So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watta troll! We've gone from a discussion of IB/residents and IB/feeder to IB/own vs. rent!! This is some triflin' stuff. At least it keeps the limbo game going. Keep the thread alive!

But uniforms. That gets to the heart of it -- who's with me?!

I don't know what the uniforms look like at Hardy, but my oldest really liked her uniform at Washington Latin. She is now at Basis, and we feel the financial hit and the hassle of having to buy clothes that probably the younger girls will not wear (tweens can get really picky)....

I am hoping to feel quite confident about Hardy by the time my next girl is ready to go in a couple of years, and uniforms would be such a blessing to me as a parent for this child I really don't care she thinks. Since the alternative would be to go to Basis I don't think I will have a problem. I had a uniform at NCS which for 4th - 6th was awful - it was a striped pastel dress that had pleats at the bottom that allowed any boy who got near enough to do a "bloomer check." These uniforms allow the girls to wear pants, so I am not sure what the problem is. Once going to Hardy does not seem like a stigma, the uniforms won't either. Uniforms to me definitely don't mean anything except that a child goes to a particular school - we see Catholic kids in uniforms at after school church activities all the time.......

I'm sure it seems silly to some, but the uniforms are an issue that keeps IB families away from the school. Uniforms at Hardy vs. No Uniforms at Deal just reinforces that these schools are different and not necessarily in a favorable way for Hardy. Those who CHOOSE uniforms at private or charters are making an affirmative choice to do so. Why should some public schools wear uniforms and others not? If the Chancellor decided that all DCPS kids would wear uniforms, then I would not have a problem with it, but why should my child be told to wear a uniform at Hardy while her friends at Deal don't have to. If the Hardy community wants to get more IB students -- and I'm not sure they do -- the principal should reconsider the uniform policy.

Please allow me to kindly tell you that you are wrong, for a number if reasons:

The Principal would not change the policy without consulting with current parents and prospective IB parents.
Current parents , including the IB component (which I belong to) are all for uniforms. Once you experience on your skin the changes and peer pressures middle school students are subject to, you start see things differently. Uniforms simplify things at a time in life when boys and girls are building their self-identity (seek your inner identity, not your look). And help keeping a focus on the academic aspects of the school experience.
The several and repeated consultations with the prospective parents (4th and 5th grade) unanimously showed a focus on curriculum, academic enrichment, sport activities, and social/behavioral discipline. Almost no concerns were expressed on uniforms by parents close to the decision point. Some parents pointed out that, from a "marketing" prospective, removing the uniforms would have maybe helped a bit for the school perception in the neighborhood. But just "maybe" and "a bit" .
The Principal, the current parents, including IB parents, and the 4-5th grade parents who are seriously looking into Hardy are well-aware that the school is in a transitioning phase, with a very high degree of "diversity" especially in higher grades. In this context, uniforms are an effective and smart measure to mitigate such diversity. Hardy students, especially in higher grades, come from a multitude of backgrounds, and areas of the city. In the absence of uniforms, this would be reflected in their look, generate unwanted social profiling in a school context which has finally found its way into integration and improvement.
All these considerations in favor of uniforms are at the moment considered very important to the Principal, to current parents (including IB). And uniforms seem to be very low in the wish-list of prospective IB parents with kids in 4th-5th grade. This community of stakeholders believes that the "maybe" and "a bit" marketing effect is not a strong enough benefit to drop uniforms in the present context.
This decision could well be re-assessed in the future or near future. But current parents, including IB parents, and parents seriously looking into the school for next year are informed and responsible decision-makers, and as such believe that uniforms are helping and instrumental to the current smooth and successful changes undergoing at Hardy. Those who say (and have a right to say so, I am not criticizing them) "Hardy uniforms are so-ghetto" are not serious prospective parents for the near future (have no affinity or tolerance for the transitioning status of the school and have already made up their mind for alternative middle school options) and are thus not relevant stakeholders to the school at the moment.
Auspices for a uniform-free future Hardy are welcome and respected. But if you are a prospective parent in 4th or 5th grade, I would invite you to review your position at the light of the above considerations.

[Anonymous]

maybe Deal would consider uniforms? i think there are real benefits. seriously, deal parents, would you consider it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watta troll! We've gone from a discussion of IB/residents and IB/feeder to IB/own vs. rent!! This is some triflin' stuff. At least it keeps the limbo game going. Keep the thread alive!

But uniforms. That gets to the heart of it -- who's with me?!

I don't know what the uniforms look like at Hardy, but my oldest really liked her uniform at Washington Latin. She is now at Basis, and we feel the financial hit and the hassle of having to buy clothes that probably the younger girls will not wear (tweens can get really picky)....

