Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 08:57     Subject: Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are considering either Yorktown HS or private school for our children and would love some candid feedback from those with experience at Yorktown. And, even better if some parents have experience with both Yorktown and private high schools. We love the idea of public school and never thought we'd consider private, but the growing class size is concerning. (incoming class of 9th graders predicted to be 660 kids)[/quote

Private, full-stop. We are stuck at Yorktown because my child did not get into private school. It has been even worse than Williamsburg, which I didn't think was possible.


+1 When I talk to people in person they tell a very different story about the Arlington high schools (kids currently in APS HS) than people on this board.

I know so many kids heading to private HS next Fall.


LOL. Right. That's why the schools are overcrowded -- nobody's going to them!

Cut me a break.



They are over-crowded, but out of the 20 HS age kids in a 3 block radius in my Arlington neighborhood. 15 are in private/or going for 9th.

It is neighborhood dependent. We are N. Arl- WL zoned.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 08:44     Subject: Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Re loving WMS. Believe it. Love it. Have a high achiever and he is very well served there. Private isn’t an option for us. But we have plenty of friends in DC at the big 3 and middle school doesn’t sound terribly different. At least for the academicly inclined. Also, don’t know why you think I wouldn’t take pot shots at the vocal entitled-parent population at WMS and YHS. Why not?! Many deserve it. They treat admin and staff like they expect individual attention. Most of the unhappy parents I know fall firmly in that category.


+1 My kid went from WMS to a big 3 for HS and was at no academic disadvantage compared to the private school kids.


OP here. Thanks so much for sharing this. Would love to hear more about why you decided to forego Yorktown for a private HS. That's the boat we're in and would love to hear more of the pros and cons you weighed.


PP here. I was not enthusiastic about DC going to private HS, but I was overruled by DH and DC. It was DC's idea - they felt like they were in a rut, just coasting, and they were looking for something more challenging. And now, years later, I am 100% certain it was the correct decision.

Pros - The class sizes are much smaller, the teachers (almost all) are more engaged, and it's OK among your classmates - in fact, it's encouraged - to be smart. English/writing instruction is much superior to public HS - several papers required per year, with multiple drafts. College counseling is light-years ahead of that at a public school. And even though we're just separated by a river, DC's classmates who live in Washington and Maryland tend to be more sophisticated and interested in the wider world than DC's Virginia friends. Kind of a city mouse vs country mouse dynamic.

Cons - The commute can be a pain. It can be difficult to get together with friends outside of school - but DC quickly became comfortable with Metro. Other parents are very nice, but I sometimes missed my parent friends I'd known for years. Homework is 3-4 hours/night by junior year. And I wouldn't do it if it would be a struggle to pay $50k/year.



You had me until you started with this drivel. What, did you interview all of your kid's classmates and then analyze the results by geographic location?
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 08:36     Subject: Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are considering either Yorktown HS or private school for our children and would love some candid feedback from those with experience at Yorktown. And, even better if some parents have experience with both Yorktown and private high schools. We love the idea of public school and never thought we'd consider private, but the growing class size is concerning. (incoming class of 9th graders predicted to be 660 kids)[/quote

Private, full-stop. We are stuck at Yorktown because my child did not get into private school. It has been even worse than Williamsburg, which I didn't think was possible.


+1 When I talk to people in person they tell a very different story about the Arlington high schools (kids currently in APS HS) than people on this board.

I know so many kids heading to private HS next Fall.


LOL. Right. That's why the schools are overcrowded -- nobody's going to them!

Cut me a break.

Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 08:16     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Thanks to those providing feedback on Yorktown experiences. Perhaps most shocking is that the school has no bathroom doors! What? Is that true?
And, no outdoor time?
Does the size of the school prevent students from trying new activities/sports? Only the exceptional on sports teams, in art, etc?
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 07:28     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Thread seems to have attracted the usual mix of TJ and private-school braggarts. Extra points for the TJ grad sending his/her own kids to privates. Add one more post by someone complaining about YHS not sending enough kids to Yale and that should wrap things up.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 07:21     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
*our
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 07:18     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Meh. I just sent my kids to TJ. I didn't want to have them deal with the douchebags in privates.


