What are the thoughts on Maury Elementary??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:oh, how i wanted to avoid DCUM and this f*ckery. but i am just amazed at the stupidity coming from people who DON'T send their kids to Maury or who once-upon-a-time lived in the city. schools and neighborhoods are not static. there has been a sea-change just in the last 5 years at Maury. I'm a first-time poster here, but I have a kid going into 1st grade at Maury. We've been there since PS3, live IB and wouldn't even consider another school. sure, there are some teachers we hope we don't get (or are glad we didn't), but for the most part, we have a great, responsive principal who has made some amazing hires each year. We have a supportive community of parents (where we've made lasting friendships). We've had lots of new construction so the playground will be brand=new this year and we're getting new fencing (facilities matter). My kiddo loves school and is learning way more than I ever did at his age. If you don't know what you are talking about (i.e., aren't at Maury), please stop talking about it.

as for MS, it's a problem everywhere since time began. kids survive.

Hi neighbor. You are new to DCUM and so you fail to realize that it is about sending your little snowflake to the BEST SCHOOL EVER - rapidly improving, entirely decent, adorable neighborhood school? Not sufficient for little Beckett and Morgan!! they must have the superior school, not just a really good one that happens to be two blocks away. Especially if it has black people in it.

Anyway, what do you think about Ninella?

[Anonymous]

That was a short lived pleasure of a meaningful discussion... now that Word Salad caught on and the chick from the suburbs who somehow needs to check in here for validation (don't you think you could afford a bit of therapy now?), oh and a Basis booster... too bad. DCUM could be good, really.

[Anonymous]

Excellent idea moving to the suburbs then.

I HATE this sort of thinking. The Maury families I'd most like to see stay for ms, with the most able students, are the ones most likely to be encouraged to leave. Hello, you can have diversity and strong academics, suburban style with honors classes, test-in programs, whatever. You don't have to insist on forms of diversity (read mostly low-income kids from other neighborhoods and a few others) that drive out most of your highest-achieving families, helping explain why SH and EH aren't good schools.

I can't see a neighborhood MS program acceptable to most high-SES families on the horizon, even for the current preschool and prek Maury kids. It's too late, distant charters have already won, whatever their shortcomings.

[Anonymous]

The families with middle school now had very different demographics in PK and K at places like Maury and Brent. Those are families got into Brent and Maury with little problem - now even in boundary kids are waitlisted. Right now Latin and Basis are adequately filling the gap, but two schools are not a long-term strategy and I think the current 1st and 2nd grade families, whether they stay, and what the middle school options will be for them will be the real test.

[Anonymous]

Ah, the whining is unbearable! What do you think the likes of me, with somewhat older children, did when you all were changing diapers? We made it work. Hey, you're looking at the result! What do you think is going to happen to the middle schools? You can decry that undertaking as the work of a few do-godders who threw their children to the lions; and that no less than perfect will do for you. But please spare us the whining and get to work.

And please take the time to visit Stuart-Hobson, Eliot-Hine, and Jefferson, often. By the way, Stuart-Hobson has honors tracks if that is your main concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ah, the whining is unbearable! What do you think the likes of me, with somewhat older children, did when you all were changing diapers? We made it work. Hey, you're looking at the result! What do you think is going to happen to the middle schools? You can decry that undertaking as the work of a few do-godders who threw their children to the lions; and that no less than perfect will do for you. But please spare us the whining and get to work.

And please take the time to visit Stuart-Hobson, Eliot-Hine, and Jefferson, often. By the way, Stuart-Hobson has honors tracks if that is your main concern.

+1 Thanks for saying it!

[Anonymous]

NP here. My concern is a combo of both honors tracks (which S-H barely has) and the current group of rough students there. I don't care if they are OOB, but I do care when they hang out and play fight in front of my house and yell at my elementary age daughter. These students have no respect for authority and have no problem being threatening to younger students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we define "fix"?

We can only speak in relative terms about what it would take to "fix" the MS problem Maury faces (and Brent and Tyler SI). While many, perhaps most, middle-class Hill parents will be satisfied to head to Latin or BASIS, or to see SH and EH improve a bit, lots of others won't. The fix I'm looking for seems out or reach for a couple decades.

