Arlington Reviews…Campbell vs. Oakridge vs. Private

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t know of any private schools that have licensed teachers on staff. These things matter, y’all…

I’ve known many licensed teachers who have left public for private.

If they got a break on their children’s tuition, I could see it. Otherwise, I cannot imagine why anyone would. Public school teachers are paid fairly, at best. Private school teachers are very poorly compensated.

The ones I’ve known have either had spouses who made much more or were so burned out it didn’t matter. I work in SPED and the appeal of smaller classes and a selective cohort definitely draws some people away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t know of any private schools that have licensed teachers on staff. These things matter, y’all…

Do they? I'm a public school parent, and we have had some shockingly bad teachers (and even worse administrators) in APS.

At which schools???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t know of any private schools that have licensed teachers on staff. These things matter, y’all…

I’ve known many licensed teachers who have left public for private.

I’m sure. Everyone is falling all over themselves to blow sunshine up your dress for less money.

You clearly have no experience with private schools. Many of the teachers are indeed licensed. Private teaching is different from public and there are draws (like having more freedom to tailor curriculum to student needs/personalities, smaller class sizes, and less testing). I teach in FCPS, my kids go to APS, and my husband is a high earner. I’ve taught in private before and after this hellish year, have definitely considered switching back.

In anycase..to OP, I think this question is really hard to answer because it is hugely personal. In the grand scheme of public schools, these are two fantastic options. They are still public schools, however, and will have a different feel from somewhere like Burgundy or ACDS (and between those two, huge differences as well). Only you can answer this question for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t know of any private schools that have licensed teachers on staff. These things matter, y’all…

I’ve known many licensed teachers who have left public for private.

I’m sure. Everyone is falling all over themselves to blow sunshine up your dress for less money.

You clearly have no experience with private schools. Many of the teachers are indeed licensed. Private teaching is different from public and there are draws (like having more freedom to tailor curriculum to student needs/personalities, smaller class sizes, and less testing). I teach in FCPS, my kids go to APS, and my husband is a high earner. I’ve taught in private before and after this hellish year, have definitely considered switching back.

In anycase..to OP, I think this question is really hard to answer because it is hugely personal. In the grand scheme of public schools, these are two fantastic options. They are still public schools, however, and will have a different feel from somewhere like Burgundy or ACDS (and between those two, huge differences as well). Only you can answer this question for your family.

You are misleading people, and you know it. What a bunch of malarkey. We not only have the “freedom” to meet individual student needs, but we are required to. Are you not doing that in FCPS? Private school teachers are rarely highly qualified, unless, I guess as you put it, they have wealthy spouses. They have to cater to individual parent whims, as their meager salaries depend on it. I taught in private, too- before I finished getting my license and got my APS job.

[Anonymous]

We have done the private schools (burgundy, Browne, ACDS, SSSAS] …not really all but two and know people at the other two…and none of us have perceived real ‘customization’/differentiation for the kids. It was minimal except for one teacher in one grade at one school. If your kid was behind they could tutor onsite during the day instead of you having to do it after school. Our bubble has been burst to expect differentiation there. But we are trying to figure out what is not so great about the public two in particular to make a choice about the options. No school is perfect for all. Money does not buy you out of challenges. If we decide on public we want to know what we are getting into..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still don’t know of any private schools that have licensed teachers on staff. These things matter, y’all…

I’ve known many licensed teachers who have left public for private.

I’m sure. Everyone is falling all over themselves to blow sunshine up your dress for less money.

You clearly have no experience with private schools. Many of the teachers are indeed licensed. Private teaching is different from public and there are draws (like having more freedom to tailor curriculum to student needs/personalities, smaller class sizes, and less testing). I teach in FCPS, my kids go to APS, and my husband is a high earner. I’ve taught in private before and after this hellish year, have definitely considered switching back.

In anycase..to OP, I think this question is really hard to answer because it is hugely personal. In the grand scheme of public schools, these are two fantastic options. They are still public schools, however, and will have a different feel from somewhere like Burgundy or ACDS (and between those two, huge differences as well). Only you can answer this question for your family.

You are misleading people, and you know it. What a bunch of malarkey. We not only have the “freedom” to meet individual student needs, but we are required to. Are you not doing that in FCPS? Private school teachers are rarely highly qualified, unless, I guess as you put it, they have wealthy spouses. They have to cater to individual parent whims, as their meager salaries depend on it. I taught in private, too- before I finished getting my license and got my APS job.

I didn’t mean actual differentiation (which I agree, I didn’t see a ton of), but I had far more freedom to tailor curriculum and didn’t feel locked into teaching to the SOL standards (I taught language arts/social studies and felt this most in social studies). I taught at a school outside of the DMV, though, so I admit that my experience with being surrounded by licensed teachers is likely different than this area.

[Anonymous]

I love Oakridge. It’s a sweet little school. Great teachers, wonderful Principal. No homework except reading, which I love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Oakridge. It’s a sweet little school. Great teachers, wonderful Principal. No homework except reading, which I love.

No personal experience with Oakridge, but families we know have been happy there.

Campbell is a smaller school, in terms of overall number of students, and class sizes might be slightly smaller since I think it’s still a Title 1 school. A number of staff there also have children at the school, so I think that speaks to its merits. Teachers are either opting to teach there once their children are enrolled or teach there and then also opt for the program for their own children. Big fan of the outdoor focus and expeditionary model. Very diverse, and has a strong sense of community. No idea how it stacks up against private schools, though.

[Anonymous]

Lady, you have posted multiple threads here. Posted in the private school forum. Posted on AEM. You’re going to have to make your own decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lady, you have posted multiple threads here. Posted in the private school forum. Posted on AEM. You’re going to have to make your own decision.

And via other Arlington listservs, too.