Watkins Parents: How pleased are you? How optimistic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is comparing Watkins to Brent apples to apples? I thought Watkins was really big so it 'crowded out' IB kids with tons out OOB kids, whose parents also comprised the parent leadership.

Can someone familiar with the current Watkins explain the number of classes for each grade, how Watkins is right-sizing itself to better accommodate a feed from Peabody, etc? I'd like to know myself.

Disclaimer: I'm not quite sure about this, as I can't find it where I read it, so hopefully someone else will either confirm or correct, but I believe that there are currently four classes in most grades and five classes in a few grades. I also think that the plan is to shrink the number of classrooms as part of the renovations, so that there would be four classes in all five grades. And yes (at least in first grade), there are two sets of two classrooms, with one teacher specializing in math/science and the other in reading/humanities; the kids switch classrooms for a few hours each day.

To all those naysayers, I also note that there are four Classes In each grade at Peabody, so, if Peabody students do indeed go to Watkins, there's no reason why Watkins' size would prevent it from becoming majority inbound.

I further note that the demographics in the neighborhood have changed a lot, even since we bought our inbound house. There are something like 33 inbound families waitlisted for Peabody PS3 this year--those families have to send their kids somewhere.

And the renovations to Watkins will only help attract families.

Now let's hope for a good new principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is comparing Watkins to Brent apples to apples? I thought Watkins was really big so it 'crowded out' IB kids with tons out OOB kids, whose parents also comprised the parent leadership.

Can someone familiar with the current Watkins explain the number of classes for each grade, how Watkins is right-sizing itself to better accommodate a feed from Peabody, etc? I'd like to know myself.

Disclaimer: I'm not quite sure about this, as I can't find it where I read it, so hopefully someone else will either confirm or correct, but I believe that there are currently four classes in most grades and five classes in a few grades. I also think that the plan is to shrink the number of classrooms as part of the renovations, so that there would be four classes in all five grades. And yes (at least in first grade), there are two sets of two classrooms, with one teacher specializing in math/science and the other in reading/humanities; the kids switch classrooms for a few hours each day.

To all those naysayers, I also note that there are four Classes In each grade at Peabody, so, if Peabody students do indeed go to Watkins, there's no reason why Watkins' size would prevent it from becoming majority inbound.

I further note that the demographics in the neighborhood have changed a lot, even since we bought our inbound house. There are something like 33 inbound families waitlisted for Peabody PS3 this year--those families have to send their kids somewhere.

And the renovations to Watkins will only help attract families.

Now let's hope for a good new principal.

39 waitlisted.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

How can that be when my impression of Watkins and the Cluster School wars from 2006 indicate that no one inbounds would ever attend or want to attend Watkins???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

How can that be when my impression of Watkins and the Cluster School wars from 2006 indicate that no one inbounds would ever attend or want to attend Watkins???

Agreed. My impression from 1999 was that Capitol Hill was a war zone and no one in their right mind would want to buy a house there. Parents discussing sending their snowflakes to an inbound school anywhere on the Hill just boggles the mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is comparing Watkins to Brent apples to apples? I thought Watkins was really big so it 'crowded out' IB kids with tons out OOB kids, whose parents also comprised the parent leadership.

Can someone familiar with the current Watkins explain the number of classes for each grade, how Watkins is right-sizing itself to better accommodate a feed from Peabody, etc? I'd like to know myself.

Disclaimer: I'm not quite sure about this, as I can't find it where I read it, so hopefully someone else will either confirm or correct, but I believe that there are currently four classes in most grades and five classes in a few grades. I also think that the plan is to shrink the number of classrooms as part of the renovations, so that there would be four classes in all five grades. And yes (at least in first grade), there are two sets of two classrooms, with one teacher specializing in math/science and the other in reading/humanities; the kids switch classrooms for a few hours each day.

To all those naysayers, I also note that there are four Classes In each grade at Peabody, so, if Peabody students do indeed go to Watkins, there's no reason why Watkins' size would prevent it from becoming majority inbound.

I further note that the demographics in the neighborhood have changed a lot, even since we bought our inbound house. There are something like 33 inbound families waitlisted for Peabody PS3 this year--those families have to send their kids somewhere.

