CHARTERS MAY MERGE AT WALTER REED (The DC International School, IB Diploma Programme)

[Anonymous]

I thought Oyster already had a MS option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Posters may not be aware of just how tough it's becoming to get into Latin. They had around 300 applications for 30 non-sibling spots for 5th this spring when, just three years ago, they were taking close to 100% of the names going in the hat. Basis is likely to see a similar surge in applications, even if it is a grind. There just aren't enough decent MS options in the offing, particularly for Wards 5 and 6, leading me to suspect that DCI will be popular even if it starts at 6th. Alll those families striking out at Latin and Basis have to go somewhere.

What I'd like to see, although nobody's talking about it, is for all the immersion elementary schools to have a direct feed into DCI, whether charter or DCPS. Is there no scope for a charter-DCPS hybrid school? Kaya Henderson has been talking about the concept of late. Seems artificial to exclude, for example, Oyster. That way, you would have more strong students than not. I worry that too much in the way of open lottery admissions could hurt the school in a city with such dramatic disparities between the prep most upper-middle-class kids come in with and others. The language immersion school kids, regardless of class, tend to be much better prepped than others.

why on earth would the DCI founders want to partner with DCPS? talk about getting in bed with the devil.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure, my kid can decide they want to go to China. They are welcome to decide.

However, I'm the one stuck trying to come up with a huge amount of cash.

If I don't I'm the bad parent who didn't let my kid go to China.

So thanks! This will undoubtedly end up making several children and families feel very, very left out. But that sums up the whole Yu Ying experience--mean and exclusionary.

Why not join the fundraising committee? Instead of complaining, do something to ensure that your child has this amazing opportunity to solidify his/her Chinese skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, my kid can decide they want to go to China. They are welcome to decide.

However, I'm the one stuck trying to come up with a huge amount of cash.

If I don't I'm the bad parent who didn't let my kid go to China.

So thanks! This will undoubtedly end up making several children and families feel very, very left out. But that sums up the whole Yu Ying experience--mean and exclusionary.

Why not join the fundraising committee? Instead of complaining, do something to ensure that your child has this amazing opportunity to solidify his/her Chinese skills.

Oh Dear 11:06:
How sweetly naive you are!
Your suggestion would mean that she/he would have to actually DO something constructive instead of whining, bitching, and complaining and trying to tear down what others have worked so hard to build. Not half as much fun for her/him, and a hell of a lot more effort.
I'm afraid there are a few crabs at Yu Ying who actively choose the bucket and who live to pull the others back down with them. Don't waste your time on them. They don't want suggestions; they just want to indulge in and regurgitate their "victim-of-YY" self-narrative. That's why they don't leave, either.

[Anonymous]

Wow, you YY people are diabolical in the way you turn every thread into a YY thread.

On topic...

What I'd like to see, although nobody's talking about it, is for all the immersion elementary schools to have a direct feed into DCI, whether charter or DCPS. Is there no scope for a charter-DCPS hybrid school? Kaya Henderson has been talking about the concept of late. Seems artificial to exclude, for example, Oyster. That way, you would have more strong students than not. I worry that too much in the way of open lottery admissions could hurt the school in a city with such dramatic disparities between the prep most upper-middle-class kids come in with and others. The language immersion school kids, regardless of class, tend to be much better prepped than others.

Well, yes, this is an issue. You can see it as a problem or an opportunity, but the result is the same. There are far more students without language immersion in need of a good MS option than there are these allegedly better prepared immersion students (I say this because there is no real long term data to support that they are or are not better prepared since this assertion doesn't specify what exactly they are better prepared for...), and DCI needs to stop focusing on a "safe" option for their feeder school kids, and instead focus on creating a strong MS option that can accommodate all students. This will keep the seats full and the doors open, which is the one of the great challenges ahead for DCI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are far more students without language immersion in need of a good MS option than there are these allegedly better prepared immersion students (I say this because there is no real long term data to support that they are or are not better prepared since this assertion doesn't specify what exactly they are better prepared for...), and DCI needs to stop focusing on a "safe" option for their feeder school kids, and instead focus on creating a strong MS option that can accommodate all students. This will keep the seats full and the doors open, which is the one of the great challenges ahead for DCI.

But why can't DCI simply serve kids coming in with two languages? Most of the students at the private international schools are that category, and a lot more of their parents would surely be attracted to a school like DCI without the open lottery component. Maybe "safe" option should be termed "appropriate" option. Speaking a language is not like a race or class, you aren't born into it, you can learn. A lot of charter parents are sick of the "accomodate all students" mantra, since that's not what happens anyway. If DCI would be allowed to set this basic admissions critera--two languages per kid coming in--by partnering with DCPS, go for it. That would work well. Great challenges sounds like code for most upper-middle-class families avoiding, or dropping out, as per usual. Keeping seats full of lots of weak students takes us nowhere. Same old same old. DCI could be truly new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There are far more students without language immersion in need of a good MS option than there are these allegedly better prepared immersion students (I say this because there is no real long term data to support that they are or are not better prepared since this assertion doesn't specify what exactly they are better prepared for...), and DCI needs to stop focusing on a "safe" option for their feeder school kids, and instead focus on creating a strong MS option that can accommodate all students. This will keep the seats full and the doors open, which is the one of the great challenges ahead for DCI.

