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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]It’s like a prison in there.[/b]

Why would you move from Gunston? Are you scared of minorities? [/quote]

TJ definitely looks like a prison and needs more windows.  That said, both my kids had a fine experience there. No social issues, expanded their friend groups. I liked aspects of the IB program.  They had some great teachers and a couple bad ones. The two counselors we dealt with were both helpful.[/quote]

Ironically, they did add windows to TJ a few years ago!
Nevertheless, my kids were fine there and had mostly very good teachers, a number of excellent teachers, and only a couple of bad ones. However, a number of those excellent ones are now gone (teaching elsewhere, deceased, retired). One kid's counselor was useless; but the other one was good and helpful. We did have some bullying issues in 6th grade by older 8th graders, and I've heard from a few other parents about bullying issues their kids endured until their kid figured out there were better groups of kids to befriend and hang out with.  But in all of the situations, administration was entirely un-helpful; though I don't know that I would expect much more from any other school's admin.

TJ also has more language offerings due to the IB program and it has the requisite middle school 7-11 a block away.  It's a bit farther; but kids can walk or take a quick bus ride up the street to Ballston, too.  The principal is ok, not outstanding by any means, but adequate.  I have a friend who complained a lot about the Gunston principal, fwiw.  But the only parents I know well at Gunston are parents of immersion students, if that might make a difference in perceptions for some reason.

The parent friends I know at Williamsburg decry the lack of diversity and acknowledge issues; but their kids aren't directly impacted or not impacted enough for it to make them give up Williamsburg. APS is generally bad in regard to writing instruction; but it did seem my friends' Williamsburg kids MIGHT have done better in having more substantial writing assignments.  Hard to tell for sure, as one of my kids did far more writing at TJ than the other one did.  So it may have to do with the student more than the school.

I know a lot of parents at Kenmore, including some from NE Arlington whose kids wanted to transfer to it.  All of them have cited very good experiences and no problems.  I think Kenmore is under-rated by the broader elitist Arlington parent community.

Overall,  previous posters are right:  it's middle school and none of them are so significantly better than the others in Arlington.  Besides, someone who's actually asking for the best middle school will probably be asking the same question about high schools in three years; so what is it you really want, OP?   What is your real question and what are you really hoping for people to respond?[/quote]

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