Replicating ATS success — what are exact differences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, so maybe I was wrong about most ATS parents attending P-T conferences.

Not one person answered number 3 (the most important IMO).

Not ATS. Do a lot of parents blow off conferences? TBH they’re not often that useful because they feel so rushed but we do them anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:would like to know if getting tutors is as common in other places as it is here. when I speak with friends who live outside of the area they are floored when I mention tutors in grade school. are kids at ATS using tutors or is it more commonly found with the other elementary schools?

ATS provided 1:1 tutoring to my transfer child who was a letter grade behind.

was this through an IEP?

also what do you mean by a letter grade behind?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

It’s the largest contributing factor. Like 90% of the pie.

OK. Clearly the ATS parents want the credit for their kids' and their school's success. So, yes, absolutely, it is entirely due to the parents who put in for the lottery and accept the slots. Entirely. Not 90%. Because without these specific fabulous parents being involved, the administration might implement instructional changes that they make the other neighborhood schools do. So, KUDOS to you parents!!!

Are you reading the same thread? ATS parents are saying other schools could do more of what ATS is doing. Parental involvement matters but parents are choosing ATS because what they are doing works. ATS deserves the credit and I don't blame parents for lining up to go to ATS. PP is right that parents put in what the school expects of them. It harder than ever in APS to know how your kid is doing. Schoolwork rarely sent home, homework packets depend on the school, grading is usually a cut and paste affair and you're not sure if the comments about "johnny" apply to your "Jenny". At least APS is finally figuring out how to teach kids to read but ATS was doing that for decades.

They claim ATS' success is 90% due to the self-selection by parents. That makes the parents responsible for the success.
I fully agree that APS should be making all of our ES more like ATS. But I'm tired of people crediting the bulk of its success on parents' selection. ATS works well for most students. Period. Not because their parents chose the program.

Does ATS have kids with a lot of unexcused absences?

Does ATS have parents who don’t EVER show up to parent-teacher conferences?

When a child is combative at ATS, what happens when that child’s parents shrug their shoulders?

Anyone care to answer these questions? Because this is the secret sauce.

yes, my kid has a lot of unexcused absences but is on an IEP so it's a consequence of a health issue.
my other child was bullied at ATS and it was just flat stopped, not denied like a neighborhood school. Have no idea what the parents did.
Yes, parent-teacher conferences are not mandatory.

You know what type of unexcused absences they’re referring to. Not the health-related ones. She means the people who just don’t bother showing up to school half the time.

I have 0 idea what happens in your 3rd question (kid is combative and parent shrugs).

We're at immersion and school always indicates in our IEP meetings that we're choosing to be at immersion and could go back to home school. Not in a bad way but we've questioned if we should go back to our home school so it comes up. And it's on the IEP as the "least restrictive environment".

I doubt ATS can kick a family out the way a private could just like immersion can't kick us out. As long as we choose to stay there, they work with us to meet our child's needs. But there are families at all option schools who realize that wasn't a good fit for them and go back to home school. But ATS probably can't kick a family out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:would like to know if getting tutors is as common in other places as it is here. when I speak with friends who live outside of the area they are floored when I mention tutors in grade school. are kids at ATS using tutors or is it more commonly found with the other elementary schools?

ATS provided 1:1 tutoring to my transfer child who was a letter grade behind.

ATS provided that tutoring??? I’ve never heard of a school doing that

In K my DC had tutoring at ATS. They were a bit behind their peers with reading and she had 1 v 1 support. Is it common? No idea but it was VERY helpful.

[Anonymous]

One big difference we saw at ATS when we did the tour vs our neighborhood school, where are kids went, was a heavy focus on phonics at ATS. During the tour of a K classroom the teacher asks a parent to whisper a multi-syllable word. She then wrote it on the board and the class as a whole sounded it out. My kid was definitely not taught how to do that, much less in K. They were taught using that blended literacy crap which got them nowhere, other than extra hours with a paid tutor. I don't think ATS ever bought into the blended literacy model and that to me is a key to the students success.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

It’s the largest contributing factor. Like 90% of the pie.

OK. Clearly the ATS parents want the credit for their kids' and their school's success. So, yes, absolutely, it is entirely due to the parents who put in for the lottery and accept the slots. Entirely. Not 90%. Because without these specific fabulous parents being involved, the administration might implement instructional changes that they make the other neighborhood schools do. So, KUDOS to you parents!!!

