DD moving to Langley HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The classes at Langley truly are no more challenging than those at any other well-regarded school.

If you pay a high price for a home in order to attend Langley, you are paying for the peer group. Not the teachers.

Not really. We moved to the Langley pyramid from a different FCPS high school and the difference in teaching was like night and day.

We also moved from a lower ranked pyramid. One huge difference is the teacher involvement in just our PTA. After school academic extracurriculars are far superior. This needs both funding and teacher involvement.

Our old school also had some fantastic teachers but I don’t think they taught advanced materials. You have to teach to the bottom. My well behaved smart kids were often ignored.

[Anonymous]

You are very foolish if you allow her to leave private for Langley HS. You will regret it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are very foolish if you allow her to leave private for Langley HS. You will regret it.

????

[Anonymous]

LOL - rich people problems indeed! Private or Langley? Your kids were born on third base - they will be fine. Thanks for the pages and pages of escapism.

[Anonymous]

My child is at Langley in Honors and AP classes. It truly is not that great. He has not read any books for his 10th grade English Honors class and has a 100%. Last year was pretty similar. The principal seems fine to me, but I know there are many parents that are concerned that she wants to reduce the number of APs, amount of homework when the classes are already so low-stress.

The great college placement stats at Langley are due to the demographics, not the superior teaching and classes. Your child could get as good or even possibly better education at Herndon and you would have more money to spend on tutoring, summer programs and a college counselor. He also would stand out. If I could do it over again, we would have not of paid the higher home price to be in Langley.

[Anonymous]

The principal isn’t especially popular. She came to Langley from Marshall and when students are actually in the building she runs the place on lockdown. Students complain they have few privileges and aren’t allowed to enjoy the renovated facilities during school hours. Some people think Langley will be the public version of a private and Greer runs it like PS 193.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are very foolish if you allow her to leave private for Langley HS. You will regret it.

????

Oh, that’s just the resident troll/Langley-hater. Pay her no mind. She has issues and likes take them out on the Langley community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOL - rich people problems indeed! Private or Langley? Your kids were born on third base - they will be fine. Thanks for the pages and pages of escapism.

Did someone force you to read this thread? And comment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is at Langley in Honors and AP classes. It truly is not that great. He has not read any books for his 10th grade English Honors class and has a 100%. Last year was pretty similar. The principal seems fine to me, but I know there are many parents that are concerned that she wants to reduce the number of APs, amount of homework when the classes are already so low-stress.

The great college placement stats at Langley are due to the demographics, not the superior teaching and classes. Your child could get as good or even possibly better education at Herndon and you would have more money to spend on tutoring, summer programs and a college counselor. He also would stand out. If I could do it over again, we would have not of paid the higher home price to be in Langley.

Hmm. I also have a child at Langley, but in 11th grade. We haven’t experienced any of what you mention. My child is also in AP and honors classes and always has a book assignment - as he did last year in Honors 10 English. Could you please post a link to your claim about the principal wanting to “reduce” AP classes and homework? I haven’t heard anything of the kind and I’m one of the class parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is at Langley in Honors and AP classes. It truly is not that great. He has not read any books for his 10th grade English Honors class and has a 100%. Last year was pretty similar. The principal seems fine to me, but I know there are many parents that are concerned that she wants to reduce the number of APs, amount of homework when the classes are already so low-stress.

The great college placement stats at Langley are due to the demographics, not the superior teaching and classes. Your child could get as good or even possibly better education at Herndon and you would have more money to spend on tutoring, summer programs and a college counselor. He also would stand out. If I could do it over again, we would have not of paid the higher home price to be in Langley.

Hmm. I also have a child at Langley, but in 11th grade. We haven’t experienced any of what you mention. My child is also in AP and honors classes and always has a book assignment - as he did last year in Honors 10 English. Could you please post a link to your claim about the principal wanting to “reduce” AP classes and homework? I haven’t heard anything of the kind and I’m one of the class parents.

DP. For sake of clarity, I doubt the Langley principal is trying the "reduce the number of APs" (AP courses offered) at Langley. She and others at Langley (and at other FCPS high schools) may caution parents and students to think about how many AP courses a student can handle before signing up for virtually all AP courses junior or senior.

