DCI middle school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bullshit. the administration has engaged with families and continues to do so. stop your whinging. Your kids don't go there yet.

Yes, and we are trying to determine if our kids WILL go there.

DC is currently in 4th grade feeder. Along with a couple other families I know, we played the Latin lottery. Yeah, yeah, I know. Our chances without sibling preference is are 1:1000. However, I think it speaks volumes when several families who were initially excited about DCI are currently looking to jump ship in the 5th grade. Husband and I have not figured out what we will do for 6th grade if don't get excepted into Latin. We will probably try for Latin again in the 1:3000 chance and then resign ourselves to 6th grade DCI. If DCI is as bad as we predict based on these boards, and lack of better information from DCI proper, DC will begin the process of 7th grade private school applications. No, we are not moving to the suburbs, for what we can afford the schools in PGCO and MOCO are not much better with larger class sizes. And, FFX and Loudon is just too damn far. SMH

It's funny, but based on what I read on these boards I come away thinking that DCI sounds pretty great, with some things that need working out, like any new school. Just to show that evidence can be read (and filtered) in different ways by different people.

Agree with the above. We are excited about DCI and confident it will be a great school. Kids are K and 2, though, so there's less urgency for us than 4th and 5th grade parents.

This is exactly right. Those of us whose kids will be the 'bleeding edge' students at DCI probably are less patient. Also many of us (and our children) were toward the bleeding edge of our elementary. So maybe we are tired - and know just how long it can take to work through new school/startup issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I, too, am concerned about DCI' s focus on technology (which does not appear evidence-based). In fact, there is some evidence that suggests that the best way to learn is to read a real book and to handwrite real notes. My DC is at a feeder school and we were initially excited because of the possibility to continue a bilingual education and attend an IB school. We will wait and see how DCI handles parents' valid concerns.

I agree with this. We may not choose to go there based on the focus on technology for the above reasons. We are going to wait and see. Heavy reliance on tech hinders learning, is inappropriate, and frankly, unimaginative in my option. There is more and more research that the best way to learn is reading real books (you process differently than on a screen) and actual handwriting. Search the New York Times archives for articles on this. I see this as a misguided attempt similar to the attempt to widely distribute laptops in Africa, a program (with very different objectives) that failed miserably, but was supported by the tech industry with misaligned objectives with the communities.

By the way, a few DCI parents have weighed in that their kids do most of the reading on paper--either buying books, getting them from the library, or printing out materials. Handwriting is another story altogether, as many schools nationwide, not just the tech-heavy ones, are opting to teach keyboarding versus cursive.

Parents may have weighed in on this; however, it's burdonsome to place that responsibility on parents. Going out and getting textbooks or other books whenever they come up in a lesson plan is impractical and inappropriate, not to mention out of reach for parents on a budget or disadvantaged. The school needs to step away from the computer screen literally and put the funds back into buying hard copy material. This bandwagon for tech and no handwriting instruction is theoretical, untested and unhealthy.

[Anonymous]

Just out of curiosity, do the kids get to keep the Chromebooks when they graduate from DCI?

[Anonymous]

I am dismayed to hear that the administration is not engaging more with prospective parents to address their concerns. I think that it is reasonable and appropriate for parents to have questions about an approach that is so new. Aside from tech issue, has the administration been responsive to other concerns parent have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bullshit. the administration has engaged with families and continues to do so. stop your whinging. Your kids don't go there yet.

Yes, and we are trying to determine if our kids WILL go there.

DC is currently in 4th grade feeder. Along with a couple other families I know, we played the Latin lottery. Yeah, yeah, I know. Our chances without sibling preference is are 1:1000. However, I think it speaks volumes when several families who were initially excited about DCI are currently looking to jump ship in the 5th grade. Husband and I have not figured out what we will do for 6th grade if don't get excepted into Latin. We will probably try for Latin again in the 1:3000 chance and then resign ourselves to 6th grade DCI. If DCI is as bad as we predict based on these boards, and lack of better information from DCI proper, DC will begin the process of 7th grade private school applications. No, we are not moving to the suburbs, for what we can afford the schools in PGCO and MOCO are not much better with larger class sizes. And, FFX and Loudon is just too damn far. SMH

It's funny, but based on what I read on these boards I come away thinking that DCI sounds pretty great, with some things that need working out, like any new school. Just to show that evidence can be read (and filtered) in different ways by different people.

I bet your kid is younger. it's great to have this feeling when you understand that your child will benefit from the experimentation of the older children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bullshit. the administration has engaged with families and continues to do so. stop your whinging. Your kids don't go there yet.

Yes, and we are trying to determine if our kids WILL go there.

DC is currently in 4th grade feeder. Along with a couple other families I know, we played the Latin lottery. Yeah, yeah, I know. Our chances without sibling preference is are 1:1000. However, I think it speaks volumes when several families who were initially excited about DCI are currently looking to jump ship in the 5th grade. Husband and I have not figured out what we will do for 6th grade if don't get excepted into Latin. We will probably try for Latin again in the 1:3000 chance and then resign ourselves to 6th grade DCI. If DCI is as bad as we predict based on these boards, and lack of better information from DCI proper, DC will begin the process of 7th grade private school applications. No, we are not moving to the suburbs, for what we can afford the schools in PGCO and MOCO are not much better with larger class sizes. And, FFX and Loudon is just too damn far. SMH

It's funny, but based on what I read on these boards I come away thinking that DCI sounds pretty great, with some things that need working out, like any new school. Just to show that evidence can be read (and filtered) in different ways by different people.

