Anonymous
06/24/2016 11:10
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
And how crowded are they? Utilization Efficiency numbers from Dashboard (most crowded to least crowded):
Oakton 2 of 25
McLean 6 of 25
Woodson 8 of 25
West Springfield 10 of 25
Marshall 11 of 25
Madison 12 of 25
Langley 15 of 25
Robinson 16 of 25
Lake Braddock 20 of 25
Oakton 2 of 25
McLean 6 of 25
Woodson 8 of 25
West Springfield 10 of 25
Marshall 11 of 25
Madison 12 of 25
Langley 15 of 25
Robinson 16 of 25
Lake Braddock 20 of 25
Anonymous
06/24/2016 10:47
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Those schools all have populations between almost 2000 and 2600, which don't seem to be all that different on a practical basis as long as the school building is physically big enough that kids don't feel crowded. These are all pretty big schools compared to schools in other areas. I'm not sure I would pick one over the other purely on the number of students at the school.
Not true. Lake Braddock SS has almost over 4150 students and over 2750 are in grades 9-12.
The OP asked about the high schools, not the middle schools. Robinson's numbers are similar to LB's. Middle school students are not on the same teams and clubs as high school students and even when they are taking high school level classes, they are seperate from the HS students.
Either way both schools have well over 2600 HS students on campuses with over 3800 students.
Anonymous
06/24/2016 09:17
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Those schools all have populations between almost 2000 and 2600, which don't seem to be all that different on a practical basis as long as the school building is physically big enough that kids don't feel crowded. These are all pretty big schools compared to schools in other areas. I'm not sure I would pick one over the other purely on the number of students at the school.
Not true. Lake Braddock SS has almost over 4150 students and over 2750 are in grades 9-12.
The OP asked about the high schools, not the middle schools. Robinson's numbers are similar to LB's. Middle school students are not on the same teams and clubs as high school students and even when they are taking high school level classes, they are seperate from the HS students.
+1. Lunches are separate too. The bell schedule is a few minutes different as well so the MS and HS kids are not mixed together on a regular basis. Pep rallies and other school functions are also held separately for MS and HS. They do share the same buses but most of the older HS kids don't ride the bus, especially in the afternoons.
Anonymous
06/24/2016 08:57
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Those schools all have populations between almost 2000 and 2600, which don't seem to be all that different on a practical basis as long as the school building is physically big enough that kids don't feel crowded. These are all pretty big schools compared to schools in other areas. I'm not sure I would pick one over the other purely on the number of students at the school.
Not true. Lake Braddock SS has almost over 4150 students and over 2750 are in grades 9-12.
The OP asked about the high schools, not the middle schools. Robinson's numbers are similar to LB's. Middle school students are not on the same teams and clubs as high school students and even when they are taking high school level classes, they are seperate from the HS students.
Anonymous
06/24/2016 08:42
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Those schools all have populations between almost 2000 and 2600, which don't seem to be all that different on a practical basis as long as the school building is physically big enough that kids don't feel crowded. These are all pretty big schools compared to schools in other areas. I'm not sure I would pick one over the other purely on the number of students at the school.
Not true. Lake Braddock SS has almost over 4150 students and over 2750 are in grades 9-12.
Good points made by both PPs. It might be helpful to look at FCPS' Dashboard to see what schools are open vs. closed to transfers, where closed to transfers indicates over-crowding.
http://www.fcps.edu/fts/dashboard/
Anonymous
06/24/2016 00:25
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Madison=band/goth/emo
Langley=drugs
Oakton=poor kids
Marshall=gangs
McLean=competition
I agree with this, but a few slight changes
Madison=maybe 60% goth, and 40% band and jocks
Langley = drugs/snobs
Oakton=poor kids
Marshall=gangs
McLean=band
Anonymous
06/23/2016 15:03
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Those schools all have populations between almost 2000 and 2600, which don't seem to be all that different on a practical basis as long as the school building is physically big enough that kids don't feel crowded. These are all pretty big schools compared to schools in other areas. I'm not sure I would pick one over the other purely on the number of students at the school.
Not true. Lake Braddock SS has almost over 4150 students and over 2750 are in grades 9-12.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 14:56
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Those schools all have populations between almost 2000 and 2600, which don't seem to be all that different on a practical basis as long as the school building is physically big enough that kids don't feel crowded. These are all pretty big schools compared to schools in other areas. I'm not sure I would pick one over the other purely on the number of students at the school.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 14:54
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.
I have a theory that it's self-selecting. Woodson has always had a reputation as one of the top-performing academic schools in the county. Parents who put a real premium on academic achievement but can't afford the more expensive districts, deliberately buy homes zoned for Woodson.
I know others who have deliberately bought homes not zoned for Woodson. (Several live in my neighborhood.)
I'm sure that's true, which--taken in the aggregate--would serve reinforce the effect even further.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 14:38
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.
I have a theory that it's self-selecting. Woodson has always had a reputation as one of the top-performing academic schools in the county. Parents who put a real premium on academic achievement but can't afford the more expensive districts, deliberately buy homes zoned for Woodson.
I know others who have deliberately bought homes not zoned for Woodson. (Several live in my neighborhood.)
Anonymous
06/23/2016 13:26
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.
I have a theory that it's self-selecting. Woodson has always had a reputation as one of the top-performing academic schools in the county. Parents who put a real premium on academic achievement but can't afford the more expensive districts, deliberately buy homes zoned for Woodson.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 12:01
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.
Can respond to this but from the flip side -- at Lake Braddock, students are urged NOT to take too many AP classes and instead choose honors or on-level classes. This is emphasized by both the student counseling staff as well as the teachers.
+1. At our experience at LB, the students are encouraged to take the course load where they can achieve their best results without being overwhelmed. For some kids that means lots of APs. But for many kids it is more of a combo of course levels. Kids are not made to feel bad if they mix in honors or regular classes with APs.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 11:30
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.
Can respond to this but from the flip side -- at Lake Braddock, students are urged NOT to take too many AP classes and instead choose honors or on-level classes. This is emphasized by both the student counseling staff as well as the teachers.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 11:30
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.
It really varies by school. At some schools, the pressure to take a lot of AP courses comes primarily from the kids themselves, and the schools discourage students from taking too many AP courses. On the other hand, at least one area IB school plans to automatically enroll students in IB English classes regardless of their level of interest or preparation, presumably to boost the school's US News and Challenge Index ratings, both of which are heavily based on AP/IB participation rates.
Anonymous
06/23/2016 11:24
Subject: Comparing and contrasting the culture at different FCPS high schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I would agree that Woodson is not any more stressful -overall- than any FCPS HS.
I disagree with this statement as this has not been our experience. Our kids have attended both Woodson HS and another FCPS HS and the stress at Woodson was far greater than the other FCPS high school.
Yep. A friend of mine had daughters at Woodson and Lake Braddock. She reported a similar experience. It sounds as though Woodson is working to address the issue, which is great but clearly there is something about the culture that differs from many other FCPS schools.
Who is driving this culture, do you think? Parents, students, teachers? As a future Woodson parent, this concerns me. I don't plan to push DCs too hard, just want them to have a decent work ethic that carries them through life. The parents I know seem down to earth, but maybe they'll change by high school?
I remember being in a peer group as a kid where we were all very competitive with each other. It wasn't driven by my parents really.
And those of you with experience at multiple high schools - are teachers/guidance counselors encouraging kids to take more AP classes than elsewhere, do teachers assign more homework? Are activities more stressful somehow?
I just wonder what it is when it is so close to schools like Lake Braddock and Robinson who haven't developed this reputation.