Should we leave Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that college acceptance rates are important, but there are other factors too.

My MS (Hammond) kid had to deal with not enough bathrooms, insufficient passing time between classes in an overcrowded building (and finding classroom doors locked per school rules when arriving 1 min. late as a result), administrators moving through the halls yelling at kids thru bullhorns, the cafeteria running out of food, and the general feel of a place that’s more like a prison than a human educational institution. The icing on the cake is watching a parent bring up the bathroom issue and the superintendent just responding, “bathrooms are available.”

So at least while they’re in MS, even fabulous college admissions are unable to compensate for daily life in these buildings.

This was exactly my older DD's experience at GWMS. Locked bathrooms during transition times and for the first and last 10 minutes of class with administrators yelling at kids. Terrible situation for all, but especially for tweens/teens learning to deal with menstruation.

So maddening. But don’t worry…. “Restrooms are available,” per the superintendent.

It was (is?) so bad.
I don’t know the current bathroom situation at KS. I just don’t think my daughter goes?
When I use the bathroom at KS at events, it’s not good…broken faucets, no soap. How this happens is beyond me,

District-level mismanagement. The same thing that makes it so the cafeteria can run out of food, buses can be a hot mess, kids are easily able to skip school without the school noticing…. the list goes on. Unconscionable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. When comparing ACPS v APS, remember that Arlington kids are eligible for TJ, so arguably, the best and brightest of Arlington are going to TJ and all of Alexandria kids are at AC. Hence I would have expected much better results from AC given their pool is the entirety of ACPS brain trust.

A precious few APS kids go to TJ. Overall , APS has far more students than ACPS, so this doesn’t seem like a valid argument.

If you enjoy your neighborhood and home and you’re zoned for one of the better ACPS schools, it could be worth giving the school a try. We love living in our very walkable neighborhood and have been happy with our neighborhood school. I have points of comparison since I’ve taught for many years in APS and FCPS. I’m confident that my kids are getting a comparable education. If at any point we feel it’s necessary, we’ll switch to private. That never became the case for our oldest, who is at an excellent college.

Which ones would you consider better? LC, Mason, Brooks?

Wasn't Brooks in the news last year for being contaminated by lead or mold or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. When comparing ACPS v APS, remember that Arlington kids are eligible for TJ, so arguably, the best and brightest of Arlington are going to TJ and all of Alexandria kids are at AC. Hence I would have expected much better results from AC given their pool is the entirety of ACPS brain trust.

A precious few APS kids go to TJ. Overall , APS has far more students than ACPS, so this doesn’t seem like a valid argument.

If you enjoy your neighborhood and home and you’re zoned for one of the better ACPS schools, it could be worth giving the school a try. We love living in our very walkable neighborhood and have been happy with our neighborhood school. I have points of comparison since I’ve taught for many years in APS and FCPS. I’m confident that my kids are getting a comparable education. If at any point we feel it’s necessary, we’ll switch to private. That never became the case for our oldest, who is at an excellent college.

Which ones would you consider better? LC, Mason, Brooks?

Wasn't Brooks in the news last year for being contaminated by lead or mold or something?

yes, lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: ...

I think you have touched on something, your older kids went through a different school system than your younger one is in. Education has changed a lot in a decade.

Yup. ACPS has never been spectacular, but (1) some of the individual Elementaries were very good, and (2) a student with strong support could go through the ACPS system and do very well. That's simply no longer the case. There is not a single good Elementary in Alexandria, and the Middles are in horribly rough shape. The former TC is mismanaged and the two-campus system doesn't;t work in the slightest. But if ACPS sets up two fully separate high schools, only one will have all the academic sweeteners (full roster of AP courses, an active HS newspaper, etc) - the School Board has indicated as much for years.

ACPS is completely busted. Nothing will bring it back. Literally no one with any authority cares. That's all.

Would you say even schools like Lyles-Crouch and Brooks aren’t good? They seem to be more highly regarded and even got good scores from the accountability system.

And then they filter into crappy middle schools and an overcrowded high school.

I thought the high school (Alexandria City HS) expanded across the street when they launched the advanced academy programs in their new, state-of-the-art facilities. So it shouldn't be overcrowded. (I'm in APS so I don't have first hand knowledge of Alexandria, but I read the news stories / press releases on the new campus with interest.)

It is overcrowded. You are in APS, why are you posting this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. When comparing ACPS v APS, remember that Arlington kids are eligible for TJ, so arguably, the best and brightest of Arlington are going to TJ and all of Alexandria kids are at AC. Hence I would have expected much better results from AC given their pool is the entirety of ACPS brain trust.

A precious few APS kids go to TJ. Overall , APS has far more students than ACPS, so this doesn’t seem like a valid argument.

If you enjoy your neighborhood and home and you’re zoned for one of the better ACPS schools, it could be worth giving the school a try. We love living in our very walkable neighborhood and have been happy with our neighborhood school. I have points of comparison since I’ve taught for many years in APS and FCPS. I’m confident that my kids are getting a comparable education. If at any point we feel it’s necessary, we’ll switch to private. That never became the case for our oldest, who is at an excellent college.

Which ones would you consider better? LC, Mason, Brooks?

Wasn't Brooks in the news last year for being contaminated by lead or mold or something?

Sure. But now you know the school is lead-free!