If ATS is so popular, why not create two of them?

[Anonymous]

I’m very curious about the breakdown of neighborhood schools that make up an ATS class. Is this information available anywhere?

[Anonymous]

Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

[Anonymous]

The schools that could be broken up to absorb a second ATS are in the far north which puts it close to the existing ATS. We really need an option school overhaul (Claremont needs to be a neighborhood school to relieve Abingdon for example) but any talk of moving brings out insanity in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fine, we're taking away your neighborhood school and putting in a school that your kid won't be able to attend because they didn't win the lottery. Happy now?

Or you do win the lottery, but your kid isn't reading at the end of kindergarten. Not reading before 7 is developmentally appropriate, but ATS says your kid has to repeat K. Happy now?

Yes, very happy.

Disagree totally with the premise that not reading at all before 7 is “developmentally appropriate”. Please cite published peer-reviewed study with a large sample size and good statistical controls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

I totally agree with the analysis above. It is the “non-traditional” approach used by APS which contains unproven paedagogy and which also results in lower student achievement, especially harmed are the FARMS kids/families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me the real question is-- "why not replicate ATS best practices?". As I understand it from friends who have kids there--they get weekly reports from the Kinder teacher on each student--not so at my DC's APS elementary. There is homework from kindergarten on at ATS--homework did not start until 3rd grade at my DC's school.

It makes no sense at all that APS does not identify best practices from the most popular APS school and replicate them in part or full at all other APS elementary schools. Seems like a no brainer!

Some schools have started doing this, I think. Some aspects are more feasible to replicate than others.

Generally, ATS' best practices are high expectations of students and parents, no automatic advancement to next grade, emphasis on arts (every student plays an instrument throughout 4th and 5th, every student is in choir in 4th and 5th, every student performs in a play from 1st-5th), weekly feedback how the student is doing, everyone participates in schoolwide initiatives (must submit for contests, etc. grades 3-5), responsive classroom.

Don't they also have a more traditional approach to instruction and homework?

Yes. There are basically two ways to run a classroom - one is the inquiry approach which is student led, and the other is teacher led/direct instruction. ATS basically has teacher lead instruction. There are arguments on both sides. But a famous proponent of direct instruction is Natalie Wexler so she’s a good person to start with if you want to understand the rationale behind ATS’ approach.

Thanks. Good that ATS uses direct instruction. APS is moving more and more toward inquiry learning. While the latter can be useful in certain cases, its overuse can mean kids don't learn the basics well enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

Old APS parent here. I was turned off by the heavy homework load at ATS back when I toured, which was a long time ago under a different principal. Has that lightened up since?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

Old APS parent here. I was turned off by the heavy homework load at ATS back when I toured, which was a long time ago under a different principal. Has that lightened up since?

I have a fifth grader, it can be 30-45 minutes some nights, others 15

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

Old APS parent here. I was turned off by the heavy homework load at ATS back when I toured, which was a long time ago under a different principal. Has that lightened up since?

I have a fifth grader, it can be 30-45 minutes some nights, others 15

That sounds about right for 5th IMO. What about the younger grades though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

Old APS parent here. I was turned off by the heavy homework load at ATS back when I toured, which was a long time ago under a different principal. Has that lightened up since?

It’s totally doable. I think it has lightened up a bit compared to what it was when my oldest was in K there.

[Anonymous]

I’m a parent of an older elementary child and I have an 6th grader. Wish I would have put in for ATS with my first. When DC hit middle school, and was without homework all through elementary, it hit like a brick house in 5th. After 1.5 years in we are still on the struggle bus with the concept of “homework”.

Seems like APS needs to reevaluate things a bit with how elementary is structured, but, that’s just one of many issues right now. 🙃

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent of an older elementary child and I have an 6th grader. Wish I would have put in for ATS with my first. When DC hit middle school, and was without homework all through elementary, it hit like a brick house in 5th. After 1.5 years in we are still on the struggle bus with the concept of “homework”.

Seems like APS needs to reevaluatej things a bit with how elementary is structured, but, that’s just one of many issues right now. 🙃

I thought middle school “homework” was just unfinished classwork?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disagree w having more option schools. The answer is to follow the ATS model in neighborhood schools. We seem to be moving in opposite direction though w equity grading.

I guess I could never get a good feel for what "traditional" meant. I realize there's a heavy emphasis on reading and homework every day. And tucking in shirts (maybe that went away).

But I asked the principal at an info session (this was in 2018) and she gave me this line about the school having walls with doors. I was SO confused. My kid's neighborhood school has walls and doors?

I know the school culture is most likely a bit part of what makes kids successful. But if the ideas there are so well done, why aren't we doing it APS wide? What is the main difference between the way ATS does teaching and the rest of the county? I don't' want to hear it's kindergarten kids reading for 30 minutes a night. That's not a curriculum.

ATS holds all their students to a high standard of reading and reading is a true part of their culture. That's the difference.

