New Mcarthur High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I think you’re looking for reasons to be critical and anxious. Some may be true, some not. You should get onto the working group and attend all the meetings. I’m guessing the Hardy PTO is also very involved.

I’ve been a DCPS parent for a long time. My kids are at Wilson and Walls. I can tell you that DCPS pretends to care about parent involvement but they really don’t care at all. It is all about optics with them. Most parents learn that at some point.
Maybe you can make a difference at your local school if the principal sincerely wants parental input but something like this - Nah! DCPS will set up all kinds of committees but will only follow recommendations if they agree with what they wanted to do all along

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I think you’re looking for reasons to be critical and anxious. Some may be true, some not. You should get onto the working group and attend all the meetings. I’m guessing the Hardy PTO is also very involved.

I’ve been a DCPS parent for a long time. My kids are at Wilson and Walls. I can tell you that DCPS pretends to care about parent involvement but they really don’t care at all. It is all about optics with them. Most parents learn that at some point.
Maybe you can make a difference at your local school if the principal sincerely wants parental input but something like this - Nah! DCPS will set up all kinds of committees but will only follow recommendations if they agree with what they wanted to do all along

Of course, I’m under no illusions. But I think you need to understand what’s being offered here - a new school, in your neighborhood, with your child’s peers. It is a public school so no, it’s not going to cater to your consumer choice. But it’s a heck of a lot better than other options in DC and equivalent more or less to JR and other realistic regional options. YMMV if you have the money to move to Potomac or Fairfax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Also, Banneker HS has the IB program. Anyone have experience with how its implemented there?

The Banneker IB program is very much a school-within-a-school type program. The DCPS presentation deck seems to think that’s a bad model for a neighborhood school, and I agree. They’re proposing something more like Eastern, or Robinson in FCPS, where some students sign up for the whole IB diploma, but other students just take one or two IB courses. Every such program I‘ve looked at offers some AP courses as well, and DCPS seems to assume that’s how it would work at MacArthur. Also the deck says an IB program comes with extra money, which would help to get extra resources to the school as they ramp up.

I would love DC to get a strong public IB program, like BCC or other suburban schools, but I worry this will turn into a watered down, low expectations program like DCI's IB for all. Not all kids can and should try to do IB and DC does not need another IB program with insufficient rigor.

Given the teacher shortage, I think it will be a little bit easier to find experienced teachers to hire who are familiar with AP courses rather than IB.
I also think IB is a mixed bag. It may be stronger than AP in developing writing and research skills but the new AP seminar courses are designed to correct that deficiency. AP STEM courses (Science, Math and CS) are stronger in the AP pathway than IB.
DCPS is terrible at juggling multiple things. They should stick to AP rather than trying to create a hodgepodge that will be a nightmare to manage effectively

IB math and stem courses are very strong, they are just more integrated math(s) than being oddly divided into algebra or geometry as completely separate. But the rigor and depth is real.

. +1. IB Highet Level STEM classes and exams are tougher than AP. The entire exams are graded by humans, not computers. I don’t see any prospect for a DC public IBD program on a par with the better suburban programs to materialize. Just no point in wishing for one.

I’m not sure you fully know what you are talking about. AP science has human graders. Only the multiple choice is automatically graded by computer. There is also a very substantial free response section.
My kid did AP Physics C and he is in Engineering now at a top school. He said his first year Engineering Physics class was the exact same thing as his AP Physics class. Maybe IB is harder or maybe it isn’t. Teachers I know who are familiar with both IB and AP have told me they prefer the AP STEM sequence and content. Please note I’m not making a comment on arts and humanity courses.
If I was a parent with a future kid at this new HS I would push for only AP.
DCPS does not have a positive track record of successful IB pass rates. And good luck finding expert, experienced IB teachers

I have a teen who took AP Chemistry and Biology and IBD HL Chemistry and HL Biology at a DC private school. He was in DCPS until 8th grade. I'm told that the HL IBD exams were a bit more demanding than AP for the two sciences. But this observation is neither here nor there where the future McArthur HS is concerned. No way will DCPS offer IB Diploma there. IB ends at Deal, Banneker and Eastern for DCPS. Too bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I think you’re looking for reasons to be critical and anxious. Some may be true, some not. You should get onto the working group and attend all the meetings. I’m guessing the Hardy PTO is also very involved.