I am hoping to feel quite confident about Hardy by the time my next girl is ready to go in a couple of years, and uniforms would be such a blessing to me as a parent for this child I really don't care she thinks. Since the alternative would be to go to Basis I don't think I will have a problem. I had a uniform at NCS which for 4th - 6th was awful - it was a striped pastel dress that had pleats at the bottom that allowed any boy who got near enough to do a "bloomer check." These uniforms allow the girls to wear pants, so I am not sure what the problem is. Once going to Hardy does not seem like a stigma, the uniforms won't either. Uniforms to me definitely don't mean anything except that a child goes to a particular school - we see Catholic kids in uniforms at after school church activities all the time.......

I'm sure it seems silly to some, but the uniforms are an issue that keeps IB families away from the school. Uniforms at Hardy vs. No Uniforms at Deal just reinforces that these schools are different and not necessarily in a favorable way for Hardy. Those who CHOOSE uniforms at private or charters are making an affirmative choice to do so. Why should some public schools wear uniforms and others not? If the Chancellor decided that all DCPS kids would wear uniforms, then I would not have a problem with it, but why should my child be told to wear a uniform at Hardy while her friends at Deal don't have to. If the Hardy community wants to get more IB students -- and I'm not sure they do -- the principal should reconsider the uniform policy.

Please allow me to kindly tell you that you are wrong, for a number if reasons:

The Principal would not change the policy without consulting with current parents and prospective IB parents.
Current parents , including the IB component (which I belong to) are all for uniforms. Once you experience on your skin the changes and peer pressures middle school students are subject to, you start see things differently. Uniforms simplify things at a time in life when boys and girls are building their self-identity (seek your inner identity, not your look). And help keeping a focus on the academic aspects of the school experience.
The several and repeated consultations with the prospective parents (4th and 5th grade) unanimously showed a focus on curriculum, academic enrichment, sport activities, and social/behavioral discipline. Almost no concerns were expressed on uniforms by parents close to the decision point. Some parents pointed out that, from a "marketing" prospective, removing the uniforms would have maybe helped a bit for the school perception in the neighborhood. But just "maybe" and "a bit" .
The Principal, the current parents, including IB parents, and the 4-5th grade parents who are seriously looking into Hardy are well-aware that the school is in a transitioning phase, with a very high degree of "diversity" especially in higher grades. In this context, uniforms are an effective and smart measure to mitigate such diversity. Hardy students, especially in higher grades, come from a multitude of backgrounds, and areas of the city. In the absence of uniforms, this would be reflected in their look, generate unwanted social profiling in a school context which has finally found its way into integration and improvement.
All these considerations in favor of uniforms are at the moment considered very important to the Principal, to current parents (including IB). And uniforms seem to be very low in the wish-list of prospective IB parents with kids in 4th-5th grade. This community of stakeholders believes that the "maybe" and "a bit" marketing effect is not a strong enough benefit to drop uniforms in the present context.
This decision could well be re-assessed in the future or near future. But current parents, including IB parents, and parents seriously looking into the school for next year are informed and responsible decision-makers, and as such believe that uniforms are helping and instrumental to the current smooth and successful changes undergoing at Hardy. Those who say (and have a right to say so, I am not criticizing them) "Hardy uniforms are so-ghetto" are not serious prospective parents for the near future (have no affinity or tolerance for the transitioning status of the school and have already made up their mind for alternative middle school options) and are thus not relevant stakeholders to the school at the moment.
Auspices for a uniform-free future Hardy are welcome and respected. But if you are a prospective parent in 4th or 5th grade, I would invite you to review your position at the light of the above considerations.

I think you have a very well informed and balanced position on the matter, and I agree with you. I WISH they had a uniform at Basis. Uniforms accomplish a lot of what you are talking about at Washington Latin, and they also make kids think twice about the way they behave in the neighborhood or elsewhere when they are still in their uniforms, because unless they hate the school, as long as they are wearing them they are representing Latin or Hardy, and can do a lot of good or a lot of damage to their school's reputation.

[Anonymous]

Deal parents do not look into forums on Hardy in large numbers.
Plus the PP (too long but very considerate and informed contribution) made clear that uniforms are helping mitigate diversity in the current Hardy transition phase.
Removing uniforms may help re-branding Hardy. However Hardy is a school , educating 400 students, not a Procter & Gamble company.
I agree with the decision by the Principal to put the current school needs before the marketing strategies.

