Peabody or Lee Montessori (East End) for Kinder?

[Anonymous]

Looking for some insight. My kiddo has been at Lee for two years; however, we matched at Peabody but am struggling with the lack of family engagement. I’ve received two emails from them since we matched. Not sure how kinder will help with high academic achievement in kinder between Montessori or traditional schools.

Can you all share pros and cons of both schools? TIA!

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't expect a ton of family engagement at most DCPS for a late-in-the-game lottery-matched but not accepted family -- especially at a school like Peabody that doesn't need to worry about filling its available slots.

Certainly you aren't going to be happy at Watkins (where Peabody feeds to for 1st) if you're expecting hand-holding.

[Anonymous]

Stay at Lee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't expect a ton of family engagement at most DCPS for a late-in-the-game lottery-matched but not accepted family -- especially at a school like Peabody that doesn't need to worry about filling its available slots.

Certainly you aren't going to be happy at Watkins (where Peabody feeds to for 1st) if you're expecting hand-holding.

It wasn’t a late in the game lottery seat. Kiddo matched in the first round in April. Also, I’ve seen family engagement at schools like Chisholm and Peabody pales in comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay at Lee.

+1 we are a current family and the administrative changes last year were a breath of fresh air. The school seems to have made it beyond the early growing pains of expansion and we are very excited to return. The communication from the new principal is very professional and encouraging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't expect a ton of family engagement at most DCPS for a late-in-the-game lottery-matched but not accepted family -- especially at a school like Peabody that doesn't need to worry about filling its available slots.

Certainly you aren't going to be happy at Watkins (where Peabody feeds to for 1st) if you're expecting hand-holding.

It wasn’t a late in the game lottery seat. Kiddo matched in the first round in April. Also, I’ve seen family engagement at schools like Chisholm and Peabody pales in comparison.

Sorry, if you matched ages ago, I don’t see how you still have a choice between the two schools? Assumed it was a pending offer for that reason.

The truth is that a school like Chisholm has way more trouble filling its seats with IB families and relies much more heavily on the lottery, so has better family engagement. But also, Chisholm has a great principal, a specific reason to engage (trying not the hemorrhage a particularly portion of its families as it changes models & those families gain by-right access to another school on the upswing) & is very good at engagement. Watkins is pretty notoriously not good. Everybody likes Peabody, but it’s just one year.

All that said, DCPS teachers just got back on Monday, so it’s not shocking that you haven’t had much outreach from the school yet. At our school, it’s similar, although you would have heard a lot from the PTO if you signed up for the listserv.

[Anonymous]

is the new principal the same for the brookland campus?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stay at Lee.

+1 we are a current family and the administrative changes last year were a breath of fresh air. The school seems to have made it beyond the early growing pains of expansion and we are very excited to return. The communication from the new principal is very professional and encouraging.