Lafayette ES cutting vice principal?????

[Anonymous]

OMG! The rumors and lies flying about this forum are unbelievable!

The Kindergarten teacher was not fired, nor did she leave because of awful aides! I am privy to the details, but instead of posting on the internet for the world to see, I will just state that she left due to a personal issue and leave it at that. She was well-liked by her peers and was happy at Lafayette.

There are 50 kids in one 3rd grade class because it is actually two 3rd grade classes combined with two full-time teachers and much of the time, two student teachers. This is the second year this scenario has taken place. Last year was the first (partly due to the maternity leave as mentioned above), and because test scores were up in the combined classroom and the two teachers work well together, they continued the program again this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG! The rumors and lies flying about this forum are unbelievable!

The Kindergarten teacher was not fired, nor did she leave because of awful aides! I am privy to the details, but instead of posting on the internet for the world to see, I will just state that she left due to a personal issue and leave it at that. She was well-liked by her peers and was happy at Lafayette.

There are 50 kids in one 3rd grade class because it is actually two 3rd grade classes combined with two full-time teachers and much of the time, two student teachers. This is the second year this scenario has taken place. Last year was the first (partly due to the maternity leave as mentioned above), and because test scores were up in the combined classroom and the two teachers work well together, they continued the program again this year.

Wow. That's pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Lafayette parent and this thread is baffling to me. My kids LOVE it there. They have learned a ton. In fact, I am consistently impressed and amazed at how much they have learned and the complexity of the math & reading our 1st grader is doing. Both of our kids have loved each of their teachers (4 so far). We have, too.

Yes, there are one or two teachers I'm relieved they didn't get, but isn't it like that at every school?

One of the pre-K aides is -- according to my 1st grader -- rumored to be "strict." But my pre-K child passionately disputed this characterization when I asked about it recently. My child LOVES this aide. Seriously, have you ever been in a classroom with a bunch of 5-year-olds? You need to run a tight ship to get anything done.

I have heard zero reports of bullying, and do not recall ever receiving a robo-call about bullying. I have seen lots of evidence around the school that they take bullying seriously, including the peace program, which is a major priority of the HSA, and the character ed program run by Ms. Diesner and Ms. Moseley (the school counselors), which I have been very impressed with.

The HSA is constantly urging parents to join, become more involved, vote on the budget, etc. I feel a heavy debt of gratitude to the people (mostly Moms) who run it and raise so much money for technology, art, and all the other extras that benefit our kids.

I also like Ms. Main. The fact that she fired the new K teacher is living proof that she does NOT turn a blind eye to bad teaching. All my interactions with her have been positive. I think it's fantastic that she puts such a priority on class size. I would much rather my child have a class of 20 for 3rd grade than to have an Assistant Principal (even though I agree that Mr. McCoy is a lovely person).

I am a SAHM and a room parent, so I'm at the school A LOT, and my views are based not just on my children's reports and on their progress, but on first-hand observation.

Finally, as far as I know, the views stated above are shared by the vast majority of parents at Lafayette. Other than a few complaints about a specific K teacher, a specific 1st grade teacher and a specific 2nd grade teacher, I cannot think of any serious complaints I've ever heard from another parent (meaning a person I actually know) about Lafayette. I have also never had another parent say anything negative to me about Principal Main, but I have heard many complimentary things. So, to the complainer out there (yes, I do think there is one person who loves stirring up this sh*t about Lafayette on DCUM), if you don't like it, get involved to change things, send your kid to a private school, or move. Anonymous complainers like you are the worst.

Actually the ridiculously large enrollment is why you ave 50 kids in a class. And although we are zoned for Lafayette we didn't choose to send our kids there bc we were so turned off on the tour.

Funny, but I have 2 kids at Lafayette and both of their classes have exactly 20 students. And, I thought you were complaining that Mr. McCoy was losing his position, even though it's so they can add another 3rd grade class, thus reducing class sizes. You really can't complain about both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG! The rumors and lies flying about this forum are unbelievable!

The Kindergarten teacher was not fired, nor did she leave because of awful aides! I am privy to the details, but instead of posting on the internet for the world to see, I will just state that she left due to a personal issue and leave it at that. She was well-liked by her peers and was happy at Lafayette.

There are 50 kids in one 3rd grade class because it is actually two 3rd grade classes combined with two full-time teachers and much of the time, two student teachers. This is the second year this scenario has taken place. Last year was the first (partly due to the maternity leave as mentioned above), and because test scores were up in the combined classroom and the two teachers work well together, they continued the program again this year.

I'm the poster who said she was fired and I apologize for saying that. I assumed that was true based on stories I heard about parents' complaints about her. But you know what they say about assuming... Again, apologies. I did not mean to start a false rumor.

[Anonymous]

For what it's worth, I'm a former employee of Deal.  For the record, I loved
Deal and only left because we moved.  For the most part we have a nice (but large) group of children.
What most faculty at Deal will tell you, off the record, is that of the masses
of kids flooding our hallways, the kids from Lafayette always seem much less
prepared than children from other feeder schools.
What I mean by that is that a high percentage of kids from Lafayette need more
hand holding, constant reminding and direction.   They are much more overwhelmed
by the rigorous academic expectations of grade six.   They appear vexed that there are rules/ general  expectations and that there are consequences for breaking school rules and/or not following direction.  Most rules are for the general well being and safety of our very large number of students.
Lafayette kids have more difficulty getting to class on time and getting to
school on time.  It is like they don't have respect for school or take school
seriously.  
Some faculty have speculated that Lafayette parents must be hippies with no
structure or respect for time.  Having lived in the area, I don't remember any
hippie parents! None.
It's also no secret that a high percentage of the more aggressive, mean spirited
kids feed in from Lafayette.  This isn't an opinion, it is observation over 5
recent years.  To be fair, it is mostly the girls from Lafayette who rack up the
most complaints from students, parents and faculty.  
It is difficult to comprehend how well an elementary school with over 700+
students can run efficiently with one Principal responsible and no AP.   It isn't logical and it isn't going to help the obivious systemic issues at Lafayette.
 