[Anonymous]

If all DCPS schools had uniforms, I would be okay with it, but why should you have to wear a uniform just at Hardy? If the underlying reason is that the school is "in transition" and uniforms are needed to equalize things and keep kids on track, then that is something for prospective parents to consider. It's just unfortunate that some students have been forcibly switched from feeding into an excellent public middle school (Deal) into a transitional one (Hardy). As someone said, not everyone wants to send their kids to a transitional school and not every kid is up to the challenge of attending one. I wish the focus had been to work through the issues at Hardy and make it an attractive option for IB parents before forcing more kids into the feeder pattern.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the school is undeniably "in transition". Numbers of IB kids and from feeder schools are steeply increasing, as are DC CAS scores.
I am surprised you are realizing it just now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watta troll! We've gone from a discussion of IB/residents and IB/feeder to IB/own vs. rent!! This is some triflin' stuff. At least it keeps the limbo game going. Keep the thread alive!

But uniforms. That gets to the heart of it -- who's with me?!

I don't know what the uniforms look like at Hardy, but my oldest really liked her uniform at Washington Latin. She is now at Basis, and we feel the financial hit and the hassle of having to buy clothes that probably the younger girls will not wear (tweens can get really picky)....

I am hoping to feel quite confident about Hardy by the time my next girl is ready to go in a couple of years, and uniforms would be such a blessing to me as a parent for this child I really don't care she thinks. Since the alternative would be to go to Basis I don't think I will have a problem. I had a uniform at NCS which for 4th - 6th was awful - it was a striped pastel dress that had pleats at the bottom that allowed any boy who got near enough to do a "bloomer check." These uniforms allow the girls to wear pants, so I am not sure what the problem is. Once going to Hardy does not seem like a stigma, the uniforms won't either. Uniforms to me definitely don't mean anything except that a child goes to a particular school - we see Catholic kids in uniforms at after school church activities all the time.......

I'm sure it seems silly to some, but the uniforms are an issue that keeps IB families away from the school. Uniforms at Hardy vs. No Uniforms at Deal just reinforces that these schools are different and not necessarily in a favorable way for Hardy. Those who CHOOSE uniforms at private or charters are making an affirmative choice to do so. Why should some public schools wear uniforms and others not? If the Chancellor decided that all DCPS kids would wear uniforms, then I would not have a problem with it, but why should my child be told to wear a uniform at Hardy while her friends at Deal don't have to. If the Hardy community wants to get more IB students -- and I'm not sure they do -- the principal should reconsider the uniform policy.

Oh my. The spoiled brat tone of this is breathtaking. Consolation is that you reap what you sow indulging children in that kind of thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If all DCPS schools had uniforms, I would be okay with it, but why should you have to wear a uniform just at Hardy? If the underlying reason is that the school is "in transition" and uniforms are needed to equalize things and keep kids on track, then that is something for prospective parents to consider. It's just unfortunate that some students have been forcibly switched from feeding into an excellent public middle school (Deal) into a transitional one (Hardy). As someone said, not everyone wants to send their kids to a transitional school and not every kid is up to the challenge of attending one. I wish the focus had been to work through the issues at Hardy and make it an attractive option for IB parents before forcing more kids into the feeder pattern.

You are obviously not aware of Hardy SEM Program. I suggest that you send an email to one of the school SEM coordinator teachers, such as Ms Bentley and Ms Whitty (you can contact them from the school website) if you want to be an informed parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If all DCPS schools had uniforms, I would be okay with it, but why should you have to wear a uniform just at Hardy? If the underlying reason is that the school is "in transition" and uniforms are needed to equalize things and keep kids on track, then that is something for prospective parents to consider. It's just unfortunate that some students have been forcibly switched from feeding into an excellent public middle school (Deal) into a transitional one (Hardy). As someone said, not everyone wants to send their kids to a transitional school and not every kid is up to the challenge of attending one. I wish the focus had been to work through the issues at Hardy and make it an attractive option for IB parents before forcing more kids into the feeder pattern.

You are obviously not aware of Hardy SEM Program. I suggest that you send an email to one of the school SEM coordinator teachers, such as Ms Bentley and Ms Whitty (you can contact them from the school website) if you want to be an informed parent.

I will, but what is the SEM program?

[Anonymous]

See for instance: http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/sem/

This is a school-wide enrichment model, which supports gifted students while providing school-wide enhanced support.
While the traditional definition of "gifted student" is focused on higher than average academic outcomes, according to the SEM methodology gifted students are defined as students embracing 3 areas of strenghts: 1) academic ability; 2) creativity; 3) drive and commitment. This means that students showing drive and commitment or creativity , but not there yet on academic performance, can receive enhanced academic support to make it to the "gifted" threshold.
The above mentioned teachers can tell you how the SEM is applied at Hardy, and the benefits it is showing for the different range of kids. My child was very strong academically, but very rigid and textbook oriented. His capability to put his skills at work beyond textbook assignments and his horizons have been incredibly magnified by Ms Whitty's classes.