I’ve been a DCPS parent for a long time. My kids are at Wilson and Walls. I can tell you that DCPS pretends to care about parent involvement but they really don’t care at all. It is all about optics with them. Most parents learn that at some point.
Maybe you can make a difference at your local school if the principal sincerely wants parental input but something like this - Nah! DCPS will set up all kinds of committees but will only follow recommendations if they agree with what they wanted to do all along

Of course, I’m under no illusions. But I think you need to understand what’s being offered here - a new school, in your neighborhood, with your child’s peers. It is a public school so no, it’s not going to cater to your consumer choice. But it’s a heck of a lot better than other options in DC and equivalent more or less to JR and other realistic regional options. YMMV if you have the money to move to Potomac or Fairfax.

I think you are, from your armchair, criticizing the well-founded reactions of people who have been engaged as much as they possibly can in a process that impacts them directly.

Worse, you unhelpfully have DCPS’s low-standards perspective that we should be grateful for some crumbs because the other options are bad too.

Many current Hardy 6th graders will have no choice but to attend this school in 3 years. They need this to get off to a competent start and have good reason to be anxious about that right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I think you’re looking for reasons to be critical and anxious. Some may be true, some not. You should get onto the working group and attend all the meetings. I’m guessing the Hardy PTO is also very involved.

I’ve been a DCPS parent for a long time. My kids are at Wilson and Walls. I can tell you that DCPS pretends to care about parent involvement but they really don’t care at all. It is all about optics with them. Most parents learn that at some point.
Maybe you can make a difference at your local school if the principal sincerely wants parental input but something like this - Nah! DCPS will set up all kinds of committees but will only follow recommendations if they agree with what they wanted to do all along

Of course, I’m under no illusions. But I think you need to understand what’s being offered here - a new school, in your neighborhood, with your child’s peers. It is a public school so no, it’s not going to cater to your consumer choice. But it’s a heck of a lot better than other options in DC and equivalent more or less to JR and other realistic regional options. YMMV if you have the money to move to Potomac or Fairfax.

Are you familiar with this plan at all? The school is not new and is in no one’s neighborhood.

For most people zoned for it, JR is a superior facility and in a more convenient location.

The only advantage the school starts with is not being overcrowded. That’s excellent, but not enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Also, Banneker HS has the IB program. Anyone have experience with how its implemented there?

The Banneker IB program is very much a school-within-a-school type program. The DCPS presentation deck seems to think that’s a bad model for a neighborhood school, and I agree. They’re proposing something more like Eastern, or Robinson in FCPS, where some students sign up for the whole IB diploma, but other students just take one or two IB courses. Every such program I‘ve looked at offers some AP courses as well, and DCPS seems to assume that’s how it would work at MacArthur. Also the deck says an IB program comes with extra money, which would help to get extra resources to the school as they ramp up.

I would love DC to get a strong public IB program, like BCC or other suburban schools, but I worry this will turn into a watered down, low expectations program like DCI's IB for all. Not all kids can and should try to do IB and DC does not need another IB program with insufficient rigor.

Given the teacher shortage, I think it will be a little bit easier to find experienced teachers to hire who are familiar with AP courses rather than IB.
I also think IB is a mixed bag. It may be stronger than AP in developing writing and research skills but the new AP seminar courses are designed to correct that deficiency. AP STEM courses (Science, Math and CS) are stronger in the AP pathway than IB.
DCPS is terrible at juggling multiple things. They should stick to AP rather than trying to create a hodgepodge that will be a nightmare to manage effectively

IB math and stem courses are very strong, they are just more integrated math(s) than being oddly divided into algebra or geometry as completely separate. But the rigor and depth is real.

. +1. IB Highet Level STEM classes and exams are tougher than AP. The entire exams are graded by humans, not computers. I don’t see any prospect for a DC public IBD program on a par with the better suburban programs to materialize. Just no point in wishing for one.

I’m not sure you fully know what you are talking about. AP science has human graders. Only the multiple choice is automatically graded by computer. There is also a very substantial free response section.
My kid did AP Physics C and he is in Engineering now at a top school. He said his first year Engineering Physics class was the exact same thing as his AP Physics class. Maybe IB is harder or maybe it isn’t. Teachers I know who are familiar with both IB and AP have told me they prefer the AP STEM sequence and content. Please note I’m not making a comment on arts and humanity courses.
If I was a parent with a future kid at this new HS I would push for only AP.

Not sure what you're comparing, PP, because most of the IB Diploma subjects are taught at both the Standard Level and Higher Level, whereas the only subjects AP tests at higher levels are Calc and Physics.

You must be talking about AP Physics 2 and/or AP Physics C as being comparable, or even harder than, IB Diploma Standard Level Physics, not Higher Level.

[Anonymous]

while IB sounds nice and the IB exams might be harder, a typical IB program as implemented is likely to be no better than a slate of well-taught AP courses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I don’t have any faith or trust in DCPS. They can’t even implement effectively small programs they currently have yet people think they will successfully open a whole new high school with currently no principal, no definitive curriculum, no info on class and elective offerings? Even if they had some type of curriculum, how are they going to hire teachers for a new school when there is such a shortage and current schools can’t even fill their need.

