Tell me about Thoreau Middle School

[Anonymous]

DS63 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20:23, I'm not sure how you concluded that "most Vienna parents want their child there." Vienna parents who are looking for academic rigor want their kids in the AAP Center in Kilmer or Luther Jackson. More and more parents in the Thoreau boundary are opting for Luther Jackson because Thoreau just doesn't provide a challenge for AAP kids. (The academics at LJ are outstanding and the kids are completely prepared for high school.) Thoreau is a nice school, but the homework is minimal, everyone is in "honors," and I have heard of many kids who feel totally overwhelmed in 9th grade because they don't know how to manage a high school workload. If your child is an average student, Thoreau will be just fine. Socially, etc. it is a nice environment and your child will have fun because she won't be spending lots of time on schoolwork. Just an FYI on the honors issue at Thoreau - the decision to make some classes honors for the entire school was not made for substantive reasons (to challenge all of the kids); it was made to accommodate the scheduling difficulties of having trying to have honors and base-level sections of every academic subject.

I am the parent of a sixth grader at Louise Archer. I have not spoken to all of the parents, but the ones I have spoken to are split. Most of us would prefer AAP and Thoreau. But, that is not an option. We like the idea of our kids remaining in the community. My DD will follow the crowd. She will go to where her friends are going. If they split, I am not sure.

But, again, most LA parents want AAP and Thoreau.

This sounds a lot like parents from a few years back who were scared of Jackson and pushed for an AAP center at Thoreau when they realized that their kids would have to go to Jackson to stay in AAP. My kid went to Archer and his classmates who had the Thoreau-Jackson choice almost all chose Jackson, and I got zero sense that other parents that year craved "AAP and Thoreau," but I admit I did not do a formal survey. Did the person who posted here do one, so that he or she can say so very authoritatively that "most LA parents want AAP and Thoreau"? Truly?

And does it matter if that's what they want? Because....it isn't a choice they have or will have.

It's far past time for some Vienna families to stop wasting energy on "we need AAP at Thoreau." The school already has AAP centers located very close to it on two sides now, and has been turned down for becoming an AAP center. Look at the options and pick the school that's best for YOUR child, period, but don't keep pining for something that isn't going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

It was asked you tard

By you, I'm guessing. Lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

DS63 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20:23, I'm not sure how you concluded that "most Vienna parents want their child there." Vienna parents who are looking for academic rigor want their kids in the AAP Center in Kilmer or Luther Jackson. More and more parents in the Thoreau boundary are opting for Luther Jackson because Thoreau just doesn't provide a challenge for AAP kids. (The academics at LJ are outstanding and the kids are completely prepared for high school.) Thoreau is a nice school, but the homework is minimal, everyone is in "honors," and I have heard of many kids who feel totally overwhelmed in 9th grade because they don't know how to manage a high school workload. If your child is an average student, Thoreau will be just fine. Socially, etc. it is a nice environment and your child will have fun because she won't be spending lots of time on schoolwork. Just an FYI on the honors issue at Thoreau - the decision to make some classes honors for the entire school was not made for substantive reasons (to challenge all of the kids); it was made to accommodate the scheduling difficulties of having trying to have honors and base-level sections of every academic subject.

I am the parent of a sixth grader at Louise Archer. I have not spoken to all of the parents, but the ones I have spoken to are split. Most of us would prefer AAP and Thoreau. But, that is not an option. We like the idea of our kids remaining in the community. My DD will follow the crowd. She will go to where her friends are going. If they split, I am not sure.

But, again, most LA parents want AAP and Thoreau.

This sounds a lot like parents from a few years back who were scared of Jackson and pushed for an AAP center at Thoreau when they realized that their kids would have to go to Jackson to stay in AAP. My kid went to Archer and his classmates who had the Thoreau-Jackson choice almost all chose Jackson, and I got zero sense that other parents that year craved "AAP and Thoreau," but I admit I did not do a formal survey. Did the person who posted here do one, so that he or she can say so very authoritatively that "most LA parents want AAP and Thoreau"? Truly?

And does it matter if that's what they want? Because....it isn't a choice they have or will have.

It's far past time for some Vienna families to stop wasting energy on "we need AAP at Thoreau." The school already has AAP centers located very close to it on two sides now, and has been turned down for becoming an AAP center. Look at the options and pick the school that's best for YOUR child, period, but don't keep pining for something that isn't going to happen.

Not the poster to whom you're responding, but if you look at the enrollment projections for Jackson and Kilmer, the odds of Thoreau getting an AAP center or Local Level IV services in the future are pretty high. There might be some Vienna parents who'd view that as a "watered down" version of AAP, but others probably would be happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Thoreau vs. Kilmer?

Kilmer has a better reputation.

Nope. Kilmer has had a string of bad principals who were forced out, it's overcrowded, and the front office has a terrible reputation for being rude. Check the parent reviews on GreatSchools.

Incorrect. The most recent principal was promoted out. I can't speak for the front office, as I haven't encountered them yet, and can't imagine why I would. Middle school kids take care of most things on their own. As a side note, The teachers at Kilmer are amazing.

FCPS has a long history of reshuffling incompetent administrators to other schools and giving them jobs at Gatehouse where they can do less harm. The last two Kilmer principals were for all practical purposes demoted.

+1 on kilmer awesome school

[Anonymous]

LJMS principal is retiring this winter. She was driver of the progress made by the school, and who knows what her successor will be like. If I had a kid in 5-6 grade and were faced with a MS choice, I'd watch the process very closely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

NP here. Such as? I can't really see living in Tysons or Pimmit Hills (sorry).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

Not everyone works in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

At this point, commute is not an issue for us. I work from home and spouse will be doing a combo of home and travel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

At this point, commute is not an issue for us. I work from home and spouse will be doing a combo of home and travel.

You just don't get it, do you? Your life will be horrible unless you send your kids to Kilmer and Marshall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

At this point, commute is not an issue for us. I work from home and spouse will be doing a combo of home and travel.

You just don't get it, do you? Your life will be horrible unless you send your kids to Kilmer and Marshall.

Lol!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both are very good. Kilmer has more TJ students

http://vienna.patch.com/groups/schools/p/kilmer-remains-top-feeder-school-for-tj

Who was asking about Kilmer? Thought this thread was about Thoreau.

Anyway, Carson, Longfellow and Rocky Run send more kids to TJ than Kilmer.

OP here. Thank you. While the side discussion about Kilmer has been very interesting, I am not really interested in a debate comparing the two schools. If we move back to the area, we'd move to a Thoreau boundary because that's where we were before and it would make the transition back much easier, although I've heard Kilmer is a good school, too. Luther Jackson is not an option. My child was not in AAP, so I am actually hoping for just a solid school filled with eager-to-learn students. Based on several replies, it sounds like Thoreau fits the bill.

I just called Thoreau to set up a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

If you haven't been in the area for a while you may want to reconsider moving that far out to vienna. Traffic has become very bad and vienna commuting takes a lot more time than before. You may want to look at other options closer in and possibly the new metro line.

At this point, commute is not an issue for us. I work from home and spouse will be doing a combo of home and travel.

You just don't get it, do you? Your life will be horrible unless you send your kids to Kilmer and Marshall.

In addition to Marshall McLean and maybe Arlington would also give you a better commute. The increase in traffic and congestion with commuting from Vienna has increased dramatically as people sprawled out from inside the beltway to find more affordable housing. It isn't just vienna but all the area west of vienna that use vienna's metro and roads to get into DC.

[Anonymous]

Most of the people I know don't work in DC anymore.