SWW - Letters of Recommendation

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I feel for the kids/families who didn’t get an interview. I also feel for them to sit here and read the replies from those who DID get an interview and act like it’s because of something they did (versus something others didn’t do) and not luck of the draw in the motivation level of their kid’s teacher (I’m looking at you, Pentagon poster). It’s easy to think the system isn’t broken when it’s worked on your favor. Have some empathy for those for whom the system didn’t work.

Kids shouldn’t take it personally. Even if you got everything in, it’s not based on the best and brightest. It’s basically a lottery.

Lots of kids who should have gotten an interview didn’t. Move on, it’s Walls lost.

My kid has moved on (and is thriving at a different application HS). I'm still mad though. Kid absolutely busted their 🍑 to get that 4.0 in 7th grade, and then the people who were supposed to value that couldn't be bothered to notice. And now there's a younger sibling in the picture who is about to run this same gauntlet.

It's easy for each of us to atomize, to say my kid deserves better, and then solve for that kid. Harder for all to say with one voice that all our kids deserve better when Walls, which knows damn well how to fix this, DGAF.

We have also moved on but I have a very different outlook- I feel like it was such a blessing that we didn’t get in. Knowing what I know now, I would not have any of my younger children apply to Walls.

Why?

Different poster- way stronger academics at other schools. Good grades and leadership not prioritized. Gaming the system seems to work in the short term which allows school in general to decline.

How do you assess that academics are stronger at other schools if your kid is only at one of them?

(For what it's worth, my DC was lucky enough to win the Walls semi-lottery and is having a good experience.)

DP one area you can look at is tracking and advance course offerings. Also for the higher level classes is there objective criteria for entrance or can anyone take it.

As to experiences, how do you k ow your kid could have had a better overall experience at other schools? One area is EC and sports. Another is facilities

My question is specific, not general. The PP said other schools "have way stronger academics" than Walls. I'm skeptical of that claim but would be interested to hear her basis for it.

The poster before her said she wouldn't have her kids after the 1st one apply to Walls "knowing what she knows now," which is kind of a mysterious statement. Someone asked "why?" I'd be interested in hearing that answer too; I haven't observed anything to be ominous at Walls as that PP implied.

Walls has weaknesses -- randomness of admissions being one of them -- but overall it's great, imo.

I mean, I'm sure that person is just making internal justifications since her kid didn't get in. Very common.

Or maybe like me, that poster seems the weak academic offerings, lack of ECs and sports, combined with the low standards from dcps and went elsewhere? Sorry even the lowest rated suburban high school has better academics than Walls.

Reality is Walls is just a mediocre school. It’s nothing special. The good schools in the burbs and the magnets are so, so much better.

Most people know that what Walls has going for it is that there is a decent cohort of academically minded kids and less behavioral issues. That’s basically it.

Course offerings limited and doesn’t do compare to burbs, many teachers just clocking it in, principal is not good, facilities is poor, limited EC and sports.

This is supposed to be DC’s magnet school and it could potentially be so much better. Now OSSE is trying to destroy the one thing that is good about it is the top academic performance of the kids and student body.

I’m so angry that the crown jewel of dcps is so mediocre. I wish there was more for my kids.

Have you ever talked to families at Walls? If this makes you so angry move to Virginia. The school is fine, lots of kids have good college outcomes, post college outcomes, etc. Getting so angry about this is not productive.

[Anonymous]

I’m so angry that the crown jewel of dcps is so mediocre. I wish there was more for my kids.
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Have you ever talked to families at Walls? If this makes you so angry move to Virginia. The school is fine, lots of kids have good college outcomes, post college outcomes, etc. Getting so angry about this is not productive.

My kid attends Walls and I feel the same. While there are inherent challenges to being a small school in DCPS, I think a lot could be different with a more capable/creative principal (and fewer administrators!). The teachers and kids and parents want more.

My kid's experience is fine. I'm sure his college outcomes will be fine to great - but it feels like the high school years are just biding time before college rather than encouraging the growth of his mind/character/abilities.

But... the system is designed to do what it does, so here we are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI, this is still happening.

To make a long complicated story short, I caught and corrected an incorrect teacher email address over a week before the first interviews, but was told it was too late for the rec to be included. SWW entered an alternate “average score” in its place and admitted that no one who has one true rec and one “average score ever gets an interview.

