ISO thoughts about S Arlington vs N Arlington schools (esp Gunston)

[Anonymous]

My DC has attended Abingdon for most of his elementary career, and will be moving to Gunston next year. I have been very pleased with his schooling at Abingdon- especially the Project GIFT program, and the staff and administration are great and involved. DC has been constantly challenged throughout his time there. I have heard good things about Gunston as well, and have been satisfied with what I have seen to date, so I have no hesitation about DC's transition to the school next year. I want the best for my DC, but I also don't want him in a cut-throat environment, especially in the secondary level, which is what some of the N.Arlington schools come off like...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't think you can get clarity here because the people who post here are mostly elitist and contrarians. I live in n. arl, and I am looking for the same thing you are. I will try to transfer my kid to gunston because I am looking for a more nurturing environment as well. I think claremont/oakridge would be a great choice for you. Both my husband and I are average as well, but we managed to carve out a great life for ourselves through discipline and by having not just school training abilities. So from that perspective, my outlook on what I want for my kids are similar to yours. You should go to gunston and have a talk with the people there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Like all schools it has its issues I'm sure, but I don't that would deter my children from achieving success. If you the type who truly live your life through your own rhythm, you will not have anything to worry by picking gunston as your school. You'll find a more intimate environment for you kids. As the saying goes, the farther you climb up the economic ladder, the lonelier it gets. It is smart that you're looking for a balance. Good luck.

+1 so refreshing to see this perspective on here. We are in N Arlington and feeling the same. We will be looking into the immersion programs and hope the kids follow all the way through to gunston and Wakefield.

Love this take. We live in the Oakridge boundaries and our children attend Claremont. We couldn't be happier with Claremont. Our friends with children and Oakridge are quite satisfied with that school as well. No hesitation about Gunston or Wakefield. South Arlington is more diverse, both culturally and economically, than most of North Arlington which, for us, is a huge plus for the area. The 22202 ZIP is an excellent community in every sense of the word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't think you can get clarity here because the people who post here are mostly elitist and contrarians. I live in n. arl, and I am looking for the same thing you are. I will try to transfer my kid to gunston because I am looking for a more nurturing environment as well. I think claremont/oakridge would be a great choice for you. Both my husband and I are average as well, but we managed to carve out a great life for ourselves through discipline and by having not just school training abilities. So from that perspective, my outlook on what I want for my kids are similar to yours. You should go to gunston and have a talk with the people there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Like all schools it has its issues I'm sure, but I don't that would deter my children from achieving success. If you the type who truly live your life through your own rhythm, you will not have anything to worry by picking gunston as your school. You'll find a more intimate environment for you kids. As the saying goes, the farther you climb up the economic ladder, the lonelier it gets. It is smart that you're looking for a balance. Good luck.

+1 so refreshing to see this perspective on here. We are in N Arlington and feeling the same. We will be looking into the immersion programs and hope the kids follow all the way through to gunston and Wakefield.

Love this take. We live in the Oakridge boundaries and our children attend Claremont. We couldn't be happier with Claremont. Our friends with children and Oakridge are quite satisfied with that school as well. No hesitation about Gunston or Wakefield. South Arlington is more diverse, both culturally and economically, than most of North Arlington which, for us, is a huge plus for the area. The 22202 ZIP is an excellent community in every sense of the word.

I've yet to understand why sending my kids to school with a bunch of kids who can't speak English and are more likely to drop out in high school is a "big plus," or why an environment where the children speak the same language is always described as less "nurturing" or "cut-throat."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't think you can get clarity here because the people who post here are mostly elitist and contrarians. I live in n. arl, and I am looking for the same thing you are. I will try to transfer my kid to gunston because I am looking for a more nurturing environment as well. I think claremont/oakridge would be a great choice for you. Both my husband and I are average as well, but we managed to carve out a great life for ourselves through discipline and by having not just school training abilities. So from that perspective, my outlook on what I want for my kids are similar to yours. You should go to gunston and have a talk with the people there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Like all schools it has its issues I'm sure, but I don't that would deter my children from achieving success. If you the type who truly live your life through your own rhythm, you will not have anything to worry by picking gunston as your school. You'll find a more intimate environment for you kids. As the saying goes, the farther you climb up the economic ladder, the lonelier it gets. It is smart that you're looking for a balance. Good luck.

+1 so refreshing to see this perspective on here. We are in N Arlington and feeling the same. We will be looking into the immersion programs and hope the kids follow all the way through to gunston and Wakefield.

Love this take. We live in the Oakridge boundaries and our children attend Claremont. We couldn't be happier with Claremont. Our friends with children and Oakridge are quite satisfied with that school as well. No hesitation about Gunston or Wakefield. South Arlington is more diverse, both culturally and economically, than most of North Arlington which, for us, is a huge plus for the area. The 22202 ZIP is an excellent community in every sense of the word.

I've yet to understand why sending my kids to school with a bunch of kids who can't speak English and are more likely to drop out in high school is a "big plus," or why an environment where the children speak the same language is always described as less "nurturing" or "cut-throat."

