APS Next Few Years

[Anonymous]

DD will be a freshman next year. The last year was a wash for her, finished her work way ahead of her class, and spent lots of class time reading or drawing on computer (when DL). Hybrid was a little better but still seems like a huge chunk of her 8th grade day was just kind of sitting around. She gets all As, yada yada. No homework.

We are zoned for WL next year, and we hope that IB/AP/honors classes will engage her much better. I am worried about overcrowding (have they finished the 600 seat addition). My work just wen 4x WFH so moving to FCPS, MCPS, HCPS, etc would be options, but would it be any more engaging? Is this all we should expect from our school, to house her and give her about 3 hours of actual instruction?

[Anonymous]

If you can afford it, go to private. APS is disappointing. Everything is now political, "professional development" being provided to teacher are all "equity" stuff, none about improving curriculum or instruction. VA as a whole is lowering academic standards in the name of "equity". And meanwhile, kids at private schools are learning much more than their public school peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford it, go to private. APS is disappointing. Everything is now political, "professional development" being provided to teacher are all "equity" stuff, none about improving curriculum or instruction. VA as a whole is lowering academic standards in the name of "equity". And meanwhile, kids at private schools are learning much more than their public school peers.

We can’t afford private. So should we look at MCPS or HCPS?

[Anonymous]

WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

+1

Especially if she has friends!

[Anonymous]

My DD was a straight-A middle school student, never had much trouble and has found all intensified/AP classes at W-L to be very challenging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD was a straight-A middle school student, never had much trouble and has found all intensified/AP classes at W-L to be very challenging.

Of course she found it challenging, they do almost nothing in middle school to prepare. Wait till the stuff hits the fan in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

OP here, WL was not crowded in the past, but I have been aware of the issue since the working groups where the super couch floated night shift classes and distance learning before COVID made it cool. It seems like they are banking of population growth to reverse, as all they have done with sizing is addition at WL.

But I’m most perturbed by watching my DD have so much idle time during the class day; before pandemic I just chalked it up to tween boredom, but now I see she finishes her work in a fraction of the time given, and the teacher spends extra time with those who are behind and she… just sits there. How is this am effective use of her childhood education? At least in pandemic when it started happening, when she finished she brought her iPad outside and practiced soccer or something on nice days or drew on her computer. In person, she just sits and reads. I mean if they are only going to provide 3 hrs of instruction, can we expedite it so she can come home or meet up with friends after school. At this age we don’t need or want babysitting, we want to make smart use of day, as this a pivotal time in childhood education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

OP here, WL was not crowded in the past, but I have been aware of the issue since the working groups where the super couch floated night shift classes and distance learning before COVID made it cool. It seems like they are banking of population growth to reverse, as all they have done with sizing is addition at WL.

But I’m most perturbed by watching my DD have so much idle time during the class day; before pandemic I just chalked it up to tween boredom, but now I see she finishes her work in a fraction of the time given, and the teacher spends extra time with those who are behind and she… just sits there. How is this am effective use of her childhood education? At least in pandemic when it started happening, when she finished she brought her iPad outside and practiced soccer or something on nice days or drew on her computer. In person, she just sits and reads. I mean if they are only going to provide 3 hrs of instruction, can we expedite it so she can come home or meet up with friends after school. At this age we don’t need or want babysitting, we want to make smart use of day, as this a pivotal time in childhood education.

*Superintendent coach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

OP here, WL was not crowded in the past, but I have been aware of the issue since the working groups where the super couch floated night shift classes and distance learning before COVID made it cool. It seems like they are banking of population growth to reverse, as all they have done with sizing is addition at WL.

But I’m most perturbed by watching my DD have so much idle time during the class day; before pandemic I just chalked it up to tween boredom, but now I see she finishes her work in a fraction of the time given, and the teacher spends extra time with those who are behind and she… just sits there. How is this am effective use of her childhood education? At least in pandemic when it started happening, when she finished she brought her iPad outside and practiced soccer or something on nice days or drew on her computer. In person, she just sits and reads. I mean if they are only going to provide 3 hrs of instruction, can we expedite it so she can come home or meet up with friends after school. At this age we don’t need or want babysitting, we want to make smart use of day, as this a pivotal time in childhood education.

