South Arlington schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With some exceptions--Oakridge, Henry--S. Arlington schools are academically inferior to N. Arlington schools. S. Arl parents & APS will tell you that all Arlington elementaries are excellent. They are heavily invested in believing that, or at least saying it. But the dirty secret is that some are far more excellent than others. I lived it. Moved my kids from S. Arl to N. Arl elementary. Tried to stick it out in my S. Arl school because I loved my house. But my kids' education prevailed. I didn't realize HOW different the academic experience would be. It's like a tale of two cities. Don't regret the move for a second. There is less socioeconomic diversity & that's a shame. But not worth my kids' educational experience.

Nice story troll. Reads like bad fiction.

[Anonymous]

Believe what you want. If you can afford N. Arlington and highly value education, unless diversity is your deciding factor, you should move. I lived it. But I'm not invested in convincing anyone. I don't have to be preoccupied with whether my kids are being challenged or how/when to Supplement in math or science or anything else. They are getting what they need (2 kids) in their N. Arlington elementary. It was not AWFUl before, just not excellent.

[Anonymous]

Yes yes yes...

We've all heard it a thousand times. We're all living in south Arlington in beautiful big homes, and sacrificing our children's education. We deserve to have crappy schools because we have "nice houses" Blah blah blah...
It just simply isn't the case with 95% of families in south Arlington. looking at the numbers, north Arlington has out paced south Arlington real estate. I'm beyond skeptical that people are selling in the south and moving north. Unless your hhi/wealth well out paces cost of living ( which is possible) most people decamp south Arlington for ffx. I'm very skeptical when people say they moved from south Arlington to north Arlington, and if that's true I am doubtful they uprooted themselves from nauck or Douglas park for country club hills.

[Anonymous]

Unless you value the short commute. That was why we stayed in Arlington. And my house wasn't big, but it Was bigger than my tiny N. Arl rambler. Choices. We all make them.

[Anonymous]

A tiny north Arlington rambler costs more than my tiny south Arlignton cape.
Choices. We all don't have them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Believe what you want. If you can afford N. Arlington and highly value education, unless diversity is your deciding factor, you should move. I lived it. But I'm not invested in convincing anyone. I don't have to be preoccupied with whether my kids are being challenged or how/when to Supplement in math or science or anything else. They are getting what they need (2 kids) in their N. Arlington elementary. It was not AWFUl before, just not excellent.

I think this is completely believable, having taught in several different parts of Arlington and as a parent in the school system as well.

[Anonymous]

I fully recognize some people don't have choices. But you questioned the veracity of my story, as if no one could make that choice. Plenty of us do exactly that. I'm not saying S. Arl schools are terrible, but they are not the best that Arl County has to offer educationally.

[Anonymous]

This thread is another argument for redistricting/busing/more choice schools. There should't be concentrated poverty in any school in Arlington. People shouldn't have to move to avoid it. Kids shouldn't be stuck in schools where the "critical mass" is low performing in a county as wealthy and well educated as Arlington. All kids should be in diverse schools--in every sense of the word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fully recognize some people don't have choices. But you questioned the veracity of my story, as if no one could make that choice. Plenty of us do exactly that. I'm not saying S. Arl schools are terrible, but they are not the best that Arl County has to offer educationally.

I don't question that there is a difference in the schools, only that people find it so simple to hop zipcodes. I'm skeptical of the real estate aspect. Unless, this was 10 years ago. South Arlington just hasn't kept up. Not a bad investment, but homes in my s arl neighborhood are selling in the 500's. That makes it very difficult to trade up, and for those who can, they are competing with all cash offers for very modest north Arlington homes. My neighbors who left, made for Fairfax. Arlington just wasn't an option. In fact I don't know anyone who was able to make that work.
Great if you could make that work, but I don't think that is an option for many now a days.

[Anonymous]

I don't think forcible busing of kids from North Arlington to South Arlington is the answer. I know that if someone tried to bus my kid all the way across the country to a Title I school, I'd vote with my feet and move to Falls Church, Fairfax, Montgomery or DC. I made some major compromises and sacrifices to live in a good school boundary.

