Hardy MS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm bummed that Hardy's momentum is slowing in the wake of Honors for All. Pretty clearly, enthusiasm for Hardy has taken a hit, maybe not a big hit, but a hit. I no longer hear OOB families desperate for a decent public middle school waxing enthusiastic about Hardy like they did a couple years back. We have in-boundary friends with very bright kids who have surprised us by giving up and moving to the burbs this summer. They don't like the publicity Principal Martin gets. Anecdotal evidence to be sure, but of concern nonetheless.

You mean slowing on this thread? Not much space left for OOB, what's there to be enthusiastic about. We are not moving even if DC has to go to Wilson.

The comment above doesn't seem to have much situational awareness - the Hardy dynamic was completely changed with the redirect of Eaton to Hardy. Starting with the class that is now going into 7th, about 1/2 of each class cohort is going to be Hardy going forward. That combined with the increased enrollment from Stoddert and Mann - less from Key, and then Hyde is still in a period of adjustment from their renovation. And there is the impact of Basis, DCI, and the feeder pattern on the Hill (for instance, there used to be a bus from the Hill that would bring a set kids to Hardy)... so there are other options and forces at play. And the total class size was increased.

The parents I know who are talking about Wilson in those ways were likely on a private school or move to the burbs track regardless & this is just the latest talking point....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm bummed that Hardy's momentum is slowing in the wake of Honors for All. Pretty clearly, enthusiasm for Hardy has taken a hit, maybe not a big hit, but a hit. I no longer hear OOB families desperate for a decent public middle school waxing enthusiastic about Hardy like they did a couple years back. We have in-boundary friends with very bright kids who have surprised us by giving up and moving to the burbs this summer. They don't like the publicity Principal Martin gets. Anecdotal evidence to be sure, but of concern nonetheless.

You mean slowing on this thread? Not much space left for OOB, what's there to be enthusiastic about. We are not moving even if DC has to go to Wilson.

The comment above doesn't seem to have much situational awareness - the Hardy dynamic was completely changed with the redirect of Eaton to Hardy. Starting with the class that is now going into 7th, about 1/2 of each class cohort is going to be Hardy going forward. That combined with the increased enrollment from Stoddert and Mann - less from Key, and then Hyde is still in a period of adjustment from their renovation. And there is the impact of Basis, DCI, and the feeder pattern on the Hill (for instance, there used to be a bus from the Hill that would bring a set kids to Hardy)... so there are other options and forces at play. And the total class size was increased.

The parents I know who are talking about Wilson in those ways were likely on a private school or move to the burbs track regardless & this is just the latest talking point....

meant 1/2 of each class at Hardy is Eaton students...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's obviously not fine. If it were, the high-performing suburban schools in this Metro area would go with 9th and 10th grade Honors for Al. They manifestly do not.

That is a ridiculous response.

Why is it ridiculous? You can't invent your own best practices to best serve your most advanced students like this. When you dumb down your curriculum for students who could reasonably aspire to attend the nation's top universities and liberal arts colleges, these kids will obviously struggle to compete down the track. Nobody would argue that banning traveling sports teams for DC teenagers would constitute best practices in preparing students to play college ball. By the same token, Honors for All constitutes weak prep for the strongest students.

I think that logic requires that we agree with your assessment of the academic trajectory of Wilson's policy; however, most DC parents would probably disagree with your assessment of HOW bad the result is. I believe most studies show that the strongest students are not noticeably adversely affected, academically, by mainstream classrooms; the only question is what opportunities to improve are they losing by being mainstreamed. I think most parents, in DC anyway, won't think that "undefined academic loss" is harmful enough to flee...at least with respect to Wilson HS, anyway. That undefined loss also does not account for the social benefit that kids gain from being in a mainstream class, especially in an urban environment.

Do you think Wilson should cut advanced classes?

Wilson isn't cutting advanced classes. They offer 28 AP classes, and students can also dual-enroll at a local university. The Wilson-part of this thread is full of hysterical people. I think it also needs a sock-puppeting check.

But if, according to you, it’s OK to have everyone in the same classes (to “mainstream” the stronger students), then why bother having APs or any advanced offerings?

Why? Because it turns out that your kids and mine - the usual suspects that are offered and take AP and Honors classes - aren't all that special. There is in fact a much broader group of kids that can take these same classes and succeed.

