Capital City PCS - Middle School

[Anonymous]

Anyone have positive things to share or words of caution re: Capital City PCS Middle and into High School? Based on lottery results the alternative is our DCPS in-bound, Macfarland in 6th grade. We liked our visits at both schools but there were also things that gave us pause at both.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My DC is at Cap City PCS Middle. We've been generally happy.

The good: community is very welcoming and supportive, nice physical plant, engaged teachers. It feels great not to worry about where we'll go for high school. Seniors seem to be get into a range of solid to great colleges.

Not as good: I sometimes think the work could be more challenging/faster paced, particularly in humanities. This may be a partially due to the large number of new english language learners.

Overall, I would recommend.

[Anonymous]

I remember when Cap City was the only charter that gentrified white parents wanted to send their kids to. Been a while!

[Anonymous]

My kids are also in MS at CCPCS and we've been happy there. In addition to what the PP above said, I've been impressed with the after-school activities and field trips, and the school has been responsive and even proactive about special education services, accommodations, and counseling.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! Cap City didn’t emphasize core academics on the tour at all, that was the only weird thing.

[Anonymous]

Cap City is a school that focuses on project-based learning. Students get exposure to a wide variety of projects, activities, speakers. In other words they really get to be kids. However there is only so much time in the day. They reason they didn’t focus on the academics of because they are not there to make sure standardized test metrics are met.

At MacFarland, you’ll get more and more highly qualified, long term teachers because they are moving there to work for a principal that is highly popular. However, DCPS is a test taking machine. Which is sad because the results…let’s just say the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. Dcps will never get to brag about field trips and projects. But if your kid is lucky enough to get placed with the actually effective teachers, they may get a much better more effective learning experience than at cap city.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Cap City is a school that focuses on project-based learning. Students get exposure to a wide variety of projects, activities, speakers. In other words they really get to be kids. However there is only so much time in the day. They reason they didn’t focus on the academics of because they are not there to make sure standardized test metrics are met.

At MacFarland, you’ll get more and more highly qualified, long term teachers because they are moving there to work for a principal that is highly popular. However, DCPS is a test taking machine. Which is sad because the results…let’s just say the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. Dcps will never get to brag about field trips and projects. But if your kid is lucky enough to get placed with the actually effective teachers, they may get a much better more effective learning experience than at cap city.

Good luck!

Thanks! This is a great response. Anyone have insights on how Cap City does with kids above grade level?

[Anonymous]

For Cap City - The High School had a Coca Cola Scholar last year
They typically have a Trachtenberg scholar every other year as well as a collection of 11th graders for the OSSE Scholars Summer Enrichment Program.

[Anonymous]

Really interesting that insiders see Capital City in competition with MacFarland. I wonder if “consumers” see it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really interesting that insiders see Capital City in competition with MacFarland. I wonder if “consumers” see it that way.

There are a number of students at Whittier and Wells who started at either the DCPS or Cap City, and switched, and maybe switched back again. They aren't the typical "consumers" of DCUM but the common theme I hear is that Cap City's academics aren't strong. I do know a number of families who are happy there, and the students I've met in upper grades are doing impressive projects.

[Anonymous]

Bumping to ask for thoughts from anyone with a kid at Cap City MS or HS now or who recently had a Cap City ES student and chose not to stay for MS. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember when Cap City was the only charter that gentrified white parents wanted to send their kids to. Been a while!

Helpful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping to ask for thoughts from anyone with a kid at Cap City MS or HS now or who recently had a Cap City ES student and chose not to stay for MS. Thanks.

We were at Cap City for ES and left before MS. The main reason we left was because of their truly awful COVID response, but also because of the horrible ES Principal.

I have heard good things about the middle school and now that they have a new HOS (the former MS Principal), I am optimistic that it will be an okay choice, but definitely not a risk I would take over our current DCPS middle school. Also PPs are right when they say that Cap City does not prioritize academics. They just don’t. Not at any level. For some, that is a good thing - they have interesting projects and some kids really thrive there. Others might not feel the same.

[Anonymous]

Can you elaborate on the ES Principal issues please and the impact it’s had on the classrooms/learning experience? Thanks for sharing.

[Anonymous]

Cap City is not a large school.
They last at least 2 parents from COVID early in the pandemic.
Their response was more conservative than some families wanted.