TC Williams: what does a family new to Alexandria need to know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We don't want to send our kids to a private HS. We value the diversity at TC. Please, really not interested in having anyone fight about TC versus somewhere else, public or private. Saying "go somewhere else" is not responsive. Assume TC. Given TC, looking for tips, insights and strategies, programs to seek out or avoid, etc.

What do you mean when you say "we value diversity" ?

Doe that mean you want your children to see non whites and have poor students in school with them so you can point out how fortunate they are to have so much?

Are your children in a diverse school now? If so, pay attention and see how diversity plays out. The kids self select.

Why not send your child to 8th at GW or Hammond if you value diversity? Both will trump any of the local privates for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We don't want to send our kids to a private HS. We value the diversity at TC. Please, really not interested in having anyone fight about TC versus somewhere else, public or private. Saying "go somewhere else" is not responsive. Assume TC. Given TC, looking for tips, insights and strategies, programs to seek out or avoid, etc.

OP, there is a yahoo group called old town moms alexandria (somthing like that). I heard it is pretty active with plenty of members who had children graduate from TCW.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

Assuming op is not participating in farms, if you look at scores of non-farm white kids, tc Williams scores are similar to scores of non-farm white kids in Arlington. This year, isn't it like 30 kids attending uva and another 30 going to vt? That is pretty solid.

[Anonymous]

OP, several of our neighbors have children at TC. The ones who seem happiest are involved in a sport or band/orchestra. It seems like kids who do not get significantly involved in one of these activities flounder a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

Assuming op is not participating in farms, if you look at scores of non-farm white kids, tc Williams scores are similar to scores of non-farm white kids in Arlington. This year, isn't it like 30 kids attending uva and another 30 going to vt? That is pretty solid.

+1. PP left out that Wakefield in Arlington is ranked 30 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

Assuming op is not participating in farms, if you look at scores of non-farm white kids, tc Williams scores are similar to scores of non-farm white kids in Arlington. This year, isn't it like 30 kids attending uva and another 30 going to vt? That is pretty solid.

+1. PP left out that Wakefield in Arlington is ranked 30 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA.

So race to the bottom? Mt. Vernon is dead last is SATs. Would not send my kid there either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

Assuming op is not participating in farms, if you look at scores of non-farm white kids, tc Williams scores are similar to scores of non-farm white kids in Arlington. This year, isn't it like 30 kids attending uva and another 30 going to vt? That is pretty solid.

White kids at TC perform less well than white kids at Wakefiled apparently according to stats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

I posted upthread but this coming year they are not doing the small groups for STEM any more. STEM kids will just be in regular classes with other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

Assuming op is not participating in farms, if you look at scores of non-farm white kids, tc Williams scores are similar to scores of non-farm white kids in Arlington. This year, isn't it like 30 kids attending uva and another 30 going to vt? That is pretty solid.

+1. PP left out that Wakefield in Arlington is ranked 30 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA.

So race to the bottom? Mt. Vernon is dead last is SATs. Would not send my kid there either.

Without more about you, your kid, and how you evaluate schools, knowing that you would avoid 2 or 3 area schools, at a minimum, is useless information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP!

Even if your child wouldn't want to do STEM throughout HS, it would be good to do in freshman year to have a small and diverse group to bond with in classes. STEM program is well run and contrary to what someone else posted, you do still have time for an elective. As I think you know, one of the benefits of TC VS Arlington (and I work in Arlington) is the way the community rallies together in Alexandria. I think it is a great choice!

"Diverse": 71% AA or Hispanic, 50% FARMs, 33% ELL, GS 2, ranked 29 (out of 31) for average SAT scores in NOVA. 68% of kids proficient in math, no more than 72% of kids proficient in any subject. This does not seem "diverse"-- it seems concerning across the board. I hope the community is rallying around this school. It needs help.

Cue the story of the 2 kids out of 1000 per class who got into Ivys and the "big fish, little pond" argument.

OP-- I have been to isportsand academic competitions held at/ against TC and interacted with TC students. I would never send a kid there. It is not an "atmosphere conducive to learning"-- it's an atmosphere conducive to triage of discipline problems. Visit the school before you make a final decision.

Assuming op is not participating in farms, if you look at scores of non-farm white kids, tc Williams scores are similar to scores of non-farm white kids in Arlington. This year, isn't it like 30 kids attending uva and another 30 going to vt? That is pretty solid.

White kids at TC perform less well than white kids at Wakefiled apparently according to stats

White kids in the TC Class of 2015 performed about 30 points higher than white kids at Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

Riddle me this. If TC is so amazing, why will ACPS not allow a cohort of kids to attend TJ, specifically citing "brain drain"? 5-10 kids a year is brain drain? Seems like they need every single literate kid they can get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Riddle me this. If TC is so amazing, why will ACPS not allow a cohort of kids to attend TJ, specifically citing "brain drain"? 5-10 kids a year is brain drain? Seems like they need every single literate kid they can get.

I don't agree with ACPS's bar on TJHSST. But, the rationale is that if 20-30 students from Alexandria go there instead of TCW, they will not be able to justify offering the number of classes/sections per course of advanced/honors and AP they do now. As a result, the educational opportunities of the top 100-150 students at TCW would be impacted. Losing a class/section would mean that scheduling conflicts would limit what those other students could take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Riddle me this. If TC is so amazing, why will ACPS not allow a cohort of kids to attend TJ, specifically citing "brain drain"? 5-10 kids a year is brain drain? Seems like they need every single literate kid they can get.

Sigh. Because the deal that Fairfax offered was a disruptive, misleading, rip-off. First, sending kids to TJ from outside of Fairfax requires three (not two) rounds of transportation per day - trip to school; trip from school regular hours; and late bus, required due to co-curriculars - no late bus, no co-curriculars. All three are required. Second, ACPS would not have played any decisional role in admissions, at all. Third, the number you cited was the proposed range for the cap - not the actual enrollment; it's possible that, in any given year, no one would have been enrolled. Fourth, Alexandria would have been required to accept responsibility for unknown and undeclared future capital improvements, with no ceiling. FCPS offered ACPS a simply lousy deal for the students, families, and school system. The former superintendent was 100% right to turn it down.