+1. And if your kid is truly more outstanding than everyone else, the AP exam scores will reflect that. And those scores can be submitted to any college you apply to, as an extra piece of information, if you wish.

So Wilson should cut all advanced classes?

Wilson: Some kids are being fed apples, others a being fed raw potatoes. Let's feed everybody apples.

PP: F@ck that! If my kids aren't going to get EXCLUSIVE apples, then just feed everybody raw potatoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's obviously not fine. If it were, the high-performing suburban schools in this Metro area would go with 9th and 10th grade Honors for Al. They manifestly do not.

That is a ridiculous response.

Why is it ridiculous? You can't invent your own best practices to best serve your most advanced students like this. When you dumb down your curriculum for students who could reasonably aspire to attend the nation's top universities and liberal arts colleges, these kids will obviously struggle to compete down the track. Nobody would argue that banning traveling sports teams for DC teenagers would constitute best practices in preparing students to play college ball. By the same token, Honors for All constitutes weak prep for the strongest students.

I think that logic requires that we agree with your assessment of the academic trajectory of Wilson's policy; however, most DC parents would probably disagree with your assessment of HOW bad the result is. I believe most studies show that the strongest students are not noticeably adversely affected, academically, by mainstream classrooms; the only question is what opportunities to improve are they losing by being mainstreamed. I think most parents, in DC anyway, won't think that "undefined academic loss" is harmful enough to flee...at least with respect to Wilson HS, anyway. That undefined loss also does not account for the social benefit that kids gain from being in a mainstream class, especially in an urban environment.

Do you think Wilson should cut advanced classes?

Wilson isn't cutting advanced classes. They offer 28 AP classes, and students can also dual-enroll at a local university. The Wilson-part of this thread is full of hysterical people. I think it also needs a sock-puppeting check.

But if, according to you, it’s OK to have everyone in the same classes (to “mainstream” the stronger students), then why bother having APs or any advanced offerings?

Why? Because it turns out that your kids and mine - the usual suspects that are offered and take AP and Honors classes - aren't all that special. There is in fact a much broader group of kids that can take these same classes and succeed.

+1. And if your kid is truly more outstanding than everyone else, the AP exam scores will reflect that. And those scores can be submitted to any college you apply to, as an extra piece of information, if you wish.

So Wilson should cut all advanced classes?

Wilson: Some kids are being fed apples, others a being fed raw potatoes. Let's feed everybody apples.

PP: F@ck that! If my kids aren't going to get EXCLUSIVE apples, then just feed everybody raw potatoes.

The issue is Wilson is feeding apples to some kids with no teeth, and they spend the class on their phone whining about how they hungry they are for applesause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's obviously not fine. If it were, the high-performing suburban schools in this Metro area would go with 9th and 10th grade Honors for Al. They manifestly do not.

That is a ridiculous response.

Why is it ridiculous? You can't invent your own best practices to best serve your most advanced students like this. When you dumb down your curriculum for students who could reasonably aspire to attend the nation's top universities and liberal arts colleges, these kids will obviously struggle to compete down the track. Nobody would argue that banning traveling sports teams for DC teenagers would constitute best practices in preparing students to play college ball. By the same token, Honors for All constitutes weak prep for the strongest students.

I think that logic requires that we agree with your assessment of the academic trajectory of Wilson's policy; however, most DC parents would probably disagree with your assessment of HOW bad the result is. I believe most studies show that the strongest students are not noticeably adversely affected, academically, by mainstream classrooms; the only question is what opportunities to improve are they losing by being mainstreamed. I think most parents, in DC anyway, won't think that "undefined academic loss" is harmful enough to flee...at least with respect to Wilson HS, anyway. That undefined loss also does not account for the social benefit that kids gain from being in a mainstream class, especially in an urban environment.

Do you think Wilson should cut advanced classes?

Wilson isn't cutting advanced classes. They offer 28 AP classes, and students can also dual-enroll at a local university. The Wilson-part of this thread is full of hysterical people. I think it also needs a sock-puppeting check.

But if, according to you, it’s OK to have everyone in the same classes (to “mainstream” the stronger students), then why bother having APs or any advanced offerings?

