Thinking about moving, so kids can go to Yorktown for HS instead of Wakefield -- pros? cons?

[Anonymous]

Wakefield also has a fantastic theater program with a partnership with Tony-award winning Signature Theater, so I don't know what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

My son who is at Williamsburg MS told me that a kid who rides his bus was hospitalized for a drug overdose. The bigger problem at Williamsburg and Yorktown is how stretched the resources are. And it's not a problem that will be fixed easily or soon. We're headed to private for HS, but not because of drugs. I'm sure he'll find drugs there too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is possible to keep your kid at Yorktown on the straight and narrow. I have a junior there who has an afterschool job, doesn't participate in sports, and instead is involved in music and the more "cerebral" activities. But the administration doesn't give the same support/emphasis to the nonsport activities as it does to the athletic ones - and, frankly, it's just not seen as "cool" to be on the debate team or Model UN. This is in contrast to other area high schools where those types of activities are popular. I think if more emphasis was given to activities other than the sports teams Yorktown would be a better school.

That seems evident from the sports culture. I had never seen or heard of students Turing their backs on the opposing team, until I moved to Arlington. I was raised in Fairfax county and had a huge sports rivalry and we didn't pull that crap. It's toxic.

I have definitely seen kids at schools in Fairfax turn their backs on players from opposing schools. I've also seen them raise money for cancer research with students from their archrivals or light candles in memory of students from other schools who have passed away. I would not single out any particular incident and then use it as an excuse to label an entire school community "toxic."

Yorktown isn't well known regionally, however, for anything other than its football team 4-5 years ago, and maybe strong swim/dive teams. The overall perception is that, given its demographics, the school punches under its weight.

I was a cheer leader in the 90's at a big FFX sports power house, and never witnessed that behavior. I thought maybe it was a recent trend, but Yorktown alum that are my age confirmed it is a long standing "tradition".
You are right that you can't point to one incident. Sadly, it's not one thing. This year we have seen many things. It made the national news.
It's a bummer for sure. Arlington only has 3 high schools and it seems only 1 really offers a diverse and academically challenging environment. My family lives in south Arlington, and can't afford an acceptable home in bounds for WL. Our money would go much further in the Yorktown zone. We've got years before this is an issue, and school dynamics change, but if was next year? I would be sticking with Wakefield.

I am at Wakefield from Yorktown. The principal at Wakefield really makes a difference of how the student body project itself. People doesn't bother you, there's no entitlement issues. Everyone just mind there own business. Being different does not upset anyone's psyche. My kid told me weed is the issue there, and as mentioned by others, at the other schools pills, alcohol as well as weed are the main drug issues at the other schools. As far as drugs, being a 'poorer' school probably work in Wakefield's advantage. When it comes to sex, all the schools have problems with promiscuity. I call it the Kardashian effect or Paris Hilton effect. From My observation, I think girls are offering themselves to readily to underserving boys.

The hookup culture of college life has filtered down to high school these days. Phone and the available porn through them has changed the landscape for HS kids. I'm not hearing anything on middle school yet, except for few incidence at Williamsburg.

I'm sorry, but the reference to "underserving boys" is a hoot. No wonder Wakefield's SAT scores never cracked 1500 on the 2400 scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is possible to keep your kid at Yorktown on the straight and narrow. I have a junior there who has an afterschool job, doesn't participate in sports, and instead is involved in music and the more "cerebral" activities. But the administration doesn't give the same support/emphasis to the nonsport activities as it does to the athletic ones - and, frankly, it's just not seen as "cool" to be on the debate team or Model UN. This is in contrast to other area high schools where those types of activities are popular. I think if more emphasis was given to activities other than the sports teams Yorktown would be a better school.

That seems evident from the sports culture. I had never seen or heard of students Turing their backs on the opposing team, until I moved to Arlington. I was raised in Fairfax county and had a huge sports rivalry and we didn't pull that crap. It's toxic.

I have definitely seen kids at schools in Fairfax turn their backs on players from opposing schools. I've also seen them raise money for cancer research with students from their archrivals or light candles in memory of students from other schools who have passed away. I would not single out any particular incident and then use it as an excuse to label an entire school community "toxic."

Yorktown isn't well known regionally, however, for anything other than its football team 4-5 years ago, and maybe strong swim/dive teams. The overall perception is that, given its demographics, the school punches under its weight.

