Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy - Alexandria

[Anonymous]

Can anyone actually transfer in to Lyles Crouch? Are they accepting transfers this year?

[Anonymous]

So why is Lyles Crouch doing so well compared to the others? What's the secret?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So why is Lyles Crouch doing so well compared to the others? What's the secret?

A principal that is openly hostile to children with learning differences and a very wealthy, involved PTA. Most kids with special needs are scared away by her and the PTA could easily donate a quarter to half of their budget and still be very well-off.

[Anonymous]

Can someone tell me more about the principal?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why is Lyles Crouch doing so well compared to the others? What's the secret?

A principal that is openly hostile to children with learning differences and a very wealthy, involved PTA. Most kids with special needs are scared away by her and the PTA could easily donate a quarter to half of their budget and still be very well-off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why is Lyles Crouch doing so well compared to the others? What's the secret?

A principal that is openly hostile to children with learning differences and a very wealthy, involved PTA. Most kids with special needs are scared away by her and the PTA could easily donate a quarter to half of their budget and still be very well-off.

Examples please?

[Anonymous]

We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So why is Lyles Crouch doing so well compared to the others? What's the secret?

A principal that is openly hostile to children with learning differences and a very wealthy, involved PTA. Most kids with special needs are scared away by her and the PTA could easily donate a quarter to half of their budget and still be very well-off.

What a crock of BS. The school's success has nothing to do with wealthy PTA or 'hostile' principal. The school takes everyone in zone including a large percentage of FARMS students and immigrants. It's a very diverse school. The success is based on 1. Core Knowledge curriculum (different from other ACPS elementaries), 2. strong tutoring program, 3. smaller classes and student body so lots of individualized attention, 4. Increased homework so kids are always reinforcing what they learn at home, 5. Character focus which encourages the children to help one another and look past differences, 6. Focus on discipline and respect to staff, teachers, and each other. The children know they are there to work.

This is coming from a parent with a child with some LD issues, who is doing very well at LCTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Can I ask why you transferred? I am curious how they weigh who gets transferred and why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Can I ask why you transferred? I am curious how they weigh who gets transferred and why.

Not the PP you are addressing but I have posted before. Here is the process:

1 - Register your child at your zoned elementary school
2 - Contact Principal at desired school and discuss the availability of spaces for the grade your child will enter. Principal can tell you if they are likely to have spaces. This is the most important issue. No spaces equals no transfers. The Principal might not be able to tell you for sure at the time if spaces will be available. You will need to continue to check in.
3 - At the same time you contact the principal, fill out the transfer form and submit to the person who handles transfers for the City. Info on the ACPS webpage
4 - Wait. Decisions are not usually known until August when numbers are more firm for the upcoming school year. If you first choice school isn't available, they will likely provide you with options for ones that are available. Reasons they might deny a transfer - no space available, you already have a transfer yet your child has a poor attendance record at the school you transferred to (indicates that it is difficult to get the child to a school that is not in your neighborhood); you already have a transfer and your child has poor behavior issues that you have not been willing to work with the school on.

If you don't get in the first time you can keep trying, just repeat the process above. You can continue to check in with the Principal during the year to see if spaces become available and if so, transfer in then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Can I ask why you transferred? I am curious how they weigh who gets transferred and why.

Not PP but people transfer for a variety of reasons: not wanting the year-round calendar, transportation or aftercare issues, or siblings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Can I ask why you transferred? I am curious how they weigh who gets transferred and why.

Not PP but people transfer for a variety of reasons: not wanting the year-round calendar, transportation or aftercare issues, or siblings.

To add, you need a legitimate reason for most transfers, not just "Jefferson Houston sucks so we don't want to send our kids there." I think you probably could say you don't want a school that doesn't meet state standards or AYP, but I'm not sure if even that would fly. I think not wanting dual language could also be a legit reason to transfer for parents at Adams or MVCS. But since those schools also have non-dual-language sections I am not sure how that would go.

[Anonymous]

Instead of Lyles-Crouch, people should flock to Barrett. That school is really moving up in scores and rankings and parents are happy. The principal is terrific. I think it's a hidden gem in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Can I ask why you transferred? I am curious how they weigh who gets transferred and why.

Not the PP you are addressing but I have posted before. Here is the process:

1 - Register your child at your zoned elementary school
2 - Contact Principal at desired school and discuss the availability of spaces for the grade your child will enter. Principal can tell you if they are likely to have spaces. This is the most important issue. No spaces equals no transfers. The Principal might not be able to tell you for sure at the time if spaces will be available. You will need to continue to check in.
3 - At the same time you contact the principal, fill out the transfer form and submit to the person who handles transfers for the City. Info on the ACPS webpage
4 - Wait. Decisions are not usually known until August when numbers are more firm for the upcoming school year. If you first choice school isn't available, they will likely provide you with options for ones that are available. Reasons they might deny a transfer - no space available, you already have a transfer yet your child has a poor attendance record at the school you transferred to (indicates that it is difficult to get the child to a school that is not in your neighborhood); you already have a transfer and your child has poor behavior issues that you have not been willing to work with the school on.


Very helpful. Thanks.

If you don't get in the first time you can keep trying, just repeat the process above. You can continue to check in with the Principal during the year to see if spaces become available and if so, transfer in then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what private school did they send the kids to?

Alexandria Country Day School is also popular with Alexandria CIty's upper middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what private school did they send the kids to?

Alexandria Country Day School is also popular with Alexandria CIty's upper middle class.

Not really. The only families we know who go there arent able to get into a better ACPS public for one reason or another and aren't eligible for parochial. It's expensive and not terrific. They are always advertising on the neighborhood parents list servers and seem to have a pretty liberal admissions policy. Expensive school with the price of SSSAS or Burgundy but nowhere near the resources. I would take LCTA, Barrett, Maury, Mason over ACDS any day!