Anonymous
07/06/2015 22:04
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I live in this school zone and we were prepared to try to send our kid there for KG. I love (and I mean love) our house/commute. It just sucks that the schools are so horrific. I don't understand, why Alexandria, why!
Alexandria City residents have provided ACPS with millions of dollars over the decades to improve this small local public school system. It has failed to do so. Your question is fair and reasonable and one that each resident should be asking themselves today. From my observation the "why" is both administrative (too many changes, failure to stick to academic basics of reading, writing, math, science and government by offering to many non-academic programs which cut the academic success) as well as the well known and much discussed and aligned social issues.
It is an embarrassment of time and riches for ACPS not to be on better footing by 2015. Shameful is the word which comes to my mind.
Last year, they actually had a brilliant idea - close the school completely, rebrand and then reopen. But the School Board in the end voted it down.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 15:55
Subject: Re:Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
I am zoned for JH, too. While the re-redistricting is supposed to happen this upcoming academic year, given how empty JH is, I am sure I will remain in the JH District. We bought well before we had children, and knew the reputation of the school. We just figured we would wait and see, and enjoy Old Town for as many years as we could. It is too bad...
And those of you who think our house was a bargain, as I look at other school districts, I see that I can get a bigger house for the same price (800K). It just means moving to the bland suburbs.
And those of you who think our house was a bargain, as I look at other school districts, I see that I can get a bigger house for the same price (800K). It just means moving to the bland suburbs.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 15:43
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:But it's such a small population. That's what I don't understand about JH. If it was a "test only" honors school, people would flock. I don't understand why it doesn't do this sort of pilot program, like AAP.
Because that's not the population the school district believes it serves.
This is true. Unbelievable. I have heard one current ACPS school board member expound on this exact topic "whom we serve" for hours to his peers, always pulling the race demography card right before a pivotal vote! Never have I seen nor heard a public school board and public school system short change vociferously the middle and upper middle kids like they do here in Alexandria City. No wonder so many kids here go to private here: who wants to go to ACPS where they embrace whom they will serve and not the others.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 14:19
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:But it's such a small population. That's what I don't understand about JH. If it was a "test only" honors school, people would flock. I don't understand why it doesn't do this sort of pilot program, like AAP.
Because that's not the population the school district believes it serves.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 14:17
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
But it's such a small population. That's what I don't understand about JH. If it was a "test only" honors school, people would flock. I don't understand why it doesn't do this sort of pilot program, like AAP.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 14:01
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I live in this school zone and we were prepared to try to send our kid there for KG. I love (and I mean love) our house/commute. It just sucks that the schools are so horrific. I don't understand, why Alexandria, why!
Alexandria City residents have provided ACPS with millions of dollars over the decades to improve this small local public school system. It has failed to do so. Your question is fair and reasonable and one that each resident should be asking themselves today. From my observation the "why" is both administrative (too many changes, failure to stick to academic basics of reading, writing, math, science and government by offering to many non-academic programs which cut the academic success) as well as the well known and much discussed and aligned social issues.
It is an embarrassment of time and riches for ACPS not to be on better footing by 2015. Shameful is the word which comes to my mind.
This question has been asked for nearly 20 years. It's like every generation discovers the truth, is flabbergasted, thinks it will get better and is shocked when it doesn't.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 13:43
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I live in this school zone and we were prepared to try to send our kid there for KG. I love (and I mean love) our house/commute. It just sucks that the schools are so horrific. I don't understand, why Alexandria, why!
Alexandria City residents have provided ACPS with millions of dollars over the decades to improve this small local public school system. It has failed to do so. Your question is fair and reasonable and one that each resident should be asking themselves today. From my observation the "why" is both administrative (too many changes, failure to stick to academic basics of reading, writing, math, science and government by offering to many non-academic programs which cut the academic success) as well as the well known and much discussed and aligned social issues.
It is an embarrassment of time and riches for ACPS not to be on better footing by 2015. Shameful is the word which comes to my mind.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 12:53
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I live in this school zone and we were prepared to try to send our kid there for KG. I love (and I mean love) our house/commute. It just sucks that the schools are so horrific. I don't understand, why Alexandria, why!
Take heart PP. My kid will likely be starting there in 2016 and I've run into several other families at the playground who are planning the same thing (assuming the re districting goes through).
Anonymous
07/06/2015 11:35
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Your realtor should have explained to you that the "crappy school discount" was built into your home's purchase price.
People make this assumption, but it traditionally has not been true in Alexandria City. There are areas that have the city's best elementary schools that cost less per square foot than more trendy/desirable areas such as old town/del ray.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 10:07
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Your realtor should have explained to you that the "crappy school discount" was built into your home's purchase price.
Anonymous
07/06/2015 09:54
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Sigh. I live in this school zone and we were prepared to try to send our kid there for KG. I love (and I mean love) our house/commute. It just sucks that the schools are so horrific. I don't understand, why Alexandria, why!
Anonymous
07/03/2015 07:43
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
It looks like they failed to get accredited this year as well. Worse it appears that some scores slipped even more:
https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=101&schoolName=537
https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/report.do?division=101&schoolName=537
Anonymous
06/09/2015 18:18
Subject: Re:Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I just cannot in good conscious send them there. We're moving to Arlington.
Yeah, hopefully APS will teach them the difference between conscience and conscious.
Auto corrects are contributing mightily to simple word substitutions. I know it happens to me. Anyway, sarcasm is petty. Americans have freedom of choice and rightfully exercise it.
If you can't see the irony in a person using a word incorrectly to express their distain for the quality of a school, you're a lost cause.
NP here -- yes, just as I can see the irony in your "distain." Hoist on your own petard, PP.
Oh DCUM...this made my day...lol!
Anonymous
06/09/2015 13:50
Subject: Re:Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
I just cannot in good conscious send them there. We're moving to Arlington.
Yeah, hopefully APS will teach them the difference between conscience and conscious.
Auto corrects are contributing mightily to simple word substitutions. I know it happens to me. Anyway, sarcasm is petty. Americans have freedom of choice and rightfully exercise it.
If you can't see the irony in a person using a word incorrectly to express their distain for the quality of a school, you're a lost cause.
NP here -- yes, just as I can see the irony in your "distain." Hoist on your own petard, PP.
Snort.
Anonymous
06/09/2015 13:42
Subject: Does anyone send the children to Jefferson-Houston in Alexandria?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The principal was literally hired because he is a pro at failing schools. Not a pro at turning schools around unlike the Maury (and former LTCA principal). It's a world of difference.
Honestly, I would make the school a magnet. A gifted and talented magnet, like AAP in fairfax.
they tried that before the rebuilt it. It was a magnet school for Arts. The other magnet school is Cora Kelly - It's supposed to be a Math and Science magnet.
The magnet school was not really funded and it was 15 years ago (after the 1999 redistricting.)