ACPS magic wand wishes

[Anonymous]

My kid are in APS. Many of the elective course teachers are absolutely awful. I'd love to give more info, but we are still there. Intensified English at W&L was useless, kids taught themselves and it was a BLM curriculum, without any critical thought. Similar to another friend in digital input in MS where the kids taught themselves since teacher had tapped out and kids were way more advanced than the teacher. Also, a Mr Oran×× told the kids he hated working there, and took every opportunity to not work. And this is APS. Our girls tell us everything, and many of the teachers are low level activists. We still like the system but we are about to get out of APS thru graduation, before the downfall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 and 4 and also hire security guards to periodically patrol bathrooms and stop drug use therein. It drives me insane that my son cannot use the bathroom because he doesn't want to be around kids using drugs.

I don’t want to derail this thread but the bathroom thing comes up on every ACPS thread. I’m so sorry for all of you- that just blows my mind.

My kids at DHMS and W&L never use the restroom due to those issues. First thing they do when come home is use the bathroom.

Really? That does not seem to be well publicized. Where is the parent outrage at APS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A new middle school and high school to reduce overcrowding at each. More qualified, motivated and motivating teachers, and more rigorous academics. Give schools the capability to actually enforce behavior rules with consequences.

All of the above would go a long way toward preventing and addressing the bathroom issues.

I think you're getting your wish of a new middle school. SB has been discussing adding one to George Mason.

Well, that will be too late for us, but overall good for the city.

It will be really good but I bet the parents and the neighborhood tries to kill it. I hope they've all come to accept that everything is getting razed and paved for the new school, otherwise this fall is going to be very amusing as they try to fight it.

Michelle Rief was one of two to vote for the second high school. It was doomed from the beginning though. The materials that were put out or completely confusing and Hutchings never wanted a second high school from the beginning—that was clear. There’s literally no place else in the country with a city and school population size similar to Alexandria that has one high school, most have 3-5+.

[Anonymous]

Fix Alexandria’s generational poverty issues. Until then, nothing else will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fix Alexandria’s generational poverty issues. Until then, nothing else will happen.

True, at least partly. But we can’t wait generations.

[Anonymous]

Has ACPS been open about their teacher vacancies?

I noticed that school directories are still unavailable and I wonder if that's caused by a windfall of missing teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has ACPS been open about their teacher vacancies?

I noticed that school directories are still unavailable and I wonder if that's caused by a windfall of missing teachers.

We got an email from the principal of GW (where kid goes). There were fewer than 10, maybe 5. One was PE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has ACPS been open about their teacher vacancies?

I noticed that school directories are still unavailable and I wonder if that's caused by a windfall of missing teachers.

We got an email from the principal of GW (where kid goes). There were fewer than 10, maybe 5. One was PE.

4: One math, one science, one PE, and one tech

Brooks principal sent an email saying they are fully staffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has ACPS been open about their teacher vacancies?

I noticed that school directories are still unavailable and I wonder if that's caused by a windfall of missing teachers.

Goodness no! Although the absence of school directories is likely more related to schools wanting to protect their teachers from parent emails. There seem to be a significant number of vacancies at both high school campuses--statistics and bio especially. Also, no idea on special education services and related services (OT, PT and speech).

[Anonymous]

I feel like they've been missing PE teachers for so long. And the long-term subs never stay.

The tech teacher left mid year in spring. I felt badly for her circumstances.

[Anonymous]

You can look at the job openings: https://acps.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has ACPS been open about their teacher vacancies?

I noticed that school directories are still unavailable and I wonder if that's caused by a windfall of missing teachers.

Charles Barrett school is fully staffed despite the fact ALL kindergarten teachers left. I am actually impressed with how the school leadership’s team handled such a challenge. The high school seems to have teachers for all the non-obscure classes (ie I am unsure there’s an art history teacher).

The new principal at the high school also is clearly a shift in a really good way. Feeling quite optimistic and thankful for school leadership teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The new principal at the high school also is clearly a shift in a really good way. Feeling quite optimistic and thankful for school leadership teams.

The new principal at the high school hasn't even been at the King Street campus this week. Too busy putting out fires at Minnie Howard. My kid has to get to school before 8am to get through security in time to get to class. There are lots of open teacher positions, especially in math and science, and the new lunch schedule means that the unlucky D lunch kids have little to no food to choose from when they eventually get to lunch at 1:30. I'm still looking for the "shift in a really good way".

[Anonymous]

My kid is a junior at ACPS, and is taking 6 APs, so there are some. I haven't heard of any not being offered except possibly art.

Yes, there certainly are some APs. However, I find it astounding that they cannot consistently get the requisite minimum 5 kids per year with a 4 on the AP BC cal exam (and interest in continuing in math) in order to hold the next level DE math course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only thing that will fix the schools is to limit the amount of affordable housing.

This and they would have to dismantle the public housing and not replace it.