And the renovations to Watkins will only help attract families.

Now let's hope for a good new principal.

I think it's unclear as to whether every grade at Watkins is 4 classes. If they start increasing to 5 in the upper grades, then I'd have to think that would let more OOB kids.

[Anonymous]

As far as discussions of the past go, let's keep in mind that Watkins has had 5 APs in 4 years. Another is leaving this year. The Principal has been demoted. More than 50% of the teaching staff left after the end of the 2013-2014 school; year. Ask yourself why. Talk to parents who have decided not to send their kids there as well as those who have. There are two sides to every story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As far as discussions of the past go, let's keep in mind that Watkins has had 5 APs in 4 years. Another is leaving this year. The Principal has been demoted. More than 50% of the teaching staff left after the end of the 2013-2014 school; year. Ask yourself why. Talk to parents who have decided not to send their kids there as well as those who have. There are two sides to every story.

Are you a parent who decided not to send your kid there? Please tell us your thoughts. This thread has been pretty civil so far. No reason why it can't continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is comparing Watkins to Brent apples to apples? I thought Watkins was really big so it 'crowded out' IB kids with tons out OOB kids, whose parents also comprised the parent leadership.

Can someone familiar with the current Watkins explain the number of classes for each grade, how Watkins is right-sizing itself to better accommodate a feed from Peabody, etc? I'd like to know myself.

Disclaimer: I'm not quite sure about this, as I can't find it where I read it, so hopefully someone else will either confirm or correct, but I believe that there are currently four classes in most grades and five classes in a few grades. I also think that the plan is to shrink the number of classrooms as part of the renovations, so that there would be four classes in all five grades. And yes (at least in first grade), there are two sets of two classrooms, with one teacher specializing in math/science and the other in reading/humanities; the kids switch classrooms for a few hours each day.

To all those naysayers, I also note that there are four Classes In each grade at Peabody, so, if Peabody students do indeed go to Watkins, there's no reason why Watkins' size would prevent it from becoming majority inbound.

I further note that the demographics in the neighborhood have changed a lot, even since we bought our inbound house. There are something like 33 inbound families waitlisted for Peabody PS3 this year--those families have to send their kids somewhere.

And the renovations to Watkins will only help attract families.

Now let's hope for a good new principal.

I think it's unclear as to whether every grade at Watkins is 4 classes. If they start increasing to 5 in the upper grades, then I'd have to think that would let more OOB kids.

So that you're clear. Currently Watkins has four classes at grades 1, 3, and 5. There are 5 classes at grades 2 and 4. Next year, Watkins will have 4 classes at each grade level. There is no plan to increase the number of classes at the upper levels in order to accommodate OOB students. In response to some parents' concerns about class size, the current Watkins administration, under the auspices of Principal Clemens, has been working to decrease student population by limiting the number of available seats on the lottery. The administration has planned for student attrition at grade 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is comparing Watkins to Brent apples to apples? I thought Watkins was really big so it 'crowded out' IB kids with tons out OOB kids, whose parents also comprised the parent leadership.

Can someone familiar with the current Watkins explain the number of classes for each grade, how Watkins is right-sizing itself to better accommodate a feed from Peabody, etc? I'd like to know myself.

Disclaimer: I'm not quite sure about this, as I can't find it where I read it, so hopefully someone else will either confirm or correct, but I believe that there are currently four classes in most grades and five classes in a few grades. I also think that the plan is to shrink the number of classrooms as part of the renovations, so that there would be four classes in all five grades. And yes (at least in first grade), there are two sets of two classrooms, with one teacher specializing in math/science and the other in reading/humanities; the kids switch classrooms for a few hours each day.

To all those naysayers, I also note that there are four Classes In each grade at Peabody, so, if Peabody students do indeed go to Watkins, there's no reason why Watkins' size would prevent it from becoming majority inbound.

I further note that the demographics in the neighborhood have changed a lot, even since we bought our inbound house. There are something like 33 inbound families waitlisted for Peabody PS3 this year--those families have to send their kids somewhere.

And the renovations to Watkins will only help attract families.

Now let's hope for a good new principal.

I think it's unclear as to whether every grade at Watkins is 4 classes. If they start increasing to 5 in the upper grades, then I'd have to think that would let more OOB kids.

