Current APS MS parents who are staying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So basically anyone staying in APS is really aiming for IB/HB as their savior? What if they change the program and you can't get in, would you leave? Is that the sole saving grace of the HS program in APS?

I'm just going to make the best of it. My husband and I went to worse high schools and we are okay.

[Anonymous]

How does your child feel about potentially moving during a sensitive social development phase? Even if you find a better school the disruption could be counterproductive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So basically anyone staying in APS is really aiming for IB/HB as their savior? What if they change the program and you can't get in, would you leave? Is that the sole saving grace of the HS program in APS?

I'm just going to make the best of it. My husband and I went to worse high schools and we are okay.

I went to a worse high school too, but college was way less competitive then, it and it was still really hard. Also, my kids need to make way more than me to just afford a house like where they grew up

[Anonymous]

Well I'll be the outlier and say my kid is really thriving and happy in APS middle school. And yes, we plan to stay for high school. We really like the community and my son is able to have a lot of independence because everything is so walkable and all his friends live close by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, APS is most definitely in decline. Most teachers are great but Syphax hamstrings them with large classes and BS. The move to standards based grading will either be the wake up call parents need to pay attention and put a stop to it or it will put the decline on an even faster track. The rest of Arlington won’t even realized what happened until our property values start looking more like Alexandria (i.e., 200k less).

that won't happen. it'll be next sucker up for awhile.

Property values will not decline where we are next to Metro/walkability to amenities.

The people moving in to these new $1.9-2.2 million+ homes are all private school families.

Arlington close-in isn't totally dependent on schools for property values as much as for location to DC/amenities/Metro, etc. It's why some DC neighborhoods are so expensive even with awful DC public schools. location, location, location.

Metro? No one is ever riding metro again in any numbers. It's a dead dinosaur. People will not want to cram in with strangers unless taxis and ubers are triple digit prices.

So Arlington will have worse school, more office vacancy, and declining property values, and then will cut budget to schools which are already over crowded.

How do we stop this downward cycle?

People like you who can't see past the tip of their own nose fascinate me. You really think public transit is dead. Forever. That's your theory. You think this because you're likely a middle aged person who is content to work in your PJs forever and ride in your car everywhere. And you really think that's where this world is going? For young people? With climate change?

Also Amazon is still investing heavily in Arlington. It's full speed ahead. And property values aren't declining in the least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I'll be the outlier and say my kid is really thriving and happy in APS middle school. And yes, we plan to stay for high school. We really like the community and my son is able to have a lot of independence because everything is so walkable and all his friends live close by.

Thanks. Can you tell us about APS has worked for your son?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I'll be the outlier and say my kid is really thriving and happy in APS middle school. And yes, we plan to stay for high school. We really like the community and my son is able to have a lot of independence because everything is so walkable and all his friends live close by.

Thanks. Can you tell us about APS has worked for your son?

He likes his classes and teachers. His teachers tell us he's really engaged in class and participates a lot. He occasionally has homework and needs to study for tests. He does well in school. But many days after school he hangs around with his friends. The school offers a lot of extracurriculars. He's participating on that side of things.

I personally really value the fact that he's in a neighborhood-based school where he can have some independence with his friends without relying on me driving him everywhere. The ability to try and fail and do it all without adults constantly supervising or planning what's next. I'm a big believer in gradually letting the rope out a little bit more and a little bit more. So they make mistakes and learn to problem solve and ask for help sometimes as they figure it out and build confidence. So maybe that's not about APS, but it's what the general lifestyle we have chosen allows us to give to our kids.

But my goal in life is not Harvard or bust personally. My goal is a happy, well-rounded kid who goes to college and then supports him/herself and knows how to be a good friend, partner, worker, etc.

[Anonymous]

Middle school everywhere is the weak link in our kids' schooling. I had 4 kids go through APS for middle school. They each went to different high schools, both public and private, and in each case they were among the most prepared students for high school.

As for North Arlington high schools, HB>WL>YT>BJO

DC privates (Sidwell, GDS, Cathedral schools, Holton) or Potomac are the best options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle school everywhere is the weak link in our kids' schooling. I had 4 kids go through APS for middle school. They each went to different high schools, both public and private, and in each case they were among the most prepared students for high school.