This is ironic given the culture at TJ.


What's so ironic about it? Most kids there value academics and learning (over sports, parties, etc) and work really hard.


The kids at are private school are intensely academic. That is why it’s ironic.

Your general assumption that private kids are douchebags says a lot about you.

I am a TJ alum and would not send my kids there. It’s a soulless place.

To each their own.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 07:09     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Not the OP but I’m so disheartened by these reports. They sound like WMS and we were hoping for better at YHS.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2020 07:07     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Meh. I just sent my kids to TJ. I didn't want to have them deal with the douchebags in privates.


This is ironic given the culture at TJ.




What's so ironic about it? Most kids there value academics and learning (over sports, parties, etc) and work really hard.


Yeah, otherwise they will be expelled.
Anonymous
Post 03/04/2020 22:52     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Meh. I just sent my kids to TJ. I didn't want to have them deal with the douchebags in privates.


This is ironic given the culture at TJ.


What's so ironic about it? Most kids there value academics and learning (over sports, parties, etc) and work really hard.
Anonymous
Post 03/04/2020 22:11     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:Meh. I just sent my kids to TJ. I didn't want to have them deal with the douchebags in privates.


This is ironic given the culture at TJ.
Anonymous
Post 03/04/2020 21:08     Subject: Re:Feedback on Yorktown HS
Meh. I just sent my kids to TJ. I didn't want to have them deal with the douchebags in privates.
Anonymous
Post 03/04/2020 20:50     Subject: Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:My kid is a senior at Yorktown this year, and I wish I had sent him/her elsewhere. I think it is admirable for the school to encourage most students take several AP classes but the resulting environment reminds me of the phrase by the villain in The Incredibles movie that "when everyone is super, no one will be". By this, I mean that (1) teachers want to to give out mostly high grades to they don't have to deal with parents complaints, and at the same time (2) large numbers of kids taking AP classes means these classes are dumbed down, and the non-AP classes are taught at an even lower standard. For example, my kid has had 16 AP classes but has never written a research paper. Grades are primarily based on box checking criteria, such as whether the student correctly uploaded by midnight of a due date images showing that pages and pages of text were copied from an online source using correct colored pencils. In an effort to homogenize the students, the school creates a very stressful environment in which kids are asked to do a lot of mindless work without any joy of learning or interesting content. Then, you combine this academic structure with a student body in which any type of interests or passion is socially discouraged, you get a place that is really soulless. It is like going to a play in which each kid has a line, but the resulting show is terrible because the school has picked a play without any characters or plot.

Kids who actually care about learning tend to go to the IB program at W&L.


My kid is a senior there too and you absolutely nailed it. Add to this the controlling atmosphere (can’t step outside at lunch to play basketball, no bathroom doors, Patriot Period being limited to staying in a classroom.). I hope the new principal can improve things. My DC has hated YHS so much that I seriously regret sending them there.
Anonymous
Post 03/04/2020 20:18     Subject: Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Sounds like an issue with Williamsburg/Yorktown, not Virginia. Many kids at our public HS are preternaturally aware and politically engaged. It’s almost scary.


+1 perhaps it's a factor of high achievers opting for IB at W-L but my kids' peer group there is definitely civically engaged and there is no discouragement of being smart. But I imagine all big HS have both types of students.


But they are all “Arlington”, if you have lived here for any length of time you will get what that means. We needed to get away from that.


I'm a different poster, I don't live in Arlington but not too far over in FCPS... what does the above mean?
Anonymous
Post 03/04/2020 19:22     Subject: Feedback on Yorktown HS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Sounds like an issue with Williamsburg/Yorktown, not Virginia. Many kids at our public HS are preternaturally aware and politically engaged. It’s almost scary.


+1 perhaps it's a factor of high achievers opting for IB at W-L but my kids' peer group there is definitely civically engaged and there is no discouragement of being smart. But I imagine all big HS have both types of students.


But they are all “Arlington”, if you have lived here for any length of time you will get what that means. We needed to get away from that.