Is there really nothing "specialized" about the HB curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

DP. We got it, Boomer. You got yours on someone else’s dime, and you’ll be damned if you’re going to spend your own dime on someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

If you want to play APS historian, Yorktown used to be considered one of the three most elite publics in the region, along with Walt Whitman and Langley. That’s far from the case today. It doesn’t even crack the top 10.

[Anonymous]

Yorktown isn't a bad school. Not by any means.
Say we need a second he because it's not fair that there is more demand than seats. That makes sense. Having it be co-located with Arlington tech makes sense too-- it might attract more kids to Arlington tech if it's slightly larger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yorktown isn't a bad school. Not by any means.
Say we need a second he because it's not fair that there is more demand than seats. That makes sense. Having it be co-located with Arlington tech makes sense too-- it might attract more kids to Arlington tech if it's slightly larger.

HB and Arlington Tech would be separate programs, so I can’t see a bunch of kids flocking to AT to get backdoor access to HB. If anything, I wonder if HB’s presence might alienate some of the kids who otherwise would be interested in AT if they feel like they may be marginalized within the space in favor of HB students.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if the HB program is "specialized", but we know that the program is "special".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

If you want to play APS historian, Yorktown used to be considered one of the three most elite publics in the region, along with Walt Whitman and Langley. That’s far from the case today. It doesn’t even crack the top 10.

Up until the early 70s the top two DC area public schools were B-CC and W-L. It was like that for decades. Times change, but all these schools are still good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

If you want to play APS historian, Yorktown used to be considered one of the three most elite publics in the region, along with Walt Whitman and Langley. That’s far from the case today. It doesn’t even crack the top 10.

Up until the early 70s the top two DC area public schools were B-CC and W-L. It was like that for decades. Times change, but all these schools are still good.

“The system is just as good now at it was then.” Obviously not, whether the comparison is to the 1960s or to the 1980s. There are at least a dozen public schools in the region now better than Yorktown and W-L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

If you want to play APS historian, Yorktown used to be considered one of the three most elite publics in the region, along with Walt Whitman and Langley. That’s far from the case today. It doesn’t even crack the top 10.

Up until the early 70s the top two DC area public schools were B-CC and W-L. It was like that for decades. Times change, but all these schools are still good.

“The system is just as good now at it was then.” Obviously not, whether the comparison is to the 1960s or to the 1980s. There are at least a dozen public schools in the region now better than Yorktown and W-L.

Not as good in what sense? In the sense that they might not be the absolute best in a region that has more than doubled in population in the 1960s and has 2 million more people than 1990? Yorktown was even opened until the early 60s -- ironically, in a converted elementary school to reduce overcrowding at W-L -- and Langley didn't open for a few years later.

W-L, obviously, has gone through a dramatic demographic shift over the years. But it still performs very, very well given the population that it has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We put four kids all the way through APS, two at HB and two at their neighborhood high school. Our youngest graduated nearly a decade ago. Irate parents made the same arguments that you all are making now -- it's not fair, they need to expand, blah blah blah. Nothing ever changes. The fact is, all of our kids got good educations, went to good colleges, and turned out fine. I guarantee that, a decade from now, you are all going to laugh about how much time you wasted worrying about such trivial -- and, I have to say, snowflake -- stuff. Take a deep breath . . .

Weird post, seeing as how you’re judging others for wanting the same snowflake option—HB—you wanted years ago.

+1 but keep judging others if it makes you feel better.

You're missing my point. All I'm saying is that I had kids who applied to HB and didn't get in -- and they went on to the neighborhood high school and did just fine. I didn't demand that the county expand the program or build a second HB. HB is not a panacea, and Arlington's neighborhood schools are all first-rate. You're lucky to have such "problems."

What you are completely missing, is that the neighborhood schools are not the same anymore, or will not be the same in 10 years from now, as they were when your kids went through.

How, exactly? They offer the same classes that they always have -- if anything, they're more rigorous -- and the test scores are the same as they've always been. I can't see how, by any quantifiable measure, they're not just as good as they've long been. Sure, there's an overcrowding issue. But one way or another they're figure it out. And remember, when our kids went through all of the neighborhood high schools (and HB) were in buildings that were decades old and well past their useful lives.

The sky is not falling in Arlington, I assure you.

Older, but functional, buildings with far fewer students. Exactly which part of this do you not comprehend?

Which part don't YOU comprehend? I acknowledged that there are overcrowding issues. That happens in APS from time to time. Happened when we were there. Functional buildings? W-L was 70 years old, falling apart, and overcrowded in our era. Yorktown was a converted elementary school from the 1940s and was also overcrowded, and don't get me started on Wakefield, What, do you think when these bulldings were replaced they weren't replaced with bigger and more space efficient buildings?

And what about test scores, class offerings, and college acceptances. I see you have no comeback to any of that.

Again, by any quantifiable measure the system is just as good now as it was then. White people problems . . .

If you want to play APS historian, Yorktown used to be considered one of the three most elite publics in the region, along with Walt Whitman and Langley. That’s far from the case today. It doesn’t even crack the top 10.

Up until the early 70s the top two DC area public schools were B-CC and W-L. It was like that for decades. Times change, but all these schools are still good.

I agree with this. Demographics changed, and the challenges are greater. But the fundamentals are still very strong, and these schools are all excellent. I guarantee you, for example, that UVA isn't isn't favoring Langley kids over Yorktown or W-L kids.

[Anonymous]

I agree with this. Demographics changed, and the challenges are greater. But the fundamentals are still very strong, and these schools are all excellent. I guarantee you, for example, that UVA isn't isn't favoring Langley kids over Yorktown or W-L kids.

guarantee you they are favoring all of those kids over Wakefield

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yorktown isn't a bad school. Not by any means.
Say we need a second he because it's not fair that there is more demand than seats. That makes sense. Having it be co-located with Arlington tech makes sense too-- it might attract more kids to Arlington tech if it's slightly larger.

HB and Arlington Tech would be separate programs, so I can’t see a bunch of kids flocking to AT to get backdoor access to HB. If anything, I wonder if HB’s presence might alienate some of the kids who otherwise would be interested in AT if they feel like they may be marginalized within the space in favor of HB students.

One of the criticisms Ive heard of AT is that they are having a hard time attracting girls. Pairing it with another choice program might dilute that since they could potentially have combined extracurriculars and combined common spaces/lunchtime with hb 2. I don’t know if they would feel marginalized necessarily, but I don’t have kids in high school currently so I’m not sure.