Arlington High School

Terrible people here are rude and ignorant

St. Raphaels has overall been a great experience for our child who is in Junior High. There are a lot of great after school programs (sports and academics) that students can take advantage of. They also have four dances (more like parties) a year and other fun social events, and there are educational Washington DC and NYC trips available for students to take part in. In the Junior High academic program, there is one teacher for grades 6,7,8 per subject. This can be a great thing if the teacher is an excellent teacher, which matches my perception for the bulk of the Junior High teachers. The kids seem to have a hard time learning from the math teacher but the school seems to be working on ways to make this better. If you are considering sending your child to this school, find a parent to talk to about their child’s experience with the math teacher. A good number of parents end up getting outside tutoring for math, which can add up quickly in terms of a family’s education budget. Overall, the teachers and staff are caring and devoted to the mission of the school.

Lesley Ellis is a great school for curious, bright children. The teachers are engaged and thoughtful. The overall curriculum is challenging in a good way, designed to capture kids' imagination and interest. Lesley Ellis is particularly strong in the preschool and elementary programs, where social and emotional learning are just as important as academics. Throughout Lesley Ellis there is an active culture of tolerance and mutual respect. This is true at all levels - faculty, staff, and students. Fighting bias, or "anti-bias," has been a core element of Lesley Ellis' philosophy and curriculum for a long time, starting well before it became the phrase du jour. This doesn't mean the school is preachy, or that academics are neglected. Instead, kindness, self-understanding and understanding others are ideals infused throughout a typical school day - along with a solid academic foundation that prepares kids for life beyond its walls.

Great school with caring and loving teachers. Amazing kind students who lift each other up. The character and spiritual development I have witnessed are above and beyond. Additionally, I have seen improvement every year and I have been part of the parent community since 2016.