Right, which it can ONLY do because it's an option school. So if it DOES NOT WORK for some children (say, those who struggle with reading!) they will not attend ATS, or they will be asked to leave.

That's EXACTLY why it can not be moved into every elementary school. The population self selects into children with certain skills and abilities very quickly.

Say what? Am I understanding your post correctly: ATS will kick students out if they are not performing on grade level?

Every poster here who said ATS holds its students to higher standards... I assumed on an attitude level? Kids literally get asked to leave if they struggle with reading? This is documented?

There was an article in Arlington magazine about ATS praising the way the then-principal would tell kids who weren't reading that they would have a very special job next year welcoming kids who were in kindergarten for the first time.

But maybe Holly Hawthorne is just another disgruntled non-ATS parent, lying about school policy

Clearly you have reading comprehension issues. Having a student repeat a year is very different then kicking them out. Why should a student be promoted to first grade if they are behind academically? That being said ATS works hard to make sure that every single student is at grade level. I have never heard of any student that has been held back though I’m sure that happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is at Campbell, which is in some ways the anti-ATS, so I definitely don’t want all of APS to become more like ATS. In fact, I would likely leave if it were. But I don’t mind other people being able to choose homework and instruments and shirts tucked in if that’s what appeals to them, just like I got to choose nature and no homework and social-emotional learning.

I really wish I understood Campbell a little bit better. It sort of flies under the radar. We are on the waitlist there. I reviewed the materials online including presentation, but I could not tell you what it's about really. We like rigor, but also like social emotional learning and nature. I'm surprised to see them painted as such opposites?

My kids are at ATS. ATS has great counselors and also focuses on social emotional learning. My 1st grader absolutely loves her counselor Ms Meydenbaur and absorbs so much of what she says. There is very little bullying and a lot of focus on kindness. I think it’s important to hear from parents who actually have their kids at ATS when discussing what actually happens in the school.

As for the school itself it’s the entire atmosphere. There is a focus on high expectations. Not just when it comes to academics but when it comes to behavior as well. That’s why it attracts parents with a foreign background such as myself because in general we tend to be stricter with our kids. There is a lot of focus on the arts - music, class plays etc. Teachers know what they are doing. Students who come from other schools who are behind get extra help until they have caught up. Too bad there isn’t a middle school with the same approach to expectations.

What was the kindergarten team like? My child starting in fall. Did the counselor make good relations with kinder too? Very impressed with both of these things at our neighborhood school but hard to turn down a spot at ATS.

So the kindergarten team has changed somewhat. One of the teachers (who wasn’t that great anyways left) and another teacher is now teaching first grade. Both my girls had Mr Holladay who is excellent. He’s so much fun and my girls would giggle together over what Mr Holladay did a particular day. Mr Greenwall is also excellent from what I’ve heard at least. I don’t know much about Ms Blyler and I think Ms Kovacs is new. Generally through the kindergarten team works closely together so whoever you get should be good.

Counselors work closely with the kids from the beginning. Your child will work with the same counselor all through ATS. My eldest has Ms Kerr and my youngest has Ms Meydenbaur. There is a lot of focus on social emotional learning - what to do when you feel angry or have big feelings. Lots of activities so that kids learn to be kind to one another. From my understanding, our neighborhood school, Tuckahoe, has similarly excellent counselors so its not just an ATS thing.

Thanks for this info. Love that 2 of the kindergarten teachers are men.

Same! Both are amazing teachers. Wish more men would get into teaching. It’s great when kids have male as well as female role models.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old APS parent here. Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would have applied to send my kids to ATS (we did not even lottery, though I did learn about it at kindergarten info night).

How I think of it is, ATS runs like schools ran when I was a kid. Traditional. Other APS schools are trying new models that generally are not proven and not as effective.

We switched to Catholic during Covid which also runs a more traditional model, but which you pay for out of pocket.

I do think we should add another ATS. The question is where to put it, because you have to take offline an existing ES, and that's a nightmare like all boundary stuff is.

But as an Arlington taxpayer, I would love to see all our schools swinging back toward a more traditional learning model.

I also completely agree on the importance of having one teacher who really gets to know your kid and be invested in them. I hated when our APS elem started rotating kids in 4th grade and all those connections got broken.

Old APS parent here. I was turned off by the heavy homework load at ATS back when I toured, which was a long time ago under a different principal. Has that lightened up since?

It’s totally doable. I think it has lightened up a bit compared to what it was when my oldest was in K there.

Kindergarten homework is surprisingly a lot. But first grade and second grade homework takes less than 10 minutes. I like that it forces my girls to be responsible and puts them in a routine where homework is normal. I’m middle eastern though and I feel that’s the homework they give is not enough compared to what kids back home have lol lol. So we do extra math together as well (also just 10 minutes max). My girls have plenty of time to play and have fun. I make sure that they are outside playing after school for at least an hour and then they play together indoors as well