Who sends their kid to Wakefield HS? Is it really that bad?

[Anonymous]

Given that Yorktown and W-L are now nearly as low as Wakefield in the GS ratings, I am starting to re-consider S Arlington for our next move. Seems like N Arlington isn't really worth it anymore. Wakefield looks like it is swinging up, while the others are swinging down.

[Anonymous]

If you are white and rich you kid will do fine. If you are Latino and don't speak English, then probably not

[Anonymous]

We were zoned their and our neighbors sent their kids. They all really have no complaints. Middle school was a different story where one had a rough time with her NA friends making disparaging remarks about her future attendance at W

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are white and rich you kid will do fine. If you are Latino and don't speak English, then probably not

If you're white or Asians and rich, send your kids to Langley or McLean
HS, they will do fine there.

[Anonymous]

All the middle class people I’ve met who sent their kids to Wakefield have kids at UVA, or comparable schools.

I understand paying more for metro, but not for schools. Not a great return on that investment.

[Anonymous]

We are a W-L family. Tried to get my kid to transfer there, but he didn't want to.

Pretty much everyone I know in Arlington is reasonably happy with their school -- including the Wakefield families.

No. It is not "THAT BAD" and unlike W-L, not so terribly crowded.

[Anonymous]

There really isn’t any group at Wakefield, including white kids, that performs well. But Arlington parents at other schools don’t want further redistricting, so they’ll sing its praises until there is a chance - as was recently the case with Arlington Forest - they might get moved there. Then they come up with all sorts of reasons why they should stay where they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There really isn’t any group at Wakefield, including white kids, that performs well. But Arlington parents at other schools don’t want further redistricting, so they’ll sing its praises until there is a chance - as was recently the case with Arlington Forest - they might get moved there. Then they come up with all sorts of reasons why they should stay where they are.

+1

[Anonymous]

Wakefield? Are you kidding me? Have you seen the new school? It is gorgeous - indoor pool, you name it. WAY better than anything in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wakefield? Are you kidding me? Have you seen the new school? It is gorgeous - indoor pool, you name it. WAY better than anything in Fairfax County.

Eastern HS in DC has a beautiful building, too, but the academics there are also sub-par, just like at Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

We moved out of Arlington for better schools. The fact that Arlington made its high schools double as rec centers was not a plus in our book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given that Yorktown and W-L are now nearly as low as Wakefield in the GS ratings, I am starting to re-consider S Arlington for our next move. Seems like N Arlington isn't really worth it anymore. Wakefield looks like it is swinging up, while the others are swinging down.

I feel the exact same way, OP.

Remember when TC Williams (in Alexandria) was considered just terrible? Now it's "Yale or Jail," a phrase that is pretty offensive to the "jail" contingent but does capture something about the split in student performance. Wakefield is definitely headed in that direction, with a strong group of UMC students that perform well, while Yorktown and W-L are overcrowded and overvalued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that Yorktown and W-L are now nearly as low as Wakefield in the GS ratings, I am starting to re-consider S Arlington for our next move. Seems like N Arlington isn't really worth it anymore. Wakefield looks like it is swinging up, while the others are swinging down.

I feel the exact same way, OP.

Remember when TC Williams (in Alexandria) was considered just terrible? Now it's "Yale or Jail," a phrase that is pretty offensive to the "jail" contingent but does capture something about the split in student performance. Wakefield is definitely headed in that direction, with a strong group of UMC students that perform well, while Yorktown and W-L are overcrowded and overvalued.

The "Yail or Jail" phrase has been around for decades to describe TC Williams. It's not applicable to Wakefield, which doesn't get nearly as many UMC kids as TC Williams or have as many students who end up in the court system. It's just a lower middle-class school that's primarily for the children of immigrants, with a huge ESOL population that needs to acquire basic skills. The number of high-achieving kids there is very small compared to Yorktown, W-L or TC Williams, and APS refuses to redistrict to change the dynamic there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that Yorktown and W-L are now nearly as low as Wakefield in the GS ratings, I am starting to re-consider S Arlington for our next move. Seems like N Arlington isn't really worth it anymore. Wakefield looks like it is swinging up, while the others are swinging down.

I feel the exact same way, OP.

Remember when TC Williams (in Alexandria) was considered just terrible? Now it's "Yale or Jail," a phrase that is pretty offensive to the "jail" contingent but does capture something about the split in student performance. Wakefield is definitely headed in that direction, with a strong group of UMC students that perform well, while Yorktown and W-L are overcrowded and overvalued.

The "Yail or Jail" phrase has been around for decades to describe TC Williams. It's not applicable to Wakefield, which doesn't get nearly as many UMC kids as TC Williams or have as many students who end up in the court system. It's just a lower middle-class school that's primarily for the children of immigrants, with a huge ESOL population that needs to acquire basic skills. The number of high-achieving kids there is very small compared to Yorktown, W-L or TC Williams, and APS refuses to redistrict to change the dynamic there.

Yes, that's why I said Wakefield was "headed in that direction." There are plenty of kids at Wakefield who don't even go to college; but of those who do, the admissions numbers are inching closer to other Arlington schools (which frankly, are not that impressive in the first place, and as the OP said, are highly oversold).

[Anonymous]

Friends' kid goes there. First year. LOVING it. Came from Catholic school, so obviously a big change in culture and size. (White). Parents are loving not paying tuition and kids' grades are great.