I'm not enamored of Latin's social promotion, lack of tracking (kids who fail the DC-CAS in all the same classes as kids able to do college level work in MS, and weak STEM curriculum. I'm equally unimpressed with the BASIS population pyramid (125 5th graders whittled down to 3 dozen 12th graders as an aim of the program) weak facilities, cramped quarters and meager athletics. SH seems to be going downhill, and EH seems to be going nowhere. I can afford a private, but don't want the accompanying cocoon world. I want MoCo or Fairfax level test-in academic programs, and extra-curriculars, meaning I'll move, renting out my house until the day I can return as an empty-nester.

The rub is that my oldest kid just finished Pres3. You don't need to have a 1st grader to see the writing on the wall, at least if you're not all fired up about "diversity" (we could care less, simply wanting stellar academics and sports for high-energy kids).

the real rub is that you have absolutely no idea what abilities your 4 year old will have or what will be a suitable learning environment. You might like to project, and your projections may be realized, but a child that age is too young to determine a need for strong STEM curriculum or college level work in MS. Kids develop differently, some have special needs not aparent at 3-4 years of age. I suspect your the same incessant poster about G&T on any DCPS board on this site (of course I could be wrong).

Let's not forget that Fairfax treat 15% of school population as "gifted" so there's that too. Good luck in the burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we define "fix"?

We can only speak in relative terms about what it would take to "fix" the MS problem Maury faces (and Brent and Tyler SI). While many, perhaps most, middle-class Hill parents will be satisfied to head to Latin or BASIS, or to see SH and EH improve a bit, lots of others won't. The fix I'm looking for seems out or reach for a couple decades.

I'm not enamored of Latin's social promotion, lack of tracking (kids who fail the DC-CAS in all the same classes as kids able to do college level work in MS, and weak STEM curriculum. I'm equally unimpressed with the BASIS population pyramid (125 5th graders whittled down to 3 dozen 12th graders as an aim of the program) weak facilities, cramped quarters and meager athletics. SH seems to be going downhill, and EH seems to be going nowhere. I can afford a private, but don't want the accompanying cocoon world. I want MoCo or Fairfax level test-in academic programs, and extra-curriculars, meaning I'll move, renting out my house until the day I can return as an empty-nester.

The rub is that my oldest kid just finished Pres3. You don't need to have a 1st grader to see the writing on the wall, at least if you're not all fired up about "diversity" (we could care less, simply wanting stellar academics and sports for high-energy kids).

the real rub is that you have absolutely no idea what abilities your 4 year old will have or what will be a suitable learning environment. You might like to project, and your projections may be realized, but a child that age is too young to determine a need for strong STEM curriculum or college level work in MS. Kids develop differently, some have special needs not aparent at 3-4 years of age. I suspect your the same incessant poster about G&T on any DCPS board on this site (of course I could be wrong).

Let's not forget that Fairfax treat 15% of school population as "gifted" so there's that too. Good luck in the burbs.

PP^^

let me correct myself before you do it "you're" not your

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we define "fix"?

We can only speak in relative terms about what it would take to "fix" the MS problem Maury faces (and Brent and Tyler SI). While many, perhaps most, middle-class Hill parents will be satisfied to head to Latin or BASIS, or to see SH and EH improve a bit, lots of others won't. The fix I'm looking for seems out or reach for a couple decades.

I'm not enamored of Latin's social promotion, lack of tracking (kids who fail the DC-CAS in all the same classes as kids able to do college level work in MS, and weak STEM curriculum. I'm equally unimpressed with the BASIS population pyramid (125 5th graders whittled down to 3 dozen 12th graders as an aim of the program) weak facilities, cramped quarters and meager athletics. SH seems to be going downhill, and EH seems to be going nowhere. I can afford a private, but don't want the accompanying cocoon world. I want MoCo or Fairfax level test-in academic programs, and extra-curriculars, meaning I'll move, renting out my house until the day I can return as an empty-nester.

The rub is that my oldest kid just finished Pres3. You don't need to have a 1st grader to see the writing on the wall, at least if you're not all fired up about "diversity" (we could care less, simply wanting stellar academics and sports for high-energy kids).

the real rub is that you have absolutely no idea what abilities your 4 year old will have or what will be a suitable learning environment. You might like to project, and your projections may be realized, but a child that age is too young to determine a need for strong STEM curriculum or college level work in MS. Kids develop differently, some have special needs not aparent at 3-4 years of age. I suspect your the same incessant poster about G&T on any DCPS board on this site (of course I could be wrong).

