Swanson/W-L versus Gunston/Wakefield

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

Yep, I wish my kids were going to high school with a bunch of entitled kids with cars, money, access to booze, and no parental supervision...that's been working out GREAT

Ha, I'm glad I'm not the one who said it.

I too wonder why you are set on Arlington, OP? Do the houses you like just happen to both be located here? I personally wouldn't recommend Arlington schools to someone. It's not bad enough to make me want to move or go private, but if we didn't have attachments here and school experience was the most important thing, we would not be in APS.

Anyway, I have a kid in Gunston and it's okay. Some good things, some bad things, but overall my kid is getting through it. He has some amazing teachers and I like the admin. However, like all APS schools (and many public schools), the school is up against the tide of kids who are poorly behaved and can't be disciplined (due to APS policies). My son, like most kids, is decently well-behaved and spends a lot of time waiting around until the teacher can get control of the 3-4 kids who disrupt instruction. Additionally, kids don't get held back anymore so you have classes with grossly mixed abilities (think kids on a college age reading level in the same class as kids who cannot sound out words). Teachers can only meet so many needs so the likelihood that you can expect that your kid will get an adequate education and that's about it. My kids' education will be fine due to their own motivation to learn outside of class, but I think I got a better education at my rural, low-ish income high and middle schools back in the late 1900s.

That said, your options are fine. Many kids go to these schools and they good experiences (or experiences that are as good as can be expected) and there is no way of knowing at this moment if swanson or gunston or some other school will be the *best* for your child. Wherever you go, there you are and all that.

Gunston does discipline. Kids that are late get detention. A kid in my kid's class is pretty much removed from class constantly and has been suspended multiple times this year. Heck, I know kids that were sent home on the last day of school for misbehaving. I know a kid that got into a fight that was suspended for a week. None of that means that the discipline fixes the behavior, but Gunston does use suspension/detention, so it is wrong to say that they can't be disciplined at all. Now if you are saying kids aren't permanently removed from the school that is probably right although I know kids that were expelled too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

Yep, I wish my kids were going to high school with a bunch of entitled kids with cars, money, access to booze, and no parental supervision...that's been working out GREAT

Ha, I'm glad I'm not the one who said it.

I too wonder why you are set on Arlington, OP? Do the houses you like just happen to both be located here? I personally wouldn't recommend Arlington schools to someone. It's not bad enough to make me want to move or go private, but if we didn't have attachments here and school experience was the most important thing, we would not be in APS.

Anyway, I have a kid in Gunston and it's okay. Some good things, some bad things, but overall my kid is getting through it. He has some amazing teachers and I like the admin. However, like all APS schools (and many public schools), the school is up against the tide of kids who are poorly behaved and can't be disciplined (due to APS policies). My son, like most kids, is decently well-behaved and spends a lot of time waiting around until the teacher can get control of the 3-4 kids who disrupt instruction. Additionally, kids don't get held back anymore so you have classes with grossly mixed abilities (think kids on a college age reading level in the same class as kids who cannot sound out words). Teachers can only meet so many needs so the likelihood that you can expect that your kid will get an adequate education and that's about it. My kids' education will be fine due to their own motivation to learn outside of class, but I think I got a better education at my rural, low-ish income high and middle schools back in the late 1900s.

That said, your options are fine. Many kids go to these schools and they good experiences (or experiences that are as good as can be expected) and there is no way of knowing at this moment if swanson or gunston or some other school will be the *best* for your child. Wherever you go, there you are and all that.

I feel largely similar. I have a rising 6th grader and hope the intensified classes are better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

Yep, I wish my kids were going to high school with a bunch of entitled kids with cars, money, access to booze, and no parental supervision...that's been working out GREAT

Ha, I'm glad I'm not the one who said it.

I too wonder why you are set on Arlington, OP? Do the houses you like just happen to both be located here? I personally wouldn't recommend Arlington schools to someone. It's not bad enough to make me want to move or go private, but if we didn't have attachments here and school experience was the most important thing, we would not be in APS.

Anyway, I have a kid in Gunston and it's okay. Some good things, some bad things, but overall my kid is getting through it. He has some amazing teachers and I like the admin. However, like all APS schools (and many public schools), the school is up against the tide of kids who are poorly behaved and can't be disciplined (due to APS policies). My son, like most kids, is decently well-behaved and spends a lot of time waiting around until the teacher can get control of the 3-4 kids who disrupt instruction. Additionally, kids don't get held back anymore so you have classes with grossly mixed abilities (think kids on a college age reading level in the same class as kids who cannot sound out words). Teachers can only meet so many needs so the likelihood that you can expect that your kid will get an adequate education and that's about it. My kids' education will be fine due to their own motivation to learn outside of class, but I think I got a better education at my rural, low-ish income high and middle schools back in the late 1900s.

