Mundo Verde letter to parents about DCI admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really? I think there are wonderful students and teachers at DCI too.

But, my child started middle school with a principal who resigned shortly afterwards, and a new principal came and lasted less than a year. So, the acting HS principal stepped in to cover the vacant role for about half a year, until they finally hired a new principal, who's been in place for less than a year.

My child has had four teachers leave mid-year, and those roles were filled with long-term subs, sometimes a revolving door of them. Part of the model is to have the same ATL (homeroom) teacher for all three years, but my kid's teacher left mid year of 7th grade.

I think the school has promise, but it hasn't found its legs yet. You simply don't see this much instability at established, successful schools.

Why would they even consider replicating this?

There has been a ton of turnover everywhere in education since 2020.

This is true for education as an aggregate, but certain schools definitely have more turnover than others, so it is worth looking into. I know many schools have had a very small amount of turnover.

https://schoolreportcard.dc.gov/home

You can search by school and see teacher turnover rates. DCI retained 65% or so, other schools retained %75, but a lot of schools are in that 60 something range.

[Anonymous]

Several years back, DCI was not against the idea of potentially having a second campus. Not sure where they are currently on this, but the first large expansion was probably not a good idea because of how quickly it had to happen. Having a school with a few hundred students is much different than over 1k.

[Anonymous]

It seems like it'll be nearly SY 24-25 before they even decide whether to try to expand. Then there's the matter of PCSB approval, and of finding a building big enough to make it worthwhile.


The charter agreement says a cap of 2156, and if DCI currently has 1590 but plans to grow to nearly 2000 in its current location, they'll probably need an enrollment increase to make this worth doing.

DCI shall maintain an enrollment of no more than 215 students in the first Academic Year and no more than 2156 students in subsequent Academic Years substantially in accordance with Schedule I. DCI shall provide PCSB a written request for approval for an increase in the maximum enrollment no later than three months before the requested change date
with (i) evidence that (a) the Property has sufficient capacity to accommodate the increased enrollment, and (b) the quality of the educational program is satisfactory and will not deteriorate as a result of such increase; (ii) a revised Schedule I; and (iii) such other items as PCSB may request.

[Anonymous]

Is it possible that a DCI expansion could be on the same Walter Reed campus? I might support a slightly larger school, but diluting the resources between two large separate campuses feels too heavy a lift now with teacher shortages a pervasive problem across many schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible that a DCI expansion could be on the same Walter Reed campus? I might support a slightly larger school, but diluting the resources between two large separate campuses feels too heavy a lift now with teacher shortages a pervasive problem across many schools.

Not if the idea is to be able to guarantee spots to all feeder kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCI is in a MUCH more stable place than MV when it tried to expand--or, for that matter, than a lot of other schools. Yes, there are many DCI detractors on this board, but I have interacted with outstanding DCI students, teachers, and administrators through my work. I also know many satisfied parents, and the program seems in a good enough shape to replicate. I know there are growing pains with any replication, but if I had to bet on any school attracting good talent and creating a second campus that could shine, it would be DCI.

My take on the DCI "detractors" on this board is that most of them are state simple truths about the school that new parents should hear to go in with their eyes open, particularly if their children are capable of handling advanced academics. It's much easier to be "satisfied" with DCI if you aren't aiming for real fluency in a language, up to two years of math acceleration from 7th or 8th grade, strong writing skills and elite college admissions than if you are. It's also easier to be happy with DCI if your children are on the Spanish track than if you enroll for Chinese or French. Easier still to be happy if you have the resources and a cooperative enough kid to consistently supplement for math, English and immersion language if you're aiming high, and to hire your own IBD savvy college counselor in high school (DCI's college counselors are, in MHO, woefully underperforming).

Replicate DCI? Forget it, plenty of scope to improve the program we have, starting with far more middle school challenge, better discipline, leadership, teacher retention and communications with parents. Fact is, too many of the high-performing 8th graders don't return for high school.

We are in the spanish track and I found the teachers in spanish to be absolutely excellent. My children are high performers and are in the accelerated math classes, which is probably why we dont have a lot kids with tasers in there. That said we did lose our ATL teacher mid year in 6th grade so, I guess there is that.

[Anonymous]

My kid is in accelerated math too, but that somehow didn't stop someone in their ATL from tasing people.

[Anonymous]

Why can’t there be a cap and the feeder schools to not allow this to happen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in accelerated math too, but that somehow didn't stop someone in their ATL from tasing people.

1. Discipline and good order just aren't DCI's strong suit. Too many rowdy kids get away with too much every darn year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The allocation of those 70 spots will be done through the My School DC DCI Member Lottery. That lottery has a sibling preference, so that families with a sibling already at DCI will get preference. If there are other seats available because other member schools have not used their seat allocation, students on the member waitlist will receive preference for those seats

Am I reading this to understand that the DCI lottery will have a sibling preference within each school allocation? So MV (or other) students that already have a sibling at DCI will get a preference within the MV lottery seats? That was a big outstanding question because it means once the expansion grades start lotterying for the preference, the oldest children (without a sibling) would have much less than a 70% chance than the kids with the sibling preference.

