I'd go with Henry. You are getting a brand new elementary school, by the same team as Discovery. Patrick Henry is very well liked, the principal and vice principal are awesome! Have not heard one negative word! It is currently expected, that the entire Henry boundary will move into the new school, which will be located next to TJ middle. Arlington Heights and Penrose are nice, SFH neighborhoods. It's walkable to Columbia Pike and Clarendon.

Most importantly, you are buying a house though, so you have to love it!
Do look up the exact planning unit of either house. Keep in mind, that another new elementary school is planned for 2021, and they are currently deciding about a 4th High School for 2022 (right, APS?) - so boundaries will move throughout Arlington.

There is some uncertainty regarding schools in Henry's boundary right now. Tuckahoe is probably a known quantity. So if you like tuckahoe's stats, go with that. If you are willing to have some uncertainty, Henry might be a good bet.

Tuckahoe is pretty lily-white and pretty wealthy. Take that as you will. Henry is one of only two south Arlington schools I considered in our search- it has a strong reputation. And Jefferson is well regarded.

I'd go with Henry, especially if the other house is in the Williamsburg-Yorktown part of Tuckahoe.

I'm in the Tuckahoe district and would vastly prefer my kids to be at Henry rather than Tuckahoe. We choiced out to avoid Tuckahoe.
Tuckahoe has no diversity, and has a terrible reputation for integrating children with special needs into the classroom.

Anonymous wrote:

I'd go with the better house and the great school. Patrick Henry is a great school and soon moving into a brand-new building. My kids attend Jefferson MS so many of their classmates went to Henry and I only hear good things about it. It was named a "Blue Ribbon School" in 2015.

Jefferson is also an excellent middle school with an IB program that puts a strong focus on writing and community service. I've been very happy with my kids' experience there.

Don't all APS middle schools teach writing? What's different about TJ? (just curious)

From comparing experiences with friends in other MS's, they just seem to do more of it. Even in non-English/Social Studies classes they are writing. For example, after a band performance, my DD writes a reflection on her performance and how she can do better.

Anonymous wrote:Go for the better house in Henry.

+1.

Go for the better house in Henry.

I'd go with the better house and the great school. Patrick Henry is a great school and soon moving into a brand-new building. My kids attend Jefferson MS so many of their classmates went to Henry and I only hear good things about it. It was named a "Blue Ribbon School" in 2015.

Jefferson is also an excellent middle school with an IB program that puts a strong focus on writing and community service. I've been very happy with my kids' experience there.

Don't all APS middle schools teach writing? What's different about TJ? (just curious)

I'd go with the better house and the great school. Patrick Henry is a great school and soon moving into a brand-new building. My kids attend Jefferson MS so many of their classmates went to Henry and I only hear good things about it. It was named a "Blue Ribbon School" in 2015.

Jefferson is also an excellent middle school with an IB program that puts a strong focus on writing and community service. I've been very happy with my kids' experience there.

How long do you plan to stay? If you are looking forward to middle and high school--the Tuckahoe house is far preferable. People like Henry--Tuckahoe is terrific. I've lived actually near Henry and in the Tuckahoe district. One other factor is traffic. Much easier to get around Tuckahoe area than the general congestion of Glebe/Walter Reed/Col Pike.

Anonymous wrote:Tuckahoe district is VERY safe nd the school is very good. The school is overcrowded, but SO much less overcrowded than it used to be. You can really feel the difference between 130 or 140% overcrowded to whatever it is now (115%???). It is a nice and friendly community. Great parks nearby. Very white, but people are not racist here. There are some stay-at-home moms here or energetic working moms that work hard to make the PTA and school great. Most Tuckahoe folks go to Swanson Middle and it is excellent!! If not, you will attend Williamsburg with the rich folks. Then W-L or Yorktown for High - both great.

I have heard great things about Henry. It will undergo some sort of transformation. I believe people are thinking about making it Montessori choice elementary school. But I don't know that the final decision has been made, exactly. It will be redeveloped tho. The area around Henry is not as safe as Tuckahoe, but it certainly is not Anacostia. I don't know about how tight-knit the community is, someone else can speak to that. It is more diverse than Tuckahoe, if that matters. If TJ is your middle school, it is very good and has an IB program. Wakefield would be your high school, I would think.

Having lived in a small house verses a much larger house with closets - the larger house is easier to live in, especially if you don't subscribe to the Konmarie method of tidying up. Factor in commute time to your equation.

This is factually incorrect. A brand new school is being built and the likely boundary will pull in most of the kids currently zoned to Henry. Construction is supposed to be complete by fall 2019. The current Henry building will then be used to house the countywide option Montessori school (pre-K to fifth grade I think, possibly to expand to include MS students through 8th grade eventually). The neighborhoods currently zoned to Henry ES are perfectly safe. You can look up the crime stats if you want. There is very little crime, overall, and the single family neighborhoods are particularly safe whether in north or south Arlington. Henry is more diverse by just about any measure (racial, economic, linguistic, cultural), but it has an active PTA and the neighborhood seems to have lots of community events. Not my neighborhood, but we're nearby and have heard only good things from friends about the school and the neighborhood.

I'd choose the better home and the better commute.

Tuckahoe district is VERY safe nd the school is very good. The school is overcrowded, but SO much less overcrowded than it used to be. You can really feel the difference between 130 or 140% overcrowded to whatever it is now (115%???). It is a nice and friendly community. Great parks nearby. Very white, but people are not racist here. There are some stay-at-home moms here or energetic working moms that work hard to make the PTA and school great. Most Tuckahoe folks go to Swanson Middle and it is excellent!! If not, you will attend Williamsburg with the rich folks. Then W-L or Yorktown for High - both great.

I have heard great things about Henry. It will undergo some sort of transformation. I believe people are thinking about making it Montessori choice elementary school. But I don't know that the final decision has been made, exactly. It will be redeveloped tho. The area around Henry is not as safe as Tuckahoe, but it certainly is not Anacostia. I don't know about how tight-knit the community is, someone else can speak to that. It is more diverse than Tuckahoe, if that matters. If TJ is your middle school, it is very good and has an IB program. Wakefield would be your high school, I would think.

Having lived in a small house verses a much larger house with closets - the larger house is easier to live in, especially if you don't subscribe to the Konmarie method of tidying up. Factor in commute time to your equation.

Henry has an excellent reputation. My kid went to Jefferson Andy we we're very happy.

Isn't Henry going to house the Montessori program? (After it moves out of Drew.) You'll need to find out what other school you're zoned for... possibly the future elementary school on TJ grounds.

We are looking at two houses. I know tuckahoe is the better school but the house we can afford is much nicer and larger in the district for Henry. Is it worth sacrificing the space and updates for tuckahoe?