I wrote the 1st response (who said you should go to private if possible). If not possible (which is the case for many), I think you should stay at WL, Fairfax isn't better, plus if you want to go to the top FFX high school, you'd have to move to a pretty expensive neighborhood, and the real estate market is so crazy right now.

Last year, all APS schools dumbed down their curriculum, maybe that's why your daughter was bored and not challenged at all.

One person above said her/his kid was straight A in middle school and found APS high school challenging - well, straight A in elementary and middle is literally a joke, who isn't straight A anyway? Grade inflation isn't "a thing" anymore, it is the norm, plus the VA standard of learning has been getting lower and lower. Many will find high school hard (until the high school curriculum is also dumbed down), because their middle school did not prepare them well at all. I know an APS top student who went to TJ high school and found the coursework there extremely challenging, much more so than her peers who went to middle school in FFX.

Good luck to your daughter in the upcoming school year, she sounds like a smart young lady, she will find more opportunities to learn in the IB program.

----long time APS insider

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

OP here, WL was not crowded in the past, but I have been aware of the issue since the working groups where the super couch floated night shift classes and distance learning before COVID made it cool. It seems like they are banking of population growth to reverse, as all they have done with sizing is addition at WL.

But I’m most perturbed by watching my DD have so much idle time during the class day; before pandemic I just chalked it up to tween boredom, but now I see she finishes her work in a fraction of the time given, and the teacher spends extra time with those who are behind and she… just sits there. How is this am effective use of her childhood education? At least in pandemic when it started happening, when she finished she brought her iPad outside and practiced soccer or something on nice days or drew on her computer. In person, she just sits and reads. I mean if they are only going to provide 3 hrs of instruction, can we expedite it so she can come home or meet up with friends after school. At this age we don’t need or want babysitting, we want to make smart use of day, as this a pivotal time in childhood education.

I wrote the 1st response (who said you should go to private if possible). If not possible (which is the case for many), I think you should stay at WL, Fairfax isn't better, plus if you want to go to the top FFX high school, you'd have to move to a pretty expensive neighborhood, and the real estate market is so crazy right now.

Last year, all APS schools dumbed down their curriculum, maybe that's why your daughter was bored and not challenged at all.

One person above said her/his kid was straight A in middle school and found APS high school challenging - well, straight A in elementary and middle is literally a joke, who isn't straight A anyway? Grade inflation isn't "a thing" anymore, it is the norm, plus the VA standard of learning has been getting lower and lower. Many will find high school hard (until the high school curriculum is also dumbed down), because their middle school did not prepare them well at all. I know an APS top student who went to TJ high school and found the coursework there extremely challenging, much more so than her peers who went to middle school in FFX.

Good luck to your daughter in the upcoming school year, she sounds like a smart young lady, she will find more opportunities to learn in the IB program.

----long time APS insider

Your post seems to indicate FFX may be better. Certainly the peer groups at the top high schools in FCPS are generally more motivated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

OP here, WL was not crowded in the past, but I have been aware of the issue since the working groups where the super couch floated night shift classes and distance learning before COVID made it cool. It seems like they are banking of population growth to reverse, as all they have done with sizing is addition at WL.

But I’m most perturbed by watching my DD have so much idle time during the class day; before pandemic I just chalked it up to tween boredom, but now I see she finishes her work in a fraction of the time given, and the teacher spends extra time with those who are behind and she… just sits there. How is this am effective use of her childhood education? At least in pandemic when it started happening, when she finished she brought her iPad outside and practiced soccer or something on nice days or drew on her computer. In person, she just sits and reads. I mean if they are only going to provide 3 hrs of instruction, can we expedite it so she can come home or meet up with friends after school. At this age we don’t need or want babysitting, we want to make smart use of day, as this a pivotal time in childhood education.

