Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have some friends whose kids go to Woodson. They've told me that the environment there is like a pressure cooker. Because the school is known for its high test scores, it's ingrained in the culture that it is very important that it be maintained. Test scores are everything.

That doesn't stand up to the logic test. If that were true, then schools like Langley, McLean, Madison, Oakton and others in the DMV area would also have a lot of suicides... but as far as I know, they don't. Something is going on. I suspect that when it happens once, there is a sense that it's a possibility for other kids. But, something needs to be done.

It's not just because they have a good test record. According to the students I've spoken with, it's the over the top culture of perfectionism and lofty standards, specific to Woodson's administration.

I do not doubt this. My daughter was brought to near emotional collapse at another FFX Cty school due to what she called, her inability to please staff and impossibly high standards. No matter what she did, no matter how high her grades were (and she was a straight A student), she felt as if they wanted her to do more and more and more. The administration of these high schools care only about their numbers it seems.

Agree.

No tragedy fails to bring out Bullis Mom and her gripes against Langley, based on her daughter's one year there (which was five or six years ago). Sigh.

Yep. I've had three kids go through Langley, four years each, with many friends in their various circles. It's mighty tiresome to hear her resurrect her old, exaggerated grudges, especially after so many years have passed - based on the one year her daughter went there.

Are you one of the parents who wave around their hands dismissively, claiming they would never pay for private, while the reflection from your 5 carat skating rink of a diamond brings down small planes in the area?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have some friends whose kids go to Woodson. They've told me that the environment there is like a pressure cooker. Because the school is known for its high test scores, it's ingrained in the culture that it is very important that it be maintained. Test scores are everything.

That doesn't stand up to the logic test. If that were true, then schools like Langley, McLean, Madison, Oakton and others in the DMV area would also have a lot of suicides... but as far as I know, they don't. Something is going on. I suspect that when it happens once, there is a sense that it's a possibility for other kids. But, something needs to be done.

It's not just because they have a good test record. According to the students I've spoken with, it's the over the top culture of perfectionism and lofty standards, specific to Woodson's administration.

I do not doubt this. My daughter was brought to near emotional collapse at another FFX Cty school due to what she called, her inability to please staff and impossibly high standards. No matter what she did, no matter how high her grades were (and she was a straight A student), she felt as if they wanted her to do more and more and more. The administration of these high schools care only about their numbers it seems.

Agree.

No tragedy fails to bring out Bullis Mom and her gripes against Langley, based on her daughter's one year there (which was five or six years ago). Sigh.

I'm still watching kids collapse. And kids are STILL reaching out to me. There is a problem at a lot of the area schools, and people like you are class A reasons why. If you think the problem stops with my kids, it doesn't. And if you think I'm going to let other kids feel suicide is their only option, I won't. If I can help, I will. If you choose to drive these kids over the cliff, it's on your conscience.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.

Sweetheart- my kid is slated to go to a very undesirable high school, as per these threads. The only people who have my sympathy in these scenarios are the kids. You parents are the worst.

Exactly. Do you think it was my first choice to pay big money to send my three kids to private high schools? I was quite happy with the elementary and middle school so I'm not the private school 'snob' these folk want to make me out to be. It ended up being a necessity because it is my KIDS that mattered. Your child will probably do fine in the 'undesirable' school because you get it.

Who put a gun to your head and made you live in Great Falls and send your kids to Langley? If it was so horrible, you could have pupil placed them to South Lakes or Marshall. Easier to spend hundreds of thousands on privates, I guess, and then come on here railing against people trying to do their best at the public schools or the "illegal children" who attend them.

We moved here when my kids were 2 and 4. Seems there were a lot of changes, political and otherwise, as they grew up. I did try to pupil place them - not as easy as you think it is. That was my first choice.

Seems I struck a nerve. This poor kid paid the price for idiot adults that care more about test scores and prestige than kids.

Anonymous wrote:My solution is for parents to calm down. Don't be afraid of immigrant kids. Send them to a lower rated FFX school. Stop posting the SAT averages of every high school, and stop caring about it.
Stop comparing how many AP's your kid is taking.
Find out what your kid is doing online. All of it. Do you know what the kids are using now? Here's a hint- it's not Facebook. Learn that stuff and keep up.
Get them the f*ck off snap chat.
You worried about your kid's "peer group" and their achievements? How about being concerned that they are hanging out with kind kids. Kids that are nerds. Kind nerds.
Don't make them drop music, so they can shove in another STEM class. Let them have some joy.
Let them know that they could persue a trade if they don't seem to be the college type. That's ok! That's really ok.
If you do get a teacher who needs an ego check- take it to admin and pull your kid. That shouldn't be happening every year. If it is, it's probably you, not the teacher.
Because this isn't about teachers.
It's about parents.
It starts at home.
It always starts at home.
We are to blame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.

