ATS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As we consider our options for K next year, I was wondering if a current ATS family might be able to answer some questions:

Does ATS use Core Knowledge for ELA? Science? History?

If my child is already a strong reader, what differentiation is provided to make sure they are adequately challenged?

Thank you for your help!

Oh FFS.

[Anonymous]

Do ATS kids perform better in MS and HS? Are they the ones being accepted to top colleges while their peers who went to neighborhood elementaries are getting into lesser universities?

I’m not sure why all of this matters, or that any of these schools are very good at all. Sure, they may be at the top of the list for public schools in VA, but that’s not that prestigious of an award.

The best slice of government cheese is still… government cheese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do ATS kids perform better in MS and HS? Are they the ones being accepted to top colleges while their peers who went to neighborhood elementaries are getting into lesser universities?

I’m not sure why all of this matters, or that any of these schools are very good at all. Sure, they may be at the top of the list for public schools in VA, but that’s not that prestigious of an award.

The best slice of government cheese is still… government cheese.

It's also Velveeta; same recipe. "American Cheese" is a USDA thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't they make a second ATS if there's so much demand for it?

I don’t understand it. Parents love ATS, the kids do well there, and there is parent demand! Why wouldn’t they have more schools be like ATS.

We don’t have space for more elementary schools period. They won’t convert a neighborhood school

Then why not convert Tuckahoe/Jamestown/one of the ones with overlapping walk zones? Give all existing tuckahoe kids preference (or they could get rezoned but then make the rest of the seats countywide like ats. Within a few years, you’d have another countywide ats and I bet the neighborhood wouldn’t fight it as much.

This. The key is to grandfather and give options to the existing students. Start off as a “school within a school” at K, then add a grade to the ATS program each year. It would take a few years, but there would be another ATS option before long, and existing students would not be disrupted. Give siblings of existing (older) students at that school a preferential option to be in the ATS program there, so that families are not forcibly split across schools.

Or, just educate students in all schools the way they educate students ATS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are another happy family at ATS and so grateful we got in.

two kids are currently there. one of them was an above average reader going into the school. since he is so advanced he has been given the same amount of work but at a bit more advanced level. his teachers have also gone above and beyond in providing extra stuff for him too for over the summer and during the week if it's needed.

our other child that attends ATS is very much average in all subjects and has also had a positive experience.

I just don't understand why they don't do this at all of the schools.

Me too!

The model requires parent and teacher buy-in to be successful and not everyone wants that.

BS. "To be successful" as in top statistics for the school as a whole? Maybe. But to be successful in teaching kids generally? No.
Those who "buy-in" are successful wherever they are in whatever program they're in and those who don't "buy-in" aren't 'successful' wherever they are in whatever program they're in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are another happy family at ATS and so grateful we got in.

two kids are currently there. one of them was an above average reader going into the school. since he is so advanced he has been given the same amount of work but at a bit more advanced level. his teachers have also gone above and beyond in providing extra stuff for him too for over the summer and during the week if it's needed.

our other child that attends ATS is very much average in all subjects and has also had a positive experience.

I just don't understand why they don't do this at all of the schools.

Me too!

The model requires parent and teacher buy-in to be successful and not everyone wants that.

If the instructional model requires parents, it shouldn't be a specified unique educational model. All "instructional models" benefit with parental support.
So, what part of the instructional model requires parental buy-in? Completing homework? or adhering to the dress code? Same would apply to the success of any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do ATS kids perform better in MS and HS? Are they the ones being accepted to top colleges while their peers who went to neighborhood elementaries are getting into lesser universities?

I’m not sure why all of this matters, or that any of these schools are very good at all. Sure, they may be at the top of the list for public schools in VA, but that’s not that prestigious of an award.

The best slice of government cheese is still… government cheese.

It's also Velveeta; same recipe. "American Cheese" is a USDA thing.

The point went over your head. Enjoy your top-scoring slice of Velveeta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do ATS kids perform better in MS and HS? Are they the ones being accepted to top colleges while their peers who went to neighborhood elementaries are getting into lesser universities?

I’m not sure why all of this matters, or that any of these schools are very good at all. Sure, they may be at the top of the list for public schools in VA, but that’s not that prestigious of an award.

The best slice of government cheese is still… government cheese.

It's also Velveeta; same recipe. "American Cheese" is a USDA thing.

The point went over your head. Enjoy your top-scoring slice of Velveeta.

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do ATS kids perform better in MS and HS? Are they the ones being accepted to top colleges while their peers who went to neighborhood elementaries are getting into lesser universities?

I’m not sure why all of this matters, or that any of these schools are very good at all. Sure, they may be at the top of the list for public schools in VA, but that’s not that prestigious of an award.

The best slice of government cheese is still… government cheese.

It's also Velveeta; same recipe. "American Cheese" is a USDA thing.

The point went over your head. Enjoy your top-scoring slice of Velveeta.

no it didn't. I was messing with you. It's Friday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do ATS kids perform better in MS and HS? Are they the ones being accepted to top colleges while their peers who went to neighborhood elementaries are getting into lesser universities?

I’m not sure why all of this matters, or that any of these schools are very good at all. Sure, they may be at the top of the list for public schools in VA, but that’s not that prestigious of an award.

The best slice of government cheese is still… government cheese.

It's also Velveeta; same recipe. "American Cheese" is a USDA thing.

