Reply to Tell me about Alexandria and South Arlington Schools

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[quote=Anonymous]Hello, OP. Getting back to your original question, I'm happy to give my two cents on Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS).

We have one child in elementary school and one child in middle school. We have been very pleased with the quality of academic instruction at both levels. One child was identified early as "gifted" and one was not, so we have experience with the TAG program as well as the general education program. We feel that both kids have been given sufficient challenge and support as needed. In the 8 years we have had children in the schools, we have only had one teacher that we felt was not great, and she was gone the following year. (I fully admit that we may have a bit of a charmed life in this respect, but it is our experience.)

For your reference, our elementary school has one of the higher FARMS rates in the system. We do not feel that it has had a negative impact on our kids. To the contrary, we like that they have friends across the socio-economic spectrum. We have been pleasantly surprised by middle school (DC is at GW). We were concerned about the transition, but the school is really well-run and the teachers DC has had are excellent. I wish my middle school experience had been as good as DC's is.

We have also been pleased with the arts education. The orchestra program is well-known and well-regarded throughout the state and the region. The choir program is also very strong and well-regarded. While the recognition of those programs comes at the middle and high school levels, the elementary pipeline into them is strong. Our elementary school also has a dance integration program that augments the curriculum with dance. For example, using dance to support a lesson in the different types of cloud formations, the teachers had kids up and moving and making up dances to demonstrate the different cloud types. Programs like that vary by school, of course, but they are out there. The middle school speech and drama program is also very strong and has great community support. The national PTA "Reflections" art contest is also well-supported by the area PTAs. In fairness, the band program is not as strong as the other arts programs, but it is fine.

By and large I think that the elementary schools are strong. The biggest issue facing all of the elementary schools is overcrowding due to increased enrollment. It looks like the city council will fully fund capital improvement projects aimed at relieving the overcrowding - between a new elementary school and some school modernization projects. That will help the space-squeeze. Even with overcrowding, ACPS has kept its class size caps in elementary stable: K is capped at 22; First and Second is capped at 24; Third through Fifth is capped at 26. Each school will have its own strengths and weaknesses, of course. I also think that middle school, at least at GW, is strong.

I cannot speak to the high school (TC Williams), since we do not have direct experience there. I do worry about the size of the school, but there can be benefits to the size as well in the number of programs that are offered. I can say that I have been impressed by the TC students in our neighborhood, many of whom I have watched grow up. They seem to be enjoying their experience. The handful that I happen to know in our neighborhood that are now in college went to good schools (UVA, Brown, VaTech, Bryn Mawr, Cornell). We will consider private at the high school level when we get there, but we are hoping that TC will turn out to surprise us the way GW has done.

ACPS has its issues, no doubt, as does every public school system. But I think that the vitriol that comes out on this board is not deserved. I think if you find a neighborhood/community that you like in Alexandria then you will be happy there and your kids will be happy in the schools. I suspect the same holds true for Arlington.

Good luck, OP.
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