Let's not forget that Fairfax treat 15% of school population as "gifted" so there's that too. Good luck in the burbs.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am familiar with Brent and JKLMM schools. I don't think it is laughable to consider them similar. There are differences, mostly related to middle schools, but they both are able to produce well prepared kids. Kids from Brent go on to St Anselm's, Latin, BASIS, Cap Hill Day School and others and they make the honor roll from day one. There are differences in the culture and climate and community surrounding these schools, and some may like one over the other. I'd be interested in hearing the PP's rationale for using such strong language to describe why Brent is not comparable to JKLMM.

Some JKLM types are having trouble dealing with the fact that Brent's demographics and academics will soon be comparable to theirs, right downtown, in the hip zone, despite the problem MS feeder. Maury will struggle a bit to compare, even in 5 years, because its school district has bigger pockets of poverty. The irony is that not only is Brent poised to become a branch of JKLM EotP, it's veering toward WotP crowding.

Sweetie, that part of Capitol hill is not hip. Nor is it downtown. It's a staid, long-gentrified area (by gay childless guys, know your 1980s history) that is close to the central biz district -- but no closer than, say, Woolley park is to the opposite end of downtown.

This said, Brent is putting up numbers as solid as most JKLM schools. Sounds like a great little school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we define "fix"?

We can only speak in relative terms about what it would take to "fix" the MS problem Maury faces (and Brent and Tyler SI). While many, perhaps most, middle-class Hill parents will be satisfied to head to Latin or BASIS, or to see SH and EH improve a bit, lots of others won't. The fix I'm looking for seems out or reach for a couple decades.

I'm not enamored of Latin's social promotion, lack of tracking (kids who fail the DC-CAS in all the same classes as kids able to do college level work in MS, and weak STEM curriculum. I'm equally unimpressed with the BASIS population pyramid (125 5th graders whittled down to 3 dozen 12th graders as an aim of the program) weak facilities, cramped quarters and meager athletics. SH seems to be going downhill, and EH seems to be going nowhere. I can afford a private, but don't want the accompanying cocoon world. I want MoCo or Fairfax level test-in academic programs, and extra-curriculars, meaning I'll move, renting out my house until the day I can return as an empty-nester.

The rub is that my oldest kid just finished Pres3. You don't need to have a 1st grader to see the writing on the wall, at least if you're not all fired up about "diversity" (we could care less, simply wanting stellar academics and sports for high-energy kids).

You're reasoning is meaningless to families who really want to stay on the Hill. You probably should have moved before the kids were born.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ah, the whining is unbearable! What do you think the likes of me, with somewhat older children, did when you all were changing diapers? We made it work. Hey, you're looking at the result! What do you think is going to happen to the middle schools? You can decry that undertaking as the work of a few do-godders who threw their children to the lions; and that no less than perfect will do for you. But please spare us the whining and get to work.

And please take the time to visit Stuart-Hobson, Eliot-Hine, and Jefferson, often. By the way, Stuart-Hobson has honors tracks if that is your main concern.

SH Has an honors track? Since when? Last time I checked they offered 8th grade algebra to some kids and not others and that was it. DCPS was even talking about cutting their Spanish teachers when the new budget was rolled out in the spring. I don't know if this is still true.

No matter what SH is offering, Maury graduates can't necessarily attend of course.

[Anonymous]

The Cluster principal announced that next year SH will have...

- Honors courses at every grade level in Math, Science, Social Studies and English

- Spanish for all students culminating in one HS credit

- Renzulli School Wide Enrichment model for gifted and talented students

- Pre-Algebra for all 7th graders and Algebra for all 8th graders resulting in one HS credit

- 9th grade World History and Biology for those 8th students wishing to experience the rigor of a HS offering. (No HS credit offered)



I think the Spanish will be PTA-funded after school.

[Anonymous]

DC-CAS scores out and Maury's proficiency rates are up almost 29% in reading and more than 19% in math, by far the biggest gains system wide. Go, Maury for attracting a critical mass of neighborhood kids to 3rd grade.