Any tips for what is a compelling argument to transfer out of the school you're zoned for, to another particular school? I have a legal opt-out option, but how can I get the school I'd rather have? Any tips? Help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Just realized all of the posts related to the allegations concerning the school board chair transferring her children to LCTA, then back to MVCS were deleted.

Were these just allegations or was there some proof this actually occurred? Extremely troubling if true, as it suggests that there's no accountability for school board members.

How open is LCTA now to transfers?

They are allegations made by someone on this board who posts it ad nauseam. There has been no proof that it actually occurred, it is all conjecture. I can only guess because the poster's child(ren) did not get the transfer s/he wanted.

this. I have never heard of the situation outside of the postings made here and there certainly was never any kind of press or media coverage on this. It was such a weird thing to harp on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Just realized all of the posts related to the allegations concerning the school board chair transferring her children to LCTA, then back to MVCS were deleted.

Were these just allegations or was there some proof this actually occurred? Extremely troubling if true, as it suggests that there's no accountability for school board members.

How open is LCTA now to transfers?

They are allegations made by someone on this board who posts it ad nauseam. There has been no proof that it actually occurred, it is all conjecture. I can only guess because the poster's child(ren) did not get the transfer s/he wanted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Just realized all of the posts related to the allegations concerning the school board chair transferring her children to LCTA, then back to MVCS were deleted.

Were these just allegations or was there some proof this actually occurred? Extremely troubling if true, as it suggests that there's no accountability for school board members.

How open is LCTA now to transfers?

I know of several families that transferred into K at LCTA last year. And anyone was allowed to transfer out of MVCS when it was still on the year-round calendar (which was the given reason why the school board chair didn't want her children at MVCS; and she switched them back when they got rid of the year-round calendar.)

Anonymous wrote:We transferred in last year along with a number of other families. No strings. No connections.

Just realized all of the posts related to the allegations concerning the school board chair transferring her children to LCTA, then back to MVCS were deleted.

Were these just allegations or was there some proof this actually occurred? Extremely troubling if true, as it suggests that there's no accountability for school board members.

How open is LCTA now to transfers?

Anonymous wrote:Why is anyone even talkng about ACDS on this board/post? It's a mediocre and expensive private.

Sounds like you are a mediocre and sloppy thinker.

Anonymous wrote:Why is anyone even talkng about ACDS on this board/post? It's a mediocre and expensive private.

This. The last Head of ACDS used to hand out a little book explaining the school's desire to be "basic."

Why is anyone even talkng about ACDS on this board/post? It's a mediocre and expensive private.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instead of Lyles-Crouch, people should flock to Barrett. That school is really moving up in scores and rankings and parents are happy. The principal is terrific. I think it's a hidden gem in the city.

Looking at the statistics for out of boundary admissions, Barrett is hardly hidden. Definitely one of the better schools though.

We love Barrett. Teachers have all been great, my child is thriving.

Anonymous wrote:Instead of Lyles-Crouch, people should flock to Barrett. That school is really moving up in scores and rankings and parents are happy. The principal is terrific. I think it's a hidden gem in the city.

Looking at the statistics for out of boundary admissions, Barrett is hardly hidden. Definitely one of the better schools though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what private school did they send the kids to?

Alexandria Country Day School is also popular with Alexandria CIty's upper middle class.

Not really. The only families we know who go there arent able to get into a better ACPS public for one reason or another and aren't eligible for parochial. It's expensive and not terrific. They are always advertising on the neighborhood parents list servers and seem to have a pretty liberal admissions policy. Expensive school with the price of SSSAS or Burgundy but nowhere near the resources. I would take LCTA, Barrett, Maury, Mason over ACDS any day!

Not true. We were zoned for what you call " a better ACPS public" and chose ACDS. You clearly don't know much about the school.

ACDS excels at providing individualized attention, as well as the continuous assessment to support differentiation. Not true of any of the schools you've listed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lyles provided an excellent kinder and first grade experience for my dc. Stem, math, and Spanish for after school activities, fun field trips and events, teachers and faculty are great, and dc classmates were all nice. Not sure why lyles was considered "craptastic" earlier. How are the 30k a yr private schools any better at these early grades? What are the private schools offering that public schools don't?

They aren't. But you have to justify your $20-30K a year somehow - right?

BTW, I am saying this as someone who actually went to an excellent area private school - as was shocked (as were my parents) to see the TC students were better prepared for (a top tier) college than me. And I graduated in the top 5% of my class.

I went to TC and then UVA. I was much, much better prepared than kids from local privates. My 17 year-old self was shocked.

--- Parent of two kids who thrived at Maury and are doing well at GW who is thrilled they'll be at TC in a few years

PP, thanks for this --

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lyles provided an excellent kinder and first grade experience for my dc. Stem, math, and Spanish for after school activities, fun field trips and events, teachers and faculty are great, and dc classmates were all nice. Not sure why lyles was considered "craptastic" earlier. How are the 30k a yr private schools any better at these early grades? What are the private schools offering that public schools don't?

They aren't. But you have to justify your $20-30K a year somehow - right?

BTW, I am saying this as someone who actually went to an excellent area private school - as was shocked (as were my parents) to see the TC students were better prepared for (a top tier) college than me. And I graduated in the top 5% of my class.

I went to TC and then UVA. I was much, much better prepared than kids from local privates. My 17 year-old self was shocked.

--- Parent of two kids who thrived at Maury and are doing well at GW who is thrilled they'll be at TC in a few years

Anonymous wrote:

I would take LCTA, Barrett, Maury, Mason over ACDS any day!

I mean, it depends on what you need from the school. Maury was a great school for my older son, but for my younger, who is extremely shy, and has dyslexia, ACDS was a better choice. Different schools will be a better fit for different kids.

ITA. But from an academic standpoint, I don't think ACDS is any better at all than the ACPS publics mentioned. Maybe even less academic. A PP suggested that LCTA isn't a good place for kids with learning disabilities but we haven't found that to be the case at all. It's one of the smallest public schools in the city and the teachers have fewer students so more ability to assist kids who need something extra. Our child has benefited from that. Though admittedly the homework can be tough for a child with learning struggles.

I would take LCTA, Barrett, Maury, Mason over ACDS any day!

I mean, it depends on what you need from the school. Maury was a great school for my older son, but for my younger, who is extremely shy, and has dyslexia, ACDS was a better choice. Different schools will be a better fit for different kids.