Anonymous
09/12/2023 11:58
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all I’m the original poster - we did take the spot at ATS and so far have received more feedback and just general info from our whole year at the neighborhood school. I can tell the teachers are super involved and also the parents in our child’s class have reached out. It has been a drastic difference in a couple short weeks. Our child is still adjusting to the early start time and becoming familiar to new ways but as of now I think we are happy solely based on the communication from ATS compared to our neighborhood school.
Glad you are having a good experience so far OP! There was a world of difference between my well regarded neighborhood school and ATS. You don’t realize how much better school can be until you have experienced a truly excellent school.
DP. What is it going to take to get APS to realize this and just make all our schools ATS-es. They don't all have to have the same strictness about tucked in shirts; but seriously - it is clearly effective academically.
This. Get rid of the fads and implement the ATS best practices in all schools.
Anonymous
09/12/2023 11:50
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all I’m the original poster - we did take the spot at ATS and so far have received more feedback and just general info from our whole year at the neighborhood school. I can tell the teachers are super involved and also the parents in our child’s class have reached out. It has been a drastic difference in a couple short weeks. Our child is still adjusting to the early start time and becoming familiar to new ways but as of now I think we are happy solely based on the communication from ATS compared to our neighborhood school.
Glad you are having a good experience so far OP! There was a world of difference between my well regarded neighborhood school and ATS. You don’t realize how much better school can be until you have experienced a truly excellent school.
DP. What is it going to take to get APS to realize this and just make all our schools ATS-es. They don't all have to have the same strictness about tucked in shirts; but seriously - it is clearly effective academically.
Anonymous
09/12/2023 11:47
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Hi all I’m the original poster - we did take the spot at ATS and so far have received more feedback and just general info from our whole year at the neighborhood school. I can tell the teachers are super involved and also the parents in our child’s class have reached out. It has been a drastic difference in a couple short weeks. Our child is still adjusting to the early start time and becoming familiar to new ways but as of now I think we are happy solely based on the communication from ATS compared to our neighborhood school.
Glad you are having a good experience so far OP! There was a world of difference between my well regarded neighborhood school and ATS. You don’t realize how much better school can be until you have experienced a truly excellent school.
Anonymous
09/11/2023 20:17
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Hi all I’m the original poster - we did take the spot at ATS and so far have received more feedback and just general info from our whole year at the neighborhood school. I can tell the teachers are super involved and also the parents in our child’s class have reached out. It has been a drastic difference in a couple short weeks. Our child is still adjusting to the early start time and becoming familiar to new ways but as of now I think we are happy solely based on the communication from ATS compared to our neighborhood school.
This is not surprising to hear - glad things are going well this far.
Anonymous
09/11/2023 18:12
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Hi all I’m the original poster - we did take the spot at ATS and so far have received more feedback and just general info from our whole year at the neighborhood school. I can tell the teachers are super involved and also the parents in our child’s class have reached out. It has been a drastic difference in a couple short weeks. Our child is still adjusting to the early start time and becoming familiar to new ways but as of now I think we are happy solely based on the communication from ATS compared to our neighborhood school.
Anonymous
09/05/2023 19:20
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:I think APS needs to rethink options. i'm an option school parent and really don't think they are a good idea.
you’re part of an option school but think they are a bad idea?
Anonymous
09/05/2023 17:15
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
I think APS needs to rethink options. i'm an option school parent and really don't think they are a good idea.
Anonymous
09/04/2023 14:58
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Looking back and knowing what I know now I wish we would have gone for ATS instead of immersion. At the time, I thought dual language was important and now we are LITERALLY paying for it because of the cost of tutors. And even though DC qualified for summer school it was a joke this year.
I’ve seen lots of kids transfer back to neighborhood schools from immersion a couple grade levels behind. I think it serves the kids best when they are already exposed to Spanish at home.
We were one of those families. Immersion doesn’t work out for all families. And particularly if you don’t speak it in the home.our kid is catching up now but it was a hard decision to make at time. Wish we had tried to ATS or just stayed neighborhood.
This is us too. We transferred out of immersion and should have done it sooner. We have a fluent speaker at home and it still wasn’t a good fit for our kids.
Anonymous
09/03/2023 21:48
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Looking back and knowing what I know now I wish we would have gone for ATS instead of immersion. At the time, I thought dual language was important and now we are LITERALLY paying for it because of the cost of tutors. And even though DC qualified for summer school it was a joke this year.
I’ve seen lots of kids transfer back to neighborhood schools from immersion a couple grade levels behind. I think it serves the kids best when they are already exposed to Spanish at home.
We were one of those families. Immersion doesn’t work out for all families. And particularly if you don’t speak it in the home.our kid is catching up now but it was a hard decision to make at time. Wish we had tried to ATS or just stayed neighborhood.
