Anonymous
Post 05/01/2021 14:26     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter is in ATS in first grade. My second will be in their kindergarten class. We absolutely love it. Speaking of diversity, initially applied because our neighborhood school is all white (though it is such a wonderful school) and a friend suggested that this school would be a good fit for her since it was more diverse. Being not white ourselves, we felt like it would be good for her to go to a school where she didn’t feel different. We also wanted the flexibility of moving without having to have our kids switch schools. However we have come to love the school and appreciate it’s philosophy. First of all it is extremely diverse - with families from all over the world. Unlike our neighborhood school, it has a significant portion of its population that qualify for free and reduced lunch due to its VPE program (I’m assuming that drew is similar in that regard). What is unique about AT though, is the achievement gap is quite low. Everyone does well and it’s because of the resources the school puts into their students and also their teaching methods. Unlike many other Arlington schools for example, they stay away from Lucy Calkins. Their reading program is phonics based and ensures that kids learn how to read no matter what their socio-economic background is. I also love their focus on writing. My daughter was writing full sentences and paragraphs by the end of Kindergarten as were so many others in her class. Most of their work is done by hand and on paper so it really improves their fine motor skills. Yes there is homework which I was initially against but there is such a vast improvement in their writing and reading that I feel it is actually beneficial. I also love their focus on art and music. Don’t worry about it being “too much.” My daughter loves it and made lots of good friends. The teachers are warm and friendly and are a lot of fun. I remember my daughter telling me how funny her kindergarten teacher was. Apparently he would make them laugh a lot! And yes a lot of ATS parents want their kids to go to HB even though they are diametrically opposed philosophically. Many of us aren’t attached to a school philosophy - we just want a school that works and educates our kids. Option schools are generally more diverse because they pull from all over the county so I doubt people are sending their kids to ATS and HB to avoid diversity. Notice the critics of ATS here - the majority don’t have kids at ATS. I strongly believe that you should only talk about what you know. I know nothing about Drew. I’m sure like many Arlington schools it’s great (and I’m also assuming that because of its location, it is more diverse than our neighborhood school). But I can tell you that our experience with ATS has been great and we plan on sticking with it.


Uhh option schools are not generally more diverse. If you’re in south Arlington, ATS probably won’t be more diverse.


Hmm. ATS is definitely more diverse than Randolph and Carlin Springs. And option schools other than HBW are definitely more diverse than those same two schools and all but a few of the schools north of Route 50.
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2021 14:23     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:My daughter is in ATS in first grade. My second will be in their kindergarten class. We absolutely love it. Speaking of diversity, initially applied because our neighborhood school is all white (though it is such a wonderful school) and a friend suggested that this school would be a good fit for her since it was more diverse. Being not white ourselves, we felt like it would be good for her to go to a school where she didn’t feel different. We also wanted the flexibility of moving without having to have our kids switch schools. However we have come to love the school and appreciate it’s philosophy. First of all it is extremely diverse - with families from all over the world. Unlike our neighborhood school, it has a significant portion of its population that qualify for free and reduced lunch due to its VPE program (I’m assuming that drew is similar in that regard). What is unique about AT though, is the achievement gap is quite low. Everyone does well and it’s because of the resources the school puts into their students and also their teaching methods. Unlike many other Arlington schools for example, they stay away from Lucy Calkins. Their reading program is phonics based and ensures that kids learn how to read no matter what their socio-economic background is. I also love their focus on writing. My daughter was writing full sentences and paragraphs by the end of Kindergarten as were so many others in her class. Most of their work is done by hand and on paper so it really improves their fine motor skills. Yes there is homework which I was initially against but there is such a vast improvement in their writing and reading that I feel it is actually beneficial. I also love their focus on art and music. Don’t worry about it being “too much.” My daughter loves it and made lots of good friends. The teachers are warm and friendly and are a lot of fun. I remember my daughter telling me how funny her kindergarten teacher was. Apparently he would make them laugh a lot! And yes a lot of ATS parents want their kids to go to HB even though they are diametrically opposed philosophically. Many of us aren’t attached to a school philosophy - we just want a school that works and educates our kids. Option schools are generally more diverse because they pull from all over the county so I doubt people are sending their kids to ATS and HB to avoid diversity. Notice the critics of ATS here - the majority don’t have kids at ATS. I strongly believe that you should only talk about what you know. I know nothing about Drew. I’m sure like many Arlington schools it’s great (and I’m also assuming that because of its location, it is more diverse than our neighborhood school). But I can tell you that our experience with ATS has been great and we plan on sticking with it.


