Best Arlington Middle School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just move to Williamsburg's school zone and hang out with the other white parents.

When someone asks this questions, this is the answer they're looking for.

I have heard numerous reports of bullying, drinking, and drug use from Williamsburg parents. I would say Hamm or Swanson unless you get the golden ticket to attend HB.

Yep. This has been going on for years at Williamsburg.

And literally every other middle school. I don’t understand why people want to bash all the middle schools in the area. Too this, too that.

Including Hamm?

[Anonymous]

My DD loves Swanson and has been thriving there. It has become more diverse since Hamm opened up and the administration is very responsive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your kid like candy or ice cream? Then you definitely want Swanson. Nobody else is in that close proximity to two places where you can buy ice cream and two places where you can buy candy. Also two places to buy pizza, although I personally think Lost Dog pizza sucks.

Ha no HB woodlawn kids have hit the jackpot if candy and ice cream is what they want. Even middle schoolers are allowed to go to 711 during school (not this year but during regular school years) and a frozen yogurt place, a boba tea place, and a cafe are all right there.

Last I heard (*checks notes*) you can’t rent in the HBW district.

As a HB parent, I’m aware of the process of enrolling at HBW. I thought it was clear that my comment was not a piece of advice about where OP should rent if her kid access to sugar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s like a prison in there.

Why would you move from Gunston? Are you scared of minorities?

TJ definitely looks like a prison and needs more windows. That said, both my kids had a fine experience there. No social issues, expanded their friend groups. I liked aspects of the IB program. They had some great teachers and a couple bad ones. The two counselors we dealt with were both helpful.

[Anonymous]

UMC white family here, we really like Gunston. Diversity is a plus. Why do you want to leave? Do you think you'll have a substantially different experience somewhere else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd go with Kenmore. It's a nice mix of N and S Arlington kids.

Jefferson is like this, too.

Just keep in mind that each of these middle schools splits into two different high schools. So depending on where you live and which kids yours becomes friends with, they may or may not follow some or all of their posse to high school ---- if that matters to you.

[Anonymous]

There is a LOT of williamsburg hate. We are zoned to WMS and DC1 will start next year. We are white and (relatively) wealthy, but certainly not popular. I’ve heard all of the same “drinking, drugs, bullying” rumors, but it is always hearsay – never firsthand. I am absolutely not a williamsburg defender, but is it possible that it is just an easy target?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a LOT of williamsburg hate. We are zoned to WMS and DC1 will start next year. We are white and (relatively) wealthy, but certainly not popular. I’ve heard all of the same “drinking, drugs, bullying” rumors, but it is always hearsay – never firsthand. I am absolutely not a williamsburg defender, but is it possible that it is just an easy target?

I’ve had kids at both Swanson and Williamsburg. There is no substantive difference between the schools in those regards, and neither of my kids ever had problems with those things at either school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s like a prison in there.

Why would you move from Gunston? Are you scared of minorities?

TJ definitely looks like a prison and needs more windows. That said, both my kids had a fine experience there. No social issues, expanded their friend groups. I liked aspects of the IB program. They had some great teachers and a couple bad ones. The two counselors we dealt with were both helpful.

Ironically, they did add windows to TJ a few years ago!
Nevertheless, my kids were fine there and had mostly very good teachers, a number of excellent teachers, and only a couple of bad ones. However, a number of those excellent ones are now gone (teaching elsewhere, deceased, retired). One kid's counselor was useless; but the other one was good and helpful. We did have some bullying issues in 6th grade by older 8th graders, and I've heard from a few other parents about bullying issues their kids endured until their kid figured out there were better groups of kids to befriend and hang out with. But in all of the situations, administration was entirely un-helpful; though I don't know that I would expect much more from any other school's admin.

TJ also has more language offerings due to the IB program and it has the requisite middle school 7-11 a block away. It's a bit farther; but kids can walk or take a quick bus ride up the street to Ballston, too. The principal is ok, not outstanding by any means, but adequate. I have a friend who complained a lot about the Gunston principal, fwiw. But the only parents I know well at Gunston are parents of immersion students, if that might make a difference in perceptions for some reason.

The parent friends I know at Williamsburg decry the lack of diversity and acknowledge issues; but their kids aren't directly impacted or not impacted enough for it to make them give up Williamsburg. APS is generally bad in regard to writing instruction; but it did seem my friends' Williamsburg kids MIGHT have done better in having more substantial writing assignments. Hard to tell for sure, as one of my kids did far more writing at TJ than the other one did. So it may have to do with the student more than the school.

I know a lot of parents at Kenmore, including some from NE Arlington whose kids wanted to transfer to it. All of them have cited very good experiences and no problems. I think Kenmore is under-rated by the broader elitist Arlington parent community.

Overall, previous posters are right: it's middle school and none of them are so significantly better than the others in Arlington. Besides, someone who's actually asking for the best middle school will probably be asking the same question about high schools in three years; so what is it you really want, OP? What is your real question and what are you really hoping for people to respond?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a LOT of williamsburg hate. We are zoned to WMS and DC1 will start next year. We are white and (relatively) wealthy, but certainly not popular. I’ve heard all of the same “drinking, drugs, bullying” rumors, but it is always hearsay – never firsthand. I am absolutely not a williamsburg defender, but is it possible that it is just an easy target?