It’s a mess. The system is broken enough in its best form, we don’t need to put up barriers to making it as fair as possible. And I’m ok if my child doesn’t get an interview based on their two genuine teacher recommendations, but I’m not ok with random numbers being added and a decision being based on those.

So be warned…

1. Only some families are notified of missing recommendations.
2. There is no monitoring of undelivered teacher emails.
3. The MSDC portal allows correction of teacher email address without indicating the portal is closed or that no request will be sent.
4. The recommendation deadline (apparently Feb 9 this year) is not published or communicated to families (except in the reminder email that only some families received)
5. MSDC and SWW provide conflicting information regarding school discretion to accept a recommendation outside the portal.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Please ask for an oversight hearing on SWW. These stories need to be heard. DC can’t be mad when upper middle class and wealthy parents choose private school over DCPS when things like this happen. Absolutely unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BRING. BACK. TEST. SCORES.
It is well documented that (1) test scores predict success; (2) they are not sullied by subjective teacher personality and school culture nonsense (eg schools that have their shit together ride teachers to produce good and on-time recs); (3) prep is associated with parental income but test scores are one of the most fair predictors of success *including for low-income students* bc a good score from a low resourced env signals success, even if the absolute number is lower than a high score from a kid from a wealthier background.

100%. Test scores and give a bump for kids at T1 schools and for at-risk kids. If that drives parents to send their kids to T1 schools, so much the better.

Totally agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I doubt it. How else will the children of Ward Representatives and other VIPs sneak in when better qualified students are around?

This doesn't happen.

Yes, they go to private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, this is still happening.

To make a long complicated story short, I caught and corrected an incorrect teacher email address over a week before the first interviews, but was told it was too late for the rec to be included. SWW entered an alternate “average score” in its place and admitted that no one who has one true rec and one “average score ever gets an interview.

It’s a mess. The system is broken enough in its best form, we don’t need to put up barriers to making it as fair as possible. And I’m ok if my child doesn’t get an interview based on their two genuine teacher recommendations, but I’m not ok with random numbers being added and a decision being based on those.

So be warned…

1. Only some families are notified of missing recommendations.
2. There is no monitoring of undelivered teacher emails.
3. The MSDC portal allows correction of teacher email address without indicating the portal is closed or that no request will be sent.
4. The recommendation deadline (apparently Feb 9 this year) is not published or communicated to families (except in the reminder email that only some families received)
5. MSDC and SWW provide conflicting information regarding school discretion to accept a recommendation outside the portal.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Please ask for an oversight hearing on SWW. These stories need to be heard. DC can’t be mad when upper middle class and wealthy parents choose private school over DCPS when things like this happen. Absolutely unacceptable.

This isn't the only problem though...there is something else going on that is very under the radar, and for years, people have been asking for transparency...but you will never get it. I find it very weird that my kid's friends who didn't get interviews at Walls are the smartest kids they know with 4.0's, the most personable and well mannered...and kids with mediocre GPA's got in. Something isn't adding up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, this is still happening.

To make a long complicated story short, I caught and corrected an incorrect teacher email address over a week before the first interviews, but was told it was too late for the rec to be included. SWW entered an alternate “average score” in its place and admitted that no one who has one true rec and one “average score ever gets an interview.

It’s a mess. The system is broken enough in its best form, we don’t need to put up barriers to making it as fair as possible. And I’m ok if my child doesn’t get an interview based on their two genuine teacher recommendations, but I’m not ok with random numbers being added and a decision being based on those.

So be warned…

1. Only some families are notified of missing recommendations.
2. There is no monitoring of undelivered teacher emails.
3. The MSDC portal allows correction of teacher email address without indicating the portal is closed or that no request will be sent.
4. The recommendation deadline (apparently Feb 9 this year) is not published or communicated to families (except in the reminder email that only some families received)
5. MSDC and SWW provide conflicting information regarding school discretion to accept a recommendation outside the portal.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Please ask for an oversight hearing on SWW. These stories need to be heard. DC can’t be mad when upper middle class and wealthy parents choose private school over DCPS when things like this happen. Absolutely unacceptable.

This isn't the only problem though...there is something else going on that is very under the radar, and for years, people have been asking for transparency...but you will never get it. I find it very weird that my kid's friends who didn't get interviews at Walls are the smartest kids they know with 4.0's, the most personable and well mannered...and kids with mediocre GPA's got in. Something isn't adding up.