I'm not trying to criticize ATS here. But I can speak to people avoiding their neighborhood school. It absolutely happens and for different reasons. People in mostly white schools like the idea of diversity and/or the choice program philosophy. White people in the high FRL districts often avoid their high FRL school and might also be interested in the instructional program as a bonus. Some people just really want the choice program. And a lot of people just think ATS is the end all be all or their kid isn't getting the best education if they don't go there because ATS scores are typically the highest in the district.

the ATS to HBWoodlawn path is absolutely illogical from an instructional philosophy perspective. ATS is very structured and rigid. HBW is the exact opposite.

I do think some of the instructional approaches are better at ATS and the expectations are high for every student. However, historically, the principal has had too much influence on admissions and there hasn't been a lot of patience with students who don't fall in line or perform high enough or need too much in the way of special ed/accommodations. Hopefully that has changed in the last few years??

OP, I'm very confident your child will thrive and be happy in either school. She won't know the difference because whichever you send her to will be all she knows. I don't think it's worth all the angst to make a decision and if you would prefer a little less stress and anxiety and less pressure, Drew is for you. If you're hyper type-A typical Arlington helicopter micromanager parent who thinks nothing but the most elite will do for your child and their future success, go ahead and take the ATS slot.
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2021 14:07     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Previous ATS parent here. My kids are now HS and college aged. If I were to do it again, I would send my kid to the neighborhood school. When they get to MS, it is very difficult to make friends because very few of their ATS classmates will go with them. Plus, there is a greater benefit to knowing your neighbors.



Yes I have heard that unless you go from ATS to HBW the transition is hard. Maybe not every key but seems like it’s a common situation.


My daughter went from ATS to Kenmore with a number of other ATS kids. She ditched a lot of the ATS kids 6 months into the year and made some new friends. Just depends on your child and how social they are. She still has good friends from ATS, but also new ones from Kenmore. just started high school this year.

Also, it's not a big deal for girls to not tuck in their shirts -- lots of tunic tops and leggings -- those were fine. Also mine often threw a sweatshirt over her tshirt and voila, no one could see if the shirt was tucked in or not.

Rebel girl!
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2021 10:25     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:I had a struggling kid transfer to ATS and they fixed everything. 2 grades below in reading, now 2 grade levels above in comprehension. 1 grade level below in math, now proficient for one level above. didn't write, now writes well. didn't participate in group work, now loves group work. I don't know how they did it but i think it's giveing kids what they need.


Sounds like potential dyslexia that benefitted from a different literacy curriculum (Lucy Calkins is notoriously bad for kids with dyslexia). None of the APS elementary schools are such dumpster fires that a child that young should be that far behind unless there is an underlying issue interfering with their education.
Anonymous
Post 05/01/2021 10:20     Subject: Re:Arlington Traditional School
My oldest will be going into 3rd grade at ATS and my younger will be starting K there this year (just got the email yesterday he was offered admission- I was a little nervous with all the redshirting this year). One thing to note, this year’s K class is large, 5 instead of 4. This is the 2nd time they’ve had a 5 class K.

I can’t say enough good things about ATS (I’m a non-VPI South Arlington family). It is great for my quiet, inverted rue-following kid, and I’m sure it’ll be great for my boisterous, outgoing, line-stepping kid. All the teachers have been outstanding, and the principal runs a tight ship and I have to assume the teachers like her, given the average tenure. Being at ATS was one reason I decided not to leave Arlington this year during the pandemic.