Why? Because it turns out that your kids and mine - the usual suspects that are offered and take AP and Honors classes - aren't all that special. There is in fact a much broader group of kids that can take these same classes and succeed.

+1. And if your kid is truly more outstanding than everyone else, the AP exam scores will reflect that. And those scores can be submitted to any college you apply to, as an extra piece of information, if you wish.

So Wilson should cut all advanced classes?

Wilson: Some kids are being fed apples, others a being fed raw potatoes. Let's feed everybody apples.

PP: F@ck that! If my kids aren't going to get EXCLUSIVE apples, then just feed everybody raw potatoes.

Just wondering if you think Wilson should offer any advanced classes. Do you kiss your kids with that mouth?

[Anonymous]

aw man, I remember the olden days when Hardy threads would go kablooey ... about Hardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:aw man, I remember the olden days when Hardy threads would go kablooey ... about Hardy.

inorite?

Victory!

[Anonymous]

Its ironic that Hardy students will get used to on grade level classes because of differentiation, then lose them at Wilson. Oh well, it will make freshmen year a cakewalk!

[Anonymous]

Is that what you want for your 8th grade Hardy scholar, a cakewalk in 9th at Wilson? Not inspiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its ironic that Hardy students will get used to on grade level classes because of differentiation, then lose them at Wilson. Oh well, it will make freshmen year a cakewalk!

My Hardy kid just said that he is going to Walls. He said that he is not going to Wilson if Hardy kids ahead of him are going there.Told him to make it happen. If not, Wilson it is. Kid seems motivated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is that what you want for your 8th grade Hardy scholar, a cakewalk in 9th at Wilson? Not inspiring.

Why is this not a problem for Deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that what you want for your 8th grade Hardy scholar, a cakewalk in 9th at Wilson? Not inspiring.

Why is this not a problem for Deal?

It is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that what you want for your 8th grade Hardy scholar, a cakewalk in 9th at Wilson? Not inspiring.

Why is this not a problem for Deal?

It is.

So this will solve the problem of overcrowding at the Deal feeders and at Deal itself, as fewer people fight to get into the Deal pyramid, and now its going to be fine to upzone Ward 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm bummed that Hardy's momentum is slowing in the wake of Honors for All. Pretty clearly, enthusiasm for Hardy has taken a hit, maybe not a big hit, but a hit. I no longer hear OOB families desperate for a decent public middle school waxing enthusiastic about Hardy like they did a couple years back. We have in-boundary friends with very bright kids who have surprised us by giving up and moving to the burbs this summer. They don't like the publicity Principal Martin gets. Anecdotal evidence to be sure, but of concern nonetheless.

You mean slowing on this thread? Not much space left for OOB, what's there to be enthusiastic about. We are not moving even if DC has to go to Wilson.

The comment above doesn't seem to have much situational awareness - the Hardy dynamic was completely changed with the redirect of Eaton to Hardy. Starting with the class that is now going into 7th, about 1/2 of each class cohort is going to be Hardy going forward. That combined with the increased enrollment from Stoddert and Mann - less from Key, and then Hyde is still in a period of adjustment from their renovation. And there is the impact of Basis, DCI, and the feeder pattern on the Hill (for instance, there used to be a bus from the Hill that would bring a set kids to Hardy)... so there are other options and forces at play. And the total class size was increased.

The parents I know who are talking about Wilson in those ways were likely on a private school or move to the burbs track regardless & this is just the latest talking point....

meant 1/2 of each class at Hardy is Eaton students...

But half of the Eaton class is from out of bounds, not the high SES Eaton district itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that what you want for your 8th grade Hardy scholar, a cakewalk in 9th at Wilson? Not inspiring.

Why is this not a problem for Deal?

It is.

So this will solve the problem of overcrowding at the Deal feeders and at Deal itself, as fewer people fight to get into the Deal pyramid, and now its going to be fine to upzone Ward 3?

Upzoning Ward 3 is a developer ploy led by the current head of the Office of Planning (who will go to work for a developer). There are already over 2500 homes under construction or in the late stage planning process, more than exceeding Mayor "Vision Zero's" goal of 2500 more housing units in the ward by 2025. Upzoning single family residential units isn't going to happen, although Council Member Nadeau and the the developer lobby tried to sneak through a last minute amendment recently without a public process.