Are the City of Alexandria public schools really that bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know only a few Alexandria families from our son's preschool that chose to ACPS for K, very few, less than a handful - those families were zoned for Mason. Most of our friend's children are in private or parochial.

We're zoned for Waynewood, a FCPS, and because of the middle/high school, opted to send our son elsewhere. I'm one those parents who likes the idea of starting K and staying throughout.

We on the other hand, had 14 children in our daughter's preschool class and 13 moved on to ACPS 3 years ago, 1 moved to Springfield because they wanted a larger house.

[Anonymous]

We live in the Maury district and have questioned our neighbors extensively about their happiness with the school. They seem reasonably happy. They have many nice things to say about the teachers and parental involvement. I plan to give it a try. If it doesn't work out, we can always repeat K at a private, DS is right on the cutoff cusp anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

Right. So out of 750 seniors, my guess is that at least a few dozen were accepted to the ives, while much fewer chose to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Again, if that were true, ACPS would be loudly bragging about it.

Look, it just doesn't happen. They get a few kids into Ivies but it's a public school that is struggling and devotes much of it's resources to the poor kids. Upper middle class kids need to be super self motivate and have parents with time and money to devote to outside tutoring and school to get things done. That describes a handful of kids.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

Right. So out of 750 seniors, my guess is that at least a few dozen were accepted to the ives, while much fewer chose to attend.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of good schools besides the Ivies. Realistically, there is no way that a "few dozen" students at TC Williams were accepted to Ivy League schools in any given year. The admissions rates at those schools are too low, and the talent pool at TC is too shallow. TJHSST is the only public school in the region where that many students stand a chance of gaining admission to Ivies in a particular year.

[Anonymous]

I just want my child to have a positive school experience. I'd like him to have friends, not dread school, feel safe, and be involved in some extracurricular activities that make him happy. I don't want him to be bored at school, but I also don't care if he has perfect SAT scores or gets into an ivy league school. We'll try ACPS and if it feels like it's not a good fit, we'll find something else. We could move now, but there's always a chance we won't like the schools where we move. I figure we might as well give ACPS a shot since we already know we like our community. Someday I'll either be on here as a booster or a naysayer, but at least I'll be informed on the matter.

[Anonymous]

They are, and it is a damn shame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

Right. So out of 750 seniors, my guess is that at least a few dozen were accepted to the ives, while much fewer chose to attend.

You want us to believe that 36 kids in one class who graduated from TC Williams went to Ivy League colleges. Come on now!!! How many from Langley went to Ivies, 100 kids? It's just not possible. I am not bashing TC either. I do believe that for a white student who is strong academically, he/she will find her peer group and will do very well. I fully believe a student can graduate from TC Williams and be completely prepared for any college.

But I don't believe 36 kids went to Ivies from any one school in the DC area.

We are AA and I wasn't comfortable sending my boys to TC so we moved to FCPS. It's a shame because we loved Alexandria but everyone we knew was also moving or going private. We weren't willing to chance it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know only a few Alexandria families from our son's preschool that chose to ACPS for K, very few, less than a handful - those families were zoned for Mason. Most of our friend's children are in private or parochial.

We're zoned for Waynewood, a FCPS, and because of the middle/high school, opted to send our son elsewhere. I'm one those parents who likes the idea of starting K and staying throughout.

We on the other hand, had 14 children in our daughter's preschool class and 13 moved on to ACPS 3 years ago, 1 moved to Springfield because they wanted a larger house.

Which elementary? I find this very hard to believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Which elementary? I find this very hard to believe.

It wasn't one elementary, the kids went to Maury, Charles Barrett, Mount Vernon, Cora Kelly and Lyles Crouch. All the kids are in 2nd grade now, and one has transferred from Cora Kelly to Barrett.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

Right. So out of 750 seniors, my guess is that at least a few dozen were accepted to the ives, while much fewer chose to attend.