As for North Arlington high schools, HB>WL>YT>BJO

DC privates (Sidwell, GDS, Cathedral schools, Holton) or Potomac are the best options.

Really? My DS is a freshman at one of the privates you listed, and feels way way unprepared coming from APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I'll be the outlier and say my kid is really thriving and happy in APS middle school. And yes, we plan to stay for high school. We really like the community and my son is able to have a lot of independence because everything is so walkable and all his friends live close by.

+1 - but daughter.

[Anonymous]

I have a Junior and a 6th grader. Although I don’t like a lot of the decisions made by APS recently, I am satisfied that my bright, hard working younger child will be appropriately challenged in high school in APS. There are many intensified and AP classes to choose from, and my older child’s experience has been good.

I will consider supplemental writing classes, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in the "old parent with third kid" dynamic. We're probably staying, although hope for a choice opportunity (Tech, HB or WL IB, if we can talk DC into continuing with French). O'Connell is our only realistic other option, and I would choose it over Yorktown for DC, but DC has so many friends and is not going to be an academic standout wherever she ends up.

You're in a better situation with WL than Yorktown, although I have heard through the grapevine that colleges will view it somewhat disfavorably if a child goes to an IB school, but does not pursue an IB diploma. I have no first-hand experience, it's just something that I've heard (probably on this forum, if I had to guess).

Are Tech and HB better academically? Or just smaller?

Better for my child, who will not be an academic standout wherever she is. I have an older child at YHS, and it's terrible. The students at YHS have to make themselves heard; no one reaches out to those who don't. And with all the grabby, entitled students there, polite, mild-mannered students like my children are overlooked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school everywhere is the weak link in our kids' schooling. I had 4 kids go through APS for middle school. They each went to different high schools, both public and private, and in each case they were among the most prepared students for high school.

As for North Arlington high schools, HB>WL>YT>BJO

DC privates (Sidwell, GDS, Cathedral schools, Holton) or Potomac are the best options.

Really? My DS is a freshman at one of the privates you listed, and feels way way unprepared coming from APS.

DD went to one of those privates in 9th from APS, and it took her a little time and extra attention from the teacher to get into the writing grove. But she was ahead in math and Spanish, on the same level in science, and thanks to a great World Geography teacher, had a good social studies foundation. One of the best parts of private school is the arts curriculum, which isn't as strong in public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in the "old parent with third kid" dynamic. We're probably staying, although hope for a choice opportunity (Tech, HB or WL IB, if we can talk DC into continuing with French). O'Connell is our only realistic other option, and I would choose it over Yorktown for DC, but DC has so many friends and is not going to be an academic standout wherever she ends up.

You're in a better situation with WL than Yorktown, although I have heard through the grapevine that colleges will view it somewhat disfavorably if a child goes to an IB school, but does not pursue an IB diploma. I have no first-hand experience, it's just something that I've heard (probably on this forum, if I had to guess).

Are Tech and HB better academically? Or just smaller?

Better for my child, who will not be an academic standout wherever she is. I have an older child at YHS, and it's terrible. The students at YHS have to make themselves heard; no one reaches out to those who don't. And with all the grabby, entitled students there, polite, mild-mannered students like my children are overlooked.

What is W-L like? Too crowded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school everywhere is the weak link in our kids' schooling. I had 4 kids go through APS for middle school. They each went to different high schools, both public and private, and in each case they were among the most prepared students for high school.

As for North Arlington high schools, HB>WL>YT>BJO

DC privates (Sidwell, GDS, Cathedral schools, Holton) or Potomac are the best options.

Really? My DS is a freshman at one of the privates you listed, and feels way way unprepared coming from APS.

DD went to one of those privates in 9th from APS, and it took her a little time and extra attention from the teacher to get into the writing grove. But she was ahead in math and Spanish, on the same level in science, and thanks to a great World Geography teacher, had a good social studies foundation. One of the best parts of private school is the arts curriculum, which isn't as strong in public.

I would agree with everything (yes, writing is the weak link) above except the arts. The band and orchestra programs are top notch. Far superior to many privates. I have had kids in both.