The point went over your head. Enjoy your top-scoring slice of Velveeta.

no it didn't. I was messing with you. It's Friday!

Kinda seems like you didn’t get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are another happy family at ATS and so grateful we got in.

two kids are currently there. one of them was an above average reader going into the school. since he is so advanced he has been given the same amount of work but at a bit more advanced level. his teachers have also gone above and beyond in providing extra stuff for him too for over the summer and during the week if it's needed.

our other child that attends ATS is very much average in all subjects and has also had a positive experience.

I just don't understand why they don't do this at all of the schools.

Me too!

The model requires parent and teacher buy-in to be successful and not everyone wants that.

If the instructional model requires parents, it shouldn't be a specified unique educational model. All "instructional models" benefit with parental support.
So, what part of the instructional model requires parental buy-in? Completing homework? or adhering to the dress code? Same would apply to the success of any school.

High behavioral standards require parent buy-in. After working in a few APS schools I no longer underestimate how many parents not only don’t care about their child’s behavior but will actively undermine your attempts to help. It only takes a few kids to sow chaos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are another happy family at ATS and so grateful we got in.

two kids are currently there. one of them was an above average reader going into the school. since he is so advanced he has been given the same amount of work but at a bit more advanced level. his teachers have also gone above and beyond in providing extra stuff for him too for over the summer and during the week if it's needed.

our other child that attends ATS is very much average in all subjects and has also had a positive experience.

I just don't understand why they don't do this at all of the schools.

Me too!

The model requires parent and teacher buy-in to be successful and not everyone wants that.

If the instructional model requires parents, it shouldn't be a specified unique educational model. All "instructional models" benefit with parental support.
So, what part of the instructional model requires parental buy-in? Completing homework? or adhering to the dress code? Same would apply to the success of any school.

NP. The point is that kids at option schools often perform better than those at neighborhood schools with similar demographics largely because they have parents involved & proactive enough to seek out, learn about, and apply for the option school in the first place. This isn’t a secret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are another happy family at ATS and so grateful we got in.

two kids are currently there. one of them was an above average reader going into the school. since he is so advanced he has been given the same amount of work but at a bit more advanced level. his teachers have also gone above and beyond in providing extra stuff for him too for over the summer and during the week if it's needed.

our other child that attends ATS is very much average in all subjects and has also had a positive experience.

I just don't understand why they don't do this at all of the schools.

Me too!

The model requires parent and teacher buy-in to be successful and not everyone wants that.

If the instructional model requires parents, it shouldn't be a specified unique educational model. All "instructional models" benefit with parental support.
So, what part of the instructional model requires parental buy-in? Completing homework? or adhering to the dress code? Same would apply to the success of any school.

NP. The point is that kids at option schools often perform better than those at neighborhood schools with similar demographics largely because they have parents involved & proactive enough to seek out, learn about, and apply for the option school in the first place. This isn’t a secret.

I understand the point. I've heard it for years and years. And I'm tired of it. Non-option schools can be quite successful, and many in APS are. It's the definition of "success" that seems to be at issue, if having the top scores is the criteria. In any system, one school is going to have the highest scores. Just because a school has lower stats does not mean it is not successful. All ATS does is weed out the more challenging children so that they don't have the demands and challenges of a Barcroft or a Randolp or a Drew. Those students aren't successful because their parents "sought out" and "learned about" and applied for it. It just happens that everyone there has done that. But many students whose parents don't seek to learn about options are equally successful in their neighborhood schools. It's just that you people believe those neighborhood schools aren't as successful as ATS because of all the students (many of who have very involved parents, btw) don't achieve at the same level and therefore drag the overall stats for the school down.

I challenge the ATS teachers to teach at Barcroft or Carlin Springs or Randolph and see how it compares - not because parents sought out ATS; but because those parents fled from those schools and as a group do not pose the same challenges in the same proportions. I believe ATS approach can be successful at any neighborhood school. That doesn't mean every student is going to be valedictorian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are another happy family at ATS and so grateful we got in.

two kids are currently there. one of them was an above average reader going into the school. since he is so advanced he has been given the same amount of work but at a bit more advanced level. his teachers have also gone above and beyond in providing extra stuff for him too for over the summer and during the week if it's needed.

our other child that attends ATS is very much average in all subjects and has also had a positive experience.

I just don't understand why they don't do this at all of the schools.

Me too!

The model requires parent and teacher buy-in to be successful and not everyone wants that.

If the instructional model requires parents, it shouldn't be a specified unique educational model. All "instructional models" benefit with parental support.
So, what part of the instructional model requires parental buy-in? Completing homework? or adhering to the dress code? Same would apply to the success of any school.

NP. The point is that kids at option schools often perform better than those at neighborhood schools with similar demographics largely because they have parents involved & proactive enough to seek out, learn about, and apply for the option school in the first place. This isn’t a secret.

No, they perform better because ATS instructional standards and expectations of these students are higher. Hold the students of the same demographics at other schools to the same standards and methods, and I guarantee you will see improved school performance overall. Some students will just never be the top performers for various reasons; but I don't think we need, nor should expect, every student to be the same.

[Anonymous]

How does ATS compare to Sidwell/GDS/Beauvoir/Potomac/Maret?

You’re kidding yourselves if you think you’ve got some special school. So it’s better than all of the S Arlington elementaries… So what?