ACPS High School Academies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they have the A and B days then it should operate like two completely distinct high schools where the A students and the B students never really mix? (The exceptions could just hop on the shuttle.)

If the A and B days are successful they could then transition the model into two completely distinct high schools without too much controversy?

Two distinct high schools will always be controversial. No politician will bring it up since every year will involve people screeching about racism when one school inevitably has lower scores. A and B days as well as wasting student time on shuttles is a desperate solution to avoid two separate schools.

How many cities have two (or more) high schools? This is only controversial because ACPS leadership and city council choose to make it controversial. Inequality CAN be managed. Alexandria chooses not to. The city is not good at doing hard things and avoids them at all costs.

Add to that the UMC parents who knowingly exploit ACHS and it's general population to give their kids a leg up in college applications and a second high school will never happen.

It was about 20 years ago that I was told about "Yale or jail" at ACHS. Alexandrians want to keep the jail part because it helps the Yale part.

[Anonymous]

The inspirational Remember the Titan movie probably has something to do with the city’s current one high school policy. Reopening one or both of the closed high schools like GW or Hammond or building another brand new one funded by new development (at Landmark or National Landing) would undo the unifying legacy of the story.

Hopefully the ACHS academies work out. Albert Einstein HS in Kensington is the only other local high school I can think of that offers numerous academy pathways. It’s a very small high school though at about 1800 students, a majority of them on reduced lunches, but generally high standardized test scores.

[Anonymous]

Why don’t they do lottery schools like Arlington tech and HB Woodlawn? Would prevent some of the segregation. Then they could build a school in west end

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t they do lottery schools like Arlington tech and HB Woodlawn? Would prevent some of the segregation. Then they could build a school in west end

Any lottery schools in Alexandria might just end up becoming exclusively PWI (predominantly white institutions).

If it wasn’t for the movie, and Denzel’s star power and moving performance, ACPS probably would’ve reopened both Hammond and GW as high schools by now.

I do hope the academies work out however. A lot of money was spent on building the new state of the art facility with all the bells and whistles, including a regulation size pool (finally).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The inspirational Remember the Titan movie probably has something to do with the city’s current one high school policy. Reopening one or both of the closed high schools like GW or Hammond or building another brand new one funded by new development (at Landmark or National Landing) would undo the unifying legacy of the story.

Hopefully the ACHS academies work out. Albert Einstein HS in Kensington is the only other local high school I can think of that offers numerous academy pathways. It’s a very small high school though at about 1800 students, a majority of them on reduced lunches, but generally high standardized test scores.

So Alexandria is failing generations of kids because of a 24 year old movie. Sounds exactly like the depth of Alexandria's convictions.

It's funny, that movie (highly fictionalized) was one of the many excuses people gave me over the years NOT to rename TC. I would point out that their high school was named after a racist bigot and the response included so many excuses include a movie.

When it was finally fashionable a few years ago to change the name, those same people had signs outside their houses demanding the school be renamed.

Maybe they'll catch up someday or cave when it becomes unfashionable to have one giant school that fails most of the kids who go there. For now...we have to have it because of a movie or something. Classic Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Let’s not forget another key reason ACPS is determined to keep a single high school: to have as deep a bench as possible for its not-so-great athletics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s not forget another key reason ACPS is determined to keep a single high school: to have as deep a bench as possible for its not-so-great athletics.

So we have one failing dangerous high school because of a decades old movie that mostly fiction and sports. Makes sense. This city does not value education at all.

[Anonymous]

It’s a mess, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a mess, for sure.

If only there was something the voters could do!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a mess, for sure.

If only there was something the voters could do!?

Who has run for school board in recent years that would have fixed this? None come to mind from my recent memory.

[Anonymous]

Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a mess, for sure.

If only there was something the voters could do!?

Who has run for school board in recent years that would have fixed this? None come to mind from my recent memory.

If none come to mind over the last decade...you're part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has there ever been any meaningful effort to push ACPS into allowing students to attend TJHSST? That seems like any obvious solution to some issues. They really should consider it with the launch of these academies.

I read in the paper (back when I was in college) that the city many years ago blocked efforts to consider allowing ACPS students to attend TJHSST. The city wanted to retain the talent within the school system.

I agree that this should be an option for kids in the City.

They may want to retain the talent but they are not offering the high-level classes across the board anymore.

During that debate years ago, a then-school board member had an awful quote about ACPS kids.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-schools-consider-sending-students-to-fairfaxs-thomas-jefferson-high/2013/06/12/48e1068e-d37a-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html

Why should another district's school be an option? Alexandrians made this mess. Fix it yourself.