Jefferson Houston alternatives

[Anonymous]

I'm beginning to look at schools for my DD- we have a few years- she is 1.5. We are zoned for JH, so for those in the same boat, where do you send your child instead? We are open to private. We are actually closer to Maury- for those who have transferred how hard was it/what is involved?

[Anonymous]

OP, read the long thread titled ACPS transfer process: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/453767.page

also read the thread on Jeff Houston.

It is difficult to transfer out of JH to Maury because of the history and issues surroundinG JH.

I would consider privates as a back-up plan. Alexandria Country Day is a wonderful K-8. Grace Episcopal only goes through 5th grade, but is also a good school.

[Anonymous]

We were zoned for JH. We moved. Of the group that started with babies in my old neighborhood 5 years ago, one family got their kid in another ACPS school (not at a all easy anymore), two went private, and four others besides us moved.

[Anonymous]

Acps will be redistricting next year. You may want to see how that plays out. The JH boundaries will likely shift and that will hopefully improve the school. You have a few years to see.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP, wait to see what happens with redistricting. Definitely keep up on the news on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP, wait to see what happens with redistricting. Definitely keep up on the news on this.

+1 PPs are correct. You've got time to see how this plays out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, read the long thread titled ACPS transfer process: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/453767.page

also read the thread on Jeff Houston.

It is difficult to transfer out of JH to Maury because of the history and issues surroundinG JH.

I would consider privates as a back-up plan. Alexandria Country Day is a wonderful K-8. Grace Episcopal only goes through 5th grade, but is also a good school.

Country Day is an expensive, mediocre alternative. But if I were facing J-H, I'd find the $30,000 tuition somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP, wait to see what happens with redistricting. Definitely keep up on the news on this.

+1 PPs are correct. You've got time to see how this plays out.

There is always some flavor of the month with JH that's going to fix everything. It's exhausting. The new building and redistricting might help. But for a 1.5 year old, you have 4 years. The chances of redistricting happening and significant improvement in 4 years? I don't see it.

OP, look into St Stephens St Agnes too if you're open to private.

[Anonymous]

You will know about redistricting by Feb. or March next year. See how that plays out, but no harm in saving for private if you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Country Day is an expensive, mediocre alternative. But if I were facing J-H, I'd find the $30,000 tuition somewhere.

As an education expert who looked at Alexandria Country Day for her own children, I have to disagree with your characterization of the school as "mediocre." Pedagogically, they are very strong, and there is no other private in Alexandria that is as good at differentiation.

We chose not to attend for other reasons, but if we had decided to go private, we would have chosen ACDS.

[Anonymous]

We were lucky enough to transfer into a better ACPS public, but we applied to St. Stephens and St. Agnes, Burgundy Farm, St. Mary's, St. Rita's, and Blessed Sacrament, just in case (DC was accepted at all). Otherwise we would have moved.

FWIW, we did not apply to Alexandria Country Day. It costs the same as SSSAS and Burgundy but has neither the facilities nor academics of either. Plus ACDS is always trolling the Del Ray and Old Town Moms list servers trying to seek out applicants. They clearly are not competitive and need students. So it might be a good fit for a wealthy family who can afford $30k/year for private, but whose kids didn't get accepted to SSSAS or Burgundy. That was the vibe we got. Would not select ACDS over a good public like Lyles-Crouch or Maury, unless I had money to burn and insisted that my child be in "private" for whatever reason. It's a nice school but not academically better than public and certainly not worth the price. I would take it over Jefferson Houston but not after SSSAS, Burgundy, Browne, the Catholics, or good public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were lucky enough to transfer into a better ACPS public, but we applied to St. Stephens and St. Agnes, Burgundy Farm, St. Mary's, St. Rita's, and Blessed Sacrament, just in case (DC was accepted at all). Otherwise we would have moved.

FWIW, we did not apply to Alexandria Country Day. It costs the same as SSSAS and Burgundy but has neither the facilities nor academics of either. Plus ACDS is always trolling the Del Ray and Old Town Moms list servers trying to seek out applicants. They clearly are not competitive and need students. So it might be a good fit for a wealthy family who can afford $30k/year for private, but whose kids didn't get accepted to SSSAS or Burgundy. That was the vibe we got. Would not select ACDS over a good public like Lyles-Crouch or Maury, unless I had money to burn and insisted that my child be in "private" for whatever reason. It's a nice school but not academically better than public and certainly not worth the price. I would take it over Jefferson Houston but not after SSSAS, Burgundy, Browne, the Catholics, or good public.

PP, it seems you're confusing the physical structures and size of a school with its academics.

I find it amusing that you would characterize it ACDS as a back-up school to SSSAS or Burgundy. Your assessment is so off the mark that I can only conclude that you have no education background. We also looked at SSSAS, Burgundy, and Brown. In terms of academics, I'd rank the. Local privates as follows: ACDS, Burgundy, Grace, SSSAS, Brown.

Burgundy, SSSAS, and Brown have more impressive physical spaces, but that does not mean the teaching is better -- and definitely better than any of the publics in Alexandria City.

