APS Middle Schools

[Anonymous]

There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.

[Anonymous]

Same math and science classes are offered at every APS middle school. Gifted services are offered via clustering. A small portion of identified gifted students are in the advanced math pathway with pre-algebra in 6th, algebra 1 intensified in 7th, and geometry intensified in 8th.

What’s your neighborhood school?

[Anonymous]

DC is at HB Woodlawn (lottery, not neighborhood) and as far as I can tell, her accelerated math track is the same as all other schools in the area, and her science classes aren’t accelerated. I imagine science just depends on the teacher. She is identified in gifted but that hasn’t impacted anything.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PPs that the basics are the same. The variation can be in special programs like IB at TJ (different spin on required electives, a community service requirement, and 8th grade project). Kenmore has arts programming (we had friends who went there and the only thing I recall is that they had an option to take dance for PE and there was a trip to NY to a Broadway show). I think Swanson has a particularly strong band program. Gunston has the Montessori and Immersion programs but I don't think you can just join those, they are continuations of ES programs.

[Anonymous]

Another way you could look at the science programs across middle schools is to see how many are having their science projects accepted for the Virginia Junior Academy of Science program: https://vjas.org/acceptedpapers.html

TJ MS seems to have more than the other APS MS's in 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.

I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.

[Anonymous]

You can see the 21-22 course offerings and differences by school in the program of studies. There are some differences offered by location.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Middle-School-POS-2021-22.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.

I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.

TJ has the widest variety of languages offered, part of the IB program. They also require language all three years. I believe the choices include Spanish, French, Latin, Chinese, Arabic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.



I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.



TJ has the widest variety of languages offered, part of the IB program. They also require language all three years. I believe the choices include Spanish, French, Latin, Chinese, Arabic

..and ASL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.



I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.

What does this expression mean? I keep seeing it in APS threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.

I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.

Lol you terrible parent you.

Honestly I wish DD had to take Spanish. It’s such a great language but she insisted on French. (Also a great language obviously but I don’t speak it and it’s generally not as useful in the US.

[Anonymous]

Differences have less to do with courses offerred and more to do with poverty levels and ELL at schools. More kids that are better off financially and fewer new ELL students means more challenging work in the non tracked classses (which is everything but math). This is true in elementary as well. A product of Arlington’s efforts to concentrate affordable housing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.

I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.

The Swanson Latin teacher is AMAZING. She's truly an exceptional teacher-- maybe the best in APS. We would have pulled our kid for private last year except that he's so attached to the Swanson Latin teacher and refused to leave her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There was a thread started about a different topic that lightly touched on APS MS. A few parents shared that there are big differences between middle schools. Please share the good and the bad of your MS if you recently graduated or have a child in APS MS right now. I am specifically interested in a strong math and science program, as well as gifted services.



I think the Languages offered at various grade levels might also differ. For example, at Kenmore the only option is Spanish in 6th grade. There might be others later on. But I have a friend with a kid at Swanson who took Latin in 6th. My kid was very disappointed to only have the option of Spanish, and would have preferred taking Latin in 6th and switching to French for 7-8. Apparently, we needed to know this before buying our house when kid was an infant.
System of schools.

What does this expression mean? I keep seeing it in APS threads.

It means that neighborhood schools aren’t all the same in terms of what they offer, and there are different choices based on where you purchased a house. There isn’t much uniformity and principals have a lot of discretion. In some ways, it’s good because it’s responsive to the community’s needs/wants, but it stinks when your child’s needs/wants don’t align with that and the only way, for instance, for my child to take Latin as a 6th grader would be to move to a home outside of the Kenmore boundary. Which we aren’t going to do, and shouldn’t have to (IMHO).

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry. I realize this must be your oldest but I think you are overreacting. You are talking about a half year introductory course for a 6th grader. It’s not going to give your kid a strong background in Latin, it carries no actual credits that matter. It’s really just a placeholder for students who are proficient readers and don’t need to do daily reading. Relax.