I raised this concern with Kristin during one of the initial meetings with MV parents when the second campus was first announced and they totally dismissed this concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The allocation of those 70 spots will be done through the My School DC DCI Member Lottery. That lottery has a sibling preference, so that families with a sibling already at DCI will get preference. If there are other seats available because other member schools have not used their seat allocation, students on the member waitlist will receive preference for those seats

Am I reading this to understand that the DCI lottery will have a sibling preference within each school allocation? So MV (or other) students that already have a sibling at DCI will get a preference within the MV lottery seats? That was a big outstanding question because it means once the expansion grades start lotterying for the preference, the oldest children (without a sibling) would have much less than a 70% chance than the kids with the sibling preference.

I raised this concern with Kristin during one of the initial meetings with MV parents when the second campus was first announced and they totally dismissed this concern.

I've been trying to get a clear answer on this for years. But I'm the PP who started the thread and I also attended a DCI open house in person recently, and that was my take-away. It's Feeder siblings, then feeder kids to the extent possible within each feeder allocation. Then, feeder kids shut out would get preference for un-used slots from other feeders. I assume that's only within Spanish but who knows. Kids from non-feeders are likely SOL.

This all depends on Stokes, LAMB, and Mundo's ability to send up a full 5th grade class, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The allocation of those 70 spots will be done through the My School DC DCI Member Lottery. That lottery has a sibling preference, so that families with a sibling already at DCI will get preference. If there are other seats available because other member schools have not used their seat allocation, students on the member waitlist will receive preference for those seats

Am I reading this to understand that the DCI lottery will have a sibling preference within each school allocation? So MV (or other) students that already have a sibling at DCI will get a preference within the MV lottery seats? That was a big outstanding question because it means once the expansion grades start lotterying for the preference, the oldest children (without a sibling) would have much less than a 70% chance than the kids with the sibling preference.

I raised this concern with Kristin during one of the initial meetings with MV parents when the second campus was first announced and they totally dismissed this concern.

I've been trying to get a clear answer on this for years. But I'm the PP who started the thread and I also attended a DCI open house in person recently, and that was my take-away. It's Feeder siblings, then feeder kids to the extent possible within each feeder allocation. Then, feeder kids shut out would get preference for un-used slots from other feeders. I assume that's only within Spanish but who knows. Kids from non-feeders are likely SOL.

This all depends on Stokes, LAMB, and Mundo's ability to send up a full 5th grade class, of course.

LAMB doesn’t backfill so I’m sure that helps other feeder kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The allocation of those 70 spots will be done through the My School DC DCI Member Lottery. That lottery has a sibling preference, so that families with a sibling already at DCI will get preference. If there are other seats available because other member schools have not used their seat allocation, students on the member waitlist will receive preference for those seats

Am I reading this to understand that the DCI lottery will have a sibling preference within each school allocation? So MV (or other) students that already have a sibling at DCI will get a preference within the MV lottery seats? That was a big outstanding question because it means once the expansion grades start lotterying for the preference, the oldest children (without a sibling) would have much less than a 70% chance than the kids with the sibling preference.

I raised this concern with Kristin during one of the initial meetings with MV parents when the second campus was first announced and they totally dismissed this concern.

I've been trying to get a clear answer on this for years. But I'm the PP who started the thread and I also attended a DCI open house in person recently, and that was my take-away. It's Feeder siblings, then feeder kids to the extent possible within each feeder allocation. Then, feeder kids shut out would get preference for un-used slots from other feeders. I assume that's only within Spanish but who knows. Kids from non-feeders are likely SOL.

This all depends on Stokes, LAMB, and Mundo's ability to send up a full 5th grade class, of course.

LAMB doesn’t backfill so I’m sure that helps other feeder kids.

Their allocation of DCI seats is 50 rising 6th graders, but their preschool classes are way bigger than 50. I wouldn't assume they're going to always come in below 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The allocation of those 70 spots will be done through the My School DC DCI Member Lottery. That lottery has a sibling preference, so that families with a sibling already at DCI will get preference. If there are other seats available because other member schools have not used their seat allocation, students on the member waitlist will receive preference for those seats

Am I reading this to understand that the DCI lottery will have a sibling preference within each school allocation? So MV (or other) students that already have a sibling at DCI will get a preference within the MV lottery seats? That was a big outstanding question because it means once the expansion grades start lotterying for the preference, the oldest children (without a sibling) would have much less than a 70% chance than the kids with the sibling preference.

I raised this concern with Kristin during one of the initial meetings with MV parents when the second campus was first announced and they totally dismissed this concern.

I've been trying to get a clear answer on this for years. But I'm the PP who started the thread and I also attended a DCI open house in person recently, and that was my take-away. It's Feeder siblings, then feeder kids to the extent possible within each feeder allocation. Then, feeder kids shut out would get preference for un-used slots from other feeders. I assume that's only within Spanish but who knows. Kids from non-feeders are likely SOL.

This all depends on Stokes, LAMB, and Mundo's ability to send up a full 5th grade class, of course.

LAMB doesn’t backfill so I’m sure that helps other feeder kids.

Their allocation of DCI seats is 50 rising 6th graders, but their preschool classes are way bigger than 50. I wouldn't assume they're going to always come in below 50.

But LAMB has attrition in the upper grades and it’s not just a few families and past 2 years lots more unhappy families.

[Anonymous]

If anyone's curious, this is the breakdown of 6th grade slots for each feeder school (according to DCI's latest charter review in 2019):

DC Bilingual - 50
EW Stokes - 40
LAMB - 50
Mundo Verde - 70
Yu Ying - 70

(DCI did say in its review that it foresaw the need to expand as the feeder schools expand, but I haven't not seen any action on that.)