Are you reading the same thread? ATS parents are saying other schools could do more of what ATS is doing. Parental involvement matters but parents are choosing ATS because what they are doing works. ATS deserves the credit and I don't blame parents for lining up to go to ATS. PP is right that parents put in what the school expects of them. It harder than ever in APS to know how your kid is doing. Schoolwork rarely sent home, homework packets depend on the school, grading is usually a cut and paste affair and you're not sure if the comments about "johnny" apply to your "Jenny". At least APS is finally figuring out how to teach kids to read but ATS was doing that for decades.

They claim ATS' success is 90% due to the self-selection by parents. That makes the parents responsible for the success.
I fully agree that APS should be making all of our ES more like ATS. But I'm tired of people crediting the bulk of its success on parents' selection. ATS works well for most students. Period. Not because their parents chose the program.

Does ATS have kids with a lot of unexcused absences?

Does ATS have parents who don’t EVER show up to parent-teacher conferences?

When a child is combative at ATS, what happens when that child’s parents shrug their shoulders?

ATS parent here of a 3rd grader who doesn’t go to conferences because the teachers send so many individualized reports home. I’m a single parent and can’t always make the conferences with work and another kido. But it doesn’t even matter because from week one I hear exactly how my child is doing and what is happening with them each and every week.

ATS parent here. Yep there are definitely parents who don’t sign up for conferences and those who don’t show up. Not sure the reason but perhaps it is because a lot of the parents don’t have time and trust they ATS is doing what they can to educate their child. Not everyone shows up to back to school night either. Around half of the parents with kids in my second grader’s class showed up to Back to School Night.

Are conferences really needed if the teachers are sending home weekly reports?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Our neighbors left ATS because they said it was not a good school for their kid who had special needs.

Neighborhood schools ( not all, but many) do a better job with that.

Right. Because ATS is a choice school.

Because it's a self selecting group, that's about 75% of the success right there.

More than 75% I think. Probably 90%. There are some things that can be replicated, but you aren’t going to be able to fix the main ingredient for ATS’s success in narrowing the achievement gap.

If self-selection is the achievement gap fixer, why don't the other choice programs have the same effect?

Yes, and not just other choice programs. The highly educated wealthy parents self selected, too, by buying into the elementary schools in northernmost Arlington.

Yet, I believe all those schools do have an achievement gap for their very few kids who do not fall into the well resourced parent category. There are also gaps for SN kids when I last checked, and ethnic ones as well.
They should have zero problems closing their gaps for those few students, why don't they or can't they?

Just because you’re wealthy doesn’t mean you’re involved. The number of parents in NA schools who didn’t know their child was struggling with reading or math till the later grades is shocking. Like HOW DIDN’T YOU KNOW?

You don’t need a teacher’s written report to know if your child is struggling. Do you not read with your child at home? Or talk about math concepts?

More notably, ;just because you're poor doesn't mean you're NOT involved. Enough with this stuff. Schools can't control what the parents are going to do or are able to do. Let's focus on what schools can do regardless of the parents - because kids can succeed, period.

No one’s saying poor parents can’t be involved. ATS has low SES families that thrive.

(And FWIW, not everyone at TJHSST is wealthy either.)

The ED families at ATS got there through the preschool program at ATS, so they have an educational foundation and parental commitment not all kids do.

If you want every neighborhood school to include preschool, great. I'm all for that. And I support it to the extent of thinking that if doing so means putting all the fifth graders in trailers, I'm fine with that, too.

Yes. I pointed out the significance of VPI feeding directly into ATS as opposed to our other schools with high FRL/ELLs that don't. Those schools have far more kids starting farther behind. I support more preschool (not universal free pre-K) but I also don't want preK to become kindergarten and kindergarten become first grade, etc. That's what's happened over the years. Kindergarten is far from the half-day, play, learn your abc's and count to ten that it used to be.

I see. So you want the students enrolled in VPI, all whom are underprivileged, to remain behind, because “you don’t want prek to become kindergarten” which is presumably what you believe is happening at ATS.