On Drew, the principal is excellent (feedback from teachers who’ve worked with her), but I’ve heard from friends whose kids go there... it is a much different experience than my kids get are getting at ATS. However, I think Drew will grow to a unique and exceptional school.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 20:45     Subject: Re:Arlington Traditional School
We had a wonderful experience at ATS and I would absolutely choose for my children to go there if I had to do it all over again. I think the teachers, the staff, and the community are amazing. . One thing to consider is class size—ATS will always have the maximum class size whereas Drew has smaller class sizes due to the fact that it is under capacity.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 18:55     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
And please don't unde estimate the value of a strong reading/literacy program. I know a number of Arlington parents (in person friends and many who post on Arlington Education Matters) who feel that their child's APS public ES didn't prepare them sufficiently as a reader. As a new family to APS you may assume that all schools in the area will prepare your child to be a strong reader. This is not necessarily the case, unfortunately. I don't have any information on Drew so I'm not commenting on that school. Just know that you may find parents at some neighborhood schools who feel that their struggling reader didn't get the help they needed or that the literacy program used at their child's school isn't supported by the "science of reading".
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 18:43     Subject: Re:Arlington Traditional School
My son is in K at ATS, and I cannot say enough good things about how the teachers have handled virtual/hybrid for this year. My kindergartener has somehow improved his handwriting remarkably (even before hybrid started) and also became a much more confident reader. I’d recommend giving it a shot just for the amazing K team alone!
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 18:23     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
So I have two kids. Both went to ATS. My eldest is now in Williamsburg and my youngest is in 3rd grade. I struggled with my decision when my first got accepted not because I didn’t think it would be a good fit for my first but that it wouldn’t be a good fit for my second who is what I can say, a free spirit. I was worried that ATS would stifle her and suck the joy out of her. I ended up speaking to a parent with three kids - one who went to Jamestown and the other two (her youngest two) who went to ATS. Her eldest sounded like my eldest - naturally smart and the type who could thrive anywhere. Her middle child though sounded like my youngest. She reassured me that ATS was actually beneficial for her middle child since it gave him some structure, which he badly needed. I found that it did the same for my youngest as well. She is still a free spirit but ATS gave her the structure she needed and she is thriving. She loves singing and their music program gave her the motivation to take voice classes. With my eldest, it was a great experience as well, but to be honest I think she would have done just as well in her neighborhood school. She’s very independent and loves learning for the sake of learning so could have done well anywhere. People seem to complain about the dress code. It’s not that bad. No ripped jeans etc. I don’t see it as a bad thing. It taught my girls to have pride in their appearance. Not sure how the dress code is like in other Arlington schools but I can’t imagine ATS being much worse. Try it OP! I think you will like it! And if not you will always have your neighborhood school to fall back on. I don’t think the homework was too taxing. My girls still have time to play with the neighbors outside and do activities. Also we didn’t find that it was a problem for my girls to develop friends with their neighbors. Though I will say that our neighborhood is a mixed bag - some kids are in private school, others are in the neighborhood school and then we have a few kids in ATS and Claremont.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 18:11     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
We had 3 very different kids go through ATS. ATS was great for our SN kid, our non-academic, and our super high achiever. Youngest is in high school now and they are all doing great. Truly a wonderful school.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 18:08     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
OP talk to parents with kids at ATS. Perhaps join the Facebook group Arlington Education Matters and see if there are any parents willing to speak to you offline. I am a lurker in that group and I suspect most people are. The vocal ones are mostly crazy lol but you can just join to get the info you want and leave. I barely check the group and I muted it a long time ago. But I did join to ask about people’s experiences with Campbell (another wonderful option school) and got a lot of useful information. My friend’s daughter is in ATS and seems to love it. Forgot what her neighborhood school is - I think Nottingham. Also it helps to look at the school profile/report card, something we did as well. Turns out the students at Campbell were doing vastly better than the students in our neighborhood school despite the high FARMS rate in both schools.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 18:04     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
I had a struggling kid transfer to ATS and they fixed everything. 2 grades below in reading, now 2 grade levels above in comprehension. 1 grade level below in math, now proficient for one level above. didn't write, now writes well. didn't participate in group work, now loves group work. I don't know how they did it but i think it's giveing kids what they need.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 17:59     Subject: Re:Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They have a heavy homework policy starting from K which I strongly disagree with and is not evidence-based.

If you care about that, look into it. You or your spouse will have a lot of homework to do in K and 1.


This is true. Our child is in ATS - daily kindergarten homework was a lot of writing like creating sentences/storywriting. It was a tough year for us as DD was learning multiple things at the same time - letter formation, spelling and grammar all rolled into one. But 2 years later, we realize that the hard work was all worth it. Now, DD has no problems with writing and is used to getting work done (even with our own supplements) - no whining.