You want us to believe that 36 kids in one class who graduated from TC Williams went to Ivy League colleges. Come on now!!! How many from Langley went to Ivies, 100 kids? It's just not possible. I am not bashing TC either. I do believe that for a white student who is strong academically, he/she will find her peer group and will do very well. I fully believe a student can graduate from TC Williams and be completely prepared for any college.

But I don't believe 36 kids went to Ivies from any one school in the DC area.

We are AA and I wasn't comfortable sending my boys to TC so we moved to FCPS. It's a shame because we loved Alexandria but everyone we knew was also moving or going private. We weren't willing to chance it.

Please re-read the post. Several dozen Ivy admission offers; more than plausible. Perhaps only a dozen or so actual Ivy enrollments. Admission offer does not equal enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

Right. So out of 750 seniors, my guess is that at least a few dozen were accepted to the ives, while much fewer chose to attend.

You want us to believe that 36 kids in one class who graduated from TC Williams went to Ivy League colleges. Come on now!!! How many from Langley went to Ivies, 100 kids? It's just not possible. I am not bashing TC either. I do believe that for a white student who is strong academically, he/she will find her peer group and will do very well. I fully believe a student can graduate from TC Williams and be completely prepared for any college.

But I don't believe 36 kids went to Ivies from any one school in the DC area.

We are AA and I wasn't comfortable sending my boys to TC so we moved to FCPS. It's a shame because we loved Alexandria but everyone we knew was also moving or going private. We weren't willing to chance it.

Please re-read the post. Several dozen Ivy admission offers; more than plausible. Perhaps only a dozen or so actual Ivy enrollments. Admission offer does not equal enrollment.

It's pretty funny the artificial "parent reviews" that have been submitted to Great Schools since May 28: http://www.greatschools.org/virginia/alexandria/80-T.C.-Williams-High-School/#!/reviews

I don't think those are genuine or even parent-submitted. I think they're sock puppet entries by someone affiliated with the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I school like TC needs all the bragging it can get so I find it highly unlikely if they had all these great acceptances that they would not advertise them quite widely and loudly.

Here's what they said this year:

Out of the currently enrolled 705 seniors, 651 will graduate on Saturday. The remaining students will attend summer school. Fifty-three percent of the graduating class will attend four-year colleges, 40 percent will attend two-year colleges or technical schools and 7 percent will join the military or work.

Our students will be attending schools such as Dartmouth College (to which a student received a full scholarship), Yale University (one of two students attending received a full scholarship), Stanford University, University of Chicago, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Tulane University, Vassar College, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida A&M University and Miami University. Almost all Virginia schools are represented, as well as all of the armed forces.

The class includes two National Merit Finalists, four National Achievement Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and one National Achievement Scholarship Recipient.

So maybe 3 kids got accepted to Ivy leagues schools. Hardly the scores of students that PP are proclaiming.

Well, if over a dozen are attending Ivies (Ivies, not some equivalent), that would suggest that more than "maybe 3" were admitted.

Right. So out of 750 seniors, my guess is that at least a few dozen were accepted to the ives, while much fewer chose to attend.

You want us to believe that 36 kids in one class who graduated from TC Williams went to Ivy League colleges. Come on now!!! How many from Langley went to Ivies, 100 kids? It's just not possible. I am not bashing TC either. I do believe that for a white student who is strong academically, he/she will find her peer group and will do very well. I fully believe a student can graduate from TC Williams and be completely prepared for any college.

But I don't believe 36 kids went to Ivies from any one school in the DC area.

We are AA and I wasn't comfortable sending my boys to TC so we moved to FCPS. It's a shame because we loved Alexandria but everyone we knew was also moving or going private. We weren't willing to chance it.

Please re-read the post. Several dozen Ivy admission offers; more than plausible. Perhaps only a dozen or so actual Ivy enrollments. Admission offer does not equal enrollment.

I can believe that. Out of a large class size of 750 about 12 seniors to the ivies sounds more than reasonable. But that's just one measure of school quality, and a very small part.