Anonymous wrote:Kenmore has an arts focus, a beautiful building and the best theater of all the middle schools.

NP. I've never understood what this means. They're the only MS to offer art, music, or theatre?

Kenmore is fine. Not the best option in APS. But fine.

Kenmore has an arts focus, a beautiful building and the best theater of all the middle schools.

PP here. My kid also like the option of dance PE instead of regular PE. And didn’t notice fighting.

My academically-minded kid did well at Kenmore. He really liked the STEM classes- especially the robotics class. All APS middle schools now have intensified versions of most of the core academic classes.

I will say that in 9th grade my kid had issues in math class keeping up at the beginning of the year. His math teacher asked were he went to middle school and said Kenmore kids were sometimes behind. Once my kid got used to the demands of HS, he had no problem getting a good grade in intensified algebra 2.

I have no experience with the middle schools but if these boards are true, it seems like most people have complaints about the middle schools and Dorothy Hamm is the best of the bunch.

I also assume the happy parents aren't posting.


Def search the forum, there have been threads by recent Kenmore parents.

Anonymous wrote:We're moving to Arlington and are currently looking for houses. Our son is in fifth grade and is very academics/oriented, in the gifted program. We found a wonderful house and are considering whether to place an offer, but it's in the Kenmore middle school district, and Washington Liberty High School. The test scores and reviews we're finding about Kenmore are not that great. Interested in hearing from Kenmore parents about what the experience is like for their kids.

If you want this to continue, move to Fairfax Co. You won't find it in APS.

Anonymous wrote:Might consider looking for Swanson and WL (IB program). Kenmore is ok but Swanson is stronger academically

They'll be fine. They all end up at the same place (WL). Living in a house you love is important and positively impacts your life, too.

Might consider looking for Swanson and WL (IB program). Kenmore is ok but Swanson is stronger academically

Kenmore is great, although it's still an APS middle school. Having the intensified 6th grade classes next year will help even more - with academics and friendships.

WL is fantastic.

Anonymous wrote:No middle school is Arlington is good. Kenmore is fine. WL is also fine.

+1

MS is just 3 years and its all a joke right now. They can turn stuff in late, retake tests, etc. Also, NONE have a very strong gifted program in MS.

Anonymous wrote:We're moving to Arlington and are currently looking for houses. Our son is in fifth grade and is very academics/oriented, in the gifted program. We found a wonderful house and are considering whether to place an offer, but it's in the Kenmore middle school district, and Washington Liberty High School. The test scores and reviews we're finding about Kenmore are not that great. Interested in hearing from Kenmore parents about what the experience is like for their kids.

Overall scores are going to be lower because of the student demographics. There is a large %age of EL students at Kenmore, as there are at Jefferson and Gunston. WL is the largest high school; but has the most offerings because it houses the IB program as well as AP classes and its student demographics pretty closely reflect the overall student demographics of Arlington public school students.

Kenmore is the only Arlington middle school with the STEAM focus (STEM plus Arts) and has a strong arts program. You'll be absolutely fine.

No middle school is Arlington is good. Kenmore is fine. WL is also fine.

Kenmore is fine. Actually a little better for our kid who is there now (versus older sibling) - they now have intensified course offerings for all subjects. Previously it was just math track. Being with other academically focused kids has been an improvement. It's big, chaotic, a bit rough at times (I hear about things like fights), some teachers are better than others, that's the case everywhere. Overall my kid is fine and doing great academically. (And the older kid is doing fine at WL)

We're moving to Arlington and are currently looking for houses. Our son is in fifth grade and is very academics/oriented, in the gifted program. We found a wonderful house and are considering whether to place an offer, but it's in the Kenmore middle school district, and Washington Liberty High School. The test scores and reviews we're finding about Kenmore are not that great. Interested in hearing from Kenmore parents about what the experience is like for their kids.