Reply to Experiences with Long Branch Elementary and Jefferson Middle?

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[quote=Anonymous]
       [quote] Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
                    I posted a few months ago asking the same question when we were looking at houses in that zone. Everyone really had wonderful things to say. You can probably search for my post.

I've met the principal and she is wonderful. I joined the TJ pta, my only thought from reading what they put out is that they are more south arlington centric -- most of the community events are much further south. I'm not sure how much you would want to participate in those either way, but it would have been difficult for my family since I don't drive.

We ended up buying a little more north so we are in asfs and hamm, but from what I've heard, long branch is a great community and all the middle schools are about the same.

Huh?

Me, too on the "huh?"
            All middle schools are about the same???
            And what does "much further south" for the school events mean? They are all at the school with maybe a restaurant fundraiser at some pizza place nearby.
            And heaven forbid one might venture to south Arlington for an event once a year.

Ok, so maybe I won't try to be helpful.

I kind of lurk/joined the TJ PTA two years ago when we were thinking about buying in Lyon Park -- all of the pta events I've seen have been really far from my house. I don't live anywhere near Walter Reed, or Pupatella. Frankly I don't even know where they are, other than they are over two miles from the houses we were looking to buy (which considering how small Arlington is, is really far). Its very different from my impressions from Hamm, where all of the events that were planned pre-Covid were walking distance of the house we ended up buying. I don't own a car, so going over two miles for a school event is not happening. Again, this is middle school so in all likelihood it doesn't matter, but it was something I noticed. If I had known COVID was going to happen, then it would have probably factored in even less.

I know parents at Williamsburg, Kenmore, Swanson, Hamm, and TJ. I know a few parents at the immersion program at Gunston. Everyone I know in real life neither loves or hates their middle school. Academically, they are all about the same. Demographics may be different, but in real life, I've never heard anyone say anything about the schools being dramatically different other than from a social aspect.

It's not my intention to criticize you; but I just don't understand the issue with the one or two fundraisers being at Pupatella on Walter Reed. It's a few blocks from the school; so if you would have been willing to buy to go to TJ, I don't get why the location of the limited events was a thing.

There are differences in middle school programs and offerings. IB at TJ, for instance. Music and art programs are much stronger at other middle schools. Some small differences in course offerings. From the parents I've talked to, homework is different. And, as you suggest, there is definitely a difference in the population, and the PTAs and PTA fundraisers and activities.

Pupatella is 2 miles south of TJ according to google maps. I don't drive, and I thought that fundraisers/etc being where they were[b] must mean that the school population is largely more concentrated considerably further south of where we were looking to buy.[/b] Since I don't drive, I wanted my children to be at a neighborhood school where the school population was more concentrated near our potential house so that they could more independently get themselves around. We needed to stay very close to the metro so that factored into our choices as well.
I talked with a lot of teachers, parents, etc at the different schools before we bought where we did, a lot of people told me that the middle schools though they offered slightly different courses were about the same academically. Its not like elementary school where you have carlin springs versus jamestown. My kids have done well at Hamm this year.
	[/quote]

OP, I'm sorry, but you're not fooling anyone when you say the reason you picked another neighborhood is because you don't drive...[/quote]

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