Positive Momentum in Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Jefferson-Houston becomes K-8 AND they do not allow parents to opt out, THEN George Washington Middle school will likely become marginally better in a few years.

If anyone didn't understand the context of this post, let me clarify. Most, but not all, of the public housing projects are in the Jefferson-Houston elementary school district. These are poor, at-risk students who have traditionally been bused to schools in the nicer areas of Alexandria. Slowly over time, politicians in the nicer school zones have objected to all of these poor kids causing disruptions at their local schools and they have been shifted and concentrated in Jefferson-Houston. Now Jefferson-Houston is majority AA and ED. It has the worst test scores in the system and has failed NCLB nearly every year. The ACPS has poured lots of resources and actually puts some of their most talented teachers and administrators there to improve things.

The ACPS has tried to attract middle class families into Jefferson Houston by making it an "arts" magnet school and is now making it a K-8 IB program to attract non-public housing unit children. There are also proposals to build a state of art, multi-story facility paid by developers if they are allowed to build high rise condos nearby.

So the above message is basically if all of those poor AA kids stay in Jefferson Houston, than well maybe Washington Middle School won't be so bad. The ACPS has a bad history of segregation, even up to the 1960's, actually which created TC Williams in the first place, so NO the families that live in the Jefferson-Houston school district will never be forced to attend middle school there so the white families feel more comfortable in George Washington MS without a massive civil rights lawsuit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Jefferson-Houston becomes K-8 AND they do not allow parents to opt out, THEN George Washington Middle school will likely become marginally better in a few years.

If anyone didn't understand the context of this post, let me clarify. Most, but not all, of the public housing projects are in the Jefferson-Houston elementary school district. These are poor, at-risk students who have traditionally been bused to schools in the nicer areas of Alexandria. Slowly over time, politicians in the nicer school zones have objected to all of these poor kids causing disruptions at their local schools and they have been shifted and concentrated in Jefferson-Houston. Now Jefferson-Houston is majority AA and ED. It has the worst test scores in the system and has failed NCLB nearly every year. The ACPS has poured lots of resources and actually puts some of their most talented teachers and administrators there to improve things.

The ACPS has tried to attract middle class families into Jefferson Houston by making it an "arts" magnet school and is now making it a K-8 IB program to attract non-public housing unit children. There are also proposals to build a state of art, multi-story facility paid by developers if they are allowed to build high rise condos nearby.

So the above message is basically if all of those poor AA kids stay in Jefferson Houston, than well maybe Washington Middle School won't be so bad. The ACPS has a bad history of segregation, even up to the 1960's, actually which created TC Williams in the first place, so NO the families that live in the Jefferson-Houston school district will never be forced to attend middle school there so the white families feel more comfortable in George Washington MS without a massive civil rights lawsuit.

It's true, though. If they finish making Jefferson Houston a ghetto school populated by ghetto kids, that enables the other schools to improve.

I'm not sure what you are driving at. Explain to me why dispersing these kids throughout the system is a better idea? Nothing seems to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:00 poster.. I heard about boob day quite a while back. When did the experiences that you describe occur?

Asking because given the transitional nature of the ACPS, current information is definitely more relevant.

The conversation I had with the principal was last year, school year 2010-2011.

What are you talking about, the "transitional nature of the ACPS?" It's the same as it ever was, with a screwed up administration and dysfunctional policymaking body.

[Anonymous]

I worked as student teacher intern at GW Middle School last fall and never felt unsafe. I worked with many wonderful teachers.

My DC is currently at TC and absolutely loves it. She seems to be getting a fine education; she took two APs as a sophomore last year and received 5s on both of them. She has many teachers this year who are superb educators as well as inspiring role models. We couldn't be happier.

ACPS serves an extremely diverse student body. This reality places huge demands on its staff. Many

[Anonymous]

Sorry- I got cut off. I meant to add that many of the teachers seem more than up to the task of teaching such a varied group of students.

[Anonymous]

The ACPS has tried to attract middle class families into Jefferson Houston by making it an "arts" magnet school and is now making it a K-8 IB program to attract non-public housing unit children.

And yet now members of the school board are proposing eliminating funding for the IB program at JH. http://www.alexandrianews.org/2012/02/school-board-adddelete-items-raise-community-ire/.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I have to agree with those who value the intelligence and passion of the instructor over technology. Sure, smartboards and iPads are great supplemental resources, and I scour the Internet to find the perfect lesson plans and materials. But give me a great teacher and stapled books any day over the fanciest technology.

No one is questioning the value of the instructor. But to dismiss the role of technology in the classroom the way the pp did is nonsensical. The point I make is I'd prefer a great teacher instructing child how to write a book on an iPad to a great teacher still doing stapled books. The false equivalency here is that somehow the schools that integrate technology don't have great teachers and there's some inherent virtue in the luddite schools. It may make pp feel better about her current circumstance to assert such nonsense, but it's simply not true. For purposes of this discussion we can have a baseline assumption of instructor quality.

