Capitol Hill Middle School and High School situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are IB for Van Ness (and have been attending for many years) and are excited for Jefferson. Greg Dohmann is inspiring and the renovation that was just completed is gorgeous. They have a strong robotics team that competes which my older son especially is very excited about. Unsure what our plan for HS is at the moment.

Now that Van Ness is graduating classes, maybe it can be the bridge that eventually gets Brent kids to Jefferson. Van Ness at least has geography working in its favor (its somewhat closer to Jefferson than Brent & since VN isn't on the Hill, parents probably don't have the same psychic trouble thinking of Jefferson as a neighborhood school for them). Also Van Ness parents, by and large, don't have the same $$ as Brent parents and so don't have quite as many options. (I don't mean that in any negative way, just that Brent IB folks almost all have enough $$ that they don't *have* to make Jefferson work even if they strike out in the lottery; that is less true at Van Ness, where there is more economic diversity.)

From the Brent end, parents have watched in-boundary participation decline at Jefferson decline in recent years. Back in 2018, around 15 in-boundary high SES, mostly white families headed to Jefferson. Last year and this year, just a handful. The crux of the problem problem isn't "psychic trouble." The issue is that Jefferson is a tough school catering to students who lack basic academic skills, albeit one in a nicely renovated facility with fine leadership. It's a lot to ask for more than a small number of Brent families to brush aside their concerns about the multi-generational poverty in the big public housing projects in SW that are home to many Jefferson students. If DCPS would only create permanent test-in honors classes in core subjects that would endure regardless, things might change faster than at a snail's pace.

[Anonymous]

Jefferson appears to be stuck at around 2% white. Has been for 4 or 5 years now. Not much more to say.

[Anonymous]

It is true we would have given Jefferson a chance, if there were no other options. But it is also true that I would not be certain my kid would survive there for even a year.

With another option, it's just a risk I'm not willing to take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is true we would have given Jefferson a chance, if there were no other options. But it is also true that I would not be certain my kid would survive there for even a year.

With another option, it's just a risk I'm not willing to take.

You think your child would be MURDERED at Jefferson?! Or your child has severe mental heath issues where you believe they would kill themself if they had to attend that middle school? If the former, that is ridiculous. If the latter, I am sorry about your child's illness but don't think that it is a meaningful data point for the average kid (even the average white/rich kid) who has gone to DC public elementary schools and is considering options for junior high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson appears to be stuck at around 2% white. Has been for 4 or 5 years now. Not much more to say.

There is more to say.

As indicated above, the white kids who do attend Jefferson seem to do extremely well. According to the latest PARCC results, 100% of them met or exceeded expectations in ELA, and 90.9% of them met or exceeded expectations in math.

I know that the sample size is is small, but it's large enough to be publicly reportable. Also, I haven't seen any data to the contrary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson appears to be stuck at around 2% white. Has been for 4 or 5 years now. Not much more to say.

There is more to say.

As indicated above, the white kids who do attend Jefferson seem to do extremely well. According to the latest PARCC results, 100% of them met or exceeded expectations in ELA, and 90.9% of them met or exceeded expectations in math.

I know that the sample size is is small, but it's large enough to be publicly reportable. Also, I haven't seen any data to the contrary.

Come on, the white kids sample size isn't small, it's tiny, in the single digits per grade. I could care less about PARCC results for high SES kids. I don't want my kid, who isn't white, at a school that isn't diverse by any reasonable definition.

A few white kids should come in from the 5th grade Van Ness this year, and another few from Brent, plus a handful of high SES kids of other races. That's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think also there is this mentality among parents that their kid is the brightest, smartest most gifted child DCPS has ever seen. I'd argue the vast majority of kids turn out remarkably average, as do most adults. I don't know if its proximity to wealth or the high achieving nature of DC in general but everyone seems to their their 4 year old is gifted and needs the most academic rigorous school available. I do think there is something to being the star academically at a middle of the road school vs middle of the road at a great school where you don't stand out at all. I'm very "successful" on paper, first generation, attorney, bar admission in 2 states, work at a very desirable fintech and did not go to one remarkable school, if anything went to a pretty poor public school track. What I did have though...was some personality, the ability to network and seek out opportunities, a really diverse friend group and the initiative to just keep going. Several of my college friends went to Sidwell and other private prep schools, none of which have remarkable jobs today. I understand these are anecdotal but they've shaped my perspective on education. There is so much more to education than being at a school that is at an "acceptable" 60% or more rate of white kids or ensuring that your child has every possible advantage and AP class under their belt. From the person that turned out just fine and didn't take one AP class. I hope if you're happy with the quality of life on the hill that you invest in your community and local schools, sometimes it just takes a few and perhaps your kids would be just as happy and well off in the end.

I love your post and I think your advice is solid. Invest in your community and trust that there is growth and value in that experience.

I wouldn’t say being an attorney, with bar admission in 2 states, is successful. That’s the kind of grunt job you take to earn enough money so that your kids can be successful.

