APS - Elementary School - Plans to move from private back to public schools?

[Anonymous]

Thinking about our options, between continuing with APS or moving to a private school for elementary grade. Are you a family considering a move back to public school from private? Is so, what is the main reason?

[Anonymous]

I'm moving my soon to be rising 3rd grader back to a North Arlington ES school after going private last fall. The private has just sheltered my child in diversity. I don't want her to be around that limited largely white only group.

[Anonymous]

We moved our elem kid to private this fall. He will stay in private going forward. Next year will be a mess in APS with kids all over the board knowledge wise. I have no idea how they will manage the huge spread in the grades. They were never very good about differentiation within a grade and I can only imagine it will be worse this year. Maybe in a few years when they can catch all the kids up but definitely not for a few years. If ever.

[Anonymous]

After this dumpster fire of a year, I'm moving my kid to private and never looking back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about our options, between continuing with APS or moving to a private school for elementary grade. Are you a family considering a move back to public school from private? Is so, what is the main reason?

If you don’t have a spot now you’re not getting in

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about our options, between continuing with APS or moving to a private school for elementary grade. Are you a family considering a move back to public school from private? Is so, what is the main reason?

If you don’t have a spot now you’re not getting in

My child is one of the lucky ones who can leave. 😊

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm moving my soon to be rising 3rd grader back to a North Arlington ES school after going private last fall. The private has just sheltered my child in diversity. I don't want her to be around that limited largely white only group.

Then south Arlington would be better, right?

[Anonymous]

Prívate opened our eyes for the better. Night and day. Zero interest in going back.

[Anonymous]

We did private for an early grade kid and will be moving back.

Our main reason is we want our kids to have a neighborhood-based school experience. I have older kids and one plus of Arlington is it's so walkable and dense that you can start giving them a lot of freedom in late elementary and progressively into middle school/high school.

I grew up going to private and everyone was more far flung. Very car-based lifestlye. I also found it challenging socially over time. It's just smaller and more insular. Which can work out fine. Or not. But less opportunities to reinvent yourself.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did private for an early grade kid and will be moving back.

Our main reason is we want our kids to have a neighborhood-based school experience. I have older kids and one plus of Arlington is it's so walkable and dense that you can start giving them a lot of freedom in late elementary and progressively into middle school/high school.

I grew up going to private and everyone was more far flung. Very car-based lifestlye. I also found it challenging socially over time. It's just smaller and more insular. Which can work out fine. Or not. But less opportunities to reinvent yourself.

Good luck!

This would be the only reason that I would consider going back to public. Kids do come from all over the place, although by HS is doesn't matter as much since the kids can drive, but it is a challenge when you are their transportation and their friends don't live close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved our elem kid to private this fall. He will stay in private going forward. Next year will be a mess in APS with kids all over the board knowledge wise. I have no idea how they will manage the huge spread in the grades. They were never very good about differentiation within a grade and I can only imagine it will be worse this year. Maybe in a few years when they can catch all the kids up but definitely not for a few years. If ever.

Same with us. We expect to not return for 4 years and still worry about high school overcrowding

[Anonymous]

Nope. DS is finally doing well in (parochial) school and the added discipline is just what he needs to stay focused.

But we need to reconsider next year due to drop off and pick up challenges and DS not wanting to sit in extended day with a bunch of younger kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did private for an early grade kid and will be moving back.

Our main reason is we want our kids to have a neighborhood-based school experience. I have older kids and one plus of Arlington is it's so walkable and dense that you can start giving them a lot of freedom in late elementary and progressively into middle school/high school.

I grew up going to private and everyone was more far flung. Very car-based lifestlye. I also found it challenging socially over time. It's just smaller and more insular. Which can work out fine. Or not. But less opportunities to reinvent yourself.

Good luck!

This would be the only reason that I would consider going back to public. Kids do come from all over the place, although by HS is doesn't matter as much since the kids can drive, but it is a challenge when you are their transportation and their friends don't live close.

+1

It's a totally different lifestyle. Depends on your priorities.

I do think the sheltered private school environment and level of parental involvement way past when it's needed can lead to highly anxious, overachieving kids who are afraid of their own shadows and are paralyzed by real-life decision making. But if you avoid that pitfall, you're fine.