Anyone had kids in both north Arlington and south Arlington schools?

[Anonymous]

I’m interested in a school to school comparison from people who have had kids at both (not by reputation or great schools rating). I know the north Arlington schools are supposed to be better, but I wonder whether anyone who has attended both can weigh in. I have a friend whose daughter went to both, and they liked the diversity and lack of competitiveness (less of a pressure cooker) at their south Arlington school. So I’m curious...

[Anonymous]

Everyone with kids at Long Branch? We're fine.

[Anonymous]

It's true; the county separates it's staff into "good" and "not good" designations and forces south county admins to only hire from the "not good" list.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s a myth that South Arlington schools are less competitive or less pressure. Maybe that’s true in immigrant communities but demographically there isn’t much difference between the upper middle class whites who live in the even versus odd zip codes. The majority tend to be type As who were drawn to DC. There is very little chill in Arlington in this demographic. Maybe the evens resent the odds a little bit for having a more homogeneously achievement-oriented cohort in many of the odd zip code schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s a myth that South Arlington schools are less competitive or less pressure. Maybe that’s true in immigrant communities but demographically there isn’t much difference between the upper middle class whites who live in the even versus odd zip codes. The majority tend to be type As who were drawn to DC. There is very little chill in Arlington in this demographic. Maybe the evens resent the odds a little bit for having a more homogeneously achievement-oriented cohort in many of the odd zip code schools.

There's a huge diff. South Arlington parents are anxious about basics: getting their kid a decent education in schools focused on needy populations. In NA that is a nonissue and parents are focused on getting "the best" of everything for their kids and have the money to do it.

[Anonymous]

Here we go again. I guess the 70 page thread on NA/SA (on page 4) and the 20 page thread on NA/SA (on page 1) weren''t enough (sign).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here we go again. I guess the 70 page thread on NA/SA (on page 4) and the 20 page thread on NA/SA (on page 1) weren''t enough (sign).

that should be "sigh", not "sign"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's true; the county separates it's staff into "good" and "not good" designations and forces south county admins to only hire from the "not good" list.

That's a bunch of BS. Teachers are excellent in SA schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s a myth that South Arlington schools are less competitive or less pressure. Maybe that’s true in immigrant communities but demographically there isn’t much difference between the upper middle class whites who live in the even versus odd zip codes. The majority tend to be type As who were drawn to DC. There is very little chill in Arlington in this demographic. Maybe the evens resent the odds a little bit for having a more homogeneously achievement-oriented cohort in many of the odd zip code schools.

Unfortunately, it seems the OP is getting responses primarily from NA people commenting on SA. And from my SA experience, it sounds like those NA people generally have not had the direct SA school experience the OP asked for.

I don't have direct experience in both; but I've explored this same question quite a bit and know several people who have. My SA experience says that there is generally a less stressful atmosphere - and not just from "immigrant communities." There are high-pressured white MC who are more likely to seek option schools, so they aren't in the SA neighborhood schools anyway; and a lot of immigrant communities place very high value on education and push their kids to excel just like most. But in the neighborhood SA schools, the white MC are more "chill" than a lot of the NA ones. That's why they're in the south: they are more "chill," they want their kids to interact with kids who don't look like them and value the benefits that brings them; they know they aren't getting the same experience as they would in NA schools but also realize they are still getting a good education and good life skill development without the unnecessary stress and pressure mentality you read and feel on DCUM.

Those I know who left SA schools after 3-5 years in them and have gone to north neighborhood schools have confirmed the faster-paced learning environment, and lamented the loss of diversity - not just racial/cultural; but economic diversity that teaches perhaps even more important life lessons than the other types of diversity.

Perhaps the PP is a SA parent but in a different part of SA. But I know parents at almost every SA elementary school and can therefore state with certainty that there are white MC families across SA schools that are definitely less competitive and less pressure, but who still appropriately guide and encourage and even push their kids and their school administrators.

The "evens" don't resent the "odds" for their homogeneous achievers. They might resent their condescension and unjustified attitudes of superiority and their utter lack of concern about the challenges in SA schools and their inability and unwillingness to do what's right for Arlington overall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true; the county separates it's staff into "good" and "not good" designations and forces south county admins to only hire from the "not good" list.

That's a bunch of BS. Teachers are excellent in SA schools.

obviously PP was being sarcastic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here we go again. I guess the 70 page thread on NA/SA (on page 4) and the 20 page thread on NA/SA (on page 1) weren''t enough (sign).

The OP wants responses from people with actual experience in both - not the usual assumptions and hearsay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true; the county separates it's staff into "good" and "not good" designations and forces south county admins to only hire from the "not good" list.

That's a bunch of BS. Teachers are excellent in SA schools.

obviously PP was being sarcastic

Unless you're the PP, how can you really know that - especially on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m interested in a school to school comparison from people who have had kids at both (not by reputation or great schools rating). I know the north Arlington schools are supposed to be better, but I wonder whether anyone who has attended both can weigh in. I have a friend whose daughter went to both, and they liked the diversity and lack of competitiveness (less of a pressure cooker) at their south Arlington school. So I’m curious...

They aren't better - they're just different. Your friend's experience is the same as of those I know who have switched mid-elementary school.
I'll suggest that elementary school isn't going to be the basis for future failure or future success - both N and S will get your kids there. Look to the middle and high school -- that's where the differences are going to matter more.

[Anonymous]

Elementary school switcher here. It was like night and day in terms of the peer group and the willingness of the school to challenge and teach advanced material. We had good teachers in both, but they were limited in our Title I SA school in terms of not having a strong group of advanced learners to work with and having very large remedial groups. Did not at all feel our NA elementary school was a "pressure cooker." I've never heard that about an Arlington elementary. Maybe Science Focus is? It was just fun and challenging in a supportive elementary school kind of way. Can't speak to the differences in middle and high yet. I could imagine the middle and highs could have pressure from competitive peers and parental expectation. And you might see a difference between NA and SA there.