Kennedy IB Program - Personal Experience?

[Anonymous]

My child is considering applying to Kennedy IB in addition to RMIB and Blair SMCS. However, the only kids he knows in that program are freshmen this year, which makes their perspective pretty limited.

I know the program is pretty new, but can folks talk about their kids' experience there? What are classes like in 9th and 10th grade? How are the teachers? For kids who have begun their exams last year, did they feel prepared?

Thoughts on the overall school, including extracurriculars and overall environment?

[Anonymous]

there's already a thread (probably yours)

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1086438.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there's already a thread (probably yours)

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1086438.page

That's not my thread, and it has devolved into a discussion of whether RMIB is healthy. I already have an opinion about RMIB for my child, but am looking at Kennedy as its own program, new as a criteria-based program.

[Anonymous]

bump I'd like to know about this as well. Kennedy IB parents - where are you?

[Anonymous]

Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

So it is totally unproven so far, at Kennedy. How many years til the results are visible?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

But Kennedy has had IB program for a number of years, more than 10yrs I believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

But Kennedy has had IB program for a number of years, more than 10yrs I believe.

Wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

But Kennedy has had IB program for a number of years, more than 10yrs I believe.

Wrong.

It is true that Kennedy did already have an IB program for local students for several years, prior to the regional IB program starting there two years ago. All of the regional IB schools were already IB schools before the regional program began.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

How many classes are cohorted? Is freshman English pre-IB or is it regular Honors English? If the latter, is it Honors for All at Kennedy?

[Anonymous]

The classes are all cohorted, although some of the AP classes in 9th and 10th will have AP students. 9th grade was online, but it was my understanding that the class was just the IB 9th graders in English. 10th grade was AP English. 11th grade now and I continue to be impressed with the program and the school's dedication to it.

Ama

[Anonymous]

(I will add that electives, health, tech, and gym aren't cohorted, obviously.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The classes are all cohorted, although some of the AP classes in 9th and 10th will have AP students. 9th grade was online, but it was my understanding that the class was just the IB 9th graders in English. 10th grade was AP English. 11th grade now and I continue to be impressed with the program and the school's dedication to it.

Ama

Thanks, PP. Sounds like your child is in the first cohort to go through the criteria based program. How have you found the overall school? Does the administration communicate well? How are the extracurriculars? If you are not in-bounds for Kennedy anyway, have you found transportation difficult?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kennedy IB Regional Coordinator is fantastic! The program is only 2 years old so students have not entered into the Diploma program yet for feedback on the full program. Students have had great experiences with teachers and as a cohort

But Kennedy has had IB program for a number of years, more than 10yrs I believe.

Wrong.

It is true that Kennedy did already have an IB program for local students for several years, prior to the regional IB program starting there two years ago. All of the regional IB schools were already IB schools before the regional program began.

That is correct so these aren't exactly unproven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The classes are all cohorted, although some of the AP classes in 9th and 10th will have AP students. 9th grade was online, but it was my understanding that the class was just the IB 9th graders in English. 10th grade was AP English. 11th grade now and I continue to be impressed with the program and the school's dedication to it.

Ama

Thanks, PP. Sounds like your child is in the first cohort to go through the criteria based program. How have you found the overall school? Does the administration communicate well? How are the extracurriculars? If you are not in-bounds for Kennedy anyway, have you found transportation difficult?

Yes, in the first cohort. Transportation has been fine, just a longer ride on a less crowded bus. Commute is about an hour door to door. When I drive them (rarely) it's about 20-30 mins.

Extracurriculars are fine, this is the first year they're really doing them due to covid, but the school has several, and they're really desperate for more sports participation. If your child wants to shine, sports-wise, it's probably a good place.

Administration was fantastic last year addressing concerns we had about the return to school. In general, they're responsive, my only real pet peeves is they send everything as pdf documents instead of just pasting it in the email. The school and the kids and the staff all have a lot of heart, and do some pretty amazing things. I have nothing negative to say, and I'm not one to hold back on that front. Well, they're putting in astroturf. I admit, I don't like that. I think the renovations and expansions will be done this spring.

The student body isn't coming with the wealth and associated privilege that other schools in the DCC and the W and RMIB may have. But I've never heard of a fight, or racist graffiti, or any of the other problems some of those schools have encountered these past few years. The English department is running trips to Europe in the summer--theyre going to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest in 2023. Most of my child's classes have about 15 kids in them. I see this as a huge bonus.

The workload is tough. But the classes are engaging. Last year the 10th graders did individual projects, and they could be anything--learning an instrument, painting, researching a topic--and then they presented. They got a semester credit and SSL hours.