Note: I'm not fighting the plans to put more affordable housing in North Arlington. If that's how they plan to un-concentrate the poverty, I'm fine with that.

[Anonymous]

*county, not *country. need my caffeine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think forcible busing of kids from North Arlington to South Arlington is the answer. I know that if someone tried to bus my kid all the way across the country to a Title I school, I'd vote with my feet and move to Falls Church, Fairfax, Montgomery or DC. I made some major compromises and sacrifices to live in a good school boundary.

Note: I'm not fighting the plans to put more affordable housing in North Arlington. If that's how they plan to un-concentrate the poverty, I'm fine with that.

They aren't going to bus. That would be a nightmare for everyone. The push back! Gah!

No, they need to allow south Arlington to gentrify. Libby Garvey came out and basically admitted that they have been concentrating poverty into one area. This will all be some much easier if the CB will acknowledge reality. Seems like they might be finally starting to get their heads out of the sand.
I also think this is the first time they've started to experience real organized push back from south Arlington home owners. Thank god!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do people have against racial/cultural/SES diversity?

Obviously something. Wish I knew what it was. Fear, I guess.

Pretty much. My kids attend a title 1 school, have done really well there and we have been very happy with the teachers. They challenge teh kids who need more challenging while working with kids who need more help. Half our neighborhood does private because many "want a catholic education" code for "school with more white kids with higher SES backgrounds."

Not necessarily. We did private and it was code for "the kids behavior problems are over the top"

Pretending that there are not serious problems in schools with "diversity" is just stupid.

There are lots of problems. A good portion of the school admin, teachers and work is really dedicated to social services. When you have to spend 50-75% of time on those issues, it doesn't leave much time for education. So schools in N. Arl, the teachers and admins are not worrying about little Larla not having enough to eat and then have to spend time finding something for Larla to eat, contacting her parents, helping them get set up with food stamps, etc and so forth. Then there is little Larlo who doesn't have enough schools supplies, and Larlalette didn't have shoes and keep going 50times over and the whole school day has been used up and nothing has been taught.

did you actually try out the public school before going private because I can tell you none of my neighbors did. We have not at all dealt with anything you are describing. The excuses you made are for the most part assumptions about lower income kids. An no teachers aren't running around worried if kids are hungry because those kids are getting free breakfast and lunch. There is also a program where kids are sent home on weekends with meals.

not saying there aren't any problems, but I don't at all think they are on the magnitude you are trying to portray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think forcible busing of kids from North Arlington to South Arlington is the answer. I know that if someone tried to bus my kid all the way across the country to a Title I school, I'd vote with my feet and move to Falls Church, Fairfax, Montgomery or DC. I made some major compromises and sacrifices to live in a good school boundary.

Note: I'm not fighting the plans to put more affordable housing in North Arlington. If that's how they plan to un-concentrate the poverty, I'm fine with that.

They aren't going to bus. That would be a nightmare for everyone. The push back! Gah!

No, they need to allow south Arlington to gentrify. Libby Garvey came out and basically admitted that they have been concentrating poverty into one area. This will all be some much easier if the CB will acknowledge reality. Seems like they might be finally starting to get their heads out of the sand.
I also think this is the first time they've started to experience real organized push back from south Arlington home owners. Thank god!

Well, that should be expected from homeowners who are paying almost a almost a million for a renovated shit shack and 1.2 plus for new builds. Did the County really think homeowners here wouldn't push back on the County trying to depress their home values for the long term? Lyon Village isn't the only neighborhood that can tie them up in a 12 million dollar lawsuit any more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do people have against racial/cultural/SES diversity?

Obviously something. Wish I knew what it was. Fear, I guess.

Pretty much. My kids attend a title 1 school, have done really well there and we have been very happy with the teachers. They challenge teh kids who need more challenging while working with kids who need more help. Half our neighborhood does private because many "want a catholic education" code for "school with more white kids with higher SES backgrounds."

I don't think Catholic education is necessarily a code for that. Words like Maret, Sidwell, etc.--now that's code.