That said, your options are fine. Many kids go to these schools and they good experiences (or experiences that are as good as can be expected) and there is no way of knowing at this moment if swanson or gunston or some other school will be the *best* for your child. Wherever you go, there you are and all that.

I feel largely similar. I have a rising 6th grader and hope the intensified classes are better

*7th grader

[Anonymous]

I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

No way. So many kids transfer from YT to WL for IB and stronger academics and less sports culture.

WL Blows!!

It’s not so many. IB only has about 100 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

As someone who does a lot of chatting on sports sidelines, there are negative stories from every middle school. Swanson had two bomb threats called in the same week. Williamsburg has overcrowded classes due to under enrollment taking some of their teachers I know kids at hamm who have lackluster teachers and are struggling academically…. The list goes on. middle school is a really short time and there’s options once you get to high school. pick the house that works best for you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All roads lead to Yorktown. There are kids in Arlington that go to Yorktown and those that don't and wish they did...

No way. So many kids transfer from YT to WL for IB and stronger academics and less sports culture.

WL Blows!!

It’s not so many. IB only has about 100 kids.

It’s a magnet program. So that sounds about right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

To clarify, is this poster saying they would only recommend Yorktown?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

To clarify, is this poster saying they would only recommend Yorktown?

It sounds like they are only recommending either Yorktown or W-L’s IB magnet program. The gen ed program at W-L is also good so I don’t know why “most parents” according to the poster are leaving for private after Swanson. There’s always a small cohort that leaves for boarding schools, or elite privates like STA, Sidwell, etc. But I’m surprised that the poster claims most families appear to be going private.

Plenty of very strong AP electives at W-L in addition to IB electives anyone can take. Facilities are top notch with the new “annex” building (by the planetarium).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

To clarify, is this poster saying they would only recommend Yorktown?

It sounds like they are only recommending either Yorktown or W-L’s IB magnet program. The gen ed program at W-L is also good so I don’t know why “most parents” according to the poster are leaving for private after Swanson. There’s always a small cohort that leaves for boarding schools, or elite privates like STA, Sidwell, etc. But I’m surprised that the poster claims most families appear to be going private.

Plenty of very strong AP electives at W-L in addition to IB electives anyone can take. Facilities are top notch with the new “annex” building (by the planetarium).

+1 being in bounds for W-L is best. Can do IB without having to apply for transfer or pick and choose which AP and IB classes you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

As someone who does a lot of chatting on sports sidelines, there are negative stories from every middle school. Swanson had two bomb threats called in the same week. Williamsburg has overcrowded classes due to under enrollment taking some of their teachers I know kids at hamm who have lackluster teachers and are struggling academically…. The list goes on. middle school is a really short time and there’s options once you get to high school. pick the house that works best for you

ding ding ding

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of friends who have kids at Swanson. Most of the people I know zoned for W&L are going private unless IB.
I would not send my kid to Gunston from what I’ve heard from sports teams members. Also Wakefield have a few OD’s last year and drug dealer who came to the school with a possible gun. No thanks. It would be my absolute last choice in arlington.
Could you do an apartment in falls church city instead?

As someone who does a lot of chatting on sports sidelines, there are negative stories from every middle school. Swanson had two bomb threats called in the same week. Williamsburg has overcrowded classes due to under enrollment taking some of their teachers I know kids at hamm who have lackluster teachers and are struggling academically…. The list goes on. middle school is a really short time and there’s options once you get to high school. pick the house that works best for you

When my kids were in middle school I thought....god bless these teachers, we do not pay them enough to take on what has to be a mission/passion because no one would do it for the money or professional satisfaction.

They have to manage a bunch of kids ranging from those who look (and act) like they are eight years old all the way to those who are more like eighteen...none of the kids pay attention to class because they are all constantly worrying about what everyone else is thinking about them (which means no one is actually thinking about anyone else, but none of them has the self-awareness to realize that)....most of them can't remember anything you want them to remember for five seconds but they will interrupt constantly with the most random stuff that pops into their heads....they are all going through unpredictable hormonal changes as the brain learns to regulate newly-maturing glands, but they can't process their feelings or recognize their own mood swings, they just act on whatever neuromodulator is peaking at the moment....a lot of them smell awful but again, they have no self-awareness....

I wouldn't last a week with a hundred of those kids, I barely survived raising two and that's because I mostly sent them out of the house to be with other people all day.