I was a cheer leader in the 90's at a big FFX sports power house, and never witnessed that behavior. I thought maybe it was a recent trend, but Yorktown alum that are my age confirmed it is a long standing "tradition".
You are right that you can't point to one incident. Sadly, it's not one thing. This year we have seen many things. It made the national news.
It's a bummer for sure. Arlington only has 3 high schools and it seems only 1 really offers a diverse and academically challenging environment. My family lives in south Arlington, and can't afford an acceptable home in bounds for WL. Our money would go much further in the Yorktown zone. We've got years before this is an issue, and school dynamics change, but if was next year? I would be sticking with Wakefield.

I am at Wakefield from Yorktown. The principal at Wakefield really makes a difference of how the student body project itself. People doesn't bother you, there's no entitlement issues. Everyone just mind there own business. Being different does not upset anyone's psyche. My kid told me weed is the issue there, and as mentioned by others, at the other schools pills, alcohol as well as weed are the main drug issues at the other schools. As far as drugs, being a 'poorer' school probably work in Wakefield's advantage. When it comes to sex, all the schools have problems with promiscuity. I call it the Kardashian effect or Paris Hilton effect. From My observation, I think girls are offering themselves to readily to underserving boys.

The hookup culture of college life has filtered down to high school these days. Phone and the available porn through them has changed the landscape for HS kids. I'm not hearing anything on middle school yet, except for few incidence at Williamsburg.

I'm sorry, but the reference to "underserving boys" is a hoot. No wonder Wakefield's SAT scores never cracked 1500 on the 2400 scale.

I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that the high school experience is not just about test scores around these parts. The drug culture throughout northern va (Loudon co. Is now referred to as heroin highway) is to taken seriously. You seem to just want to stick your head in the sand and make small of the matter. Kids are taking drugs to cope, between pills, alcohol, weed, they're experimenting now the way college aged kids to experiment. What is it about that you don't understand. My kid is doing very well with the APS curriculum but feel less socially stressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is possible to keep your kid at Yorktown on the straight and narrow. I have a junior there who has an afterschool job, doesn't participate in sports, and instead is involved in music and the more "cerebral" activities. But the administration doesn't give the same support/emphasis to the nonsport activities as it does to the athletic ones - and, frankly, it's just not seen as "cool" to be on the debate team or Model UN. This is in contrast to other area high schools where those types of activities are popular. I think if more emphasis was given to activities other than the sports teams Yorktown would be a better school.

That seems evident from the sports culture. I had never seen or heard of students Turing their backs on the opposing team, until I moved to Arlington. I was raised in Fairfax county and had a huge sports rivalry and we didn't pull that crap. It's toxic.

I have definitely seen kids at schools in Fairfax turn their backs on players from opposing schools. I've also seen them raise money for cancer research with students from their archrivals or light candles in memory of students from other schools who have passed away. I would not single out any particular incident and then use it as an excuse to label an entire school community "toxic."

Yorktown isn't well known regionally, however, for anything other than its football team 4-5 years ago, and maybe strong swim/dive teams. The overall perception is that, given its demographics, the school punches under its weight.

I was a cheer leader in the 90's at a big FFX sports power house, and never witnessed that behavior. I thought maybe it was a recent trend, but Yorktown alum that are my age confirmed it is a long standing "tradition".
You are right that you can't point to one incident. Sadly, it's not one thing. This year we have seen many things. It made the national news.
It's a bummer for sure. Arlington only has 3 high schools and it seems only 1 really offers a diverse and academically challenging environment. My family lives in south Arlington, and can't afford an acceptable home in bounds for WL. Our money would go much further in the Yorktown zone. We've got years before this is an issue, and school dynamics change, but if was next year? I would be sticking with Wakefield.

I am at Wakefield from Yorktown. The principal at Wakefield really makes a difference of how the student body project itself. People doesn't bother you, there's no entitlement issues. Everyone just mind there own business. Being different does not upset anyone's psyche. My kid told me weed is the issue there, and as mentioned by others, at the other schools pills, alcohol as well as weed are the main drug issues at the other schools. As far as drugs, being a 'poorer' school probably work in Wakefield's advantage. When it comes to sex, all the schools have problems with promiscuity. I call it the Kardashian effect or Paris Hilton effect. From My observation, I think girls are offering themselves to readily to underserving boys.

The hookup culture of college life has filtered down to high school these days. Phone and the available porn through them has changed the landscape for HS kids. I'm not hearing anything on middle school yet, except for few incidence at Williamsburg.

I'm sorry, but the reference to "underserving boys" is a hoot. No wonder Wakefield's SAT scores never cracked 1500 on the 2400 scale.

I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that the high school experience is not just about test scores around these parts. The drug culture throughout northern va (Loudon co. Is now referred to as heroin highway) is to taken seriously. You seem to just want to stick your head in the sand and make small of the matter. Kids are taking drugs to cope, between pills, alcohol, weed, they're experimenting now the way college aged kids to experiment. What is it about that you don't understand. My kid is doing very well with the APS curriculum but feel less socially stressed.

