Absentee voting is way way way up. That's usually a good sign for Republican candidates. Given that Silberberg is a closet R, this can't make Wilson feel too comfortable.

Anonymous wrote:

-Gut the current ACPS central office administrators. It's like they are in bred with same old approach. Do a national search with specific parameters and start anew based on premise of a city with underperforming academic standing.

THIS 100%. Central office--at least the 'decision makers'-- is made up largely of people who've either only worked at ACPS (and thus don't know that "the way we've always done it" isn't the only way) or people who couldn't hack it in other districts. I daresay that 90% of the people at Braddock Place haven't set foot in an active classroom, except perhaps for a PR photo, in 10+ years (if ever). I remember trying to deal with what should have been a very simple reimbursement check issue that ended up taking 3 weeks to resolve because the person at central office insisted on doing business over the phone rather than email and didn't understand/care that when you're a teacher you can't just pick up the phone whenever is convenient for central office. At one point I was even told "well, why don't you just stop by and we can figure this out in person" as if I worked down the hall in another office. That the same attitude applies to many other things with far greater impact that one teacher's $100 check helps demonstrate why ACPS is in the state it's in.

Related to this: stop letting people fail up. If you can't hack it as a principal/vice-principal, you shouldn't get promoted to a district-wide position. And if you do, and subsequently don't succeed at that position, you absolutely shouldn't be back in school administration. We have all sorts of (mostly arbitrary) metrics to gauge "teacher performance" and your career can essentially be ended if you don't measure up. Similarly, if your district/school fails, superintendents and principals can get removed fairly easily. But those 'middle management' types- the vice-principals, the assistant superintendents-- they end up sticking around for life, always turning up like a bad penny. Make them accountable too.

At the outset of this race, I was firmly in the Wilson camp. I have now, to my complete chagrin, moved over to Silberberg. The reason is that I don't believe that Wilson can be trusted.

Wilson's actions in the PY Metro scandal make it clear that he knew about the changes that negatively impacted Alexandria citizens, and potentially new commercial citizens like the association for the blind, but did not disclose. I infer from his failure to disclose that he gave more of his loyalty to WAMTA than to this good city.

If you go read the Alexandria times article, Wilson hedges about when he "knew" and basically says that all the City Council found out about the entrance change at the same meeting but he, and only he, was the one to "remember"; he further goes on to say that he doesn't quite understand why no one else remembers. Really? Read the article for yourself if you doubt my words. https://alextimes.com/2018/06/potomacyardmetro-2/ "I can't speak to their recollections", indeed.

Couple his blatant lies there with his statements on the Kojo Nambi show that he wants to get rid of the public comment section of the City Council meetings and it makes you wonder what Wilson stands for. In my case, I get a strong and clear statement from him that he wants to play with the fun game of one-up with his cronies and that he doesn't believe in transparency.

So now we come back to the impact of this mayoral race on our city schools. I think it is ludicrous that anyone would want to put Wilson, who has shown he is not truthful and he doesn't like transparency, in charge of our city and to work with our new superintendent on improving our troubled school system.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly the type of discussion that has ACPS schools where they are today. Nothing will change on Tuesday, or in November. We will continue to fail those who need schools the most.

I've watched this play out at ACPS since 1992. Our kids went through and graduated and I'd never repeat my decision for them to enroll. I thought it would be okay but it wasn't.

I heard Justin Wilson on the Kojo Nambi show refer to ACPS as a "great school system". Why not tell the truth?

Politics makes for strange bedfellows. ACPS can build new or remodel buildings, but unless there is dramatic academic change it will never come up from the bottom on Virginia Board of Education.

We need a professional school board at this juncture: its time for major change in ACPS academics.

Why do you regret your decision?

a. ACPS admin from middle years through 12th was very difficult to deal with over common sense occurrences: e.g. repeating a test when kid was sick when taking it but took it because didn't want to appear wimpy. e.g.: missing an honor society app by 1 day e.g. kid fell on athletic field, teacher ignored, arm was broken. Fear of snark from teacher/admin said tough.


b.What specific charges would you like to see?

:

-Gut the current ACPS central office administrators. It's like they are in bred with same old approach. Do a national search with specific parameters and start anew based on premise of a city with underperforming academic standing.

-Equalize all schools in all City locations on FARMS: this will increase academic performance as 60+% helps no one and studies prove it. No exclusions.

-Focus on rigor of academics not peripherals: a Superintendent who specialized in high FARMS environment is long overdue. The whole student idea is great in the abstract, but when ACPS students get out into the real world, the lack of rigorous academics and test performance will play out in their life.


I ask you this in return: if ACPS is so good ("excellent", "great"), then why is our Virginia State Department of Education ranking ACPS so low? Facts matter.

One thing I don't think has been mentioned yet is that Wilson has two kids in ACPS (I think in elementary/middle school). Silberberg does not have kids. Generally I don't think that people's family choices and personal lives are a good reason to vote for or against them. But I have to admit that in this case, especially in a small city like Alexandria, it would be nice to have a mayor with some skin in the game, schools-wise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly the type of discussion that has ACPS schools where they are today. Nothing will change on Tuesday, or in November. We will continue to fail those who need schools the most.

I've watched this play out at ACPS since 1992. Our kids went through and graduated and I'd never repeat my decision for them to enroll. I thought it would be okay but it wasn't.

I heard Justin Wilson on the Kojo Nambi show refer to ACPS as a "great school system". Why not tell the truth?

Politics makes for strange bedfellows. ACPS can build new or remodel buildings, but unless there is dramatic academic change it will never come up from the bottom on Virginia Board of Education.

We need a professional school board at this juncture: its time for major change in ACPS academics.

Why do you regret your decision? What specific charges would you like to see?

I'm a different poster, but read through these threads and you'll see all sorts of reasons for regrets.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/709108.page

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/727454.page

*changes