[Anonymous]

Is there still a special Spanish class at JEfferson to encourage Tyler Spanish immersion kids to go there? Not Spanish immersion, but higher level than the typical Spanish 1, Spanish 2. I had heard prepandemic that the principal was planning that - wonder if it has worked out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think also there is this mentality among parents that their kid is the brightest, smartest most gifted child DCPS has ever seen. I'd argue the vast majority of kids turn out remarkably average, as do most adults. I don't know if its proximity to wealth or the high achieving nature of DC in general but everyone seems to their their 4 year old is gifted and needs the most academic rigorous school available. I do think there is something to being the star academically at a middle of the road school vs middle of the road at a great school where you don't stand out at all. I'm very "successful" on paper, first generation, attorney, bar admission in 2 states, work at a very desirable fintech and did not go to one remarkable school, if anything went to a pretty poor public school track. What I did have though...was some personality, the ability to network and seek out opportunities, a really diverse friend group and the initiative to just keep going. Several of my college friends went to Sidwell and other private prep schools, none of which have remarkable jobs today. I understand these are anecdotal but they've shaped my perspective on education. There is so much more to education than being at a school that is at an "acceptable" 60% or more rate of white kids or ensuring that your child has every possible advantage and AP class under their belt. From the person that turned out just fine and didn't take one AP class. I hope if you're happy with the quality of life on the hill that you invest in your community and local schools, sometimes it just takes a few and perhaps your kids would be just as happy and well off in the end.

I love your post and I think your advice is solid. Invest in your community and trust that there is growth and value in that experience.

Also love the above comment. I went to two different high schools -- one very working class with very few APs, and one upper middle class with an AP obsession. While many kids at the second school did fine and are professionals, my friends from the first school who got out ended up being much more remarkable -- more professors, artists, musicians, etc. I know more people with phDs from th first school, more people with professional degrees from the second. The smart kids at the first school were more likely to create their own path, th smart kids from the second school more likely to follow their parents oath. I'm not sure what my point is but I've been stewing this over... That maybe this UMC pathway that we create for our kids isnt necessarily giving them the best chance at real success.

[Anonymous]

And also that maybe I don't feel this need to make sure my kids are surrounded by UMC kids in their schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson appears to be stuck at around 2% white. Has been for 4 or 5 years now. Not much more to say.

This is what's called a "racist" and "supremacist" post because it implies something about Black students that makes a school "stuck" if (only?) "2%" Whites attend it. The non-racist version of this might be to point out how all students are doing at Jefferson Academy, maybe pointing out that Jefferson Academy has both Black and White, and some Latino, high achieving students. The anti-racist may add that the reason why from among the students who lag behind most are Black is because they predominantly come from elementary schools that sit in subpar neighborhoods, plagued by poor housing conditions, poor healthcare, community trauma through gun violence, high teacher turn-over, spotty and infrequent public transportation, environmental challenges etc. The anti-racist might also stress that the metrics by which we determine who is highly or not highly proficient are themselves racist, favoring inherently higher ratings for White students.

More directly on the topic: Once you understand all of this - statistically - you will also understand that the above statement is, in addition, irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

^^^ WTH?!? All PP suggested is that it’s inappropriate to say that a school is “stuck” with a low percentage of white kids. PP did not in any way suggest that you should “subject” your child to anything nor did PP “condemn” you for not doing so. The fact that you somehow how read that from the post is bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jefferson appears to be stuck at around 2% white. Has been for 4 or 5 years now. Not much more to say.

This is what's called a "racist" and "supremacist" post because it implies something about Black students that makes a school "stuck" if (only?) "2%" Whites attend it. The non-racist version of this might be to point out how all students are doing at Jefferson Academy, maybe pointing out that Jefferson Academy has both Black and White, and some Latino, high achieving students. The anti-racist may add that the reason why from among the students who lag behind most are Black is because they predominantly come from elementary schools that sit in subpar neighborhoods, plagued by poor housing conditions, poor healthcare, community trauma through gun violence, high teacher turn-over, spotty and infrequent public transportation, environmental challenges etc. The anti-racist might also stress that the metrics by which we determine who is highly or not highly proficient are themselves racist, favoring inherently higher ratings for White students.

More directly on the topic: Once you understand all of this - statistically - you will also understand that the above statement is, in addition, irrelevant.

Very unreasonable accusation in view of the fact that the catchment area for Jefferson academy is majority white/high SES while the school's student body remains overwhelmingly AA/low SES.

It's unfair to blame Jefferson's fine leadership for the absurd racial imbalance in light of neighborhood demographics. As long as DCPS doesn't bother to incentivize neighborhood parents to enroll by offering what they're looking for in a MS, chiefly appropriate academics, nothing much can change. It's much easier for DCPS leaders to accuse parents of racism, like the poster above, than to create a range of bona fide honors classes to attract high SES families.

If Jefferson offered a full range of honors classes AND led to an appealing high school, I'd enroll my white kid in a minute. It doesn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ WTH?!? All PP suggested is that it’s inappropriate to say that a school is “stuck” with a low percentage of white kids. PP did not in any way suggest that you should “subject” your child to anything nor did PP “condemn” you for not doing so. The fact that you somehow how read that from the post is bizarre.

Ok

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And also that maybe I don't feel this need to make sure my kids are surrounded by UMC kids in their schools.

DP. I don’t feel that way either - but you’re deceiving yourself if you think schools like Eastern or Anacostia High are your feasible alternatives.