Should we leave Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our oldest daughter will enter kindergarten next year. We had planned to send her to the elementary we are zoned for, one of the ones that's supposed to be "better" - but the recent abysmal report card from the state is seriously disturbing. Not a single school fully accredited in ACPS, almost all elementaries (including ours) listed as off track. I've seen many defend clerical issues that led to the scores, but even if that's true - it's no prize. It's also bad and indicative of the kind of environment that's been allowed to continue in the system here it seems.

It would be a huge stretch to pay for private. We love living in ALX, but it seems like the families around us much be much much richer if they can afford to send multiple kids to private school and continue to live in the community.

Do we just leave Alexandria for Bethesda or somewhere else? Uprooting our lives to move? Do we plant a money tree and hope for the best? What are families here doing?

Thanks.

I mean, this is the dilemma parents have been struggling with for at least the entire 30 years I have lived here. We lived Alexandria for North Arlington. And then Arlington for Loudoun, which has far better schools. Don't regret it. Added bonus is it was easier to get into UVA and VT as top students from those schools than it might have been from Yorktown. There are some cynics who say if you can thrive at Alexandria City High School (previously TC Williams) that can help your college admissions because you will have seemed to have survived a bad school. But IMO, schools shouldn't be something one has to "survive."

*left

We went MacArthur ES in Alexandria to Jamestown ES in Arlington/Williambsurg MS to Loudoun Valley in Loudoun. No regrets.

There's is no comparison between Loudoun Valley High and Yorktown High, the school you gave up in Arlington. It's universally regarded as one of the state's best high schools, which LV is not, and it's in Arlington -- not Purcellville, egads.

DP. A possible advantage of a lower ranked school is that students who are sharp sometimes (not always) will have higher class rank, less competition from within that HS, and better college admissions.

It literally is the big fish, small pond scenario. If LVHS has more % FARMS, then the student also might benefit from that now that colleges are looking for a proxy for ethnicity.

Are you from NOVA? Do you know ANYTHING about the public schools here? If you did, you’d know that (1) there are more FARMS at Yorktown than LV and Yorktown has greater diversity but (2) Yorktown’s SAT scores are still much higher and its graduates do better with college admissions. The top kids at Yorktown are much better students.

[Anonymous]

We stayed but went private K-12. We have friends who went through public through MS then moved to private.

[Anonymous]

You should move - move when your kids are younger and it is easier to meet other parents and build a community. Plus it is more disruptive for your kid to move when they are older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have one recent graduate and one high schooler. We also vaguely considered private school as the oldest was entering kindergarten but decided to give ACPS a try - and have not regretted our decision. I agree with the other ACPS parent that safety issues are exaggerated - my kids have never felt unsafe in school. And while they have suffered through some bad teachers, they have also learned from some truly amazing and dedicated teachers. My college student - now at an ivy league school - does not feel academically unprepared or inferior to the kids who went private. Also, the ACHS experience - going to school with kids from extremely different backgrounds and life experiences - is not to be underestimated in terms of preparing you for the real world.

This is laughable. Truly. ACHS is incredibly self-segregated. Higher-income kids self select into the academies and do not know probably even see 95 percent of their classmates. It’s a giant school.

It’s hard to engage in school-based extracurriculars because the school is so huge. Kids usually do something outside of school. Middle school is particularly bad but it’s not great anywhere. But the middle school offers a lot less than neighboring public districts outside of basics.

I think kids from an involved family with a lot of outside supplementation can do fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one recent graduate and one high schooler. We also vaguely considered private school as the oldest was entering kindergarten but decided to give ACPS a try - and have not regretted our decision. I agree with the other ACPS parent that safety issues are exaggerated - my kids have never felt unsafe in school. And while they have suffered through some bad teachers, they have also learned from some truly amazing and dedicated teachers. My college student - now at an ivy league school - does not feel academically unprepared or inferior to the kids who went private. Also, the ACHS experience - going to school with kids from extremely different backgrounds and life experiences - is not to be underestimated in terms of preparing you for the real world.

This is laughable. Truly. ACHS is incredibly self-segregated. Higher-income kids self select into the academies and do not know probably even see 95 percent of their classmates. It’s a giant school.

It’s hard to engage in school-based extracurriculars because the school is so huge. Kids usually do something outside of school. Middle school is particularly bad but it’s not great anywhere. But the middle school offers a lot less than neighboring public districts outside of basics.

I think kids from an involved family with a lot of outside supplementation can do fine.

Kids self segregate in elementary after kindergarten regardless of the removed opportunities that have been given to all children in the name of "equity". ACPS places all elementary school children in the same inclusive classrooms, but that doesn't mean the children will become friends when they come from vastly different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. This self segregation still happens all the while it is now impossible for demonstrated advanced students to get AAS services regardless of need while a concurrent "Young Scholars" program allows student of color to receive AAS without proof of need. Afterschool enrichment is also not allowed in some elementaries in the name of "equity ". This school district is a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have one recent graduate and one high schooler. We also vaguely considered private school as the oldest was entering kindergarten but decided to give ACPS a try - and have not regretted our decision. I agree with the other ACPS parent that safety issues are exaggerated - my kids have never felt unsafe in school. And while they have suffered through some bad teachers, they have also learned from some truly amazing and dedicated teachers. My college student - now at an ivy league school - does not feel academically unprepared or inferior to the kids who went private. Also, the ACHS experience - going to school with kids from extremely different backgrounds and life experiences - is not to be underestimated in terms of preparing you for the real world.

