Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy - Alexandria

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where in the LCTA zone are houses selling for significantly under the peak prices? My guess is that everyone in LCTA can afford to move, if they want to.

Yes, they can sell but if you bought at the height of the bubble, you might not have any equity. No equity means can mean no money to put towards another home so that rules out Arl and Fairfax Cty portion of Alex for many as well as not wanting to increase a commute so yes, they stay put.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where in the LCTA zone are houses selling for significantly under the peak prices? My guess is that everyone in LCTA can afford to move, if they want to.

Yes, they can sell but if you bought at the height of the bubble, you might not have any equity. No equity means can mean no money to put towards another home so that rules out Arl and Fairfax Cty portion of Alex for many as well as not wanting to increase a commute so yes, they stay put.

Most families with kids in the lower grades at LCTA moved to the neighborhood after the bubble.

[Anonymous]

Whoever owns this will have 150k in equity or so, even if they sell for under list (since they had some equity to go in, and have built some)

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/410-S-Lee-St-22314/home/11842695

Is that enough for a downpayment in Fairfax?

Of course they bought after the peak, but how many people in this area bought right at peak?

[Anonymous]

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Alexandria/507-S-Fairfax-St-22314/home/11842379

These folks bought a bit closer to peak

[Anonymous]

School went from 5 to 9 on greatschools so test scores went up significantly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria City resident - and personally I don't think its any better than the rest of the craptastic city schools. I think the parents delude themselves into believing its the greatest because they have no choice. They bought during the height of the bubble, can't afford private school, can't afford to sell.

Of course, I smile and nod and say nice things when my nieghbors go on and on about it and as soon as one of them says something dumb like "it's just like being in a private school" I am quick to say "no, it's not even close actually" And yes, my child does go to private school.

Yup, why my kids won't ever go to private school, right here. Asses raising little asses.

[Anonymous]

Sigh. Such crazy hate. I'm not saying my ACPS experience is perfect, but people reading DCUM really need to keep in mind that there are a few dedicated ACPS bashers on here.

"continually fail?" sheesh.
My kids are doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

lyles provided an excellent kinder and first grade experience for my dc. Stem, math, and Spanish for after school activities, fun field trips and events, teachers and faculty are great, and dc classmates were all nice. Not sure why lyles was considered "craptastic" earlier. How are the 30k a yr private schools any better at these early grades? What are the private schools offering that public schools don't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lyles provided an excellent kinder and first grade experience for my dc. Stem, math, and Spanish for after school activities, fun field trips and events, teachers and faculty are great, and dc classmates were all nice. Not sure why lyles was considered "craptastic" earlier. How are the 30k a yr private schools any better at these early grades? What are the private schools offering that public schools don't?

They aren't. But you have to justify your $20-30K a year somehow - right?

BTW, I am saying this as someone who actually went to an excellent area private school - as was shocked (as were my parents) to see the TC students were better prepared for (a top tier) college than me. And I graduated in the top 5% of my class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lyles provided an excellent kinder and first grade experience for my dc. Stem, math, and Spanish for after school activities, fun field trips and events, teachers and faculty are great, and dc classmates were all nice. Not sure why lyles was considered "craptastic" earlier. How are the 30k a yr private schools any better at these early grades? What are the private schools offering that public schools don't?

They aren't. But you have to justify your $20-30K a year somehow - right?

BTW, I am saying this as someone who actually went to an excellent area private school - as was shocked (as were my parents) to see the TC students were better prepared for (a top tier) college than me. And I graduated in the top 5% of my class.

Oh please, do tell us which Alexandria private school prepares for college readiness worse than TCW? Only one I can think of is BI.

[Anonymous]

Another LCTA parent here. We chose LCTA over several private schools and parochial schools that our child was accepted to (burgundy, SSSAS, ACDS, St. Marys and St. Rita's). We have no regrets whatsoever! Lyles Crouch has offered just about everything those other schools offer academically for early elementary and has smaller classes in some instances (15 in our K class). No, they don't have a pool or petting zoo like Burgundy. No they don't have a campus and media center like SSSAS. But for Kindergarten and early years, why waste $30k a year for an equal education? That's college fund money!

We realize that for middle school, all bets are off and we will likely end up in private. But we can't say enough about LCTA. And we are so happy to be there, and we are confident we made the right decision for our family.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PPs. For early elementary, you can't beat LCTA. Small classes, terrific community, smaller school so the students get a lot of individual attention. The principal knows each and every child by name, and greets them at the front door every morning. Great after school enrichment programs in music, drama through LTA, STEM, etc. Highest test scores in ACPS. 9 ranking on greatschools.com. Involved teachers. Character focus. Strong tutoring program. Traditional academic focus.

I wish the whiny PPs could have seen the kindergarten "patriotic" performance this morning. Each child memorized their lines perfectly, sang patriotic songs, including reciting the US constitution.

There's a reason why this school is performing so well even with a high FARMS rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lyles provided an excellent kinder and first grade experience for my dc. Stem, math, and Spanish for after school activities, fun field trips and events, teachers and faculty are great, and dc classmates were all nice. Not sure why lyles was considered "craptastic" earlier. How are the 30k a yr private schools any better at these early grades? What are the private schools offering that public schools don't?

They aren't. But you have to justify your $20-30K a year somehow - right?

BTW, I am saying this as someone who actually went to an excellent area private school - as was shocked (as were my parents) to see the TC students were better prepared for (a top tier) college than me. And I graduated in the top 5% of my class.

Oh please, do tell us which Alexandria private school prepares for college readiness worse than TCW? Only one I can think of is BI.

Did I say all students? No - I said the ones that went to the same college as I did. Listen - if you are going to come into a post a trash a school, don't be shocked if you get it in reverse. I am so tired on people like you who feel the need to justify the gold ticket they have convinced themselves the bought for their kid because they paid $30K/year for a private school. I promise you, 90% of the kids at your child's school will turn out to be fine, but 70% percent will be average, middle class Americans. You did not purchase a golden ticket. So stop putting down local schools in a ridiculous attempt to make yourself feel better. I am a private and public school mom and I cannot stand knowing someone like you may be at my kids school. Get over it.

And what's with the BI comment? I thought that was a decent school.

[Anonymous]

My kids are in ACPS schools (middle and high), and we were happy with their elementary school (not LCTA) - so I'm generally an ACPS supporter despite problems in the system.

However, it is misleading to say that LCTA has a high FARMS rate. About 25% of the kids are eligible for free and reduced lunches - by far the smallest percentage at any ACPS school. MacArthur is closest at about 30%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are in ACPS schools (middle and high), and we were happy with their elementary school (not LCTA) - so I'm generally an ACPS supporter despite problems in the system.

However, it is misleading to say that LCTA has a high FARMS rate. About 25% of the kids are eligible for free and reduced lunches - by far the smallest percentage at any ACPS school. MacArthur is closest at about 30%

25% v. 30% FARMS rates isn't that big of a difference. But there is a big difference in test scores and greatschools ratings. I think the PP meant that even with 1/4 of students on FARMS the school still is getting top scores similar to Arlington and McLean schools rankings where there are hardly any FARMS kids. LCTA is a bright spot in ACPS and can compete with any local private when it comes to quality of education.