Our neighbors left ATS because they said it was not a good school for their kid who had special needs.

Neighborhood schools ( not all, but many) do a better job with that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

I think it's a HUGE factor that people like to ignore. It's already a self selected group. And it's a choice school. So if you don't like homework in kindergarten, you aren't going to go there. So yes, I think it plays an incredibly outsized role in the success of ATS and is the main reason it would not work across the board.

This is from ATS.

Great schools don't happen by chance, they happen by design. ATS has been guided by 7 traditional tenets since 1978:

1. Teacher-guided instruction in self-contained classrooms
2. Emphasis on basic education in the core academic areas
3. Regular homework assigned at all grade levels
4. Weekly written summary of student progress communicated to parents
5. Promotion based on grade level mastery
6. Behavior, dress and grooming standards
7. Weekly assembly programs reinforces philosophy and build community

Additional philosophy that sets us apart from other schools include:

* Every child participates in the hallmark Summer Reading Challenge of reading 50 books
* Every child in grades 1-5 performs a class play at a Friday assembly
* Every child in grades 4 and 5 learns to play a musical instrument and plays in the beginning or advanced orchestra/band and performs at an assembly and in the evening twice a year
* Every child in grades 4 and 5 sings in a grade-level chorus and and performs at an assembly and in the evening twice a year
* Every child in grade 5 is a school safety patrol modeling leadership and assisting children before/after school
* Sister school, Arlington Junior school, in Uganda, Africa

Get the book On Purpose: How Great Schools From Strong Character. An entire chapter on ATS.

ATS has a unique culture going back over 40 years. Every teacher and family has chosen to be there. They tell you that at every BTS night. Teachers send their kids there if they can, former ATS students come back and teach there. Former teachers come back and volunteer there.

Other APS schools could do some of what makes ATS unique and some similar things.

Some schools have a model project but ATS has the ABCs which means a focus on academics, behavior and character. Kids learn this from day one and can tell you what the ABCs are and what they mean. They teach and reinforce the 6 pillars of citizenship and all of these messages are everywhere in the school.

Like other APS schools, they have unique parties and traditions. People think it's some test prep school and no one has fun. We already have the schedule of school parties for the year and my kids can't wait to go to the fall festival.

Everyone focuses on the homework and tucked-in shirts. But the school builds teacher relationships and school community from day 1 to set every kid up for academic success.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you feel your principal should hear your suggestions? Are you an educational consultant? Do you have a college degree in this field?
This type of feedback is out of turn. You have no idea what constraints the principal has.

I think being an educational consultant ought to disqualify one from offering input. Ditto with regards to an “education” degree, since education schools are the ones who pushed this Balanced Literacy / Lucy Calkins silliness which derailed an entire generation from reading fluently.

Agree that the principal likely has very little ability to make meaningful change, even if s/he agreed with OP in principle.

Probably a waste of time to talk to the principal. Doubtful they will agree inside their own head, and even if they privately do agree there is little they can do to change direction from the central office. I do not see any way that meeting will end well or happily.

A better approach, although still a very very long shot, would be to ask ACPS School Board members about adding another ATS school someplace. It will sell better if you say it is to provide equity to the many kids who did not win the ATS lottery. If you criticize their “normal” curriculum, methods, or practices, then they will get defensive and stop listening. It has to be positioned as expanding opportunities.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you feel your principal should hear your suggestions? Are you an educational consultant? Do you have a college degree in this field?
This type of feedback is out of turn. You have no idea what constraints the principal has.

+1

I would not share #3 ... tucking in shirts. LOL You should look up on the ATS website and snag their pillars of education ATS uses and present that when you are speaking with anyone.

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

There are plenty of people trying to get in, there are not enough slots. We shouldn't have to be motivated to enter the lottery, this is how all the elementary schools should be ran.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I totally agree that all APS elementary schools could learn a lot from ATS. For the life of me I can’t figure out why we don’t bring that pedagogy to the other schools. Instead we’re doing the opposite w grading for equity nonsense.

I do think it’s worth sharing frustrations with your principal. However most of these issues are driven by Central.

Where does central specify inquiry based learning?

Anonymous wrote:One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

Sure but that can’t be only factor?

One big difference is parents who are involved and motivated enough to seek a slot at ATS. Your principal can’t do anything about that one.

OP, I totally agree that all APS elementary schools could learn a lot from ATS. For the life of me I can’t figure out why we don’t bring that pedagogy to the other schools. Instead we’re doing the opposite w grading for equity nonsense.

I do think it’s worth sharing frustrations with your principal. However most of these issues are driven by Central.

Why do you feel your principal should hear your suggestions? Are you an educational consultant? Do you have a college degree in this field?
This type of feedback is out of turn. You have no idea what constraints the principal has.

So I’m looking for a concrete plan to take to our principal.

1) direct instruction. Where is the inquiry instruction policy set by APS?

2) homework

3) tucked in shirts

4) high academic expectations? So I ask them why they currently have low expectations?

5) disciple expectations? See above?

Any more?