You are right a 4% drop out rate is just crazy pants! How can parents even think of sending their kids there. I mean really, someone should call CPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't think you can get clarity here because the people who post here are mostly elitist and contrarians. I live in n. arl, and I am looking for the same thing you are. I will try to transfer my kid to gunston because I am looking for a more nurturing environment as well. I think claremont/oakridge would be a great choice for you. Both my husband and I are average as well, but we managed to carve out a great life for ourselves through discipline and by having not just school training abilities. So from that perspective, my outlook on what I want for my kids are similar to yours. You should go to gunston and have a talk with the people there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Like all schools it has its issues I'm sure, but I don't that would deter my children from achieving success. If you the type who truly live your life through your own rhythm, you will not have anything to worry by picking gunston as your school. You'll find a more intimate environment for you kids. As the saying goes, the farther you climb up the economic ladder, the lonelier it gets. It is smart that you're looking for a balance. Good luck.

+1 so refreshing to see this perspective on here. We are in N Arlington and feeling the same. We will be looking into the immersion programs and hope the kids follow all the way through to gunston and Wakefield.

Love this take. We live in the Oakridge boundaries and our children attend Claremont. We couldn't be happier with Claremont. Our friends with children and Oakridge are quite satisfied with that school as well. No hesitation about Gunston or Wakefield. South Arlington is more diverse, both culturally and economically, than most of North Arlington which, for us, is a huge plus for the area. The 22202 ZIP is an excellent community in every sense of the word.

I've yet to understand why sending my kids to school with a bunch of kids who can't speak English and are more likely to drop out in high school is a "big plus," or why an environment where the children speak the same language is always described as less "nurturing" or "cut-throat."

You are right a 4% drop out rate is just crazy pants! How can parents even think of sending their kids there. I mean really, someone should call CPS.

A full 25% of students at Wakefield do not graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't think you can get clarity here because the people who post here are mostly elitist and contrarians. I live in n. arl, and I am looking for the same thing you are. I will try to transfer my kid to gunston because I am looking for a more nurturing environment as well. I think claremont/oakridge would be a great choice for you. Both my husband and I are average as well, but we managed to carve out a great life for ourselves through discipline and by having not just school training abilities. So from that perspective, my outlook on what I want for my kids are similar to yours. You should go to gunston and have a talk with the people there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Like all schools it has its issues I'm sure, but I don't that would deter my children from achieving success. If you the type who truly live your life through your own rhythm, you will not have anything to worry by picking gunston as your school. You'll find a more intimate environment for you kids. As the saying goes, the farther you climb up the economic ladder, the lonelier it gets. It is smart that you're looking for a balance. Good luck.

+1 so refreshing to see this perspective on here. We are in N Arlington and feeling the same. We will be looking into the immersion programs and hope the kids follow all the way through to gunston and Wakefield.

Love this take. We live in the Oakridge boundaries and our children attend Claremont. We couldn't be happier with Claremont. Our friends with children and Oakridge are quite satisfied with that school as well. No hesitation about Gunston or Wakefield. South Arlington is more diverse, both culturally and economically, than most of North Arlington which, for us, is a huge plus for the area. The 22202 ZIP is an excellent community in every sense of the word.

I've yet to understand why sending my kids to school with a bunch of kids who can't speak English and are more likely to drop out in high school is a "big plus," or why an environment where the children speak the same language is always described as less "nurturing" or "cut-throat."

I believe the correct term is "slumming it."

[Anonymous]

Achievement is more important than diversity, unless you're just counting on taking advantage of quotas.

[Anonymous]

The best arlington high school yorktown is average (7 rating)compared to fcps and moco 9 and 10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best arlington high school yorktown is average (7 rating)compared to fcps and moco 9 and 10

What rating? Where? Whose? I hope you're not one of these greatschools people (where it gets an 8, natch). Those "ratings" aren't worth squat.

Ratings are worthless. Only "average" and gullible people follow them or put faith in them. They're kind of like reviews on Yelp or Amazon. Worthless.

[Anonymous]

For parents with children at Claremont, I'm looking at the school for my child who will enter kindergarten in a couple of years (we live in 22202/Oakridge boundaries). I am interested in the school and hear raves reviews about the immersion program but I am concerned about the large size with 600+ kids. I heard this academic year's Kindergarten class grew by one more class. I'm looking for a close-knit school community and worry that a school of that size will not have that feeling. Can anyone speak to this?

[Anonymous]

washington and lee's rating is pretty scarey

http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/arlington/133-Washington-Lee-High-School/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best arlington high school yorktown is average (7 rating)compared to fcps and moco 9 and 10

Perhaps if you were a bit more articulate in your anti-Arlington posts you would achieve the hand-wringing result you want. Did your own sub-par education result in you wanting "only the best" for your children? That's admirable. Perhaps you could rally their support in helping you form a coherent argument.

[Anonymous]

I like how people on this board can flat out write that they don't understand the benefit of diversity. If that is not the most ignorant, arrogant, and frankly, sad comment I've ever seen, I don't know what is. Whatever decision you choose for schooling for your kids, admitting that you don't see a benefit to kids being surrounded by a diverse group is admitting that you believe your child should grow up only around those exactly like you. I feel sorry for the lack of experiences your children will have growing up and feel sorry that you have made it this far in your life without appreciating and acknowledging those around you.

[Anonymous]

diversity is important but often is a blanket to cover up what's really going on with our student's teachers.

[Anonymous]

PP, agreed. This is 11:52 poster. I want to be clear that its never ok to hide bad teaching under the idea of diversity. There's a big difference. Thanks for mentioning that.