Williamsburg MS (APS)

[Anonymous]

Please share your personal experiences with Williamsburg MS. What do you/your child like about the school?
Dislike?
TIA

[Anonymous]

I’ve had 2 kids go through and it’s been fine. They’ve both had a few duds but overall great teachers who genuinely like this age group and their subject matter. Not a huge fan of Mr. Boykin, I think he’s pretty harsh and doesn’t seem to like his job that much. Thankfully my interactions with him haven’t been too frequent.

[Anonymous]

It was adequate. What else is there to say. At least it should be less crazy overcrowded now that Hamm opened.

[Anonymous]

Two kids at Williamsburg. Very pleased with teachers and administration. Always responsive and care about the kids. Parents are complainers and collectively leave a lot to be desired. But not all. It’s a product of being a rich school. Teachers are really great though. Boykin may not be warm and fuzzy but he runs a good school.

[Anonymous]

Really liked most of the teachers (didn’t have any duds), meh on the principal. Lots of clubs and pretty easy to start new ones. It’s hard to get too enthused about a middle school, but our older kid had a good enough experience that we decided to send the younger one there, vs private.

[Anonymous]

Have the good teachers stayed or have they moved to Hamm? I feel like I heard about some good ones moving there on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was adequate. What else is there to say. At least it should be less crazy overcrowded now that Hamm opened.

+1. Typical middle school in an upper income area. Teachers are fine if unexciting, lots of dumb rules that are inequitably enforced, principal runs a decent school but is a bit surly and uninspiring, some student bullying but not anything extreme, facilities are old and a bit dismal.

My kid finished there 2 years ago. We were pleased by her education and experience overall, but wouldn't call it a magical time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have the good teachers stayed or have they moved to Hamm? I feel like I heard about some good ones moving there on DCUM.

I don’t think that there’s any way to objectively say whether Williamsburg had a net gain or loss of good teachers when Hamm was staffed.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It was adequate. What else is there to say. At least it should be less crazy overcrowded now that Hamm opened.



+1. Typical middle school in an upper income area. Teachers are fine if unexciting, lots of dumb rules that are inequitably enforced, principal runs a decent school but is a bit surly and uninspiring, some student bullying but not anything extreme, facilities are old and a bit dismal.

My kid finished there 2 years ago. We were pleased by her education and experience overall, but wouldn't call it a magical time.

Would people describe *you* as exciting and inspiring? If not, don't be so harsh. Teaching middle school is about as tough a teaching assignment as there is.

[Anonymous]

People move to the neighborhood bc of the schools then complain incessantly. The principal is not super enthusiastic and not a great communicator, I agree with all that. The teachers we’ve had gave been great though and our kids are happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People move to the neighborhood bc of the schools then complain incessantly. The principal is not super enthusiastic and not a great communicator, I agree with all that. The teachers we’ve had gave been great though and our kids are happy.

Yeah, I think part of the problem is that age for kids just generally isn’t great. It’s hard to get enthused about any middle school. My kids went to a couple of different middle schools, and they were comparable. My kid who finished at Williamsburg last year had a really great teacher who motivated him like no other has, so there’s that. His other teachers were all good. Social stuff was ok/good- I was braced for middle school drama that never materialized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have the good teachers stayed or have they moved to Hamm? I feel like I heard about some good ones moving there on DCUM.

I don’t think that there’s any way to objectively say whether Williamsburg had a net gain or loss of good teachers when Hamm was staffed.

+1. Hamm took at few good ones and some reported duds. WMS has great teachers though and 8th grade AP is terrific. If you are a rising 6th grader next year you’ll get her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve had 2 kids go through and it’s been fine. They’ve both had a few duds but overall great teachers who genuinely like this age group and their subject matter. Not a huge fan of Mr. Boykin, I think he’s pretty harsh and doesn’t seem to like his job that much. Thankfully my interactions with him haven’t been too frequent.

When he was at nottingham everyone said he hated that he couldn’t afford to live here (apparently he went to local schools), and was a huge douche to parents.

Never mind, that’s the assistant principal not the principal.

Well but he was horrible at Nottingham. How is he these days?

[Anonymous]

The social climate at WMS is tough- lots of cliquey-ness and mean girl behavior. School really bends to the parents which makes it hard to get issues resolved.

The students with special needs are not treated well either.