It's just your weird combination of malapropisms, commentary on broader societal issues, and laudatory references to Wakefield that is so funny.

You could start a new thread that combines a discussion of the war on ISIS, your other kid's great experience at Abingdon or Claremont, and "keeping up with the Joan's."

[Anonymous]

I attended high school in Farifax county in the 90's.

The "drug problem" was occurring back then and there were kids going to residential rehab.

It's not new and it's no more or less accessible today then it was then. I can recall similar news stories back in the day about how in the 90's that it was easier then ever for kids to buy drugs and more kids than ever were going to rehab, etc.

I do not think parents are less involved or less concerned. I do think that all teenagers have less parental involvement in their day to day academic and social lives because that's developmentally appropriate and that parents realize that.

The same people who are saying the parents are uninvolved and too career focused then claim the same parents are too over involved and focused on their snowflake getting advantages come college application time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended high school in Farifax county in the 90's.

The "drug problem" was occurring back then and there were kids going to residential rehab.

It's not new and it's no more or less accessible today then it was then. I can recall similar news stories back in the day about how in the 90's that it was easier then ever for kids to buy drugs and more kids than ever were going to rehab, etc.

I do not think parents are less involved or less concerned. I do think that all teenagers have less parental involvement in their day to day academic and social lives because that's developmentally appropriate and that parents realize that.

The same people who are saying the parents are uninvolved and too career focused then claim the same parents are too over involved and focused on their snowflake getting advantages come college application time.

No, drinking and drugs in high school isn't a new phenomenon. I did both in high school but this is different.

When you were in high school was it known that the best drugs were being sold by the "popular" girls on the sports teams?
Were at least 2 ambulances full of 14 and 15 year old hypothermic kids taken to the hospital following a sports game because they passed out drunk/high in the freezing weather?
Were parents hosting large drinking parties in their homes for their 9th graders so "they can learn how to drink before they get to college"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended high school in Farifax county in the 90's.

The "drug problem" was occurring back then and there were kids going to residential rehab.

It's not new and it's no more or less accessible today then it was then. I can recall similar news stories back in the day about how in the 90's that it was easier then ever for kids to buy drugs and more kids than ever were going to rehab, etc.

I do not think parents are less involved or less concerned. I do think that all teenagers have less parental involvement in their day to day academic and social lives because that's developmentally appropriate and that parents realize that.

The same people who are saying the parents are uninvolved and too career focused then claim the same parents are too over involved and focused on their snowflake getting advantages come college application time.

No, drinking and drugs in high school isn't a new phenomenon. I did both in high school but this is different.

When you were in high school was it known that the best drugs were being sold by the "popular" girls on the sports teams?
Were at least 2 ambulances full of 14 and 15 year old hypothermic kids taken to the hospital following a sports game because they passed out drunk/high in the freezing weather?
Were parents hosting large drinking parties in their homes for their 9th graders so "they can learn how to drink before they get to college"?

I agree that it's different today. The drugs are different and access to them is far too easy. We also know a lot more today than we did even 10 years ago about the impact that drugs and alcohol have on teen brain development. It's very unfortunate that so many parents take this casual attitude toward this issue but hey, I guess it's easier to just let your kids drink, do drugs, and do whatever else they want than it is to proactively parent your kids. A problem we've seen at Yorktown is not just the number of kids as young as freshman year drinking and doing drugs regularly, but the fact that this activity appears to be the centerpiece of their weekly lives. It's not the occasional have a few beers and hit a joint at a party on the weekend -- it's every weekend and, for many of these kids, it's school days as well. And when they're not doing it, they're talking about it, planning it.

I didn't grow up in the area, so it's hard for me to compare Yorktown today to where it has been historically, but I have to imagine that the school is not at its high point, from a reputation standpoint or otherwise. Yes, some kids may get into some good colleges from Yorktown every year but, as a whole, we haven't been very impressed with the level of teaching. As far as athletics go, for a school that puts so much emphasis on them (I agree with others that, unfortunately, extracuriculars outside of sports are viewed as "not cool"), it's shocking how mediocre-to-poor the Patriots are year after year. And I agree with others who say that the environment at the school is less than welcoming. My white child, who has lived a privileged life in many ways, believes the environment is toxic and unfriendly, so I can't even imagine how people of other races/ethnicities, and people with less "mainstream for North Arlington" lifestyle and political views feel there.

