Barcroft elementary/ south Arlington crisis

[Anonymous]

I am so sick of people saying things like "Randolph has sucked for years" without ever having interacted with or entered the school. Are the test scores from the last few years good---no. Look at the population it's serving and their challenges, the number of English language learners and the overall transience of much of the population. The test scores don't say everything. Yes, the principal was removed, but we don't know why for sure. I wish people would stop judging schools entirely by a few standardized test scores or making blanket statements about the school without having any kind of experience with it. That will continue to scare middle class parents away from the school and will perpetuate the problem of socioeconomic segregation.

Those who are curious about the school should visit it, interact with current parents and become involved.

PP who said it's sucked for years--if you have actual, personal experience with this school please share.

[Anonymous]

Not direct experience because I'm at a choice school but plenty of friends with experience at Barcroft. Scores, parent involvement, morale have dropped off since longtime principal retired. Middle class families leaving. School is really struggling. Not what it was 5 years ago. Contrast it with Henry, Hoffman Boston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so sick of people saying things like "Randolph has sucked for years" without ever having interacted with or entered the school. Are the test scores from the last few years good---no. Look at the population it's serving and their challenges, the number of English language learners and the overall transience of much of the population. The test scores don't say everything. Yes, the principal was removed, but we don't know why for sure. I wish people would stop judging schools entirely by a few standardized test scores or making blanket statements about the school without having any kind of experience with it. That will continue to scare middle class parents away from the school and will perpetuate the problem of socioeconomic segregation.

Those who are curious about the school should visit it, interact with current parents and become involved.

PP who said it's sucked for years--if you have actual, personal experience with this school please share.

Dp- I would have loved to have had direct experience, but the old principal wouldn't allow the art outreach program I work with into the school. We are in every other elementary school in the county. I guess it wasn't appropriate for that school's population? Who knows. I know I want my kid to have the same opportunities and enrichments the rest of the county is getting...