You're the one who jumped that gorge. I suggested no such thing.
My comment about kindergarten and preK meant in general for everyone, like how we push high school math on middle schoolers and how things we didn't teach until 1st grade are now expected to be mastered by the end of kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One big difference we saw at ATS when we did the tour vs our neighborhood school, where are kids went, was a heavy focus on phonics at ATS. During the tour of a K classroom the teacher asks a parent to whisper a multi-syllable word. She then wrote it on the board and the class as a whole sounded it out. My kid was definitely not taught how to do that, much less in K. They were taught using that blended literacy crap which got them nowhere, other than extra hours with a paid tutor. I don't think ATS ever bought into the blended literacy model and that to me is a key to the students success.

Same. Ours were also taught the dumb blended literacy stuff and we have been trying to correct since they started school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

It’s the largest contributing factor. Like 90% of the pie.

OK. Clearly the ATS parents want the credit for their kids' and their school's success. So, yes, absolutely, it is entirely due to the parents who put in for the lottery and accept the slots. Entirely. Not 90%. Because without these specific fabulous parents being involved, the administration might implement instructional changes that they make the other neighborhood schools do. So, KUDOS to you parents!!!

Are you reading the same thread? ATS parents are saying other schools could do more of what ATS is doing. Parental involvement matters but parents are choosing ATS because what they are doing works. ATS deserves the credit and I don't blame parents for lining up to go to ATS. PP is right that parents put in what the school expects of them. It harder than ever in APS to know how your kid is doing. Schoolwork rarely sent home, homework packets depend on the school, grading is usually a cut and paste affair and you're not sure if the comments about "johnny" apply to your "Jenny". At least APS is finally figuring out how to teach kids to read but ATS was doing that for decades.

They claim ATS' success is 90% due to the self-selection by parents. That makes the parents responsible for the success.
I fully agree that APS should be making all of our ES more like ATS. But I'm tired of people crediting the bulk of its success on parents' selection. ATS works well for most students. Period. Not because their parents chose the program.

Does ATS have kids with a lot of unexcused absences?

Does ATS have parents who don’t EVER show up to parent-teacher conferences?

When a child is combative at ATS, what happens when that child’s parents shrug their shoulders?

What happens at any APS school when a child is combative and parents shrug their shoulders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

It’s the largest contributing factor. Like 90% of the pie.

OK. Clearly the ATS parents want the credit for their kids' and their school's success. So, yes, absolutely, it is entirely due to the parents who put in for the lottery and accept the slots. Entirely. Not 90%. Because without these specific fabulous parents being involved, the administration might implement instructional changes that they make the other neighborhood schools do. So, KUDOS to you parents!!!

Are you reading the same thread? ATS parents are saying other schools could do more of what ATS is doing. Parental involvement matters but parents are choosing ATS because what they are doing works. ATS deserves the credit and I don't blame parents for lining up to go to ATS. PP is right that parents put in what the school expects of them. It harder than ever in APS to know how your kid is doing. Schoolwork rarely sent home, homework packets depend on the school, grading is usually a cut and paste affair and you're not sure if the comments about "johnny" apply to your "Jenny". At least APS is finally figuring out how to teach kids to read but ATS was doing that for decades.

They claim ATS' success is 90% due to the self-selection by parents. That makes the parents responsible for the success.
I fully agree that APS should be making all of our ES more like ATS. But I'm tired of people crediting the bulk of its success on parents' selection. ATS works well for most students. Period. Not because their parents chose the program.

Does ATS have kids with a lot of unexcused absences?

Does ATS have parents who don’t EVER show up to parent-teacher conferences?

When a child is combative at ATS, what happens when that child’s parents shrug their shoulders?

What happens at any APS school when a child is combative and parents shrug their shoulders?

The whole class is disrupted and the teacher has to give more time and attention to the problem child. Kinda hard to learn when someone’s knocking over desks in the background.

[Anonymous]

Just wonder if ATS takes these things more seriously. Someone mentioned bullying being shut down immediately, so I assume the answer is yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm, so maybe I was wrong about most ATS parents attending P-T conferences.

Not one person answered number 3 (the most important IMO).

They follow a protocol of responses, document, bring in the parents, do assessments with various specialists, but the parents have to agree to placement in small group out of the main classroom (still in same school) though I believe this is APS’ policy for all elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

It’s the largest contributing factor. Like 90% of the pie.

OK. Clearly the ATS parents want the credit for their kids' and their school's success. So, yes, absolutely, it is entirely due to the parents who put in for the lottery and accept the slots. Entirely. Not 90%. Because without these specific fabulous parents being involved, the administration might implement instructional changes that they make the other neighborhood schools do. So, KUDOS to you parents!!!

