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Thomas Jefferson H.S. Named Best School in Nation

Discussion in 'General Chat Forum' started by Lee, Dec 2, 2007.

  1. Lee

    Lee Permanent Vacation

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    http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1107/476808.html

    Interesting little article. Especially the comment, that I guess was from a student.

    That comment also brings me to another point. It is good have good grades but it is even better to know personally the movers and shakers that can make your life happen.

    I don't see Loudoun schools on this list in spite of the money at times recklessly thrown at it. And now they want more.

    I remember one of my professors in the school of architecture tell us. Your success will depend more on who you know then how well you do in these classes. Especially the amount of money you will make.

    Lee j
     
  2. latka

    latka Active Member

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    I attended Langley, ranked 37, and have children at Briar Woods. I would choose Briar Woods over Langley in every way. My children are receiving a better education than I did, by far.
     
  3. sunnydog

    sunnydog New Member

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  4. Brassy

    Brassy Hiyah

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    I’m Langley class of 1982. I moved to McLean November of my sophomore year. (No we weren’t rich!) I came from Lake Forest HS in Illinois, where among other classes I took Honor English and Honors French – which was total immersion! Came to Langley, and they made me go through an accelerated class for grammar – which everyone had to take, instead of ENG H, then they had NO equivalent for my immersion French or honors French to boot! So instead I was in a class of 33 kids who controlled the teacher. You know, timed throwing pencils into the ceiling or wet, wadded up paper towels from the bathrooms…the sad case of a teacher beyond her time – being bullied by bunch of teenagers who came from good homes. Needless to say you lose the level you were at. After the first day of classes, my sister (a freshman at the time,) and I both begged our parents, with tears in our eyes, to put us into a private school. At the age of 14 and 15 we realized what we would lose. Now I believe that experience is what made me delay until the last minute sending in college applications and then only finishing one year. Currently I’m almost finished with my 2nd year at NOVA. Yes, life and work and kids…
    I’m sure things have changed a bit since then. I’m sure it is still very cliquish. I’m still sure, just like every school in NOVA that there are fabulous cars next to clunkers – just like back then. What I do know is that here in Loudoun, our kids are/have had a great education. That our kids are going to school with kids from all over the world, so they will be better prepared for the world they will live in. That what we learned in school cannot even touch the education they get today. And yes, class size does matter as does the interest level and education of the teacher.
     
  5. j3mom

    j3mom New Member

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    Would love to hear more about Briar Woods HS... pros/cons. Our son is supposed to attend in a few more years, pending those boundary changes! :(

    How do the HS in our neck of the woods compare to others in Fairfax/TJ HS??

    Am I opening a can of worms?

    Thanks!
     
  6. MadCat07

    MadCat07 New Member

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    I attended Langley as well (we weren't rich, either -- I couldn't even afford a clunker). It was not a memorable experience, though like most places there were some good teachers who were able to provide a pretty good learning experience. My kids are very young so I have no impressions of the high schools here in Loudoun other than what I hear from others, but I have been very pleased with the quality of the elementary education that my oldest daughter has received so far.
     
  7. kahlua1

    kahlua1 New Member

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    Sorry, but what/where is Langley? Is it a private school? An option for students in Broadlands?

    We also are pleased with LCPS so far.
     
  8. MadCat07

    MadCat07 New Member

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    No, it's a Fairfax County Public School located in McLean.
     
  9. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

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    ditto- all of it.
     
  10. Mom8386

    Mom8386 Member

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    My oldest son wen to TJ and my youngest didn't. What no one seems to understand is money isn't the issue. TJ is in an old building and doesn't have state of the art equipment unless it was donated which was very limited. What makes TJ number one isn't money, it's the students and the teachers. My son had teachers who had PhD's as well as teachers who had been successsful in other fields and moved to teaching. These kids at TJ would do well no matter where they went to school. The vast majority are naturally smart. I had many teachers tell me from the time my son was in preschool that he would do well no matter where he went to school. You can't compare TJ to regular neighborhood public high schools. Students who get into TJ would have all been in the top 1-2% of their neighborhood high schools. They for the most part (always one or two exceptions) are kids that didn't need to be monitored and they didn't even use hall passes when he was there. They were self - motivated. So, while TJ was the #1 HS in the country, it is unique, but not because of class size or money.

    TJ fills a niche that is needed. My son took Geometry in 8th grade and had to be bussed to Broad Run to attend the class. He would have topped out in what Loudoun County could have provided for him in Math by 11th grade.
     

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