Tell me about Alexandria and South Arlington Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people have a right to be afraid their child isn't maybe getting a great education , or least a comparable education to the kids on the other side of the county. Doesn't mean they don't like diversity, just means they are prioritizing their own child. I'm not clear on how a class with majority impovrished English learners keeps the same pace as schools that are almost 100% rich, native English speakers.
I would love to hear how that works.
There might very well be a negligible difference.

Pretty sure it means they are 1) prioritizing their own child, and 2) they are uncomfortable with the diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people have a right to be afraid their child isn't maybe getting a great education , or least a comparable education to the kids on the other side of the county. Doesn't mean they don't like diversity, just means they are prioritizing their own child. I'm not clear on how a class with majority impovrished English learners keeps the same pace as schools that are almost 100% rich, native English speakers.
I would love to hear how that works.
There might very well be a negligible difference.

Pretty sure it means they are 1) prioritizing their own child, and 2) they are uncomfortable with the diversity.

Your tone suggests you think these are bad things. What's wrong with prioritizing your child? As for diversity, no one I know goes looking for it -- it's way down the list of criteria for most people. It's also hard to define -- what do you mean by diversity? Ideally we'd have a Bennetton ad for a school environment -- but the reality is where there's sharp SES diversity that parallels racial diversity, you end up with a lot more conflict and trouble rather than peace, love and understanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people have a right to be afraid their child isn't maybe getting a great education , or least a comparable education to the kids on the other side of the county. Doesn't mean they don't like diversity, just means they are prioritizing their own child. I'm not clear on how a class with majority impovrished English learners keeps the same pace as schools that are almost 100% rich, native English speakers.
I would love to hear how that works.
There might very well be a negligible difference.

Pretty sure it means they are 1) prioritizing their own child, and 2) they are uncomfortable with the diversity.

I really don't think this is what is happening, at least with regard to your comment about diversity. I think what you're seeing is that parents get burned out. Maybe they no longer have the time or energy to participate at the same level, and they know that if they move, there are more than enough parent resources at most other schools to make up for their not being as involved. At least, that's what I've seen and heard from acquaintances who have moved out of two of the highest poverty school attendance zones (in one case the child is a racial/ethnic minority, so the only type of diversity they were seeking is economic diversity). In fact, I know at least one family that moved within south Arlington to a different school in south Arlington for this reason. It's a lot easier to accomplish the same task when you have four horses pulling a cart rather than just one. I don't mind being a horse right now, because I have the time and the desire to do it. But not everyone does.

[Anonymous]

Didn't ACPS pull out of TJ? Does anyone know why? Genuine question-- not an ACPS bash. But, TJ is located right there and it seems like trying for TJ pushes MS kids academically. So what was the rationale? Or am I just wrong and ACPS does send kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't ACPS pull out of TJ? Does anyone know why? Genuine question-- not an ACPS bash. But, TJ is located right there and it seems like trying for TJ pushes MS kids academically. So what was the rationale? Or am I just wrong and ACPS does send kids?

No, ACPS deliberately does not send kids. Doesn't want to encourage more brain drain than it already has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't ACPS pull out of TJ? Does anyone know why? Genuine question-- not an ACPS bash. But, TJ is located right there and it seems like trying for TJ pushes MS kids academically. So what was the rationale? Or am I just wrong and ACPS does send kids?

No, ACPS deliberately does not send kids. Doesn't want to encourage more brain drain than it already has.

That's a really sad rationale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people have a right to be afraid their child isn't maybe getting a great education , or least a comparable education to the kids on the other side of the county. Doesn't mean they don't like diversity, just means they are prioritizing their own child. I'm not clear on how a class with majority impovrished English learners keeps the same pace as schools that are almost 100% rich, native English speakers.
I would love to hear how that works.
There might very well be a negligible difference.

Pretty sure it means they are 1) prioritizing their own child, and 2) they are uncomfortable with the diversity.

I really don't think this is what is happening, at least with regard to your comment about diversity. I think what you're seeing is that parents get burned out. Maybe they no longer have the time or energy to participate at the same level, and they know that if they move, there are more than enough parent resources at most other schools to make up for their not being as involved. At least, that's what I've seen and heard from acquaintances who have moved out of two of the highest poverty school attendance zones (in one case the child is a racial/ethnic minority, so the only type of diversity they were seeking is economic diversity). In fact, I know at least one family that moved within south Arlington to a different school in south Arlington for this reason. It's a lot easier to accomplish the same task when you have four horses pulling a cart rather than just one. I don't mind being a horse right now, because I have the time and the desire to do it. But not everyone does.