As for "trolling" on the listservs, ACDS has a lovely PTA whose members reach out to the community to announce open houses. That's hardly "trolling," and the fact that you would call it that suggests you have a rather mean spirited turn of mind. Actually, the way you describe the school and your overall tone suggests a grudge. Rejected were you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Country Day is an expensive, mediocre alternative. But if I were facing J-H, I'd find the $30,000 tuition somewhere.

As an education expert who looked at Alexandria Country Day for her own children, I have to disagree with your characterization of the school as "mediocre." Pedagogically, they are very strong, and there is no other private in Alexandria that is as good at differentiation.

We chose not to attend for other reasons, but if we had decided to go private, we would have chosen ACDS.

Interesting. As a parent who researched the Alexandria privates I found ACDS to be the one who lacked any clear understanding of the type of education they were offering. It seemed like a public school with a private school label. The Country Day is supposed to imply a progressive type attitude but the school is more traditional but not traditional in the way Grace Episcopal or Immanuel Lutheran are. It seems they just have a mix and it depends on what teacher is assigned and what teaching style they have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Country Day is an expensive, mediocre alternative. But if I were facing J-H, I'd find the $30,000 tuition somewhere.

As an education expert who looked at Alexandria Country Day for her own children, I have to disagree with your characterization of the school as "mediocre." Pedagogically, they are very strong, and there is no other private in Alexandria that is as good at differentiation.

We chose not to attend for other reasons, but if we had decided to go private, we would have chosen ACDS.

Interesting. As a parent who researched the Alexandria privates I found ACDS to be the one who lacked any clear understanding of the type of education they were offering. It seemed like a public school with a private school label. The Country Day is supposed to imply a progressive type attitude but the school is more traditional but not traditional in the way Grace Episcopal or Immanuel Lutheran are. It seems they just have a mix and it depends on what teacher is assigned and what teaching style they have.

PP, the fact that ACDS did not label itself "traditional" or "progressive" confused you? While the progressive education is tied to a specific movement and core values, the label "traditional" carries no standard meaning.

ACDS is child-centered and offers more structure than a progressive, but still responds to individual children's needs and preferences in a way that many "traditional schools," such as SSSAS and Brown do not. Perhaps that blend is why you're confused. Burgundy also outperforms SSSAS and Brown on individualizing instruction.

As for being a public school with a private school label, you're radically mistaken if you think ACDS is similar to a public school. There is no way that you would get the level of individualized instruction in any Alexandria City public school. That's what ACDS parents pay for -- the quality of teaching. Aside from individualized, caring instruction based on each child's needs, the teachers and administration are on top of academic research. ACDS is the ONLY private in the area that has switched to Singapore math.

I admit their physical space is not as impressive as SSSAS, Brown, or Burgundy's, but the actual education the kids receive is hands down better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were lucky enough to transfer into a better ACPS public, but we applied to St. Stephens and St. Agnes, Burgundy Farm, St. Mary's, St. Rita's, and Blessed Sacrament, just in case (DC was accepted at all). Otherwise we would have moved.

FWIW, we did not apply to Alexandria Country Day. It costs the same as SSSAS and Burgundy but has neither the facilities nor academics of either. Plus ACDS is always trolling the Del Ray and Old Town Moms list servers trying to seek out applicants. They clearly are not competitive and need students. So it might be a good fit for a wealthy family who can afford $30k/year for private, but whose kids didn't get accepted to SSSAS or Burgundy. That was the vibe we got. Would not select ACDS over a good public like Lyles-Crouch or Maury, unless I had money to burn and insisted that my child be in "private" for whatever reason. It's a nice school but not academically better than public and certainly not worth the price. I would take it over Jefferson Houston but not after SSSAS, Burgundy, Browne, the Catholics, or good public.

PP, it seems you're confusing the physical structures and size of a school with its academics.

I find it amusing that you would characterize it ACDS as a back-up school to SSSAS or Burgundy. Your assessment is so off the mark that I can only conclude that you have no education background. We also looked at SSSAS, Burgundy, and Brown. In terms of academics, I'd rank the. Local privates as follows: ACDS, Burgundy, Grace, SSSAS, Brown.

Burgundy, SSSAS, and Brown have more impressive physical spaces, but that does not mean the teaching is better -- and definitely better than any of the publics in Alexandria City.

As for "trolling" on the listservs, ACDS has a lovely PTA whose members reach out to the community to announce open houses. That's hardly "trolling," and the fact that you would call it that suggests you have a rather mean spirited turn of mind. Actually, the way you describe the school and your overall tone suggests a grudge. Rejected were you?

This is the PP. As I said, we didn't apply to ACDS so DC wasn't rejected. We just weren't impressed with what ACDS offered for the price. No mean spirit or ill will, just calling it like it is. It's a place where kids go who don't get into other privates. It's the SSSAS backup school, which is fine. But don't inflate it to be more than what it is. The academics just aren't as strong. And neither is the physical space. And FWIW, DC was accepted at every school he applied to. And we still went with a good ACPS public. ACDS is not a strong school in any way. It's not bad. But why pay $30k for kindergarten there when there are other better options, unless you just want your child in any private.