In short, though we did it, the idea of spending more money on a house in North Arlington so your children can attend the Williamsburg-Yorktown tree seems absolutely insane now that we have some hindsight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended high school in Farifax county in the 90's.

The "drug problem" was occurring back then and there were kids going to residential rehab.

It's not new and it's no more or less accessible today then it was then. I can recall similar news stories back in the day about how in the 90's that it was easier then ever for kids to buy drugs and more kids than ever were going to rehab, etc.

I do not think parents are less involved or less concerned. I do think that all teenagers have less parental involvement in their day to day academic and social lives because that's developmentally appropriate and that parents realize that.

The same people who are saying the parents are uninvolved and too career focused then claim the same parents are too over involved and focused on their snowflake getting advantages come college application time.

No, drinking and drugs in high school isn't a new phenomenon. I did both in high school but this is different.

When you were in high school was it known that the best drugs were being sold by the "popular" girls on the sports teams?
Were at least 2 ambulances full of 14 and 15 year old hypothermic kids taken to the hospital following a sports game because they passed out drunk/high in the freezing weather?
Were parents hosting large drinking parties in their homes for their 9th graders so "they can learn how to drink before they get to college"?

I agree that it's different today. The drugs are different and access to them is far too easy. We also know a lot more today than we did even 10 years ago about the impact that drugs and alcohol have on teen brain development. It's very unfortunate that so many parents take this casual attitude toward this issue but hey, I guess it's easier to just let your kids drink, do drugs, and do whatever else they want than it is to proactively parent your kids. A problem we've seen at Yorktown is not just the number of kids as young as freshman year drinking and doing drugs regularly, but the fact that this activity appears to be the centerpiece of their weekly lives. It's not the occasional have a few beers and hit a joint at a party on the weekend -- it's every weekend and, for many of these kids, it's school days as well. And when they're not doing it, they're talking about it, planning it.

I didn't grow up in the area, so it's hard for me to compare Yorktown today to where it has been historically, but I have to imagine that the school is not at its high point, from a reputation standpoint or otherwise. Yes, some kids may get into some good colleges from Yorktown every year but, as a whole, we haven't been very impressed with the level of teaching. As far as athletics go, for a school that puts so much emphasis on them (I agree with others that, unfortunately, extracuriculars outside of sports are viewed as "not cool"), it's shocking how mediocre-to-poor the Patriots are year after year. And I agree with others who say that the environment at the school is less than welcoming. My white child, who has lived a privileged life in many ways, believes the environment is toxic and unfriendly, so I can't even imagine how people of other races/ethnicities, and people with less "mainstream for North Arlington" lifestyle and political views feel there.

In short, though we did it, the idea of spending more money on a house in North Arlington so your children can attend the Williamsburg-Yorktown tree seems absolutely insane now that we have some hindsight.

Did you child transfer out of YHS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended high school in Farifax county in the 90's.

The "drug problem" was occurring back then and there were kids going to residential rehab.

It's not new and it's no more or less accessible today then it was then. I can recall similar news stories back in the day about how in the 90's that it was easier then ever for kids to buy drugs and more kids than ever were going to rehab, etc.

I do not think parents are less involved or less concerned. I do think that all teenagers have less parental involvement in their day to day academic and social lives because that's developmentally appropriate and that parents realize that.

The same people who are saying the parents are uninvolved and too career focused then claim the same parents are too over involved and focused on their snowflake getting advantages come college application time.

No, drinking and drugs in high school isn't a new phenomenon. I did both in high school but this is different.

When you were in high school was it known that the best drugs were being sold by the "popular" girls on the sports teams?
Were at least 2 ambulances full of 14 and 15 year old hypothermic kids taken to the hospital following a sports game because they passed out drunk/high in the freezing weather?
Were parents hosting large drinking parties in their homes for their 9th graders so "they can learn how to drink before they get to college"?

I agree that it's different today. The drugs are different and access to them is far too easy. We also know a lot more today than we did even 10 years ago about the impact that drugs and alcohol have on teen brain development. It's very unfortunate that so many parents take this casual attitude toward this issue but hey, I guess it's easier to just let your kids drink, do drugs, and do whatever else they want than it is to proactively parent your kids. A problem we've seen at Yorktown is not just the number of kids as young as freshman year drinking and doing drugs regularly, but the fact that this activity appears to be the centerpiece of their weekly lives. It's not the occasional have a few beers and hit a joint at a party on the weekend -- it's every weekend and, for many of these kids, it's school days as well. And when they're not doing it, they're talking about it, planning it.