I wrote the 1st response (who said you should go to private if possible). If not possible (which is the case for many), I think you should stay at WL, Fairfax isn't better, plus if you want to go to the top FFX high school, you'd have to move to a pretty expensive neighborhood, and the real estate market is so crazy right now.

Last year, all APS schools dumbed down their curriculum, maybe that's why your daughter was bored and not challenged at all.

One person above said her/his kid was straight A in middle school and found APS high school challenging - well, straight A in elementary and middle is literally a joke, who isn't straight A anyway? Grade inflation isn't "a thing" anymore, it is the norm, plus the VA standard of learning has been getting lower and lower. Many will find high school hard (until the high school curriculum is also dumbed down), because their middle school did not prepare them well at all. I know an APS top student who went to TJ high school and found the coursework there extremely challenging, much more so than her peers who went to middle school in FFX.

Good luck to your daughter in the upcoming school year, she sounds like a smart young lady, she will find more opportunities to learn in the IB program.

----long time APS insider

Your post seems to indicate FFX may be better. Certainly the peer groups at the top high schools in FCPS are generally more motivated.

You really think the top performers at Langley are more motivated than the top performers at Yhs or WL? I think you will find that teens from similar families, living a few miles apart aren’t that different..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WL is an excellent school. You'd really consider moving based on a DCUrban moms thread?

OP here, WL was not crowded in the past, but I have been aware of the issue since the working groups where the super couch floated night shift classes and distance learning before COVID made it cool. It seems like they are banking of population growth to reverse, as all they have done with sizing is addition at WL.

But I’m most perturbed by watching my DD have so much idle time during the class day; before pandemic I just chalked it up to tween boredom, but now I see she finishes her work in a fraction of the time given, and the teacher spends extra time with those who are behind and she… just sits there. How is this am effective use of her childhood education? At least in pandemic when it started happening, when she finished she brought her iPad outside and practiced soccer or something on nice days or drew on her computer. In person, she just sits and reads. I mean if they are only going to provide 3 hrs of instruction, can we expedite it so she can come home or meet up with friends after school. At this age we don’t need or want babysitting, we want to make smart use of day, as this a pivotal time in childhood education.

I wrote the 1st response (who said you should go to private if possible). If not possible (which is the case for many), I think you should stay at WL, Fairfax isn't better, plus if you want to go to the top FFX high school, you'd have to move to a pretty expensive neighborhood, and the real estate market is so crazy right now.

Last year, all APS schools dumbed down their curriculum, maybe that's why your daughter was bored and not challenged at all.

One person above said her/his kid was straight A in middle school and found APS high school challenging - well, straight A in elementary and middle is literally a joke, who isn't straight A anyway? Grade inflation isn't "a thing" anymore, it is the norm, plus the VA standard of learning has been getting lower and lower. Many will find high school hard (until the high school curriculum is also dumbed down), because their middle school did not prepare them well at all. I know an APS top student who went to TJ high school and found the coursework there extremely challenging, much more so than her peers who went to middle school in FFX.

Good luck to your daughter in the upcoming school year, she sounds like a smart young lady, she will find more opportunities to learn in the IB program.

----long time APS insider

Your post seems to indicate FFX may be better. Certainly the peer groups at the top high schools in FCPS are generally more motivated.

You really think the top performers at Langley are more motivated than the top performers at Yhs or WL? I think you will find that teens from similar families, living a few miles apart aren’t that different..

“…found the coursework there extremely challenging, much more so than her peers who went to middle school in FFX.”

[Anonymous]

People love to complain and it's exacerbated on sites like DCUM. APS is not all that bad, at all. Kids are still getting great educations, going to good colleges and being successful. The benefit you might get at another high school in the area is marginal. The money you'll pay in moving/selling expenses is not worth it.

[Anonymous]

“found the coursework there extremely challenging, much more so than her peers who went to middle school in FFX.”


Yea. TJ is usually considered more challenging than any school anywhere.