+1

I posted earlier in the thread and I think that everyone likes to jump off of the deep end when you point out simple facts.... ACPS doesn't have anywhere near the same level of technology in the elementary schools as Fairfax and Arlington. Moreover, there is an imbalance in what's available in each school. The district's website states the facts. And, as to echo what the prior poster said, in this day and age you simply cannot ignore the integration of technology. To do so is foolhardy.

Foreign language in middle/high school is fine, but why not make it a standard in elementary? It's as if it's ok to ignore what we know would be best for the students. Seriously, children in countries around the world - and the beltway, for that matter- are studying a second language in K, and we are ok with starting at 12???

As for the PP who is in a west end school with smart boards? Which school does your dc attend? Are they in every classroom? Are they used on a regular basis?

[Anonymous]

To answer the original question, Upper-middle class educated white family who will be sending my daughter to GW in two years. Know at least 5 families who fit the same description and have kids there now and are happy.

[Anonymous]

PP, where is your daughter in elementary school?

[Anonymous]

PP, can you tell us what is making you choose GW? What do you like about the school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're a family that is likely going to choose private over ACPS. I find it interesting that the City offers virtually of foreign language on el outside of limited immersion offerings; doesn't have SmartBoards in each class; has almost nothing in terms of magnet programs; and the list goes on....
These are just a few of the reasons we're considering private.

Unlike others we live on the west end of the City - the forgotten zone- that hasn't experienced the gentrification that took place in Del Ray. As a result, we're basically screwed.

So, OP, I don't know about this momentum you're referencing. On this side of town, things continue to look pretty dismal. After all, the school board seems to have little interest in the neighborhoods and schools in the West End.

GL.

Isn't that going to change soon? I thought they were looking to push through a project to redevelop that area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, can you tell us what is making you choose GW? What do you like about the school?

Sure. My daughter is in 4th grade. She is smart and independent and will do well wherever we put her. We have heard excellent things about their orchestra program which is important to our daughter and many of her friends are doing well there No school is perfect and I would rather be slightly unhappy with the free one. We also value quality of life which for us does not include commuting to school nor spending $25,000 - $30,000 per year for private school, not to mention the drama and trauma of applications. Until there is a SERIOUS problem in the public school system that is directly affecting us or our daughter's education we will continue to support ACPS.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, 21:14, I didn't know about the orchestra program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Jefferson-Houston becomes K-8 AND they do not allow parents to opt out, THEN George Washington Middle school will likely become marginally better in a few years.

If anyone didn't understand the context of this post, let me clarify. Most, but not all, of the public housing projects are in the Jefferson-Houston elementary school district. These are poor, at-risk students who have traditionally been bused to schools in the nicer areas of Alexandria. Slowly over time, politicians in the nicer school zones have objected to all of these poor kids causing disruptions at their local schools and they have been shifted and concentrated in Jefferson-Houston. Now Jefferson-Houston is majority AA and ED. It has the worst test scores in the system and has failed NCLB nearly every year. The ACPS has poured lots of resources and actually puts some of their most talented teachers and administrators there to improve things.

The ACPS has tried to attract middle class families into Jefferson Houston by making it an "arts" magnet school and is now making it a K-8 IB program to attract non-public housing unit children. There are also proposals to build a state of art, multi-story facility paid by developers if they are allowed to build high rise condos nearby.

So the above message is basically if all of those poor AA kids stay in Jefferson Houston, than well maybe Washington Middle School won't be so bad. The ACPS has a bad history of segregation, even up to the 1960's, actually which created TC Williams in the first place, so NO the families that live in the Jefferson-Houston school district will never be forced to attend middle school there so the white families feel more comfortable in George Washington MS without a massive civil rights lawsuit.

It's true, though. If they finish making Jefferson Houston a ghetto school populated by ghetto kids, that enables the other schools to improve.

I'm not sure what you are driving at. Explain to me why dispersing these kids throughout the system is a better idea? Nothing seems to work.

I have to agree. I am ok with making Jefferson Houston a ghetto school if helps other area schools improve. Sorry, if the parents don't like it, the parents don't need to live in public housing in the City. They could move over to Fairfax County and get a voucher. Nicer housing and nicer schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, 21:14, I didn't know about the orchestra program.

This is an important point. If your kids are involved in music or sports programs they are more likely to thrive at GW/TC. TC has a pretty strong crew program for example. Although, the sports generally speaking are segregated. Crew, eg. is a white sport. Basketball is a black sport. Football is... well, you say Remember the Titans.