Anyone know what's going on with the K lottery for Garrison?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking at this dashboard:

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

Garrison has historically offered 3-15 seats in the lottery for Kindergarten. They've also had a waitlist ranging from 7-33 kids. However, they've offered a seat to almost all those kids every year, and almost all those waitlist offers happened by June.

This year - they offered zero spots. That kinda made sense to me, the school's been growing in popularity, and kindergarten is somewhat unpredictable since they have to take everyone IB. But the June waitlist data shows zero K offers. And it's not just that they're behind in paperwork or something - all the other grades at Garrison have had some waitlist movement this year.

Anyone have any insight into this? Are they closing a K classroom or something? We were kinda banking on a K seat there based on the historical data.

It is my understanding that the school switched three classroom model a couple years ago to account for what had historically been a drop-off in enrollment in the later grades but now that more families are choosing to stay at Garrison long-term, they had to go back to a two classroom model for K moving forward. So there are about 20-25 fewer seats for the upcoming school year.

[Anonymous]

Thomson is a great ES. It has solid and reliable leadership. Facilities are looking their age and not as modern as other newly renovated schools.

[Anonymous]

I have a 4th grader at garrison it’s an amazing school! I know many families leave before
5th due to middle school feeder pattern. We are inbound for a decent middle school and have preference at a charter. The fact that the principals kids attend garrison should
Communicate a lot!

[Anonymous]

Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

If these schools are so good, why is the middle school so bad? The students that attend the middle school are coming from these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

If these schools are so good, why is the middle school so bad? The students that attend the middle school are coming from these schools.

Do you know so little about DCPS that you actually think that is true? It's because the current middle school is within Cardozo high school and doesn't have its own leadership. The feeder elementary students tend to go elsewhere if they have parents capable of arranging it and a good enough lottery number. The hope is that a freestanding middle school with its own principal, in a nicely renovated building, will be more appealing and attract more of the feeder kids. Eventually building to a better-performing school that attracts a lot of feeder kids like Stuart-Hobson. Eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

If these schools are so good, why is the middle school so bad? The students that attend the middle school are coming from these schools.

Do you know so little about DCPS that you actually think that is true? It's because the current middle school is within Cardozo high school and doesn't have its own leadership. The feeder elementary students tend to go elsewhere if they have parents capable of arranging it and a good enough lottery number. The hope is that a freestanding middle school with its own principal, in a nicely renovated building, will be more appealing and attract more of the feeder kids. Eventually building to a better-performing school that attracts a lot of feeder kids like Stuart-Hobson. Eventually.

Also Thomson and Ross feed into Francis Stevens so it’s really just Garrison and Seaton feeding into Cardozo. With many of those kids leaving for better middle school options, there’s no chance that the middle school will be “good” without some changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

If these schools are so good, why is the middle school so bad? The students that attend the middle school are coming from these schools.

Do you know so little about DCPS that you actually think that is true? It's because the current middle school is within Cardozo high school and doesn't have its own leadership. The feeder elementary students tend to go elsewhere if they have parents capable of arranging it and a good enough lottery number. The hope is that a freestanding middle school with its own principal, in a nicely renovated building, will be more appealing and attract more of the feeder kids. Eventually building to a better-performing school that attracts a lot of feeder kids like Stuart-Hobson. Eventually.

Also Thomson and Ross feed into Francis Stevens so it’s really just Garrison and Seaton feeding into Cardozo. With many of those kids leaving for better middle school options, there’s no chance that the middle school will be “good” without some changes.

https://edscape.dc.gov/node/1640846

Yup. According to this data, which was shared in another thread, Thomson kids - who have a choice between Jefferson and School Without Walls at Francis Stevens - seem to stick around through fifth for the most part, with the majority choosing Francis Stephens.

Garrison and Seaton are strong ES's that see a lot more drop-off in the later grades because Cardozo isn't a great MS option. Those schools would benefit from a solid Shaw Middle, if it ever happens. And maybe Cardozo would benefit from not having to run both a middle and high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

If these schools are so good, why is the middle school so bad? The students that attend the middle school are coming from these schools.

Do you know so little about DCPS that you actually think that is true? It's because the current middle school is within Cardozo high school and doesn't have its own leadership. The feeder elementary students tend to go elsewhere if they have parents capable of arranging it and a good enough lottery number. The hope is that a freestanding middle school with its own principal, in a nicely renovated building, will be more appealing and attract more of the feeder kids. Eventually building to a better-performing school that attracts a lot of feeder kids like Stuart-Hobson. Eventually.

Also Thomson and Ross feed into Francis Stevens so it’s really just Garrison and Seaton feeding into Cardozo. With many of those kids leaving for better middle school options, there’s no chance that the middle school will be “good” without some changes.

https://edscape.dc.gov/node/1640846

Yup. According to this data, which was shared in another thread, Thomson kids - who have a choice between Jefferson and School Without Walls at Francis Stevens - seem to stick around through fifth for the most part, with the majority choosing Francis Stephens.

Garrison and Seaton are strong ES's that see a lot more drop-off in the later grades because Cardozo isn't a great MS option. Those schools would benefit from a solid Shaw Middle, if it ever happens. And maybe Cardozo would benefit from not having to run both a middle and high school?

The idea with Euclid St middle school is that it will relieve Cardozo's projected overcrowding and provide more seats in the system generally, and that a dedicated middle school will work better than the current setup. Since the current setup is really pretty bad, I think it'll be a positive change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. If only the Shaw Middle School stuff could work out in a viable way (and I'm not that optimistic, but imagine if)-- Seaton, Garrison, and Thomson would be the hottest schools in town.

Three well run schools, going by scores for demographics, friends’ experiences, and yes, DCUM! I only have firsthand experience with one but would seriously consider any of the three.

Word is out on Garrison, great parents, principal is an amazing ambassador, especially with putting own kids there. Other two flying under the radar but probably worth a look, OP.

Live in the area and all for Shaw Middle!! But not optimistic. I mean, just read the Hill middle thread.