Anonymous
09/02/2023 20:46
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Looking back and knowing what I know now I wish we would have gone for ATS instead of immersion. At the time, I thought dual language was important and now we are LITERALLY paying for it because of the cost of tutors. And even though DC qualified for summer school it was a joke this year.
Ugh, I’m sorry! I know immersion can be great - from a worldwide perspective, but it has to be done well, and honestly I think that it’s not for most kids. APS is largely pandering to a Hispanic population who apparently has to be begged to enroll… I know people love their existing schools, the ones they know and are happy with, but likely parents, if offered, including those with Hispanic heritage, would be happy, if immersion would be greatly scaled down in Arlington, and instead there were more rigorous curriculums either as options or as part of the neighborhood school.
Anonymous
09/02/2023 14:50
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Looking back and knowing what I know now I wish we would have gone for ATS instead of immersion. At the time, I thought dual language was important and now we are LITERALLY paying for it because of the cost of tutors. And even though DC qualified for summer school it was a joke this year.
I’ve seen lots of kids transfer back to neighborhood schools from immersion a couple grade levels behind. I think it serves the kids best when they are already exposed to Spanish at home.
Anonymous
09/02/2023 14:39
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Sharing some ATS VPI stats.
48 kids in VPI with 12 on wait list (more than any other VPI program). 91 kids in kinder and 45 came from VPI this year. We’ll know FRL stats in a few months.
Wow! Yes, the trend has been that way since APS ordered the 3rd VPI class.
However, does this number already account for VPI siblings? How many lottery slots were there after all siblings were placed?
Not sure. When my second child got in, I think there were 60 spots for non sibs in K and that was a double bubble year. My first child moved to aTS. So, when these VPI kids get in, yes, older sibs roll to the front of the waitlist line for the other grades. However, it is not guaranteed they will get in. our year, there was 6 sibs for the particular grade of my kid and 4 got in. Our w/l number (for sibs) was 4.
Like that Jamestown idea...
Anonymous
09/02/2023 14:31
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this thread because I sometimes have FOMO WRT not sending my kids to ATS. Nothing I've read here makes me question my decision.
The food at international night. It's worth the FOMO but that's it.
I escaped a neighborhood school for ATS and glad i won the lottery.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 11:38
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Let's remember that ATS's "success" refers to its standardized test scores. You may like it's culture or not. But if your kid didn't get in and you're disappointed, you can replicate the requirements and test prep at home while your kid attends their neighborhood school.
And in 6th grade it won't matter anymore.
Why should parents have to fill the gaps for schools that aren’t teaching their kids to read and do math? This is not a new problem in APS. I give the superintendent credit for putting it on a dash board for the community to see how many kids in APS need support for foundational skills.
ATS is getting it right which is why the wait list is so huge there.
You do know that other schools are teaching kids, right? If you want your kid to play an instrument and tuck in their shirt, insist that they do so. If you want your kid to do homework every night, give them some worksheets. If you want your kid held back if they aren't reading in kindergarten, say so.
You do know that there huge numbers of kids in APS who are not reading and doing math on grade level, right? You do know that there are alot of parents paying for tutors because APS has not taught their kids to read or do math, right? ATS has the lowest number of kids who need support of any school in APS. More parents want that for their kids.
Yep!!!! Can't agree more. We are not at ATS but have friends with kiddos there who are the same age. It's drastic the difference between them (yes kids are different but it really comes out with their reading). Our kids were "reading" by guessing. Using the pictures for everything. We have had to pay out of pocket for a tutor from 1st to 4th grade to help correct this and finally get our DC on grade level reading. This only happened because we can afford the tutor. Not everyone can and I don't think anyone should have to. APS needs to step things up.
We’re paying for reading tutors now and I can’t believe we spend this much to live in Arlington and have to pay for reading tutors. I wish we had considered ATS.
The most important thing is you figured it out early and that your kids are getting the help they need. I would write to the school board, Dr Duran, the ELA Department, and perhaps even the principal of your school. You should explain what you are doing and how much you are paying to improve your children’s reading skills. APS should know that the improvements that some kids are making in reading are the result of their parents paying for tutors and not because of APS. [/quote
I'm one of the PP. I've emailed, called and sent letters. It falls on deaf ears. Sometimes I don't even get a response. There are so many other things going on this concern is not a priority for APS.
Anonymous
08/31/2023 11:01
Subject: First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
Looking back and knowing what I know now I wish we would have gone for ATS instead of immersion. At the time, I thought dual language was important and now we are LITERALLY paying for it because of the cost of tutors. And even though DC qualified for summer school it was a joke this year.