No way I would send my kid into this unknown. This is especially true for high school where the stakes are highest. But families who want to, feel free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I don’t have any faith or trust in DCPS. They can’t even implement effectively small programs they currently have yet people think they will successfully open a whole new high school with currently no principal, no definitive curriculum, no info on class and elective offerings? Even if they had some type of curriculum, how are they going to hire teachers for a new school when there is such a shortage and current schools can’t even fill their need.

No way I would send my kid into this unknown. This is especially true for high school where the stakes are highest. But families who want to, feel free.

teachers will transfer from Wilson.

[Anonymous]

i think the school will be a success. since its a high school (which is a big undertaking), the first few years may be somewhat transitional w staffing etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I don’t have any faith or trust in DCPS. They can’t even implement effectively small programs they currently have yet people think they will successfully open a whole new high school with currently no principal, no definitive curriculum, no info on class and elective offerings? Even if they had some type of curriculum, how are they going to hire teachers for a new school when there is such a shortage and current schools can’t even fill their need.

No way I would send my kid into this unknown. This is especially true for high school where the stakes are highest. But families who want to, feel free.

teachers will transfer from Wilson.

How? Why? Wilson is overcrowded. 300 kids could leave and we’d still need all of our teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I don’t have any faith or trust in DCPS. They can’t even implement effectively small programs they currently have yet people think they will successfully open a whole new high school with currently no principal, no definitive curriculum, no info on class and elective offerings? Even if they had some type of curriculum, how are they going to hire teachers for a new school when there is such a shortage and current schools can’t even fill their need.

No way I would send my kid into this unknown. This is especially true for high school where the stakes are highest. But families who want to, feel free.

teachers will transfer from Wilson.

How are you so sure of that? A few might transfer I guess.
Maybe it depends if their commute will be longer or shorter.
Hard to say if the facilities will be good or bad given they are converting a former elementary school into a high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really think people who are anxious should get involved. It’s really counterproductive to be all “sky is falling” based on your subjective impression of one meeting. This is a great opportunity for a smaller high school with a lot of bright, high achieving kids. I’ve pored over area high schools extensively, and unless you are going to pull up roots and move to western MoCo, the new HS is as good an opportunity as anything else.

Hey, great idea! And you recommend that we get involved how exactly? Apply to be Chancellor? Run for Mayor?

There is an advisory-only working group with a set membership of community representatives. They are doing great work, within the narrow parameters set by DCPS. This CWG has help a couple of online meetings to catch the rest of us (including the meeting last week), and we’ve had the opportunity to respond to a survey. That’s it. That is how we can be involved. Unless you know something we don’t?

You want to know why this once-optimistic parent is now anxious? Because in these meetings we learn gems like this one: The DCPS liaisons said that they had planned to hire a principal by around now, but then realized that September is not a time that candidates are looking for principal jobs. No lie! They are in the principal-hiring business and only now do they realize that the time to hire a principal was last Spring/Summer. Does that give you cause for optimism?!

I don’t have any faith or trust in DCPS. They can’t even implement effectively small programs they currently have yet people think they will successfully open a whole new high school with currently no principal, no definitive curriculum, no info on class and elective offerings? Even if they had some type of curriculum, how are they going to hire teachers for a new school when there is such a shortage and current schools can’t even fill their need.

No way I would send my kid into this unknown. This is especially true for high school where the stakes are highest. But families who want to, feel free.

teachers will transfer from Wilson.

How? Why? Wilson is overcrowded. 300 kids could leave and we’d still need all of our teachers.

the same total number of kids, same total number of teachers. teachers can have their duty station transferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i think the school will be a success. since its a high school (which is a big undertaking), the first few years may be somewhat transitional w staffing etc.

i think you are right. but most of the whining here is about this transition period. we're 7 years away and figure things will be ironed out by then. the school is much easier for us get to us than JR. the unreliable 30 series buses versus a short walk on reservoir. We just hope they'll renovate the trolley trail bridge by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i think the school will be a success. since its a high school (which is a big undertaking), the first few years may be somewhat transitional w staffing etc.

i think you are right. but most of the whining here is about this transition period. we're 7 years away and figure things will be ironed out by then. the school is much easier for us get to us than JR. the unreliable 30 series buses versus a short walk on reservoir. We just hope they'll renovate the trolley trail bridge by then.

I wouldn’t be worried, either if my kids were 7 years away. Nice of you to dismiss the “whining” of the parents of kids who will bear the costa of paving the way for you.