Walls has a minimum GPA to even get an interview- I think this year was 3.7 or 3.8. How are kids with mediocre GPAs getting in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, this is still happening.

To make a long complicated story short, I caught and corrected an incorrect teacher email address over a week before the first interviews, but was told it was too late for the rec to be included. SWW entered an alternate “average score” in its place and admitted that no one who has one true rec and one “average score ever gets an interview.

It’s a mess. The system is broken enough in its best form, we don’t need to put up barriers to making it as fair as possible. And I’m ok if my child doesn’t get an interview based on their two genuine teacher recommendations, but I’m not ok with random numbers being added and a decision being based on those.

So be warned…

1. Only some families are notified of missing recommendations.
2. There is no monitoring of undelivered teacher emails.
3. The MSDC portal allows correction of teacher email address without indicating the portal is closed or that no request will be sent.
4. The recommendation deadline (apparently Feb 9 this year) is not published or communicated to families (except in the reminder email that only some families received)
5. MSDC and SWW provide conflicting information regarding school discretion to accept a recommendation outside the portal.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Please ask for an oversight hearing on SWW. These stories need to be heard. DC can’t be mad when upper middle class and wealthy parents choose private school over DCPS when things like this happen. Absolutely unacceptable.

This isn't the only problem though...there is something else going on that is very under the radar, and for years, people have been asking for transparency...but you will never get it. I find it very weird that my kid's friends who didn't get interviews at Walls are the smartest kids they know with 4.0's, the most personable and well mannered...and kids with mediocre GPA's got in. Something isn't adding up.

Walls has a minimum GPA to even get an interview- I think this year was 3.7 or 3.8. How are kids with mediocre GPAs getting in.

It's not by very hard to get a 3.7 or 3.8. A lot of kids have a 4.0; zillions of kids have a 3.7.

There is a big difference in academic potential between a kid with 99% test scores and a 3.9-4.0, and a kid with 80% test scores and a 3.7-3.8. DCPS is comfortable with making decisions based on the random preferences of people with no qualifications to make such decisions.

DCPS is also comfortable with high-potential UMC kids going to private instead of Walls. Despite being a tax-payer funded public service, DCPS inexplicably does not consider it their responsibility to educate all students to their fullest potential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a kid who goes there (not my kid). The impression this kid relays -- without ever really saying as much -- is that it's a fairly competitive and cliquish place, where it's hard to get by without a good friend group.

This worries me. My kid just got into Walls, and one of the challenges in middle school has been navigating social life. We’re at a strong charter but kid hasn’t really formed close connections. Elementary school was a great experience socially, but many friends moved away, and my kid hasn’t been able to rebuild a similar circle. I’m excited about high school, but this comment gives me pause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope one of the many families screwed over by this subjective, opaque process will file a lawsuit. Our 4.0 kid didn't get an interview offer. Asked her ELA and math teachers to write recommendation letters 6 weeks before they were due. Thankfully, the ELA teacher submitted his letter right before he left the school midyear. The math teacher dragged her feet and was pissy about the obligation (imposed on families, not by families!), and submitted the letter a few hours before the deadline. Then it was announced this week that the math teacher is leaving DCPS, a plan that had been known by the principal for weeks. So I'm guessing the teacher's letters were pretty craptastic. Whatever. We're fine with our HS choices but the way SWW handles their admissions process should be legally scrutinized.

The assumptions being made about teachers are terrible. My kid also had a recommendation letter submitted on the day of the deadline but was invited to interview. It’s fine to question the process, but stop looking for a scapegoat (esp if you are supposedly fine with your HS choices).

Not an assumption. The teacher was very open about not having a submitted a letter by the deadline. They did eventually submit one but SWW appears not have have considered it because it was submitted late, after the first round of interviews took place but not before the second round.

I do not blame the teacher here. I blame Walls. They refused to tell me the deadline when I asked so I could stay on top of it. Would have been a really easy fix but they want to keep everything secret and hide their process and criteria.

It’s also unclear why some students with missing recommendation letters were contacted and given an extension and others were not How did Walls decide which select students would get an extension and which would not? And why were they selective about who they contacted and who they didn’t? That’s a failure on their part. And possibly discriminatory.