I didn't grow up in the area, so it's hard for me to compare Yorktown today to where it has been historically, but I have to imagine that the school is not at its high point, from a reputation standpoint or otherwise. Yes, some kids may get into some good colleges from Yorktown every year but, as a whole, we haven't been very impressed with the level of teaching. As far as athletics go, for a school that puts so much emphasis on them (I agree with others that, unfortunately, extracuriculars outside of sports are viewed as "not cool"), it's shocking how mediocre-to-poor the Patriots are year after year. And I agree with others who say that the environment at the school is less than welcoming. My white child, who has lived a privileged life in many ways, believes the environment is toxic and unfriendly, so I can't even imagine how people of other races/ethnicities, and people with less "mainstream for North Arlington" lifestyle and political views feel there.

In short, though we did it, the idea of spending more money on a house in North Arlington so your children can attend the Williamsburg-Yorktown tree seems absolutely insane now that we have some hindsight.

Well into the 1980s, Langley, Yorktown and Whitman used to be the high schools in the DC region with the highest academic profiles. That's no longer the case. FCPS opened TJ and expanded its AAP program, ensuring that other high schools besides TJ would also have a lot of hard-working kids who had aimed high. Meanwhile, APS allowed W-L to offer both AP and IB, while limiting Yorktown to AP.

Over time, Yorktown developed a reputation as a school for rich white families who didn't want their kids to work too hard or compete with Asian kids. Of course, there are some smart kids there who do work very hard and do well, but they don't define the school like they used to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without getting into Wakefield vs. Yorktown or other options, Arlington will currently let you do this for free. If you are about to be at the high school years, you can just apply to transfer and have your DC transported to Yorktown.

https://www.apsva.us/school-options/high-school-choices/ - and check the waiver, neither Wakefield nor Yorktown is close to 120%. No guarantees about five years from now.

That sounds like an awesome option, your child can spend an excessive amount of time traveling to and from school every day, and then be no where near his friends during non-school hours.

Hey retard. Arlington is 26 square miles. No one is commuting all day anywhere.

Don't take advice from this hateful idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended high school in Farifax county in the 90's.

The "drug problem" was occurring back then and there were kids going to residential rehab.

It's not new and it's no more or less accessible today then it was then. I can recall similar news stories back in the day about how in the 90's that it was easier then ever for kids to buy drugs and more kids than ever were going to rehab, etc.

I do not think parents are less involved or less concerned. I do think that all teenagers have less parental involvement in their day to day academic and social lives because that's developmentally appropriate and that parents realize that.

The same people who are saying the parents are uninvolved and too career focused then claim the same parents are too over involved and focused on their snowflake getting advantages come college application time.

No, drinking and drugs in high school isn't a new phenomenon. I did both in high school but this is different.

When you were in high school was it known that the best drugs were being sold by the "popular" girls on the sports teams?
Were at least 2 ambulances full of 14 and 15 year old hypothermic kids taken to the hospital following a sports game because they passed out drunk/high in the freezing weather?
Were parents hosting large drinking parties in their homes for their 9th graders so "they can learn how to drink before they get to college"?

I went to Woodson in the 90s and kids were routinely high at school. There were large drinking parties parents turned a blind eye to. I would've had an easier time getting LSD or coke in HS than at any other time in my life.

[Anonymous]

^^^ I think it tends to vary by school. I went to a well-known private (whether it qualifies as Big3 I'll leave to another thread) in DC in the 90s and was sufficiently aware of the social scene to know that it was dominated by alcohol, some weed, not a ton of other drugs though there were some. As I learned when I got to college, lots of other high schools were quite different and coke/pills/acid were common as the Woodson poster said. It has always seemed to me to depend primarily on school culture, and that varies from school to school and can change over time.

It also seems to me that access to pills is a lot easier now because more adults are taking them. Certainly there are more manufactured and in circulation. They trickle down to kids pretty easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Without getting into Wakefield vs. Yorktown or other options, Arlington will currently let you do this for free. If you are about to be at the high school years, you can just apply to transfer and have your DC transported to Yorktown.

https://www.apsva.us/school-options/high-school-choices/ - and check the waiver, neither Wakefield nor Yorktown is close to 120%. No guarantees about five years from now.

That sounds like an awesome option, your child can spend an excessive amount of time traveling to and from school every day, and then be no where near his friends during non-school hours.

Hey retard. Arlington is 26 square miles. No one is commuting all day anywhere.

Don't take advice from this hateful idiot.

Even a hateful idiot isn't trying to pretend Arlington is some expansive, rural farmland.

[Anonymous]

As a YHS parent, I think some of this is driven by grade inflation. Parents see their kids doing well and think everything is great...no need to pay attention since junior is getting As and Bs. That's probably half the school.