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it's worth, I'm a former employee of Deal.  For the record, I loved
Deal and only left because we moved.  For the most part we have a nice (but large) group of children.
What most faculty at Deal will tell you, off the record, is that of the masses
of kids flooding our hallways, the kids from Lafayette always seem much less
prepared than children from other feeder schools.
What I mean by that is that a high percentage of kids from Lafayette need more
hand holding, constant reminding and direction.   They are much more overwhelmed
by the rigorous academic expectations of grade six.   They appear vexed that there are rules/ general  expectations and that there are consequences for breaking school rules and/or not following direction.  Most rules are for the general well being and safety of our very large number of students.
Lafayette kids have more difficulty getting to class on time and getting to
school on time.  It is like they don't have respect for school or take school
seriously.  
Some faculty have speculated that Lafayette parents must be hippies with no
structure or respect for time.  Having lived in the area, I don't remember any
hippie parents! None.
It's also no secret that a high percentage of the more aggressive, mean spirited
kids feed in from Lafayette.  This isn't an opinion, it is observation over 5
recent years.  To be fair, it is mostly the girls from Lafayette who rack up the
most complaints from students, parents and faculty.  
It is difficult to comprehend how well an elementary school with over 700+
students can run efficiently with one Principal responsible and no AP.   It isn't logical and it isn't going to help the obivious systemic issues at Lafayette.
 

If you are who you say you are, can you give your observations of the preparedness of the students from the other feeder schools?

[Anonymous]

<<Lafayette kids have more difficulty getting to class on time and getting to
school on time. >>

To be fair, don't some of the kids from the farthest edges of Lafayette boundaries -- Barnaby Woods -- have a longer distance to travel to Deal than the Murch and Janney kids? Not saying that's an excuse for being late for school, but also could be something to think about rather than presuming their parents a bunch of hippies living in the woods, you know that hippie backwoods area of Barnaby Woods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:<<Lafayette kids have more difficulty getting to class on time and getting to
school on time. >>

To be fair, don't some of the kids from the farthest edges of Lafayette boundaries -- Barnaby Woods -- have a longer distance to travel to Deal than the Murch and Janney kids? Not saying that's an excuse for being late for school, but also could be something to think about rather than presuming their parents a bunch of hippies living in the woods, you know that hippie backwoods area of Barnaby Woods.

She said:

Some faculty have speculated that Lafayette parents must be hippies with no structure or respect for time. Having lived in the area, I don't remember any
hippie parents! None.

Maybe the distance is why they were late to school, but doesn't explain why they are late to classes.

[Anonymous]

Well I've heard the exact opposite from Deal teachers about the academic preparedness of Lafayette kids. My kids is a high performer at Deal and was at Lafayette since K and was definitely prepared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I've heard the exact opposite from Deal teachers about the academic preparedness of Lafayette kids. My kids is a high performer at Deal and was at Lafayette since K and was definitely prepared.

She did not say ALL kids from Lafayette, she said a "high percentage if the kids were
from Lafayette".

Relax, I'm sure your child is just brilliant.

[Anonymous]

PP, I'm pushing back on the "high percentage comment". And yes indeed my daughter is brilliant.

[Anonymous]

A high performer with in DCPS. Wow, must be tough out performing all the other kids in one the Nations lowest performing school systems.

I guess if you have a middle schooler that can read in DCPS, they're golden.

[Anonymous]

+1. Hilarious

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:A high performer with in DCPS. Wow, must be tough out performing all the other kids in one the Nations lowest performing school systems.

I guess if you have a middle schooler that can read in DCPS, they're golden.

Please take your attitude someplace else. If you don't have anything useful to contribute, don't waste your time and ours.

Oh, and BTW, giving your own post a "+1", it really doesn't get any lower than that. Why not just put a big sign that says "TROLL" on each of your posts? Keep it up and I'll do that for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2013-14 budget allocation for Lafayette show 1.7 APs? So why is there now this rumor/annoncement? And for the life of me I don't understand why people are talking about cuts when 15 schools have been closed so that funds can be used to improve existing schools. I don't buy that argument. And if enrollment in DCPS is less than expected (I saw Emma Brown's article) then the per pupil amount should be bumped up a bit if necessary to ensure things like a reasonable number of administrators.

It is a place holder. There is rumor-mongering because no formal announcement has been made to parents. It was announced at the HSA meeting and the HSA has not told the parents. The principal said she is cutting the vice principal to bring in another 3rd grade teacher. However bringing in a needed teacher should not cut a critical administrative position. There are good teachers at Lafayette and there are some terrible teachers who should not be in any classroom. This has been going on for years and parents have had it. The feeling in HSA is that if you want to know what is going on then go to a meeting, otherwise shut up.

PP, you said the initial budget allocation sheet was a place holder. Updated school budget allocations have now been posted to DCPS and Lafayette's still reads 1.7 assistant principal positions. So what's the story Lafayette? Will there be an assistant principal next school year or not? And what's with the .7? A 3/4 AP too? Please provide some insight Lafayette folks.

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Budget+and+Finance/FY14+Fiscal+Report+Card/Updated+School+Budget+Allocations