Middle school dilemma: Eliot-Hine/Stuart Hobson/Jefferson

[Anonymous]

Nobody said EH would be test-in. It would just need some minimal floor for grades (like "all 2s and above on report card"), behavior, and attendance. Everyone who met the requirements could be entered in a lottery.

One option could be to put the 6th graders from all three schools together at Jefferson and then make EH and SH both 7&8 schools, each offering a different focus. People would rank their preferences but you'd only have a guarantee for one of the two, not a guarantee of your #1 choice.

[Anonymous]

I did suggest test-in. I don't think "all 2s and above on report card" would get me really excited about a school/program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody said EH would be test-in. It would just need some minimal floor for grades (like "all 2s and above on report card"), behavior, and attendance. Everyone who met the requirements could be entered in a lottery.

One option could be to put the 6th graders from all three schools together at Jefferson and then make EH and SH both 7&8 schools, each offering a different focus. People would rank their preferences but you'd only have a guarantee for one of the two, not a guarantee of your #1 choice.

You mean besides the previous posters who suggested EH become a test-in school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody said EH would be test-in. It would just need some minimal floor for grades (like "all 2s and above on report card"), behavior, and attendance. Everyone who met the requirements could be entered in a lottery.

One option could be to put the 6th graders from all three schools together at Jefferson and then make EH and SH both 7&8 schools, each offering a different focus. People would rank their preferences but you'd only have a guarantee for one of the two, not a guarantee of your #1 choice.

You mean besides the previous posters who suggested EH become a test-in school?

In fairness what I meant to suggest was either a test-in program at EH, or making one of the other schools test-in. Probably doesn't make sense to have all of EH be test-in. Isn't it the biggest building?

[Anonymous]

Art of the possible here. I was the one who suggested EH focus on IB MYP and then have the other schools be 6th grade academy and 7/8. I don't think EH has to be test-in to execute this plan and I don't think dcps would do a test anyway. I would be curious what vera white did at Jefferson...I know there was an essay but I think it focused more on behavior and motivation than grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody said EH would be test-in. It would just need some minimal floor for grades (like "all 2s and above on report card"), behavior, and attendance. Everyone who met the requirements could be entered in a lottery.

One option could be to put the 6th graders from all three schools together at Jefferson and then make EH and SH both 7&8 schools, each offering a different focus. People would rank their preferences but you'd only have a guarantee for one of the two, not a guarantee of your #1 choice.

You mean besides the previous posters who suggested EH become a test-in school?

In fairness what I meant to suggest was either a test-in program at EH, or making one of the other schools test-in. Probably doesn't make sense to have all of EH be test-in. Isn't it the biggest building?

If you wanted to create the best single middle school, you’d move SH to test-in. It’s the most conveniently located for possible attendees. If you wanted to create the best triad of schools, you’d make Jefferson the test-in, because the other two have a better chance of becoming Hill neighborhood schools geographically.

I hate that they dismissed the Deal for Ward 6 option 10 years ago. It’s the obvious answer to the Hill middle school issues and would firm up all the ESes too (including some, like Miner, that aren’t on any positive trajectory currently).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody said EH would be test-in. It would just need some minimal floor for grades (like "all 2s and above on report card"), behavior, and attendance. Everyone who met the requirements could be entered in a lottery.

One option could be to put the 6th graders from all three schools together at Jefferson and then make EH and SH both 7&8 schools, each offering a different focus. People would rank their preferences but you'd only have a guarantee for one of the two, not a guarantee of your #1 choice.

You mean besides the previous posters who suggested EH become a test-in school?

In fairness what I meant to suggest was either a test-in program at EH, or making one of the other schools test-in. Probably doesn't make sense to have all of EH be test-in. Isn't it the biggest building?

If you wanted to create the best single middle school, you’d move SH to test-in. It’s the most conveniently located for possible attendees. If you wanted to create the best triad of schools, you’d make Jefferson the test-in, because the other two have a better chance of becoming Hill neighborhood schools geographically.

I hate that they dismissed the Deal for Ward 6 option 10 years ago. It’s the obvious answer to the Hill middle school issues and would firm up all the ESes too (including some, like Miner, that aren’t on any positive trajectory currently).

Is deal for ward 6 basically combining the Hill into one MS? If so agree this seems like an obvious solution, and I don’t even understand why DC would prefer having more smaller middle schools. There are surely budgetary efficiencies to bigger schools, so you could offer students a lot more activities on top of a stronger cohort of on- and above-grade level kids.

[Anonymous]

The crux of the problem is that the the Mayor, the city council, Charles Allen and DCPS leaders still don’t give a hoot that Ward 6 lacks a Deal. None of our pols get voted in, or out, on ed issues, like in VA, so why should they care? They’ve given us the Latins and BASIS and snazzy renovations of all 3 Ward 6 middle schools in the last 15 years to appease us, and that’s pretty clearly all we’re going to get. I have friends in NW who tried Deal, weren’t OK with the uneven teaching and lack of challenge outside math and bolted for MoCo. We’re fed up, bailing for a parochial middle school.

[Anonymous]

I just want at least one of the Hill middle schools to offer real above grade level honors math and ELA classes for advanced students. That is a pretty minimal ask and really all that is needed. Differentiation does not work when you have both students who are capable of working two or so levels ahead and same age students who are two levels behind.

[Anonymous]

Most parents need at least a decade on the Hill to believe these simple truths about our DCPS middle schools.

[Anonymous]

If you put a 6th grader into 7th grade classes, what does she do in 8th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Stuart Hobson waitlist for 6th is churning. My kid jumped from 20s to mid single digits already

One assumes this is because kids in the feeder who were slotted have enrolled at BASIS, Latin etc. and SH now has line of sight into rising 6th graders from feeders.

This is false - the 6th grade list is holding pretty firm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you put a 6th grader into 7th grade classes, what does she do in 8th grade?

Imagine it depends how many kids are in her position, but basically they’ll do some kind of advanced elective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes you think that shaming parents who don't have "academically advanced and motivated" kids to cease and desist from taking a BASIS 5th grade spot, perhaps compelling them to move to the burbs for lack of a viable alternative, will work? Fact is, BASIS is geared to the average to above average student willing to put the work in to cope with the curriculum. It's not a GT program by any stretch of the imagination. Moreover, some BASIS 5th grade families are just looking for a viable place-holder before moving on to a more typical middle school, perhaps out of DC. That's their prerogative of course. Why not focus on what's likely to make your own kid happy rather than offering us all unsolicited advice?

Caveat emptor, lady. The PP may be rude, but it's good advice. If your kid is not academically inclined and motivated, they are going to wash out of BASIS and if you think your kid isn't going to notice that they're washing out, I have news for you: BASIS makes it very clear to all the students who is doing well and who is not.

Academically inclined? Hardly a high hurdle to clear for most kids from UMC families EotP (the type who mob BASIS). My not so brilliant or industrious kid wasn't challenged at BASIS in 5th grade, maybe a bit in 6th (but certainly not for English). I'd kill for a true GT program.

5th and 6th aren’t meant to be challenging. They are about making sure your child knows how to be organized and how to take a final exam that covers the entire year.

[Anonymous]

I can't speak about the other schools, but I'm happy about our decision to choose SH. Kid came from Watkins. High achieving, 5 on ELA PARCC and high 4 on math in 6th grade. Lots of extra-curriculars, but space for quiet kids to find their footing. I've been especially impressed with the math teachers and library/media specialist. Kiddo will probably go to Banneker or a private school if we leave the city.