Anonymous wrote:These are not good schools. If you want good FFX schools, you have to move away from Alexandria.

Yawn.

These are not good schools. If you want good FFX schools, you have to move away from Alexandria.

What do you know about the "gangs?" I mean this with all seriousness. I wanted to get a better understanding.

We live in Sandburg/West Po zone and honestly, it is fine. There may be gangs but our kids certainly don't mention it as a problem. Smoking pot among all socio-economic classes seems to be the biggest issue by mid high school-some richer kids start in middle school. It is a very diverse group of kids by middle school and high school. Most elementary schools are pretty diverse too. We happen to think it generally makes life richer.

We were one of many families from Rosemont/Del Ray who move down here every year. I have a relative who lives in Del Ray felt she had no option by middle school to send her kids off to Catholic school. We've felt no such need thus far.

Anonymous wrote:Bumpity bumpt.

I am living in Old Town, facing the same issue with a 700K budget. Any recent thoughts on the Alexandria/FFC Alexandria or South Arlington school choice?

How old are your kids?

Bumpity bumpt.

I am living in Old Town, facing the same issue with a 700K budget. Any recent thoughts on the Alexandria/FFC Alexandria or South Arlington school choice?

I'd be more concerned about the area within 1/4 a mile of your place ... better to live in a nice part of Old Town than a crappy set of ageing condos in Franconia.

Anonymous wrote:The high schools in the Alexandria that is part of Fairfax have gangs. And the recruiting starts in the middle school years. And good involved parenting usually keeps kids safe ... but not always. Proceed with caution.

Somebody has an axe to grind apparently...why dig up this old post? There are gangs in pretty much every high school in Ffx Co. and in many private schools. Don't kid yourself by thinking this is an Alexandria problem.

Ditto T.C.

I know plenty of families with good kids who are doing well at West Potomac & who went on to college with no problems.

The high schools in the Alexandria that is part of Fairfax have gangs. And the recruiting starts in the middle school years. And good involved parenting usually keeps kids safe ... but not always. Proceed with caution.

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, but the South Arlington schools don't have that great of a reputation either.

Honestly, OP - focus on the elementary school and don't worry about the HS or MS. Really.

Also, FWIW, there is a new principal at Sanburg, isn't there?

My general feeling (MVHS grad who went to Whitman for MS) is that middle school just blows. Whitman was definitely not the best middle school - first time I ever had witnessed a fight and there were a bunch of them. But I survived just fine. So did all my friends. It was pretty easy to avoid the bad crowds and there is something to be said for not being raised in a bubble...

I ended up going to an Ivy league college and then top law school. I think parental involvement is really the key...

I think it's tough to find a middle school ANYWHERE that gets good reviews. GW middle school in Alexandria has a really bad reputation, Carl Sandburg has issues too. It's not necessarily the school, and has more to do with the age of the kids. That's just a rough rough age.

Anonymous wrote:Yes this recent poster was correct - there is a new principal at Carl Sandburg and a lot of the parents with kids going there next year are very hopeful and excited.

Yes I hear he has the police on speed dial...

Yes this recent poster was correct - there is a new principal at Carl Sandburg and a lot of the parents with kids going there next year are very hopeful and excited.

Yeah, but the South Arlington schools don't have that great of a reputation either.

Honestly, OP - focus on the elementary school and don't worry about the HS or MS. Really.

Also, FWIW, there is a new principal at Sanburg, isn't there?

My general feeling (MVHS grad who went to Whitman for MS) is that middle school just blows. Whitman was definitely not the best middle school - first time I ever had witnessed a fight and there were a bunch of them. But I survived just fine. So did all my friends. It was pretty easy to avoid the bad crowds and there is something to be said for not being raised in a bubble...

I ended up going to an Ivy league college and then top law school. I think parental involvement is really the key...