The parents become exhausted how? Tired of being the only volunteers? Always having to chaperone? Just not finding a group of parents that they relate to?I assume you are talking about Carlin Springs and Randolph.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for everyone's input. Some of my favorite places to hang out are south Arlington and Alexandria. We go watch the planes land at gravely point and go get custard At the dairy godmother. I think based on the comments here (esp the person who has kids in acps ans private) I have a lot to think about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very telling that no one has any first hand insight into south Arlington elementaries.

Not really. i'm happy with our South Arlington school, but I'm tired of having to defend it and my choices.

Go visit some schools. You'll figure out what you like and what you don't.

Were you able to observe a class before sending your child?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I was. I got to sit in on all of the kindergarten classes and peek into some other grades, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people have a right to be afraid their child isn't maybe getting a great education , or least a comparable education to the kids on the other side of the county. Doesn't mean they don't like diversity, just means they are prioritizing their own child. I'm not clear on how a class with majority impovrished English learners keeps the same pace as schools that are almost 100% rich, native English speakers.
I would love to hear how that works.
There might very well be a negligible difference.

Pretty sure it means they are 1) prioritizing their own child, and 2) they are uncomfortable with the diversity.

I really don't think this is what is happening, at least with regard to your comment about diversity. I think what you're seeing is that parents get burned out. Maybe they no longer have the time or energy to participate at the same level, and they know that if they move, there are more than enough parent resources at most other schools to make up for their not being as involved. At least, that's what I've seen and heard from acquaintances who have moved out of two of the highest poverty school attendance zones (in one case the child is a racial/ethnic minority, so the only type of diversity they were seeking is economic diversity). In fact, I know at least one family that moved within south Arlington to a different school in south Arlington for this reason. It's a lot easier to accomplish the same task when you have four horses pulling a cart rather than just one. I don't mind being a horse right now, because I have the time and the desire to do it. But not everyone does.

The parents become exhausted how? Tired of being the only volunteers? Always having to chaperone? Just not finding a group of parents that they relate to?I assume you are talking about Carlin Springs and Randolph.

The examples I was using were from Randolph (though this was many years ago) and Barcroft more recently. I don't think Carlin Springs even has a PTA. But yes, tired of being among a handful of volunteers, the only ones attending school community events, nobody coming to their kid's birthday parties when invited, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people have a right to be afraid their child isn't maybe getting a great education , or least a comparable education to the kids on the other side of the county. Doesn't mean they don't like diversity, just means they are prioritizing their own child. I'm not clear on how a class with majority impovrished English learners keeps the same pace as schools that are almost 100% rich, native English speakers.
I would love to hear how that works.
There might very well be a negligible difference.

Pretty sure it means they are 1) prioritizing their own child, and 2) they are uncomfortable with the diversity.

I really don't think this is what is happening, at least with regard to your comment about diversity. I think what you're seeing is that parents get burned out. Maybe they no longer have the time or energy to participate at the same level, and they know that if they move, there are more than enough parent resources at most other schools to make up for their not being as involved. At least, that's what I've seen and heard from acquaintances who have moved out of two of the highest poverty school attendance zones (in one case the child is a racial/ethnic minority, so the only type of diversity they were seeking is economic diversity). In fact, I know at least one family that moved within south Arlington to a different school in south Arlington for this reason. It's a lot easier to accomplish the same task when you have four horses pulling a cart rather than just one. I don't mind being a horse right now, because I have the time and the desire to do it. But not everyone does.

The parents become exhausted how? Tired of being the only volunteers? Always having to chaperone? Just not finding a group of parents that they relate to?I assume you are talking about Carlin Springs and Randolph.

The examples I was using were from Randolph (though this was many years ago) and Barcroft more recently. I don't think Carlin Springs even has a PTA. But yes, tired of being among a handful of volunteers,

the only ones attending school community events, nobody coming to their kid's birthday parties when invited, etc.

My kids were at Campbell until this year and this is simply just not true. Our school events were wonderfully attended and my kids always had friends from school at their birthday parties.

[Anonymous]

^^ Oh, and on the volunteer thing, that is true at every school my children have ever been to. It's ALWAYS the same parents that do everything. That is not just true of S. Arlington schools.

My kids now attend an independent school and it's the same way there...

[Anonymous]

I'm glad to hear your kid has had a good experience at Campbell, but that is a choice school. Of course there is going to be better everything there. More motivated families are going to pursue a spot in a choice school. Even if the farms rate is high there it's not a great comparison.

[Anonymous]

^^^ oh, and of course it's the same parents at every schools doing the volunteering. The difference is at Jamestown it's two dozen parents and at Carlin Springs/Randolph etc - it's two sets of parents.