Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know ACPS has maybe the worst reputation of the area publics, but my husband and I really, really like Alexandria and would like to consider sending our children to public elementary school and hopefully beyond. Oldest is a rising K and we're moving from D.C. for more space and lower crime. We'd consider houses inbounds for Barrett, Brooks, Mason, MacArthur and Mt. Vernon. Other than lower test scores compared to some APS and and FCPS schools (which I don't really care about since my kids will have plenty of home support), what am I missing? Politics aside, why do people hate ACPS? Is it really so different from the neighboring school districts?

This is probably for a different thread, but if we move farther south to FCPS, is Sandburg Middle any better than GW? I've heard really negative things about both, and of course there are the parents who like the schools fine. Thanks for your opinions!

I would encourage you to also Houses that feed into Cora Kelly. It doesn’t get much publicity, but almost every parent I know with kiddos there is very happy.

Regarding middle school, if you have a rising kindergartners, don’t go looking for trouble before you have to! By the time your child is ready for middle school the whole landscape will probably have changed.

Anonymous wrote:I know ACPS has maybe the worst reputation of the area publics, but my husband and I really, really like Alexandria and would like to consider sending our children to public elementary school and hopefully beyond. Oldest is a rising K and we're moving from D.C. for more space and lower crime. We'd consider houses inbounds for Barrett, Brooks, Mason, MacArthur and Mt. Vernon. Other than lower test scores compared to some APS and and FCPS schools (which I don't really care about since my kids will have plenty of home support), what am I missing? Politics aside, why do people hate ACPS? Is it really so different from the neighboring school districts?

This is probably for a different thread, but if we move farther south to FCPS, is Sandburg Middle any better than GW? I've heard really negative things about both, and of course there are the parents who like the schools fine. Thanks for your opinions!

Same here. My DD is in 7th grade and she likes the school and doing very well.
Unfortunately, we have to move before high school to either Arlington or back to Montgomery county, where We are originally from because high School in Alexander City public school it's not for my daughter. It's basically one or two high schools, and it's overcrowded. At the end of 8th grade, we will be moving to Bethesda.


Alexandria doesn't have one or two high schools, it has ONE. That will never change, no matter how bad it gets or how many children suffer. Ever.

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't listen to anyone with kids in K-5 who tell you their kids are thriving and that ACPS is misunderstood (or whatever other word they'll use). It is a MESS and has been for decades. Saying the MS is a "low point" is inaccurate. It's a tragedy. There isn't even soap in the bathrooms in there for goodness sake, let alone any chance at solving major educational gaps. Don't even think about the HS. Run.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son goes to GWMS. We like it well enough. There are definitely some issues - it is a big, overcrowded school, the facilities are not great, and kids definitely need to take responsibility for themselves (getting help from teachers, tracking and turning in assignments). There are some fights at school, but he doesn't feel too involved in them, since they don't involve him or anyone he knows.

The good parts are he is in all honors classes, the work is reasonably challenging and interesting, most of his teachers have been good, and he's made new friends within our neighborhood. There are a fair number of clubs and intramurals that interest him, and he likes being in band.

Same here. My DD is in 7th grade and she likes the school and doing very well.
Unfortunately, we have to move before high school to either Arlington or back to Montgomery county, where We are originally from because high School in Alexander City public school it's not for my daughter. It's basically one or two high schools, and it's overcrowded. At the end of 8th grade, we will be moving to Bethesda.