Sweetheart- my kid is slated to go to a very undesirable high school, as per these threads. The only people who have my sympathy in these scenarios are the kids. You parents are the worst.

Exactly. Do you think it was my first choice to pay big money to send my three kids to private high schools? I was quite happy with the elementary and middle school so I'm not the private school 'snob' these folk want to make me out to be. It ended up being a necessity because it is my KIDS that mattered. Your child will probably do fine in the 'undesirable' school because you get it.

Who put a gun to your head and made you live in Great Falls and send your kids to Langley? If it was so horrible, you could have pupil placed them to South Lakes or Marshall. Easier to spend hundreds of thousands on privates, I guess, and then come on here railing against people trying to do their best at the public schools or the "illegal children" who attend them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.

Sweetheart- my kid is slated to go to a very undesirable high school, as per these threads. The only people who have my sympathy in these scenarios are the kids. You parents are the worst.

Exactly. Do you think it was my first choice to pay big money to send my three kids to private high schools? I was quite happy with the elementary and middle school so I'm not the private school 'snob' these folk want to make me out to be. It ended up being a necessity because it is my KIDS that mattered. Your child will probably do fine in the 'undesirable' school because you get it.

Who put a gun to your head and made you live in Great Falls and send your kids to Langley? If it was so horrible, you could have pupil placed them to South Lakes or Marshall. Easier to spend hundreds of thousands on privates, I guess, and then come on here railing against people trying to do their best at the public schools or the "illegal children" who attend them.

I'm the op of this particular thread of conversation. Take your Langley vs. private brawl elsewhere. It's boring and gross.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.

Sweetheart- my kid is slated to go to a very undesirable high school, as per these threads. The only people who have my sympathy in these scenarios are the kids. You parents are the worst.

Exactly. Do you think it was my first choice to pay big money to send my three kids to private high schools? I was quite happy with the elementary and middle school so I'm not the private school 'snob' these folk want to make me out to be. It ended up being a necessity because it is my KIDS that mattered. Your child will probably do fine in the 'undesirable' school because you get it.

Who put a gun to your head and made you live in Great Falls and send your kids to Langley? If it was so horrible, you could have pupil placed them to South Lakes or Marshall. Easier to spend hundreds of thousands on privates, I guess, and then come on here railing against people trying to do their best at the public schools or the "illegal children" who attend them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.

Sweetheart- my kid is slated to go to a very undesirable high school, as per these threads. The only people who have my sympathy in these scenarios are the kids. You parents are the worst.

Exactly. Do you think it was my first choice to pay big money to send my three kids to private high schools? I was quite happy with the elementary and middle school so I'm not the private school 'snob' these folk want to make me out to be. It ended up being a necessity because it is my KIDS that mattered. Your child will probably do fine in the 'undesirable' school because you get it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.

Sweetheart- my kid is slated to go to a very undesirable high school, as per these threads. The only people who have my sympathy in these scenarios are the kids. You parents are the worst.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PLEASE! This is a serious issue. A child is dead. Can we make our schools better? What can we do to prevent this?

Has FC brought in mental health professionals to interview families and students?

What exactly are the mental health professionals recommending?

They bring them in to 'help with stress reduction'. When I suggested that the school could simply reduce stress, the administrators just looked at me with blank stares. The mental health professionals, on the other hand, could not agree more. They are simply doing their best to counteract the daily damage being done.

INDEPENDENT Health Professionals MUST:

1. First IDENTIFY the PROBLEMS
2. Formally RECOMMEND the best SOLUTIONS

Nothing will improve until this happens. Believe me.

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PLEASE! This is a serious issue. A child is dead. Can we make our schools better? What can we do to prevent this?

Has FC brought in mental health professionals to interview families and students?

What exactly are the mental health professionals recommending?

They bring them in to 'help with stress reduction'. When I suggested that the school could simply reduce stress, the administrators just looked at me with blank stares. The mental health professionals, on the other hand, could not agree more. They are simply doing their best to counteract the daily damage being done.

INDEPENDENT Health Professionals MUST:

1. First IDENTIFY the PROBLEMS
2. Formally RECOMMEND the best SOLUTIONS

Nothing will improve until this happens. Believe me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ that's not the teachers fault. How often do you hear parents on this thread spouting off about merit pay for teachers. Teachers who produce get better pay. Well how the hell is that measured? Oh that's right! Test scores.
Check out the thread on Hayfield. Bunch of a$$holes talking about how terrible Lee, Annandale, Stuart etc... are. They would never send their kids to a GS 5! Well, pick your poison. You want your property values, I guess some eggs get cracked in that omelette. God forbid you don't have a big enough "peer" group.
Quit blaming the administration and teachers. Or move ffs. You don't like the culture of that GS 10 school? Well honey, there are a bunch of 5's right down the road.

Much easier to spout off about how great her $40,000 private was.