But why can't DCI simply serve kids coming in with two languages? Most of the students at the private international schools are that category, and a lot more of their parents would surely be attracted to a school like DCI without the open lottery component. Maybe "safe" option should be termed "appropriate" option. Speaking a language is not like a race or class, you aren't born into it, you can learn. A lot of charter parents are sick of the "accomodate all students" mantra, since that's not what happens anyway. If DCI would be allowed to set this basic admissions critera--two languages per kid coming in--by partnering with DCPS, go for it. That would work well. Great challenges sounds like code for most upper-middle-class families avoiding, or dropping out, as per usual. Keeping seats full of lots of weak students takes us nowhere. Same old same old. DCI could be truly new.











You may have a good point, but I can't really tell. Can you reorganize this so that we can easily decipher your main points and your arguments for it? Otherwise, you are wasting your time.

[Anonymous]

There are far more students without language immersion in need of a good MS option than there are these allegedly better prepared immersion students (I say this because there is no real long term data to support that they are or are not better prepared since this assertion doesn't specify what exactly they are better prepared for...), and DCI needs to stop focusing on a "safe" option for their feeder school kids, and instead focus on creating a strong MS option that can accommodate all students. This will keep the seats full and the doors open, which is the one of the great challenges ahead for DCI.

But why can't DCI simply serve kids coming in with two languages? Most of the students at the private international schools are that category, and a lot more of their parents would surely be attracted to a school like DCI without the open lottery component. Maybe "safe" option should be termed "appropriate" option. Speaking a language is not like a race or class, you aren't born into it, you can learn. A lot of charter parents are sick of the "accomodate all students" mantra, since that's not what happens anyway. If DCI would be allowed to set this basic admissions critera--two languages per kid coming in--by partnering with DCPS, go for it. That would work well. Great challenges sounds like code for most upper-middle-class families avoiding, or dropping out, as per usual. Keeping seats full of lots of weak students takes us nowhere. Same old same old. DCI could be truly new.

Perhaps public school isn't for you. If you'd like the benefits of public education (read: no private school tuition), you're just going to have to accept some of those "weak" students.

[Anonymous]

DCPS can legally have application criteria schools (several high schools, immersion elementary after certain grades -- I think 1st or 2nd & up have to prove grade level in target language). Charter schools can't. Perhaps there is a way to have a joint DCPS/ Charter middle that allows for testing prior to entrance.

But it would be a major policy change. Probably require Council to legislate? I think it would be great to admit students from DPCS & charter bilingual programs. Don't know if the DCI founders would agree.

[Anonymous]

Clearing my throat. Cough, cough. DCI needs to stop worrying about their feeder schools MS and simply concentrate on a middle school for all children. You cannot be serious. For all you people who talk nastily and vilify YU Ying for doing something none of us have attempted are disgusting. Good, bad, or indifferent, DCI is the brain child of th YY founders. They approached the other schools. Some will participate. I suspect others will not. DCI, like YY was founded by a group of parents. Not a corporation like Kipp or IT, and not an established program like Basis. YY was founded by parents. Why would these parents who founded an ES not be interested in seeing the next level of advancement for their children, and all others who would like to join.

For all the naysayers on this board about YY and the possibility of DCI, if you think you can do a better job, why don't you create your own school from the bottom up. You can hire the teachers you want. You can hire the administrators you want. You can establish the hours of operation and the curriculum. Go find your financial backers and building. The only thing you cannot do is self select your student body minus the exception for founders kids and siblings.

I just don't understand all the negative attacks when any one of you can create your own YY or DCI if you have the stomach for the growing pains. I write this as someone who has issues with aspects of YY, but recognize it is a work in process from dedicated parents who sought something different and better for their children. Many of the parents who founded the school could have home schooled or had the financial means to go private. Instead, they offered an alternative of DCPS to many students who did not have options.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps public school isn't for you. If you'd like the benefits of public education (read: no private school tuition), you're just going to have to accept some of those "weak" students.

Haven't posted here yet, but this is the sort of narrow-minded comment that shows just how myopic some of those who frequent DCUM tend to be about school quality in DC above elementary. It also helps explain why so many parents still end up running off to the suburbs and privates along the way.

Academic magnet middle schools around the country,and school-within-a-school programs like those in the suburbs, don't admit weak students, and these are every inch public schools. There's been talk of setting up an academic magnet middle school in DC for years, just not enough momentum. If you like the benefits of public education in many cities around the country, particularly New York City and Chicago, you don't have to send your advanced learner to sit in the same classes as weak students at any level, but you do here.