Are you reading the same thread? ATS parents are saying other schools could do more of what ATS is doing. Parental involvement matters but parents are choosing ATS because what they are doing works. ATS deserves the credit and I don't blame parents for lining up to go to ATS. PP is right that parents put in what the school expects of them. It harder than ever in APS to know how your kid is doing. Schoolwork rarely sent home, homework packets depend on the school, grading is usually a cut and paste affair and you're not sure if the comments about "johnny" apply to your "Jenny". At least APS is finally figuring out how to teach kids to read but ATS was doing that for decades.

They claim ATS' success is 90% due to the self-selection by parents. That makes the parents responsible for the success.
I fully agree that APS should be making all of our ES more like ATS. But I'm tired of people crediting the bulk of its success on parents' selection. ATS works well for most students. Period. Not because their parents chose the program.

Does ATS have kids with a lot of unexcused absences?

Does ATS have parents who don’t EVER show up to parent-teacher conferences?

When a child is combative at ATS, what happens when that child’s parents shrug their shoulders?

What happens at any APS school when a child is combative and parents shrug their shoulders?

It’s pretty obvious what happens. They keep harassing the parents and then they decide to switch to neighborhood school, who may or may not harass them because they likely have bigger fish to fry, and at that point they can’t switch. If you get the rare shoulder shrug parent who a) registered at right time for lottery and then b) jumped on the ticking time bomb e-mail to accept option placement and then c) decided to wash their hands of parenting, they still have this get out jail card to reset if their kid isn’t doing well and a principal keeps calling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

It’s the largest contributing factor. Like 90% of the pie.

OK. Clearly the ATS parents want the credit for their kids' and their school's success. So, yes, absolutely, it is entirely due to the parents who put in for the lottery and accept the slots. Entirely. Not 90%. Because without these specific fabulous parents being involved, the administration might implement instructional changes that they make the other neighborhood schools do. So, KUDOS to you parents!!!

Are you reading the same thread? ATS parents are saying other schools could do more of what ATS is doing. Parental involvement matters but parents are choosing ATS because what they are doing works. ATS deserves the credit and I don't blame parents for lining up to go to ATS. PP is right that parents put in what the school expects of them. It harder than ever in APS to know how your kid is doing. Schoolwork rarely sent home, homework packets depend on the school, grading is usually a cut and paste affair and you're not sure if the comments about "johnny" apply to your "Jenny". At least APS is finally figuring out how to teach kids to read but ATS was doing that for decades.

They claim ATS' success is 90% due to the self-selection by parents. That makes the parents responsible for the success.
I fully agree that APS should be making all of our ES more like ATS. But I'm tired of people crediting the bulk of its success on parents' selection. ATS works well for most students. Period. Not because their parents chose the program.

Does ATS have kids with a lot of unexcused absences?

Does ATS have parents who don’t EVER show up to parent-teacher conferences?

When a child is combative at ATS, what happens when that child’s parents shrug their shoulders?

What happens at any APS school when a child is combative and parents shrug their shoulders?

It’s pretty obvious what happens. They keep harassing the parents and then they decide to switch to neighborhood school, who may or may not harass them because they likely have bigger fish to fry, and at that point they can’t switch. If you get the rare shoulder shrug parent who a) registered at right time for lottery and then b) jumped on the ticking time bomb e-mail to accept option placement and then c) decided to wash their hands of parenting, they still have this get out jail card to reset if their kid isn’t doing well and a principal keeps calling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

There are plenty of people trying to get in, there are not enough slots. We shouldn't have to be motivated to enter the lottery, this is how all the elementary schools should be ran.

What about those of us who are happy at our school, don’t agree with how ATS is run or don’t think it’s a good fit for our kid? I don’t want my Arlington elementary school to become ATS!

We have older elementary neighbors and friends whose kids go to APS, so I am not just basing my opinion off of DCUM threads and website copy.

Genuinely curious:
What would you have done if all APS schools were "run like ATS?"
What specifically do you not like about how ATS is run?

Not the poster you're asking, but our kids attended a school where the principal was a "principles not rules" type, and one kid had a teacher who would have loved being at ATS. And I responded with polite, cheerful noncompliance. Which was OK with the principal.

You can't make parents back you up on homework every night in every grade or tucking in shirts or playing an instrument. All my kids were reading by the end of K, but I would not have agreed with holding any of them back for lack of "academic achievement" in K