. All of the studies show that not having to spend the school day distracted by the unfortunate effects of subpar t.p. will allow students to focus better on their education. Which will of course correlate directly to an increase in the statistical likelihood that these kids will gain admission to an Ivy and enjoy a lifelong standard of living measurably higher than that of their rough toilet paper counterparts. So Jamestown hands down.

Best post I've read on here in a long time. Bravo!

[Anonymous]

I don't know about "tech-focused" but Jamestown does have a lot of iPads and the like. My 2nd grader was writing books on an ipad this year.

In APS, this is common. Saw this at several S Arlington elementary schools also (iPads and Mac laptops).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm the earlier poster and just went to the APS website myself. Here's what it says about Jamestown's exemplary project:

Project Quest, our exemplary project, is a school-wide process to ensure continuous school improvement in teaching and learning. Teachers implement the Responsive Classroom Approach to address students’ social and emotional needs as they provide a demanding academic program differentiating instruction by addressing students’ multiple intelligences and integrating technology. Every classroom begins the day with a Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting. Grade level and vertical teams analyze student work and compile data that drives instructional programming.

Holy shit. I thought this was a joke, but this statement is straight off the web site. Is APS training students to work for Dunder Mifflin? The reference to "driv[ing] instructional programming" alone sends shivers down my spine.

Time to start looking into privates, I think.

Your envy is showing, pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, but what ARE the details , special focus, or other neat things in regards to the mentioned elementary schools?

It is well known that the toilet paper at Jamestown is particularly soft thanks to an active PTA that raised funds for Charmin instead of that hard crap APS provides. This creates the optimal school restroom experience for your child. All of the studies show that not having to spend the school day distracted by the unfortunate effects of subpar t.p. will allow students to focus better on their education. Which will of course correlate directly to an increase in the statistical likelihood that these kids will gain admission to an Ivy and enjoy a lifelong standard of living measurably higher than that of their rough toilet paper counterparts. So Jamestown hands down.

Best post I've read on here in a long time. Bravo!

You're easily impressed if toilet humor does it for you. PP is far more obnoxious than whatever stereotype she assigns to Jamestown parents.

[Anonymous]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm the earlier poster and just went to the APS website myself. Here's what it says about Jamestown's exemplary project:

Project Quest, our exemplary project, is a school-wide process to ensure continuous school improvement in teaching and learning. Teachers implement the Responsive Classroom Approach to address students’ social and emotional needs as they provide a demanding academic program differentiating instruction by addressing students’ multiple intelligences and integrating technology. Every classroom begins the day with a Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting. Grade level and vertical teams analyze student work and compile data that drives instructional programming.

Holy shit. I thought this was a joke, but this statement is straight off the web site. Is APS training students to work for Dunder Mifflin? The reference to "driv[ing] instructional programming" alone sends shivers down my spine.

Time to start looking into privates, I think.

Your envy is showing, pp.

There is nothing in Arlington that I envy. I do prefer schools where teachers and administrators communicate in plain English. APS fails that test.

Why can't they just state "Teachers meet every morning, review student progress, and discuss what works best for our students"? They've probably attended one too many seminar at taxpayer expense where they are urged to become "thought leaders." Yuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

'cos you're a POOPYHEAD!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm the earlier poster and just went to the APS website myself. Here's what it says about Jamestown's exemplary project:

Project Quest, our exemplary project, is a school-wide process to ensure continuous school improvement in teaching and learning. Teachers implement the Responsive Classroom Approach to address students’ social and emotional needs as they provide a demanding academic program differentiating instruction by addressing students’ multiple intelligences and integrating technology. Every classroom begins the day with a Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting. Grade level and vertical teams analyze student work and compile data that drives instructional programming.

Holy shit. I thought this was a joke, but this statement is straight off the web site. Is APS training students to work for Dunder Mifflin? The reference to "driv[ing] instructional programming" alone sends shivers down my spine.

Time to start looking into privates, I think.

Your envy is showing, pp.

There is nothing in Arlington that I envy. I do prefer schools where teachers and administrators communicate in plain English. APS fails that test.

Why can't they just state "Teachers meet every morning, review student progress, and discuss what works best for our students"? They've probably attended one too many seminar at taxpayer expense where they are urged to become "thought leaders." Yuck.

Plain English is good, yes. But this is no different than any other educational bureaucracy. I mean, this from Fairfax, isn't even grammatically correct:

"Young Scholars is a K-8 initiative that is designed to increase the proportion of historically underrepresented students in gifted programs. School administrators, teachers, and Advanced Academic resource teachers work together to find and nurture gifted potential in young learners. Through flexible grouping, summer school, and after school programs, students are provided an educational setting that raises their personal expectations and prepares them for more challenging and rigorous."

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/ys.shtml

[Anonymous]

At least FCPS leaves us eagerly wondering what will be more challenging and rigorous. Academics? Field Hockey? Basket-weaving? After-school detention? The possibilities are endless. None of this "Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting" nonsense.

Give me a stern headmaster and a nun or two who let you know what is expected with a curt phrase and a ruler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least FCPS leaves us eagerly wondering what will be more challenging and rigorous. Academics? Field Hockey? Basket-weaving? After-school detention? The possibilities are endless. None of this "Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting" nonsense.

Give me a stern headmaster and a nun or two who let you know what is expected with a curt phrase and a ruler.

You don't understand what a class meeting is?

[Anonymous]

It's a way to build a "student-centered learning community," when teachers could be helping kids learn to spell instead.