South Arlington Wakefield High US News Ranking is so poor they didn't assign them a number

[Anonymous]

Just to clarify - there are two different PPs - I'm the first one (getting to know teachers, students, parents) and I have absolutely nothing negative to say about any of the Arlington HS's - just making the point that I am very comfortable sending my kids to Wakefield (i.e. I don't view it as an "inferior" school just because it isn't on the US News list). I am not a teacher and not connected to the person who posted the negative comments about Yorktown.

In quick reply to the person who asked what statistics I used to back up my support for Wakefield - I didn't. I used people, not numbers. That being said, if you look at the performance across all three APS high schools (excluding H-B) they are not dramatically different if you look at the demographic breakouts. (Note: these same reports give disciplinary reports as well - again, not a huge difference, though I can't see how neither Wakefield or W-L had zero alcohol/drug incidents.)

[Anonymous]

Land is more expensive in North Arlington than South Arlington. If you're using public money to buy land or buildings for lower-income housing, it makes sense to buy that land and/or buildings where they are cheaper. I don't want my tax dollars going to a $2M plot that could have been a $1M plot (just giving examples) if they were in South Arlington.

Plus you're forgoing more in property tax dollars if you put low-income housing in a high-dollar area.

People who bought more house in South Arlington because it was cheaper than North Arlington shouldn't then complain about living with lower-income housing. It's what made it cheap enough for you to buy there in the first place. sorry. I spent more to buy less house in North Arlington for the schools.

[Anonymous]

Wy shouldn't people complain if they bought in south arlington? Maybe thy could not afford north arlington. Just because people don't have the money doesn't mean they don't deserve a good school. Not everyone can afford to rent or buy a house in the first place. Arlington is supposed to have this great school system, but it is a segregated as the south. And the houses in south arlington would bring in more tax revenue if the prices were not so depressed. That would more than make up for the extra cost of low income housing in north arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who went to a high school consistently ranked in the top 5 nationally, I will be sending my children to Wakefield without hesitation. You can make statistics say anything you want; get to know the teachers and administrators, talk to parents and students who actually attend the school, and you would come to the same conclusion (if you ever muster up the courage to rough it and travel south of Route 50).

My private high school was ranked #11 last year. My children will also be attending Wakefield in about 5 years. We are currently very happy at our S. Arl elementary school.

I would never send them to Yorktown.

I'm a teacher.

What kind of teacher defiantly declares where she will not send a child? Not a very good one.

But I'll bite: Why on Earth would you NEVER send them to Yorktown? I can't wait to hear this explanation. I mean, I know the teachers and administrators there and know parents and students there, and it seems like a fantastic school. In all of your one-on-one interaction with these same people, what, specifically, has put you off? Two or three concrete anecdotes would be nice.

Affordability?

Yorktown is free. If s/he meant affordability s/he probably would've said "I would never buy a home in the Yorktown pyramid." I seems obvious that she was referencing the actual school (people) not location.

Yes. I'm the pp seeking to pin down this teacher. I assume she's not hypocrite and did all of the due diligence on Yorktown that she recommends doing for Wakefield before concluding so emphatically that she would "NEVER" send her child to Yorktown. I'm dying to know what, specifically, caused her to come to that conclusion. Or, you know, she could just be a hypocrite. That's possible, too.

Too many rich, entitled kids at that school. Drugs are rampant. There's much higher drug use at Yorktown than at Wakefield. I want my kids a more diverse environment, as well.

I also am very impressed by most Wakefield students I meet in my community. They are hard working and polite.

It has nothing to do with not bring able to afford a home in the Yorktown district. We actually moved out of N Arlington to S Arlington on purpose. We prefer it by far.

Different strokes for different folks.

Again, which teachers, administrators and the like did you meet. Please point to statistics that show that drug use at Yorktown is higher than at Wakefield. That sounds like a stereotype to me. Show me examples of something that's "rich, entitled." Show me something concrete. Specific. I think you're making things up, didn't actually do a bit of due diligence, and are ashamed to have been called out as a hypocrite. Prove me wrong.

Maybe someone in law enforcement at ACPD will verify for you but this has been discussed in other threads on this forum - more gang/ms13 problems at Wakefield and more drug problems at Yorktown.

No, I know Sgt. Stewart pretty well, and he wouldn't say this. I presume you know who Sgt. Stewart is, right? Having done your due diligence and all?