Startling Creative Minds Vacancies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cause for concern in the FAR report that just came out from DCPCSB.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Creative%20Minds%20International%20PCS_FAR.pdf

This is super concerning. I don’t understand why they’re not on probation. The only reason they have mediocre scores is due to the significant number of wealthy students that attend. Ludicrous that anyone would send their kid there over any DCPS in Petworth (assuming most folks live in Petworth from what I hear).

Its a good thing they built a 300k playground.

There is no way this school should still be open. They need to be put on probation this school year. Let KIPP take over. Or maybe MV can take over that location in lieu of Brookland.

I'm not saying CMI should close, but they should reconsider their middle school, create a feed with ITS or someone, and open more elementary/ECE instead. I also took a look at Harmony and City Arts and Prep-- two schools DCUM has IDed at struggling, and their financials are remarkably better than CMI

City Arts' problems are something other than financial. Harmony is looking pretty bad. They're not as deep in debt as CMI, but they're a much, much smaller school and unable to attract students. I suspect the parent company is propping them up. But it's probably time to call it, and poor Langley will have to take in the kids.

I feel bad for sweet little Langley. Parents, teachers and admin have worked their tails off, and now Seaton is opening a new Kindergarten and has seats available. It's going to kill any rising K momentum they had going

I know I'm contributing to the tangent here, but I think this is a little off (and mean spirited). I don't think Langley's rising K momentum will be that great (mostly bc i know most of the bloomingdale/eckington families with a kid that age, and they are all happily situated at charters, another DCPS or have moved and I don't see anyone coming back to Langley), but I don't think it's related to Seaton, and the Seaton vs. Langley dynamic is off. (I am a Seaton family btw and we love it. It's such a gem. Mostly bc it was already a successful school before UMC families started enrolling -- Seaton has been serving middle class and working class families VERY well, as evidenced by the test scores -- there are zero "gentrifiers" in the testing grades, but the scores are really quite good.)

I do think Langley will be successful very soon -- there are so many baby people who paid $1 million to move to bloomingdale within the last couple of years. They are not moving. The wave is coming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cause for concern in the FAR report that just came out from DCPCSB.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Creative%20Minds%20International%20PCS_FAR.pdf

This is super concerning. I don’t understand why they’re not on probation. The only reason they have mediocre scores is due to the significant number of wealthy students that attend. Ludicrous that anyone would send their kid there over any DCPS in Petworth (assuming most folks live in Petworth from what I hear).

Its a good thing they built a 300k playground.

There is no way this school should still be open. They need to be put on probation this school year. Let KIPP take over. Or maybe MV can take over that location in lieu of Brookland.

I'm not saying CMI should close, but they should reconsider their middle school, create a feed with ITS or someone, and open more elementary/ECE instead. I also took a look at Harmony and City Arts and Prep-- two schools DCUM has IDed at struggling, and their financials are remarkably better than CMI

City Arts' problems are something other than financial. Harmony is looking pretty bad. They're not as deep in debt as CMI, but they're a much, much smaller school and unable to attract students. I suspect the parent company is propping them up. But it's probably time to call it, and poor Langley will have to take in the kids.

I feel bad for sweet little Langley. Parents, teachers and admin have worked their tails off, and now Seaton is opening a new Kindergarten and has seats available. It's going to kill any rising K momentum they had going

I know I'm contributing to the tangent here, but I think this is a little off (and mean spirited). I don't think Langley's rising K momentum will be that great (mostly bc i know most of the bloomingdale/eckington families with a kid that age, and they are all happily situated at charters, another DCPS or have moved and I don't see anyone coming back to Langley), but I don't think it's related to Seaton, and the Seaton vs. Langley dynamic is off. (I am a Seaton family btw and we love it. It's such a gem. Mostly bc it was already a successful school before UMC families started enrolling -- Seaton has been serving middle class and working class families VERY well, as evidenced by the test scores -- there are zero "gentrifiers" in the testing grades, but the scores are really quite good.)

I do think Langley will be successful very soon -- there are so many baby people who paid $1 million to move to bloomingdale within the last couple of years. They are not moving. The wave is coming.

Langley will get there. But the new Mundo will take a bite out of all nearby schools in the year it opens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cause for concern in the FAR report that just came out from DCPCSB.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Creative%20Minds%20International%20PCS_FAR.pdf

This is super concerning. I don’t understand why they’re not on probation. The only reason they have mediocre scores is due to the significant number of wealthy students that attend. Ludicrous that anyone would send their kid there over any DCPS in Petworth (assuming most folks live in Petworth from what I hear).

Its a good thing they built a 300k playground.

There is no way this school should still be open. They need to be put on probation this school year. Let KIPP take over. Or maybe MV can take over that location in lieu of Brookland.