I am the poster who disagrees with the homework.

Your kid would get to the same place without the heartache. It’s not good for them to be doing that stuff after a long day at school at that age.


Not PP but my three kids (two boys one girl) are in ATS. I have no basis of comparison since all three of my kids went to ATS starting in kindergarten. All I know is that it’s a great school and my kids love it. The homework has been beneficial for them because they get to practice writing, so I noticed a vast improvement in their handwriting. They also love the school especially their music and art curriculum. I love it because I’m Ethiopian and there are kids from all over the world including many African countries - something you don’t find in Arlington. We are also Muslim and there are kids from so many different religious backgrounds in the school. My kids don’t feel out of place. Also it is truly a school where no kid is left behind. My eldest was struggling with reading at the beginning but is now an excellent reader and loves books. The teachers are dedicated to making sure every child can read and write. OP, I echo the PP who said you should talk to parents with their kids in ATS and Drew. I was struggling with my decision as well. But I realized that for me at least I would never know if I liked it if I didn’t try it. We gave it a year and loved it. My eldest is going to fifth grade next year and my youngest is in kindergarten. I would suggest trying it for a year - your neighborhood school will always be there.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 17:55     Subject: Re:Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:They have a heavy homework policy starting from K which I strongly disagree with and is not evidence-based.

If you care about that, look into it. You or your spouse will have a lot of homework to do in K and 1.


It's not evidence based for the majority but it helps parents know when there are learning difficulties. Also, it's only "heavy" in k oddly enough.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2021 17:54     Subject: Arlington Traditional School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter is in ATS in first grade. My second will be in their kindergarten class. We absolutely love it. Speaking of diversity, initially applied because our neighborhood school is all white (though it is such a wonderful school) and a friend suggested that this school would be a good fit for her since it was more diverse. Being not white ourselves, we felt like it would be good for her to go to a school where she didn’t feel different. We also wanted the flexibility of moving without having to have our kids switch schools. However we have come to love the school and appreciate it’s philosophy. First of all it is extremely diverse - with families from all over the world. Unlike our neighborhood school, it has a significant portion of its population that qualify for free and reduced lunch due to its VPE program (I’m assuming that drew is similar in that regard). What is unique about AT though, is the achievement gap is quite low. Everyone does well and it’s because of the resources the school puts into their students and also their teaching methods. Unlike many other Arlington schools for example, they stay away from Lucy Calkins. Their reading program is phonics based and ensures that kids learn how to read no matter what their socio-economic background is. I also love their focus on writing. My daughter was writing full sentences and paragraphs by the end of Kindergarten as were so many others in her class. Most of their work is done by hand and on paper so it really improves their fine motor skills. Yes there is homework which I was initially against but there is such a vast improvement in their writing and reading that I feel it is actually beneficial. I also love their focus on art and music. Don’t worry about it being “too much.” My daughter loves it and made lots of good friends. The teachers are warm and friendly and are a lot of fun. I remember my daughter telling me how funny her kindergarten teacher was. Apparently he would make them laugh a lot! And yes a lot of ATS parents want their kids to go to HB even though they are diametrically opposed philosophically. Many of us aren’t attached to a school philosophy - we just want a school that works and educates our kids. Option schools are generally more diverse because they pull from all over the county so I doubt people are sending their kids to ATS and HB to avoid diversity. Notice the critics of ATS here - the majority don’t have kids at ATS. I strongly believe that you should only talk about what you know. I know nothing about Drew. I’m sure like many Arlington schools it’s great (and I’m also assuming that because of its location, it is more diverse than our neighborhood school). But I can tell you that our experience with ATS has been great and we plan on sticking with it.


Uhh option schools are not generally more diverse. If you’re in south Arlington, ATS probably won’t be more diverse.


I already said that Drew is diverse as well. I was responding to posts saying that ppl apply to ATS to escape diversity. ATS is diverse. Look it up.


But think about it: if you’re in south Arlington and are afraid of your kid going to school with kids on free or reduced lunch, you’re going to try to get into ATS.


Most kids at ATS are from north Arlington. The majority of kids from south Arlington are primarily from the VPI program.