OP - did your student give the teacher a heads up that they would need the recommendation letter? When did you submit the MSDC app? If you waited to submit until the HS app deadline, that's when the teacher would have received the request from MSDC to complete the recommendation letter. But if a lot of the other applicants submitted before you, then their rec letter requests would have come before yours, so it would take longer before the teacher got to yours. Also consider the size of the 8th grade at your kiddo's school and how many kids with the same teacher woudl have applied to Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’m so angry that the crown jewel of dcps is so mediocre. I wish there was more for my kids.
------------------------------
Have you ever talked to families at Walls? If this makes you so angry move to Virginia. The school is fine, lots of kids have good college outcomes, post college outcomes, etc. Getting so angry about this is not productive.

My kid attends Walls and I feel the same. While there are inherent challenges to being a small school in DCPS, I think a lot could be different with a more capable/creative principal (and fewer administrators!). The teachers and kids and parents want more.

My kid's experience is fine. I'm sure his college outcomes will be fine to great - but it feels like the high school years are just biding time before college rather than encouraging the growth of his mind/character/abilities.

But... the system is designed to do what it does, so here we are.

Parents seem to be able to influence administration changes at other schools. And I’d assume at least some parents at Walls are connected/have the ability to do so. Why hasn’t thr school changed, in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI, this is still happening.

To make a long complicated story short, I caught and corrected an incorrect teacher email address over a week before the first interviews, but was told it was too late for the rec to be included. SWW entered an alternate “average score” in its place and admitted that no one who has one true rec and one “average score ever gets an interview.

It’s a mess. The system is broken enough in its best form, we don’t need to put up barriers to making it as fair as possible. And I’m ok if my child doesn’t get an interview based on their two genuine teacher recommendations, but I’m not ok with random numbers being added and a decision being based on those.

So be warned…

1. Only some families are notified of missing recommendations.
2. There is no monitoring of undelivered teacher emails.
3. The MSDC portal allows correction of teacher email address without indicating the portal is closed or that no request will be sent.
4. The recommendation deadline (apparently Feb 9 this year) is not published or communicated to families (except in the reminder email that only some families received)
5. MSDC and SWW provide conflicting information regarding school discretion to accept a recommendation outside the portal.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Please ask for an oversight hearing on SWW. These stories need to be heard. DC can’t be mad when upper middle class and wealthy parents choose private school over DCPS when things like this happen. Absolutely unacceptable.

This isn't the only problem though...there is something else going on that is very under the radar, and for years, people have been asking for transparency...but you will never get it. I find it very weird that my kid's friends who didn't get interviews at Walls are the smartest kids they know with 4.0's, the most personable and well mannered...and kids with mediocre GPA's got in. Something isn't adding up.

Walls has a minimum GPA to even get an interview- I think this year was 3.7 or 3.8. How are kids with mediocre GPAs getting in.

It's not by very hard to get a 3.7 or 3.8. A lot of kids have a 4.0; zillions of kids have a 3.7.

There is a big difference in academic potential between a kid with 99% test scores and a 3.9-4.0, and a kid with 80% test scores and a 3.7-3.8. DCPS is comfortable with making decisions based on the random preferences of people with no qualifications to make such decisions.

DCPS is also comfortable with high-potential UMC kids going to private instead of Walls. Despite being a tax-payer funded public service, DCPS inexplicably does not consider it their responsibility to educate all students to their fullest potential.

I would also add there is massive grade inflation, retakes, etc… in DCPS so that 3.7 or 3.8 really is not impressive or uncommon

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I feel for the kids/families who didn’t get an interview. I also feel for them to sit here and read the replies from those who DID get an interview and act like it’s because of something they did (versus something others didn’t do) and not luck of the draw in the motivation level of their kid’s teacher (I’m looking at you, Pentagon poster). It’s easy to think the system isn’t broken when it’s worked on your favor. Have some empathy for those for whom the system didn’t work.

Kids shouldn’t take it personally. Even if you got everything in, it’s not based on the best and brightest. It’s basically a lottery.

Lots of kids who should have gotten an interview didn’t. Move on, it’s Walls lost.

My kid has moved on (and is thriving at a different application HS). I'm still mad though. Kid absolutely busted their 🍑 to get that 4.0 in 7th grade, and then the people who were supposed to value that couldn't be bothered to notice. And now there's a younger sibling in the picture who is about to run this same gauntlet.

