Jamestown, Taylor, and Nottingham

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many Jamestown parents left for private. If you can afford it, please avoid APS. It’s going down hill fast.

Why do you think that is? The overcrowding at the schools? Are they unable to attract good teachers? Is the entire system just poorly run?

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Because school ended 3/13/20. We are at nottingham, and kids had zero new instruction until September 2020. Nothing. Teachers were told they would be fired if they taught new info. So many people who had to work full time and deal with kids home full time and could afford it decided to go private. Nottingham lost about 20% I’d guess. Not everyone in arlington is dcum poor making $300k. Many make $500k or $1m so paying for private is another form of childcare, abd they want their kids to actually learn things. So, the money is worth it to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’m delighted people are pulling kids out and going to private because it means small class size for me!

But that’s not really how it works out. If they allow 25 in a class and the school loses 100 kids, there are STILL 25 in a class. There are just 4 fewer classes. I’m a teacher at another N Arl elementary and our school overall is the smallest it’s been in years. Yet I have the largest class I’ve had since 2016 this year.

True. Last year my kids had 18-20 kids in their classes. Now, they each have 25 and every grade in the school lost an entire class. Instead of 4 fourth grades, we now have 3 for each grade across the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’m delighted people are pulling kids out and going to private because it means small class size for me!

But that’s not really how it works out. If they allow 25 in a class and the school loses 100 kids, there are STILL 25 in a class. There are just 4 fewer classes. I’m a teacher at another N Arl elementary and our school overall is the smallest it’s been in years. Yet I have the largest class I’ve had since 2016 this year.

Exactly, and if it’s sustained they’ll start moving countywide programs there to fill the school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nottingham family here. New to the school in an early grade. There’s almost no diversity. I can’t even say what minority we are bc it might out me lol. I grew up in a non diverse school so it dies t bother me too much. What does bother me is that for all the “we don’t teach CRT in VA” stuff, my very young child seems to have learned a lot about race this January- far beyond the legacy of Dr. King. I don’t really care for it- he’s never had to think about race before and I don’t need him internalizing that there’s a legacy of treating people like him differently/badly. On the other hand, he’s learned about some inventors of color and was very inspired by that - that was nice and I do love to see in the classroom that there is a focus on highlighting the contributions of people of color and normalizing that people of color have made immense contributions in our history as a nation.

Class-size has been fantastic. Teacher has been fantastic. Kid has an IEP and the team has been fantastic. Principal knows me by name. Extended day has been fantastic. They seem to be reading, coding robots, and learning fractions. With the exception of reading, I did none of this in first grade so I am pretty impressed with them.

I’m delighted people are pulling kids out and going to private because it means small class size for me!

I have met snobby people at my bus stop, but in our classroom I have not met any snobby people. Fundraiser seem to be “eat here tonight and some money will go to the PTA” kind of things. The school just did a really nice STEAM night. Nottingham is the place to see and be seen when snow comes. All the kids are at the sledding hill. So far there seems to be a great community, at least in our grade. I’m very happy we are here.

+1. We are very happy with Nottingham! ESP with IEP team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nottingham family here. New to the school in an early grade. There’s almost no diversity. I can’t even say what minority we are bc it might out me lol. I grew up in a non diverse school so it dies t bother me too much. What does bother me is that for all the “we don’t teach CRT in VA” stuff, my very young child seems to have learned a lot about race this January- far beyond the legacy of Dr. King. I don’t really care for it- he’s never had to think about race before and I don’t need him internalizing that there’s a legacy of treating people like him differently/badly. On the other hand, he’s learned about some inventors of color and was very inspired by that - that was nice and I do love to see in the classroom that there is a focus on highlighting the contributions of people of color and normalizing that people of color have made immense contributions in our history as a nation.

Class-size has been fantastic. Teacher has been fantastic. Kid has an IEP and the team has been fantastic. Principal knows me by name. Extended day has been fantastic. They seem to be reading, coding robots, and learning fractions. With the exception of reading, I did none of this in first grade so I am pretty impressed with them.

I’m delighted people are pulling kids out and going to private because it means small class size for me!

I have met snobby people at my bus stop, but in our classroom I have not met any snobby people. Fundraiser seem to be “eat here tonight and some money will go to the PTA” kind of things. The school just did a really nice STEAM night. Nottingham is the place to see and be seen when snow comes. All the kids are at the sledding hill. So far there seems to be a great community, at least in our grade. I’m very happy we are here.

We are also new to NES in an early grade and I agree that theteachers and community have been great and welcoming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m delighted people are pulling kids out and going to private because it means small class size for me!

But that’s not really how it works out. If they allow 25 in a class and the school loses 100 kids, there are STILL 25 in a class. There are just 4 fewer classes. I’m a teacher at another N Arl elementary and our school overall is the smallest it’s been in years. Yet I have the largest class I’ve had since 2016 this year.

True. Last year my kids had 18-20 kids in their classes. Now, they each have 25 and every grade in the school lost an entire class. Instead of 4 fourth grades, we now have 3 for each grade across the board.

+1

It took classes getting to 27 students in 1st grade this year to get approval for an additional teacher at our school. The school itself is not crowded, but that doesn't mean that classrooms are half empty. They don't allow that to happen.