I'm not a Williamsburg parent. But the poster is correct in that there is a lot of WMS bashing in Arlington. But the question is "why is that?" Individually, all the parents I know are very nice. But collectively, relative to the parent communities of other middle schools, the school gives the impression of being rather "entitled" and "self-focused" while invoking a facade of selfless concern via a charitable nod to the plight of others. The source of the elitist and entitled attitude may also stem from its excessive wealth and PTA resources that far exceeded the rest, along with its isolated location in the far north corner of the County.

Still, WMS does nothing to warrant a different impression other than all the parents saying things like "I hear about those things, but that's not been our experience."

Hamm is new; so it's too soon to know if it stands out in any way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just move to Williamsburg's school zone and hang out with the other white parents.

When someone asks this questions, this is the answer they're looking for.

I have heard numerous reports of bullying, drinking, and drug use from Williamsburg parents. I would say Hamm or Swanson unless you get the golden ticket to attend HB.

Yep. This has been going on for years at Williamsburg.

And literally every other middle school. I don’t understand why people want to bash all the middle schools in the area. Too this, too that.

Including Hamm?

Hamm pulled from WMS and Swanson... so what do you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just move to Williamsburg's school zone and hang out with the other white parents.

When someone asks this questions, this is the answer they're looking for.

I have heard numerous reports of bullying, drinking, and drug use from Williamsburg parents. I would say Hamm or Swanson unless you get the golden ticket to attend HB.

Yep. This has been going on for years at Williamsburg.

Please tell us what years your kids were at Williamsburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just move to Williamsburg's school zone and hang out with the other white parents.

When someone asks this questions, this is the answer they're looking for.

I have heard numerous reports of bullying, drinking, and drug use from Williamsburg parents. I would say Hamm or Swanson unless you get the golden ticket to attend HB.

Yep. This has been going on for years at Williamsburg.

And literally every other middle school. I don’t understand why people want to bash all the middle schools in the area. Too this, too that.

Including Hamm?

Hamm pulled from WMS and Swanson... so what do you think?

I think it's a new school with a new culture.

My kid is on his third year there. Haven't heard about any issues yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'd go with Kenmore. It's a nice mix of N and S Arlington kids.

Jefferson is like this, too.



Just keep in mind that each of these middle schools splits into two different high schools. So depending on where you live and which kids yours becomes friends with, they may or may not follow some or all of their posse to high school ---- if that matters to you.

That's the same everywhere. You don't honestly expect your child to remain friends and go to college with people they went to K with, do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s like a prison in there.

Why would you move from Gunston? Are you scared of minorities?

TJ definitely looks like a prison and needs more windows. That said, both my kids had a fine experience there. No social issues, expanded their friend groups. I liked aspects of the IB program. They had some great teachers and a couple bad ones. The two counselors we dealt with were both helpful.

Ironically, they did add windows to TJ a few years ago!
Nevertheless, my kids were fine there and had mostly very good teachers, a number of excellent teachers, and only a couple of bad ones. However, a number of those excellent ones are now gone (teaching elsewhere, deceased, retired). One kid's counselor was useless; but the other one was good and helpful. We did have some bullying issues in 6th grade by older 8th graders, and I've heard from a few other parents about bullying issues their kids endured until their kid figured out there were better groups of kids to befriend and hang out with. But in all of the situations, administration was entirely un-helpful; though I don't know that I would expect much more from any other school's admin.

TJ also has more language offerings due to the IB program and it has the requisite middle school 7-11 a block away. It's a bit farther; but kids can walk or take a quick bus ride up the street to Ballston, too. The principal is ok, not outstanding by any means, but adequate. I have a friend who complained a lot about the Gunston principal, fwiw. But the only parents I know well at Gunston are parents of immersion students, if that might make a difference in perceptions for some reason.

The parent friends I know at Williamsburg decry the lack of diversity and acknowledge issues; but their kids aren't directly impacted or not impacted enough for it to make them give up Williamsburg. APS is generally bad in regard to writing instruction; but it did seem my friends' Williamsburg kids MIGHT have done better in having more substantial writing assignments. Hard to tell for sure, as one of my kids did far more writing at TJ than the other one did. So it may have to do with the student more than the school.

I know a lot of parents at Kenmore, including some from NE Arlington whose kids wanted to transfer to it. All of them have cited very good experiences and no problems. I think Kenmore is under-rated by the broader elitist Arlington parent community.

Overall, previous posters are right: it's middle school and none of them are so significantly better than the others in Arlington. Besides, someone who's actually asking for the best middle school will probably be asking the same question about high schools in three years; so what is it you really want, OP? What is your real question and what are you really hoping for people to respond?

+1 I wouldn't move just based on the middle school. Gunston is fine and it's just middle school. If the bigger question is that you don't want Wakefield for HS then that's a different question. FWIW, we go to W-L but know plenty of families happy with Wakefield.