If they start increasing to 5 in the upper grades, as in 5th grade so that the student will have feeder rights to SH, it is either good news because Brent/Maury/SWS families are moving for the feed or very bad news, because even more OOB kids will be heading to SH.

Hope the detachment of SH from Cluster leadership will not be a bad thing for SH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is comparing Watkins to Brent apples to apples? I thought Watkins was really big so it 'crowded out' IB kids with tons out OOB kids, whose parents also comprised the parent leadership.

Can someone familiar with the current Watkins explain the number of classes for each grade, how Watkins is right-sizing itself to better accommodate a feed from Peabody, etc? I'd like to know myself.

Disclaimer: I'm not quite sure about this, as I can't find it where I read it, so hopefully someone else will either confirm or correct, but I believe that there are currently four classes in most grades and five classes in a few grades. I also think that the plan is to shrink the number of classrooms as part of the renovations, so that there would be four classes in all five grades. And yes (at least in first grade), there are two sets of two classrooms, with one teacher specializing in math/science and the other in reading/humanities; the kids switch classrooms for a few hours each day.

To all those naysayers, I also note that there are four Classes In each grade at Peabody, so, if Peabody students do indeed go to Watkins, there's no reason why Watkins' size would prevent it from becoming majority inbound.

I further note that the demographics in the neighborhood have changed a lot, even since we bought our inbound house. There are something like 33 inbound families waitlisted for Peabody PS3 this year--those families have to send their kids somewhere.

And the renovations to Watkins will only help attract families.

Now let's hope for a good new principal.

I think it's unclear as to whether every grade at Watkins is 4 classes. If they start increasing to 5 in the upper grades, then I'd have to think that would let more OOB kids.

If they start increasing to 5 in the upper grades, as in 5th grade so that the student will have feeder rights to SH, it is either good news because Brent/Maury/SWS families are moving for the feed or very bad news, because even more OOB kids will be heading to SH.

Hope the detachment of SH from Cluster leadership will not be a bad thing for SH.

If you read post 12:50, sounds like all grades will have four classes, includIng grade 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

How can that be when my impression of Watkins and the Cluster School wars from 2006 indicate that no one inbounds would ever attend or want to attend Watkins???

Im not sure how much wait list numbers prove much. There are 40 waitlisted for my super under perfoming, title 1 school. For all you know, its the 11th choice for folks on the waitlist. They only end up there out of desperation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

How can that be when my impression of Watkins and the Cluster School wars from 2006 indicate that no one inbounds would ever attend or want to attend Watkins???

Agreed. My impression from 1999 was that Capitol Hill was a war zone and no one in their right mind would want to buy a house there. Parents discussing sending their snowflakes to an inbound school anywhere on the Hill just boggles the mind.

Your impression would be inaccurate and uninformed. Sure, parts of what some might consider to be "Capitol Hill" suffered from high crime, particularly those neighborhoods east of Lincoln Park. And yet, other area of the Hill, including those to the west of Lincoln Park and south of Stanton Park, were quite sought after. There are a number of students at our IB elementary school whose parents were themselves raised on the Hill in the 70s-80s. Most attended private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

How can that be when my impression of Watkins and the Cluster School wars from 2006 indicate that no one inbounds would ever attend or want to attend Watkins???

Im not sure how much wait list numbers prove much. There are 40 waitlisted for my super under perfoming, title 1 school. For all you know, its the 11th choice for folks on the waitlist. They only end up there out of desperation.

40 inbound people are waitlisted for your super under performing title 1 school? Which school is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for correcting me -- 39 wait listed proves my point even more.

How can that be when my impression of Watkins and the Cluster School wars from 2006 indicate that no one inbounds would ever attend or want to attend Watkins???

Im not sure how much wait list numbers prove much. There are 40 waitlisted for my super under perfoming, title 1 school. For all you know, its the 11th choice for folks on the waitlist. They only end up there out of desperation.

40 inbound people are waitlisted for your super under performing title 1 school? Which school is this?

Just to be clear, there are ~281 PS3 students wait listed at Peabody, 39 of whom are inbound. I don't think that's the same situation as this posters title 1 school.