Reply to Should we leave Alexandria?

Forum Index » VA Public Schools other than FCPS

Reply to "Should we leave Alexandria? "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have one recent graduate and one high schooler.  We also vaguely considered private school as the oldest was entering kindergarten but decided to give ACPS a try - and have not regretted our decision.  I agree with the other ACPS parent that safety issues are exaggerated - my kids have never felt unsafe in school.  And while they have suffered through some bad teachers, they have also learned from some truly amazing and dedicated teachers.  My college student - now at an ivy league school - does not feel academically unprepared or inferior to the kids who went private.  Also, the ACHS experience - going to school with kids from extremely different backgrounds and life experiences - is not to be underestimated in terms of preparing you for the real world.[/quote]

This is laughable.  Truly.  ACHS is incredibly self-segregated.  Higher-income kids self select into the academies and do not know probably even see 95 percent of their classmates.  It’s a giant school.

It’s hard to engage in school-based extracurriculars because the school is so huge.  Kids usually do something outside of school.  Middle school is particularly bad but it’s not great anywhere.  But the middle school offers a lot less than neighboring public districts outside of basics.

I think kids from an involved family with a lot of outside supplementation can do fine.[/quote]

Kids self segregate in elementary after kindergarten regardless of the removed opportunities that have been given to all children in the name of "equity". ACPS places all elementary school children in the same inclusive classrooms, but that doesn't mean the children will become friends when they come from vastly different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. This self segregation still happens all the while it is now impossible for demonstrated advanced students to get AAS services regardless of need while a concurrent "Young Scholars" program allows student of color to receive AAS without proof of need. Afterschool enrichment is also not allowed in some elementaries in the name of "equity ". This school district is a mess.[/quote]
Can we come back to this? What does AAS look like in ACPS currently? Seems that could have a big impact on people with OP’s dilemma.[/quote]

They supposedly open AAS to the top 15 percent of kids in the class for 4th and 5th. Anyone can take honors in middle school. They differentiate for all kids in elementary. [/quote]

So, sorry, is the only differentiation in middle school taking honors classes?[/quote]

Yes[/quote]

Seems pretty weak tbh.[/quote]

What would you expect?[/quote]

Just a year or two ago they had a page with example course sequences for various subjects for grades 6-12. It’s different than what they have now. For math, I believe they showed an advanced path where you could take pre-algebra in 6th and algebra in 7th, culminating with DE multivariable in 12th, or maybe even a path with multivariable and linear algebra/differential equations. That was the most advanced but there were 6 or so different examples of how a student’s math progression could go (and probably more in reality).

Now it looks like the only decision is between algebra and pre-algebra in 8th. Which is weird because they still list calc BC as available to 10th graders but I don’t see how you could get to that if they don’t let you do algebra until 8th.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics