Banneker v. Wilson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did it occur to you that the Banneker grad provided good but dated information that may or may not be relevant to 2019?

That PP went to UNC and got a MA from GWU. So at least 6 and probably more years ago.

Things in DC education are changing rapidly. The most talented kid in my kid's HRC class (now a freshman in college) went to Banneker and then Hardy.

They were hardly ill-prepared or underserved in elementary or middle school and went on to Barnard on a scholarship.

No that honestly didn't occur to me, and it's a good thing this dialogue is happening, because I can assure you many readers and posters followed the very same thought process.
It would be great to hear from a more recent Banneker grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In STEM, Banneker offers AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Environmental Science and AP Stat. Their IB program only offers Biology at Higher Level and math studies at Standard Level. Math studies; is the lowest level of IB math offered, and it is geared toward kids who won't major in STEM in college. It is lower level math than AP Calc AB.

Wilson offers AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics (both parts), AP Calc AB and BC, AP Comp Sci, AP Environmental Science, and AP Stat. I think my STEM kid will be more at home at Wilson.

Why not McKinley?

DP: A few years ago, some of the kids at Deal who were interested McKinley asked about math classes and pointed out that they had already taken Geometry and Algebra II t Deal. They wanted to know what the math track would be like. McKinley wasn't prepared for these kids. The kids were really disappointed because they wanted a STEM school. They chose Wilson for SciMaTech.

I can't speak for a few years ago, but I don't think this is still true. The school offers Honors PreCalc and AP Calc (AB and BC), a couple AP computer science courses. And then they've got honors and AP bio, chem and physics, and very interesting biotech and IT departments/offerings. I don't think you could say they aren't prepared for advanced math students today.

You are correct. The PPP is posting out of date information.

What math class do those kids take after they finish Calc BC in 10th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In STEM, Banneker offers AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Environmental Science and AP Stat. Their IB program only offers Biology at Higher Level and math studies at Standard Level. Math studies; is the lowest level of IB math offered, and it is geared toward kids who won't major in STEM in college. It is lower level math than AP Calc AB.

Wilson offers AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics (both parts), AP Calc AB and BC, AP Comp Sci, AP Environmental Science, and AP Stat. I think my STEM kid will be more at home at Wilson.

Why not McKinley?

DP: A few years ago, some of the kids at Deal who were interested McKinley asked about math classes and pointed out that they had already taken Geometry and Algebra II t Deal. They wanted to know what the math track would be like. McKinley wasn't prepared for these kids. The kids were really disappointed because they wanted a STEM school. They chose Wilson for SciMaTech.

I can't speak for a few years ago, but I don't think this is still true. The school offers Honors PreCalc and AP Calc (AB and BC), a couple AP computer science courses. And then they've got honors and AP bio, chem and physics, and very interesting biotech and IT departments/offerings. I don't think you could say they aren't prepared for advanced math students today.

You are correct. The PPP is posting out of date information.

What math class do those kids take after they finish Calc BC in 10th?

Well, this is hypothetical since I don't know who these kids are, but I imagine they could either do Stats one year, or two years of AP computer science, or co-enroll to take math at a local uni. Just like they would at Wilson.

Btw, are kids at at Deal really taking Algebra II and Geometry? 1000 years ago when I was in middle school, a small group of advanced kid took Algebra I and Geometry in 7th and 8th grades (this was a pull out, so advanced beyond the "normal" advanced classes). And then there was an advanced trig class students took before Calculus. Would you really have a kid doing Geometry in 7th, Algebra II in 8th, and then Calc in 9th and 10th??

[Anonymous]

The more advanced students at Deal take Alg 1 in 7th and Geometry in 8th.

A very small number (<5) may go to Wilson to take Alg 2 in 8th.

The only school in DC that routinely has 30+ students in Calc in 10th is BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Al II is offered at Deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The more advanced students at Deal take Alg 1 in 7th and Geometry in 8th.

A very small number (<5) may go to Wilson to take Alg 2 in 8th.

The only school in DC that routinely has 30+ students in Calc in 10th is BASIS.

True about BASIS. My kid is in 6th grade, currently in Saxon Math "Algebra 1/2" aka Pre-Algebra, and will be in Algebra I in 7th. She is solidly middle of the pack in terms of the typical BASIS math tracking overall and does very well in math without too much worry or stress, but I don't think she would have been ready for Algebra I this year. There are a small group of 6th grade classmates who had Algebra I last year, taking Algebra 2 this year. It seems ridiculously early on paper, but I know a few of those kids and they are incredibly smart. So I guess it's good that they have that option. And I'm glad they offer something different for kids who are not ready for that speed of acceleration.

If the most advanced BASIS kids switch to Wilson, Banneker, Walls, or elsewhere, I'm not sure exactly what the continuation of that math path is like.

[Anonymous]

The normal math tracks at Deal:

I-ready testing in 6th places you in math 6 or math 7. Those that do well in their math classes have the opportunity to take a class or self study (khan academy) over the summer and test into a high level math in 7th grade.

Math 6 students can test into Math 8.

Math 7 students can test into Algebra I (skip math 8) and those that do really well on the test and I-ready can simultaneously do Geometry.

Students that took Math 8 in 7th take Algebra I in 8th

Students that took only Algebra I in 7th take Geometry in 8th

Students that took both Algebra I and Geometry in 7th take Algebra II in 8th

There is the occasional one off of this track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The normal math tracks at Deal:

I-ready testing in 6th places you in math 6 or math 7. Those that do well in their math classes have the opportunity to take a class or self study (khan academy) over the summer and test into a high level math in 7th grade.

Math 6 students can test into Math 8.

Math 7 students can test into Algebra I (skip math 8) and those that do really well on the test and I-ready can simultaneously do Geometry.

Students that took Math 8 in 7th take Algebra I in 8th

Students that took only Algebra I in 7th take Geometry in 8th

Students that took both Algebra I and Geometry in 7th take Algebra II in 8th

There is the occasional one off of this track.

We need this in flow chart format on each High School's website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"-keeping kids occupied much of the day with academic work. THis is the opposite of what would suit us or our kid, but YMMV. Wilson has less of that, more ability for the kid to choose a mix of classes, more extracurriculars."


"This is the opposite of what would suit your kid? Doing academic work at school?"

It's not just at school, it's many hours at home of what may or may not be interesting work. I would rather have my kid read, talk to their siblings, draw, sleep 9 hours, pursue interests that genuinely engage them than spend hours on memorization & online quizzes

So you want play-based high school, lol!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The normal math tracks at Deal:

I-ready testing in 6th places you in math 6 or math 7. Those that do well in their math classes have the opportunity to take a class or self study (khan academy) over the summer and test into a high level math in 7th grade.

Math 6 students can test into Math 8.

Math 7 students can test into Algebra I (skip math 8) and those that do really well on the test and I-ready can simultaneously do Geometry.

Students that took Math 8 in 7th take Algebra I in 8th

Students that took only Algebra I in 7th take Geometry in 8th

Students that took both Algebra I and Geometry in 7th take Algebra II in 8th

There is the occasional one off of this track.

This sounds crazy to me--taking both Algebra I and Geometry at the same time seems like you'd master neither.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The normal math tracks at Deal:

I-ready testing in 6th places you in math 6 or math 7. Those that do well in their math classes have the opportunity to take a class or self study (khan academy) over the summer and test into a high level math in 7th grade.

Math 6 students can test into Math 8.

Math 7 students can test into Algebra I (skip math 8) and those that do really well on the test and I-ready can simultaneously do Geometry.

Students that took Math 8 in 7th take Algebra I in 8th

Students that took only Algebra I in 7th take Geometry in 8th

Students that took both Algebra I and Geometry in 7th take Algebra II in 8th


This sounds crazy to me--taking both Algebra I and Geometry at the same time seems like you'd master neither.

Actually in my DC's 8th grade class the kids took Geometry and Algebra II the same year. To do it they had to skip art/music/PE, so not a lot of kids opt for it. It is not a popular option.

[Anonymous]

How are college admissions at Banneker? Which schools do kids attend? Is there a matriculation list anywhere to look at? I know several years ago there was a young man that was admitted to almost all of the Ivy League schools, are Ivy's (or similar) the norm for the Banneker students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The normal math tracks at Deal:

I-ready testing in 6th places you in math 6 or math 7. Those that do well in their math classes have the opportunity to take a class or self study (khan academy) over the summer and test into a high level math in 7th grade.

Math 6 students can test into Math 8.

Math 7 students can test into Algebra I (skip math 8) and those that do really well on the test and I-ready can simultaneously do Geometry.

Students that took Math 8 in 7th take Algebra I in 8th

Students that took only Algebra I in 7th take Geometry in 8th

Students that took both Algebra I and Geometry in 7th take Algebra II in 8th


This sounds crazy to me--taking both Algebra I and Geometry at the same time seems like you'd master neither.

Actually in my DC's 8th grade class the kids took Geometry and Algebra II the same year. To do it they had to skip art/music/PE, so not a lot of kids opt for it. It is not a popular option.

I currently have an 8th grader in Geometry at Deal. The kids in Algebra II are for the most part the kids that took Algebra I and Geometry simultaneously last year. There currently are a number of 7th graders in DC's Geometry class that are taking it and Algebra I simultaneously. It is possible to do it the way that PP states (two math classes in 8th) but it does not currently seem to be the usual way for these advanced students. It is correct that the kids taking two math classes have give up PE/Music/Art to make that work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The normal math tracks at Deal:

I-ready testing in 6th places you in math 6 or math 7. Those that do well in their math classes have the opportunity to take a class or self study (khan academy) over the summer and test into a high level math in 7th grade.

Math 6 students can test into Math 8.

Math 7 students can test into Algebra I (skip math 8) and those that do really well on the test and I-ready can simultaneously do Geometry.

Students that took Math 8 in 7th take Algebra I in 8th

Students that took only Algebra I in 7th take Geometry in 8th

Students that took both Algebra I and Geometry in 7th take Algebra II in 8th


This sounds crazy to me--taking both Algebra I and Geometry at the same time seems like you'd master neither.

Actually in my DC's 8th grade class the kids took Geometry and Algebra II the same year. To do it they had to skip art/music/PE, so not a lot of kids opt for it. It is not a popular option.

I currently have an 8th grader in Geometry at Deal. The kids in Algebra II are for the most part the kids that took Algebra I and Geometry simultaneously last year. There currently are a number of 7th graders in DC's Geometry class that are taking it and Algebra I simultaneously. It is possible to do it the way that PP states (two math classes in 8th) but it does not currently seem to be the usual way for these advanced students. It is correct that the kids taking two math classes have give up PE/Music/Art to make that work.

How can they skip pe?

[Anonymous]

PE at Deal is one quarter, art one quarter etc.

But agree it is problematic to allow students to skip.