I bet your kid is younger. it's great to have this feeling when you understand that your child will benefit from the experimentation of the older children.

Not PP, but yes, we are well aware of and grateful for the hard work that goes into being the early families at any new school.

[Anonymous]

well the good part for the first families is DCI was there when they needed it! Think of all the previous families from the feeders who had nowhere to go before it existed. Be thankful for what you get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:well the good part for the first families is DCI was there when they needed it! Think of all the previous families from the feeders who had nowhere to go before it existed. Be thankful for what you get.

What an idiotic statement. Why are you not thankful for your IB school if you are interested in just anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:well the good part for the first families is DCI was there when they needed it! Think of all the previous families from the feeders who had nowhere to go before it existed. Be thankful for what you get.

What an idiotic statement. Why are you not thankful for your IB school if you are interested in just anything.

This. Be glad for whatever slop they give you... NOT! We want better for our kids and there's no reason DCI can't engage concerned parents.

[Anonymous]

My feeder-school 5th grader and our whole family (younger sibs included) are thrilled and excited. This comes pretty close to what we think of as a dream school: diverse, mulit-lingual, urban, high-technology, and IB. The only thing I can think to add would be Division competitive sports teams, but maybe that will come in time We've had no issues engaging with the school both as a family or with our DC as an up-and-coming student. So many of the things being said on this thread are simply not based in fact or reality. And then there are other things that are not substantiated by logical or scientific reasoning, but I won't try to go there.

The bottom line: if your gut says "technology is bad" then this might not be the school for you because technology is partially used in all classes. But please don't torpedo this for the rest of us who have dreamed of this type of thing and truly crave this type of environment. Remember, it's "school choice" not "I'm in a great HRCS so I'm entitled to have everything MY way forever."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My feeder-school 5th grader and our whole family (younger sibs included) are thrilled and excited. This comes pretty close to what we think of as a dream school: diverse, mulit-lingual, urban, high-technology, and IB. The only thing I can think to add would be Division competitive sports teams, but maybe that will come in time We've had no issues engaging with the school both as a family or with our DC as an up-and-coming student. So many of the things being said on this thread are simply not based in fact or reality. And then there are other things that are not substantiated by logical or scientific reasoning, but I won't try to go there.

The bottom line: if your gut says "technology is bad" then this might not be the school for you because technology is partially used in all classes. But please don't torpedo this for the rest of us who have dreamed of this type of thing and truly crave this type of environment. Remember, it's "school choice" not "I'm in a great HRCS so I'm entitled to have everything MY way forever."

I think the correct term is School Chance.

[Anonymous]

Well, I am happy that DCI is a good fit for your family and I agree that families have other options. Still, there are many families in feeder schools who have concerns about DCI. I think many families still don't have a clear understanding of what DCI is doing in terms of their plan and approach. That is a problem and one the school doesn't seem to be addressing. Probably one reason why the DCI threads are so active.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My feeder-school 5th grader and our whole family (younger sibs included) are thrilled and excited. This comes pretty close to what we think of as a dream school: diverse, mulit-lingual, urban, high-technology, and IB. The only thing I can think to add would be Division competitive sports teams, but maybe that will come in time We've had no issues engaging with the school both as a family or with our DC as an up-and-coming student. So many of the things being said on this thread are simply not based in fact or reality. And then there are other things that are not substantiated by logical or scientific reasoning, but I won't try to go there.

The bottom line: if your gut says "technology is bad" then this might not be the school for you because technology is partially used in all classes. But please don't torpedo this for the rest of us who have dreamed of this type of thing and truly crave this type of environment. Remember, it's "school choice" not "I'm in a great HRCS so I'm entitled to have everything MY way forever."

This post might make sense if ANYONE in this entire thread (or any other DCI thread) *actually* said "technology is bad".

But since literally no one has said that... not sure who you're responding to.

[Anonymous]

Combining 2 previous posts:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with 14:21. There is research to suggest kids learn or process information differently when using a computer. There is research showing screen time at night affects sleeping patterns. I have not followed research re: radiation exposure so I can't really comment. Just wanted to stress that screen time has and is being studied. l
Not to say that computers can't help kids learn or that kids shouldn't be exposed to technology but there needs to be balance. Schools should use existing research to guide how they use computers.

^Information is received and retained better when reading a hard copy book, not a screen. We don't know the longterm of kids all learning on computers because they are the guinea pigs. I don't want to learn when it's too late that my child should've been limited on the computer. Why is this so hard for DCI boosters to understand?

Yes yes and yes. These are the concerns, and it's going to take those of us in line to go but concerned a lot of engagement of DCI staff to find that balance. I haven't given up that it's possible, but experience from info sessions so far shows it's going to take a lot more engagement.