This is laughable. Truly. ACHS is incredibly self-segregated. Higher-income kids self select into the academies and do not know probably even see 95 percent of their classmates. It’s a giant school.

It’s hard to engage in school-based extracurriculars because the school is so huge. Kids usually do something outside of school. Middle school is particularly bad but it’s not great anywhere. But the middle school offers a lot less than neighboring public districts outside of basics.

I think kids from an involved family with a lot of outside supplementation can do fine.

Kids self segregate in elementary after kindergarten regardless of the removed opportunities that have been given to all children in the name of "equity". ACPS places all elementary school children in the same inclusive classrooms, but that doesn't mean the children will become friends when they come from vastly different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. This self segregation still happens all the while it is now impossible for demonstrated advanced students to get AAS services regardless of need while a concurrent "Young Scholars" program allows student of color to receive AAS without proof of need. Afterschool enrichment is also not allowed in some elementaries in the name of "equity ". This school district is a mess.

What happens in the AAS program then? Honest question. Like, the program exists still.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I would move now to start in a new community when everyone is new in K

[Anonymous]

Move or go private. I’d never sacrifice my kids’ education or safety for walkability (which I think is super overrated as it means crowded neighborhoods and overpriced/“artisanal” cafes and restaurants).

Plus, the playgrounds and green space in the suburbs are nice.

But you do you.

[Anonymous]

While I know a couple of families whose kids have indeed done fine in ACPS, I also know of some who have not. While no school division is perfect, the issues I hear about in ACPS are far, far worse than other Nova school divisions. I would not move there in the first place for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Well, we've been in Del Ray since 2001 and have three kids. My oldest is still asleep upstairs while home on break from UVA. My middle kid is a senior this year and they will be attending Georgetown next year. My youngest is, surprisingly, a very talented athlete getting D1 recruiting looks as a Freshman, but they are also a 4.0 GPA honors track kid.

We were Maury- GW, then ACHS. We are white with a HHI of 280k.

The thought of leaving never even crossed our minds. But then again, we aren't xenophobic racists.

FWIW- I know plenty of people like you that moved or went private and still ended up with a kid at JMU.

Best of luck!

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I know a family in Cameron station who send their kids to public. Elementary through high school. The don’t complain. If your kid is middle of the road, I’d probably move.

[Anonymous]

Your kid can succeed in ACPS if they don't need any special services from the school and are self motivated, ie: neurotypical.

[Anonymous]

Good to see we could make it to at least the third page before the passive aggression ramped up significantly. That’s better than most ACPS threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our oldest daughter will enter kindergarten next year. We had planned to send her to the elementary we are zoned for, one of the ones that's supposed to be "better" - but the recent abysmal report card from the state is seriously disturbing. Not a single school fully accredited in ACPS, almost all elementaries (including ours) listed as off track. I've seen many defend clerical issues that led to the scores, but even if that's true - it's no prize. It's also bad and indicative of the kind of environment that's been allowed to continue in the system here it seems.

It would be a huge stretch to pay for private. We love living in ALX, but it seems like the families around us much be much much richer if they can afford to send multiple kids to private school and continue to live in the community.

Do we just leave Alexandria for Bethesda or somewhere else? Uprooting our lives to move? Do we plant a money tree and hope for the best? What are families here doing?

Thanks.

I mean, this is the dilemma parents have been struggling with for at least the entire 30 years I have lived here. We lived Alexandria for North Arlington. And then Arlington for Loudoun, which has far better schools. Don't regret it. Added bonus is it was easier to get into UVA and VT as top students from those schools than it might have been from Yorktown. There are some cynics who say if you can thrive at Alexandria City High School (previously TC Williams) that can help your college admissions because you will have seemed to have survived a bad school. But IMO, schools shouldn't be something one has to "survive."

*left

We went MacArthur ES in Alexandria to Jamestown ES in Arlington/Williambsurg MS to Loudoun Valley in Loudoun. No regrets.

Yeeeeah, but then you have to live in Loudon. No one who wnats to live in Del Ray or Old Town or Rosemont wnats to live in strip mall hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, we've been in Del Ray since 2001 and have three kids. My oldest is still asleep upstairs while home on break from UVA. My middle kid is a senior this year and they will be attending Georgetown next year. My youngest is, surprisingly, a very talented athlete getting D1 recruiting looks as a Freshman, but they are also a 4.0 GPA honors track kid.

We were Maury- GW, then ACHS. We are white with a HHI of 280k.

The thought of leaving never even crossed our minds. But then again, we aren't xenophobic racists.

FWIW- I know plenty of people like you that moved or went private and still ended up with a kid at JMU.

Best of luck!

You’re an advertisement for why moving out of Alexandria is a good idea