Sometimes this can be a bit exaggerated. If kids taking multiple AP courses is a problem, then maybe no kids should be allowed to pursue IB diplomas at IB schools, since IB is reportedly rigorous as well. But at the end of the day, they won't keep kids from taking multiple AP courses. They simply ask families to think about whether a student can handle the workload, particularly if the student has extra-curricular interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The classes at Langley truly are no more challenging than those at any other well-regarded school.

If you pay a high price for a home in order to attend Langley, you are paying for the peer group. Not the teachers.

Disagree. Many teachers have mentioned at BTSN and elsewhere that they waited years for an opening at Langley and jumped when they found one. The vast majority of teachers very much want to be there and are excellent at what they teach.

That's because it's easier to teach at Langley, those students do well no matter who is teaching them.

A bit dated, but it's interesting to me that the last FCPS teacher satisfaction survey found teachers were happiest at McLean (at the time about 8% FARMS) and Falls Church (at the time about 55% FARMS). For whatever reason, most Langley staff chose not to participate.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/05/21/fairfax-countys-stuart-high-struggles-on-teacher-survey/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The classes at Langley truly are no more challenging than those at any other well-regarded school.

If you pay a high price for a home in order to attend Langley, you are paying for the peer group. Not the teachers.

Disagree. Many teachers have mentioned at BTSN and elsewhere that they waited years for an opening at Langley and jumped when they found one. The vast majority of teachers very much want to be there and are excellent at what they teach.

That's because it's easier to teach at Langley, those students do well no matter who is teaching them.

A bit dated, but it's interesting to me that the last FCPS teacher satisfaction survey found teachers were happiest at McLean (at the time about 8% FARMS) and Falls Church (at the time about 55% FARMS). For whatever reason, most Langley staff chose not to participate.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/05/21/fairfax-countys-stuart-high-struggles-on-teacher-survey/

The principal at McLean at the time of this survey is still there. The principal at Falls Church at the time of the 2014 survey retired, and was replaced by a former Assistant Principal at McLean who has a good reputation. If you've ever been to FCHS, everyone there is super friendly.

Langley was dealing with the aftermath of two student suicides in early 2014 and the teacher survey likely wasn't a priority for the administration at the time. Langley has had two more principals since the 2014 survey - Matt Ragone left for South County in late 2014, followed by Fred Amico from 2015-18 and Kim Greer since mid-2018.

I'm not sure if they've made public the results of any later teacher satisfaction surveys. They have disclosed the results of a later family engagement survey, but the response rate for those surveys is really low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is at Langley in Honors and AP classes. It truly is not that great. He has not read any books for his 10th grade English Honors class and has a 100%. Last year was pretty similar. The principal seems fine to me, but I know there are many parents that are concerned that she wants to reduce the number of APs, amount of homework when the classes are already so low-stress.

The great college placement stats at Langley are due to the demographics, not the superior teaching and classes. Your child could get as good or even possibly better education at Herndon and you would have more money to spend on tutoring, summer programs and a college counselor. He also would stand out. If I could do it over again, we would have not of paid the higher home price to be in Langley.

Hmm. I also have a child at Langley, but in 11th grade. We haven’t experienced any of what you mention. My child is also in AP and honors classes and always has a book assignment - as he did last year in Honors 10 English. Could you please post a link to your claim about the principal wanting to “reduce” AP classes and homework? I haven’t heard anything of the kind and I’m one of the class parents.

DP. For sake of clarity, I doubt the Langley principal is trying the "reduce the number of APs" (AP courses offered) at Langley. She and others at Langley (and at other FCPS high schools) may caution parents and students to think about how many AP courses a student can handle before signing up for virtually all AP courses junior or senior.

Sometimes this can be a bit exaggerated. If kids taking multiple AP courses is a problem, then maybe no kids should be allowed to pursue IB diplomas at IB schools, since IB is reportedly rigorous as well. But at the end of the day, they won't keep kids from taking multiple AP courses. They simply ask families to think about whether a student can handle the workload, particularly if the student has extra-curricular interests.

PP here, and you are absolutely right. The other PP is trying to make it sound like the principal is actively reducing the number of AP classes offered at Langley - which is a complete lie. You are correct that parents and students are cautioned often against loading up on APs - good advice, IMO. Of course, students are free to sign up for however many they want, but I appreciate the administration pointedly telling families how much work/stress they are. And that’s totally different from what the PP was saying.

[Anonymous]

Best public school in the state and one of the top in the usa. Haters can't afford it.

[Anonymous]

Class parents — in high school? That’s incredible.