The new director of counseling is... not good.

Anonymous wrote:Hello! I'm wondering if we could get some feedback on these options for us. Our dream would be to find something in Glebe/Swanson, but it looks like our budget is landing us more in either Ashlawn/Kenmore or Long Branch/Jefferson. Does anyone have personal experience with any of these schools they can share?

For additional context, our rising 2nd-grader is very bright (too young to be assessed for gifted services yet) and is coming from an extremely diverse, high-language-learner, Title I school that she loved and we enjoyed the community, but wasn't academically challenging enough. We are hoping for a school that can effectively support high performance and also has a friendly, close, diverse, down-to-earth community (both school and neighborhood if possible).

Thanks for your help!

Title I elementary to Jefferson family here. Jefferson was a good experience for our kids. Counseling staff was mostly excellent, though the Director is now elsewhere. Some outstanding teachers who are also no longer there; so can't speak to the current teaching staff. Nevertheless, the same principal is still there (ok, not outstanding) and that consistency and leadership remain, the academic teams were well-run and the teachers coordinated very well.

IB wasn't all it was cracked up to be; but being able to get more years of language complete before high school is really nice. You can either get 2 of your 2+2 languages complete; or 2 of your 3 years of one language complete and still have opportunity to try another language in high school if you want.

Never had any children in Kenmore; but I have volunteered there. If you want an arts focus, I'd recommend Kenmore over Jefferson, though I don't think Kenmore's band is notably better than Jefferson's. Otherwise, if I were choosing between the two, I'd choose Jefferson. Still, I don't know that one is so significantly better than the other that it will matter as far as preparedness for high school.

We didn't attend Long Branch, but know a handful of families who did - some from our neighborhood somehow - and they never had any complaints. It's small and seems to stay under the radar; so they probably are able to go about their business without issues. The families we've known at Ashlawn have been very happy there as well, and it also does not seem to find itself in much controversy. The formerly beloved principal is now at Barcroft, I believe; and I've never heard anything negative about Ashlawn administration or the school.

My experience is somewhat dated since my kids are now in college but they did Long Branch / Jefferson / W-L.

I was happy with their experience and felt the schools did a good job of challenging them there are some benefits to the Middle Years IB at Jefferson -- language required all three years, having do to a big project in 8th grade. Both schools are quite diverse.

The neighborhoods in this pyramid (largely Ashton Heights/Lyon Park) are also very friendly, nice places to raise kids with lots of activities at the central neighborhood park. And as the kids got older there was lots they could get to with their friends without relying on parent chauffeurs.

Anonymous wrote:Kenmore is a great school with strong leadership. Not so much Swanson.

Swanson’s old principal from the 00s has been back at the helm. There are no administration issues at Swanson. A few years ago, yes. But not now.

Kenmore is a great school with strong leadership. Not so much Swanson.

We loved Ashlawn- a great community! (We went private for MS for personal reasons)

Ashlawn/Kenmore family here. We’ve had kids in both schools for 10+ years. They are both great schools. No complaints.

We’ve been very happy with Ashlawn and the gifted services. We decided to transfer to kenmore even though we were zoned for Swanson due to the fine arts program and some personal social reasons

(OP) Thanks everyone, that's helpful to know about upcoming boundary changes. Still hoping to hear about any experiences with these schools if anyone in the DCUM community has thoughts to share.

Anonymous wrote:I am not following this issue, but APS is planning a middle school boundary process for fall 2024. I don't know what schools are on the table, or if everything is, but you may want to focus on the school that's right in front of you (sounds like elementary). Someone else may be knowledgeable about the middle schools you asked about and how they could be affected.

As I recall, Since Williamsburg is underenrolled, the Swanson boundary will likely pull more from Ashlawn while losing neighborhoods closer to Williamsburg. That was the previous APS proposal (last year), so what’s on the table when the process starts up again might be something similar.

I am not following this issue, but APS is planning a middle school boundary process for fall 2024. I don't know what schools are on the table, or if everything is, but you may want to focus on the school that's right in front of you (sounds like elementary). Someone else may be knowledgeable about the middle schools you asked about and how they could be affected.

(OP here) Thanks to you both for the input. Also, want to clarify that we aren't necessarily looking for separated gifted services, just a school that knows how to challenge kids at all levels.

Either of those school pyramids should meet your child’s needs, and I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other. Note that APS has previously proposed, and may again propose, to rezone Ashlawn/Kenmore to Ashlawn/Swanson (a portion of Ashlawn is already zoned to Swanson). Don’t know much more than that, but if you were hoping for Swanson that may or may not happen down the road.

You may also want to look into nearby Cardinal/Swanson. Or even Glebe/Dorothy Hamm. (Half of Glebe is zoned to Hamm.)

Arlington does not have a robust gifted program and math acceleration does not start until 6th grade. We are happy with APS but it sounds like you may not be.

Hello! I'm wondering if we could get some feedback on these options for us. Our dream would be to find something in Glebe/Swanson, but it looks like our budget is landing us more in either Ashlawn/Kenmore or Long Branch/Jefferson. Does anyone have personal experience with any of these schools they can share?

For additional context, our rising 2nd-grader is very bright (too young to be assessed for gifted services yet) and is coming from an extremely diverse, high-language-learner, Title I school that she loved and we enjoyed the community, but wasn't academically challenging enough. We are hoping for a school that can effectively support high performance and also has a friendly, close, diverse, down-to-earth community (both school and neighborhood if possible).

Thanks for your help!