It's easy for each of us to atomize, to say my kid deserves better, and then solve for that kid. Harder for all to say with one voice that all our kids deserve better when Walls, which knows damn well how to fix this, DGAF.

We have also moved on but I have a very different outlook- I feel like it was such a blessing that we didn’t get in. Knowing what I know now, I would not have any of my younger children apply to Walls.

Why?

Different poster- way stronger academics at other schools. Good grades and leadership not prioritized. Gaming the system seems to work in the short term which allows school in general to decline.

How do you assess that academics are stronger at other schools if your kid is only at one of them?

(For what it's worth, my DC was lucky enough to win the Walls semi-lottery and is having a good experience.)

DP one area you can look at is tracking and advance course offerings. Also for the higher level classes is there objective criteria for entrance or can anyone take it.

As to experiences, how do you k ow your kid could have had a better overall experience at other schools? One area is EC and sports. Another is facilities

My question is specific, not general. The PP said other schools "have way stronger academics" than Walls. I'm skeptical of that claim but would be interested to hear her basis for it.

The poster before her said she wouldn't have her kids after the 1st one apply to Walls "knowing what she knows now," which is kind of a mysterious statement. Someone asked "why?" I'd be interested in hearing that answer too; I haven't observed anything to be ominous at Walls as that PP implied.

Walls has weaknesses -- randomness of admissions being one of them -- but overall it's great, imo.

I mean, I'm sure that person is just making internal justifications since her kid didn't get in. Very common.

Or maybe like me, that poster seems the weak academic offerings, lack of ECs and sports, combined with the low standards from dcps and went elsewhere? Sorry even the lowest rated suburban high school has better academics than Walls.

Reality is Walls is just a mediocre school. It’s nothing special. The good schools in the burbs and the magnets are so, so much better.

Most people know that what Walls has going for it is that there is a decent cohort of academically minded kids and less behavioral issues. That’s basically it.

Course offerings limited and doesn’t do compare to burbs, many teachers just clocking it in, principal is not good, facilities is poor, limited EC and sports.

This is supposed to be DC’s magnet school and it could potentially be so much better. Now OSSE is trying to destroy the one thing that is good about it is the top academic performance of the kids and student body.

Is this informed by having or having had a kid at Walls? Or general pontification?

Most teachers are engaged and happy to teach the cohort. Scaffolding like Writing center or SAT prep if you need it.

College outcomes are good for a chunk of the group but may be masked by ability-to-afford for some of the cohort.

Good group of kids who have fun together from what I have seen.

A ridiculous part of a kid’s life outcomes are explained by maternal education levels, so we’re all playing at the margins with this my suburban or independent school can beat up your Walls crap.

What?? What are you talking about with ability to afford when it comes to college outcomes? Walls has the lowest at risk in this city after Basis. It’s like 7%.

JR, Banneker, DCI all have significantly higher at risk, 2 times almost and higher so Walls absolutely should have better college outcomes than these 3 schools, much better.

So far know there are Walls kids heading to Harvard, Princeton (2), Dartmouth (2), Hopkins, Michigan, UVA, Tufts (2), McGill, UW Madison (2), Wash U, Pitt, BC and William & Mary in the fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a kid who goes there (not my kid). The impression this kid relays -- without ever really saying as much -- is that it's a fairly competitive and cliquish place, where it's hard to get by without a good friend group.

This worries me. My kid just got into Walls, and one of the challenges in middle school has been navigating social life. We’re at a strong charter but kid hasn’t really formed close connections. Elementary school was a great experience socially, but many friends moved away, and my kid hasn’t been able to rebuild a similar circle. I’m excited about high school, but this comment gives me pause.

We've had 2 kids go to Walls - 1 still there, one graduated. Very different personalities. Both found friend groups through sports and ECs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a kid who goes there (not my kid). The impression this kid relays -- without ever really saying as much -- is that it's a fairly competitive and cliquish place, where it's hard to get by without a good friend group.

This worries me. My kid just got into Walls, and one of the challenges in middle school has been navigating social life. We’re at a strong charter but kid hasn’t really formed close connections. Elementary school was a great experience socially, but many friends moved away, and my kid hasn’t been able to rebuild a similar circle. I’m excited about high school, but this comment gives me pause.

We've had 2 kids go to Walls - 1 still there, one graduated. Very different personalities. Both found friend groups through sports and ECs.

Pp here. Thank you for sharing your experience!