Since a policy change would be needed to enable DCI to admit only strong students, or to do extensive ability grouping within the school, or just to lean on the parents of weak students to pull them out (as Basis plans to but probably won't be allowed to) then parents should lobby hard for this now. Telling the the parents of the strongest students that public school isn't for them just hurts the brightest poor kids, and the city's tax base. So does pretending that mixing strong and weak students in class will work any better at DCI that it has in other middle schools (and I'm including Washington Latin here - parents of gifted kids sometimes pull out there, consult Latin threads for insight).

The charter-DCPS divide is starting to break down - you see signs of this on the DC City Council, you hear it in the way the Chancellor talks, you hear it in the way parents worry about what comes after the language immersion schools. The time could be right for bona fide challenge at the middle school level and DCI could be the vehicle.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. No interest in Basis at all.

All grind, no idea what they're doing in DC, and students won't be well-rounded. No thank you.

I'd like to see how DCI plays out. If it succeeds in what it's supposed to do? That will work well for us: differentiation, high-expectations, well-rounded students (languages, sports, travel, community service). Of course, it helps to not be on the bleeding edges (but it's always best not to be on the bleeding edge). 8)
Actually, my well rounded DC will attend Basis in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Agreed. No interest in Basis at all.

All grind, no idea what they're doing in DC, and students won't be well-rounded. No thank you.

I'd like to see how DCI plays out. If it succeeds in what it's supposed to do? That will work well for us: differentiation, high-expectations, well-rounded students (languages, sports, travel, community service). Of course, it helps to not be on the bleeding edges (but it's always best not to be on the bleeding edge). 8)

Actually, my well rounded DC will attend Basis in the fall.

We are a happy Mundo Verde family, and right now Basis looks a lot more attractive than DCI only because I am not sure that I want my children exposed to the negativity that YY seems to bring on itself. We avoided applying for YY because of the negativity online.

Although it seems ridiculous to judge based on anonymous comments, there are so many overly defensive comments that it seems likely that this is a top-down issue, and I don't want to be involved with a school that spews that much negativity and resentment. I understand that they have taken a lot of risks and done a remarkable thing by creating this program from scratch, and they are to be lauded for that, but that doesn't cancel out the tone that they bring to each conversation. It is my responsibilty as a parent (even more than providing a good academic education, and certainly more providing than a good immersion education even though that is a high priority for us) to see that my children become good, happy people who can communicate rationally and calmly help to resolve differences. This is something that I am afraid they will not get at YY, given the way all criticism is received.

I sincerely hope that Mundo Verde, which has the exact opposite feeling, can help to even out the tone of DCI, as it seems like it could be an absolutely wonderful program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I just don't understand all the negative attacks when any one of you can create your own YY or DCI if you have the stomach for the growing pains. I write this as someone who has issues with aspects of YY, but recognize it is a work in process from dedicated parents who sought something different and better for their children. Many of the parents who founded the school could have home schooled or had the financial means to go private. Instead, they offered an alternative of DCPS to many students who did not have options.

Well said. I have so much respect for those who see the need and create their own charter schools in DC. YY is only one of them -- Two Rivers, Latin, etc. They see the need in the city, work within the rules and make it happen. It is not that they are without their issues, it is just that the founders made it happen and created good educational alternatives that are keeping many of us in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
We are a happy Mundo Verde family, and right now Basis looks a lot more attractive than DCI only because I am not sure that I want my children exposed to the negativity that YY seems to bring on itself. We avoided applying for YY because of the negativity online.

Although it seems ridiculous to judge based on anonymous comments, there are so many overly defensive comments that it seems likely that this is a top-down issue, and I don't want to be involved with a school that spews that much negativity and resentment. I understand that they have taken a lot of risks and done a remarkable thing by creating this program from scratch, and they are to be lauded for that, but that doesn't cancel out the tone that they bring to each conversation. It is my responsibilty as a parent (even more than providing a good academic education, and certainly more providing than a good immersion education even though that is a high priority for us) to see that my children become good, happy people who can communicate rationally and calmly help to resolve differences. This is something that I am afraid they will not get at YY, given the way all criticism is received.

I sincerely hope that Mundo Verde, which has the exact opposite feeling, can help to even out the tone of DCI, as it seems like it could be an absolutely wonderful program.

Really? You did not apply to a school b/c of comments you read online. LOL! YY was the only public school, charter or DCPS, we applied to because we wanted Chinese and we chose it over a well regarded private. But we're from NYC - which also has something similar to DCUM called Urbanbaby - meaner, nastier about everything but especially schools, public, private. Everyone would only home school or move if online comments were the criteria for schools.

So we're at YY. My child loves the school and had a fantastic preK yr. Great facilities, nice welcoming families, DS can read and speak Mandarin which he could not when he started there. Wonderful classmates/peers. No complaints and very glad we are there. If DCI goes as planned, IB diploma for high school, DS may stay instead of going to a private boarding school which is family tradition - we'll see what happens...