Wakefield HS year 2030

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
I'm the PP mom who is zoned for Wakefield and is black and I actutally think that was my ah-ha moment when I was house hunting. I don't think having my kids at Yorktown would do them any more justice than having them in Wakefield and putting the money I'd spend living in North Arlington into enrichment. It's a tricky thing but when you parse it down, the issue you see is that poverty and ESL needs drives a lot of the performance issues. I think a lot of parents fear their kids will be corrupted by poor minority kids (especially teens). I don't see that issue as much as the isolation problems my kids might experience. We have all sorts of friends and our family ranges from dirt poor to rich as hell. So, our kids will likely see it all. That's why I don't worry about Wakefield.



Hi! I feel the same as you. Are your kids currently at Wakefield or just slated? I walk by Wakefield daily ( around the time of dismissal) the kids are pretty typical. I don't see or hear anything troubling about behavior. Most seem like good kids.
My only real concern is if there is so much focus getting ESL students up to speed- is it slowing the rest down? This is a gut fear, and not based in fact. Still thinking its a good choice.


We are definitely zoned for Wakefield but my kids are small. I actually don't worry about the ESL needs because legally they are entitled to resources and get additional funding for that support (I always find myself shocked because no one would say such a thing about special needs children or the mass of kids with IEPs).

We aren't too worried. I like our elementary and we are doing fun things like language lessons (Arabic) and sports and stuff. We do supplement at home a bit during the summer as well. I just went crazy house hunting and went from absolutely believing Yorktown or WL or bust to having a more nuanced view of things. I think Wakefield might serve my children better -- not being a tiny population of black students has huge benefits. Being in a racially and linguistically diverse school as a wealthier kid probably is the best I could do for them.


Upper class white liberals will be less racist and more inclusive than poorer hispanics who speak english as a second language or parents can't speak English. Hispanic immigrants or recent generational offspring also have more potential to create gangs which are fully segregated as hispanic only.

I literally don't understand what you are saying. In terms of where my black children would be more welcome?

I think immigrants do tend to keep to themselves. I say this as someone who is Muslim and whose children go to Mosque with many different immigrant children (although no Hispanics since they are Christian, I guess). My kids have friends from all over who live in South Arlington. Yes, I am a doctor. But my kids play with kids whose parents are cab drivers and cleaning people and whatever. As long as the kids are good kids, I don't fault a parent for doing what they have to do to support their family in this country. And I say this as a girl raised by a cab driver.

I actually think my kids would have a harder time in Yorktown. We almost bought in WL, but found a much better house in the Wakefield zone.

If you literally don't understand the point I have serious doubts in your education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
I'm the PP mom who is zoned for Wakefield and is black and I actutally think that was my ah-ha moment when I was house hunting. I don't think having my kids at Yorktown would do them any more justice than having them in Wakefield and putting the money I'd spend living in North Arlington into enrichment. It's a tricky thing but when you parse it down, the issue you see is that poverty and ESL needs drives a lot of the performance issues. I think a lot of parents fear their kids will be corrupted by poor minority kids (especially teens). I don't see that issue as much as the isolation problems my kids might experience. We have all sorts of friends and our family ranges from dirt poor to rich as hell. So, our kids will likely see it all. That's why I don't worry about Wakefield.



Hi! I feel the same as you. Are your kids currently at Wakefield or just slated? I walk by Wakefield daily ( around the time of dismissal) the kids are pretty typical. I don't see or hear anything troubling about behavior. Most seem like good kids.
My only real concern is if there is so much focus getting ESL students up to speed- is it slowing the rest down? This is a gut fear, and not based in fact. Still thinking its a good choice.


We are definitely zoned for Wakefield but my kids are small. I actually don't worry about the ESL needs because legally they are entitled to resources and get additional funding for that support (I always find myself shocked because no one would say such a thing about special needs children or the mass of kids with IEPs).

We aren't too worried. I like our elementary and we are doing fun things like language lessons (Arabic) and sports and stuff. We do supplement at home a bit during the summer as well. I just went crazy house hunting and went from absolutely believing Yorktown or WL or bust to having a more nuanced view of things. I think Wakefield might serve my children better -- not being a tiny population of black students has huge benefits. Being in a racially and linguistically diverse school as a wealthier kid probably is the best I could do for them.


Upper class white liberals will be less racist and more inclusive than poorer hispanics who speak english as a second language or parents can't speak English. Hispanic immigrants or recent generational offspring also have more potential to create gangs which are fully segregated as hispanic only.


I literally don't understand what you are saying. In terms of where my black children would be more welcome?

I think immigrants do tend to keep to themselves. I say this as someone who is Muslim and whose children go to Mosque with many different immigrant children (although no Hispanics since they are Christian, I guess). My kids have friends from all over who live in South Arlington. Yes, I am a doctor. But my kids play with kids whose parents are cab drivers and cleaning people and whatever. As long as the kids are good kids, I don't fault a parent for doing what they have to do to support their family in this country. And I say this as a girl raised by a cab driver.

I actually think my kids would have a harder time in Yorktown. We almost bought in WL, but found a much better house in the Wakefield zone.


If you literally don't understand the point I have serious doubts in your education.

Cute. But when you speak gibberish, it's difficult to understand.

[Anonymous]

It's hilarious. Yorktown booster ( on a Wakefield thread- of course) wants you to simultaneously know that your black child will do marginally better at Yorktown because it is oh so liberal AND know that Wakefield is deficient because it is poor, immigrant, and brown.
So awesome.

[Anonymous]

It's hilarious. Yorktown booster ( on a Wakefield thread- of course) wants you to simultaneously know that your black child will do marginally better at Yorktown because it is oh so liberal AND know that Wakefield is deficient because it is poor, immigrant, and brown.
So awesome.

That was my point! It seems like from a population standpoint, relying on test scores isn't going to be enough to make a good choice for my kids. I was sort of shocked when I realized this. Logistically private school didn't make sense with my schedule (I work in an unpredictable area of medicine), so I ended up in a South Arlington home zoned for Wakefield. We took the money we saved from buying up north and are putting it toward enrichment/college savings. It seemed like the most level headed approach. I am not moving until the kids are grown so we feel pretty good about putting down roots here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's hilarious. Yorktown booster ( on a Wakefield thread- of course) wants you to simultaneously know that your black child will do marginally better at Yorktown because it is oh so liberal AND know that Wakefield is deficient because it is poor, immigrant, and brown.
So awesome.

That was my point! It seems like from a population standpoint, relying on test scores isn't going to be enough to make a good choice for my kids. I was sort of shocked when I realized this. Logistically private school didn't make sense with my schedule (I work in an unpredictable area of medicine), so I ended up in a South Arlington home zoned for Wakefield. We took the money we saved from buying up north and are putting it toward enrichment/college savings. It seemed like the most level headed approach. I am not moving until the kids are grown so we feel pretty good about putting down roots here.

Well, I didn't have quite as many options. DH and I work in the Arts ( very weird schedules). Living close to the city was a must. However, we bought at a great time. We did look at schools and decided to pull the trigger in south Arlington. I don't know what my child's educational needs will be. Figured we'd cross that bridge when it was time. I do have many colleagues who do arts programming at WF. They go on and on about how great the performing arts are there.
Of course my husband and I are like, " God no! Be a lawyer!"