I'm not saying CMI should close, but they should reconsider their middle school, create a feed with ITS or someone, and open more elementary/ECE instead. I also took a look at Harmony and City Arts and Prep-- two schools DCUM has IDed at struggling, and their financials are remarkably better than CMI

City Arts' problems are something other than financial. Harmony is looking pretty bad. They're not as deep in debt as CMI, but they're a much, much smaller school and unable to attract students. I suspect the parent company is propping them up. But it's probably time to call it, and poor Langley will have to take in the kids.

I feel bad for sweet little Langley. Parents, teachers and admin have worked their tails off, and now Seaton is opening a new Kindergarten and has seats available. It's going to kill any rising K momentum they had going

I know I'm contributing to the tangent here, but I think this is a little off (and mean spirited). I don't think Langley's rising K momentum will be that great (mostly bc i know most of the bloomingdale/eckington families with a kid that age, and they are all happily situated at charters, another DCPS or have moved and I don't see anyone coming back to Langley), but I don't think it's related to Seaton, and the Seaton vs. Langley dynamic is off. (I am a Seaton family btw and we love it. It's such a gem. Mostly bc it was already a successful school before UMC families started enrolling -- Seaton has been serving middle class and working class families VERY well, as evidenced by the test scores -- there are zero "gentrifiers" in the testing grades, but the scores are really quite good.)

I do think Langley will be successful very soon -- there are so many baby people who paid $1 million to move to bloomingdale within the last couple of years. They are not moving. The wave is coming.

At Langley we do have a few people leave for Seaton. And a few people choose it for PK3 if they get in. Proximity to the Shaw metro is a big deal. And there are some Bloomingdale families who have an older child at Seaton from back when Seaton was their IB, so of course they would keep their kids together. That effect is fading now.

Seaton parents in their mentoring and the example they set have done a lot for Langley.

[Anonymous]

Start another Langley thread already!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Start another Langley thread already!!!

You know you love it!

[Anonymous]

Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

Basically, what are they going to cut to pay it off? Parents should insist on knowing.

[Anonymous]

CMI is a mess in multiple ways and this financial report should be setting off alarm bells.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

There is oversight. That is literally what these reports are - the result of oversight activities. There are limits to how much debt is allowed and monitoring of cash flow and contracts.

CMIs Board now needs to act, or not. Same for their academic performance.

When is the CMI charter up for review/renewal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

There is oversight. That is literally what these reports are - the result of oversight activities. There are limits to how much debt is allowed and monitoring of cash flow and contracts.

CMIs Board now needs to act, or not. Same for their academic performance.

When is the CMI charter up for review/renewal?

It's only meaningful oversight if the board or DCPCSB actually does something. Just reporting that there's a deficit is not enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

Basically, what are they going to cut to pay it off? Parents should insist on knowing.

They will probably just add more students per class? Or do more to attract kids to the middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

There is oversight. That is literally what these reports are - the result of oversight activities. There are limits to how much debt is allowed and monitoring of cash flow and contracts.

CMIs Board now needs to act, or not. Same for their academic performance.

When is the CMI charter up for review/renewal?

It's only meaningful oversight if the board or DCPCSB actually does something. Just reporting that there's a deficit is not enough.

What they can do is defined by the charter law and very limited. They can issue "notices of concern" and require additional reports, and of course they can decline to renew the charter when it is next up for review. They can literally only revoke a charter when a school runs out of money (like Washington Math Science recently) or after failing to achieve academic targets.

[Anonymous]

If I were CMI or CFA leadership I'd recommend approaching the developers expected to bid for the AFRH redevelopment and figure out how to be a part of their public interest conveyance/public benefit plan. That may result in a longer ground lease, but maybe then they can have the developer cover all building update costs. Does CMI use Building Hope or one of those "property" charter companies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on the amoutn of debt CMI has, I dpnt understand how they pay it off. Yes, they recieve tas dollars for students but is that nearly enough to cover the debt servce and salaries and growth of the middle school. I alraedy know their teachers arent paid nearly enough. I honestly don't understand why there isnt more oversight from the charter board on spending at schools. I know they are "independent" but clearly they need a better CFO!

There is oversight. That is literally what these reports are - the result of oversight activities. There are limits to how much debt is allowed and monitoring of cash flow and contracts.

CMIs Board now needs to act, or not. Same for their academic performance.

When is the CMI charter up for review/renewal?

It's only meaningful oversight if the board or DCPCSB actually does something. Just reporting that there's a deficit is not enough.

What they can do is defined by the charter law and very limited. They can issue "notices of concern" and require additional reports, and of course they can decline to renew the charter when it is next up for review. They can literally only revoke a charter when a school runs out of money (like Washington Math Science recently) or after failing to achieve academic targets.

But they can still apply pressure and ask for answers, even if their legal remedies are limited. Seems like they are content to let schools crash and burn.

[Anonymous]

CMI reaching 8th grade this year should help the finances, e.g., the specials teachers for upper elementary and middle only taught up to 7th grade last year but will teach up to 8th grade this year. Additionally, this year begins the graduation of grades with only 2 classes and the grades with 3 classes will soon begin reaching upper elementary and then middle which should also help financially.