[Anonymous]

Teachers are trained on the SEM . Training is financed by the school budget, by DCPS, and also by the rising PTO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: It's just unfortunate that some students have been forcibly switched from feeding into an excellent public middle school (Deal) into a transitional one (Hardy). As someone said, not everyone wants to send their kids to a transitional school and not every kid is up to the challenge of attending one. I wish the focus had been to work through the issues at Hardy and make it an attractive option for IB parents before forcing more kids into the feeder pattern.

It is indeed unfortunate there is not infinite room at Deal. If there were all DC kids of MS age could attend it. But as that is not the case, someone had to be redistricted out of Deal. Discomfort with that reality, though understandable, is not a good reason to carp about Hardy or its policies, especially as it seems to be considered by most people to be the second best (noncharter) public middle school in DC. All the folks being redisticted to middle schools that do not currently exist can only hope those turn out to the "next Hardy".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It's just unfortunate that some students have been forcibly switched from feeding into an excellent public middle school (Deal) into a transitional one (Hardy). As someone said, not everyone wants to send their kids to a transitional school and not every kid is up to the challenge of attending one. I wish the focus had been to work through the issues at Hardy and make it an attractive option for IB parents before forcing more kids into the feeder pattern.

It is indeed unfortunate there is not infinite room at Deal. If there were all DC kids of MS age could attend it. But as that is not the case, someone had to be redistricted out of Deal. Discomfort with that reality, though understandable, is not a good reason to carp about Hardy or its policies, especially as it seems to be considered by most people to be the second best (noncharter) public middle school in DC. All the folks being redisticted to middle schools that do not currently exist can only hope those turn out to the "next Hardy".

Fair enough on paper, but we'll be heading to private. I really hope the Hardy experiment works, but I'd prefer more certainty with my kids' education -- especially the crucial middle school years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watta troll! We've gone from a discussion of IB/residents and IB/feeder to IB/own vs. rent!! This is some triflin' stuff. At least it keeps the limbo game going. Keep the thread alive!

But uniforms. That gets to the heart of it -- who's with me?!

I don't know what the uniforms look like at Hardy, but my oldest really liked her uniform at Washington Latin. She is now at Basis, and we feel the financial hit and the hassle of having to buy clothes that probably the younger girls will not wear (tweens can get really picky)....

I am hoping to feel quite confident about Hardy by the time my next girl is ready to go in a couple of years, and uniforms would be such a blessing to me as a parent for this child I really don't care she thinks. Since the alternative would be to go to Basis I don't think I will have a problem. I had a uniform at NCS which for 4th - 6th was awful - it was a striped pastel dress that had pleats at the bottom that allowed any boy who got near enough to do a "bloomer check." These uniforms allow the girls to wear pants, so I am not sure what the problem is. Once going to Hardy does not seem like a stigma, the uniforms won't either. Uniforms to me definitely don't mean anything except that a child goes to a particular school - we see Catholic kids in uniforms at after school church activities all the time.......

I'm sure it seems silly to some, but the uniforms are an issue that keeps IB families away from the school. Uniforms at Hardy vs. No Uniforms at Deal just reinforces that these schools are different and not necessarily in a favorable way for Hardy. Those who CHOOSE uniforms at private or charters are making an affirmative choice to do so. Why should some public schools wear uniforms and others not? If the Chancellor decided that all DCPS kids would wear uniforms, then I would not have a problem with it, but why should my child be told to wear a uniform at Hardy while her friends at Deal don't have to. If the Hardy community wants to get more IB students -- and I'm not sure they do -- the principal should reconsider the uniform policy.

I assure you. No one was worrying about what some IB families would think when we voted on uniforms. Surprisingly enough, we only considered whether it might be a good thing for our kids.....since our kids were actually going to the school. Is it not okay for me to think about what's best for my kid? Am I supposed to put the needs of some hypothetical IB family over my own?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It's just unfortunate that some students have been forcibly switched from feeding into an excellent public middle school (Deal) into a transitional one (Hardy). As someone said, not everyone wants to send their kids to a transitional school and not every kid is up to the challenge of attending one. I wish the focus had been to work through the issues at Hardy and make it an attractive option for IB parents before forcing more kids into the feeder pattern.

It is indeed unfortunate there is not infinite room at Deal. If there were all DC kids of MS age could attend it. But as that is not the case, someone had to be redistricted out of Deal. Discomfort with that reality, though understandable, is not a good reason to carp about Hardy or its policies, especially as it seems to be considered by most people to be the second best (noncharter) public middle school in DC. All the folks being redisticted to middle schools that do not currently exist can only hope those turn out to the "next Hardy".

Fair enough on paper, but we'll be heading to private. I really hope the Hardy experiment works, but I'd prefer more certainty with my kids' education -- especially the crucial middle school years.

You do know that you're grandfathered in at Deal, unless your children are very young? By the time your kids are ready for 6th, the "experiment," as you call it, will be long over and Hardy will be a fine option for Eaton kids.