Walls homework load, music program, and sports

[Anonymous]

What are homework levels and teaching styles really like, starting in 9th? We've talked to teachers and a few students, and the load seems decently balanced and great that they emphasize understanding vs simply getting the right answers. But that's coming from teachers and the students who have chosen to represent the school. Does that mesh with reality? Are teachers supportive or do kids have to chase them for assistance or do they need to seek outside resources?

Any thoughts on their music program?

How about sports (esp track)?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Wait to see if you get in first.

SWW admissions is a total crapshoot nowadays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are homework levels and teaching styles really like, starting in 9th? We've talked to teachers and a few students, and the load seems decently balanced and great that they emphasize understanding vs simply getting the right answers. But that's coming from teachers and the students who have chosen to represent the school. Does that mesh with reality? Are teachers supportive or do kids have to chase them for assistance or do they need to seek outside resources?

Any thoughts on their music program?

How about sports (esp track)?

Thanks!

What is you want to know about sports? Walls has teams, but most aren't particularly good. However, almost anyone can make any team and play.

They have a Xcountry, indoor track and track team...some individual athletes do OK, but the team overall isn't particularly strong.

[Anonymous]

How's their orchestra?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait to see if you get in first.

SWW admissions is a total crapshoot nowadays.

Unfortunately people need to rank the school. It would be nice if admissions happened first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are homework levels and teaching styles really like, starting in 9th? We've talked to teachers and a few students, and the load seems decently balanced and great that they emphasize understanding vs simply getting the right answers. But that's coming from teachers and the students who have chosen to represent the school. Does that mesh with reality? Are teachers supportive or do kids have to chase them for assistance or do they need to seek outside resources?

Any thoughts on their music program?

How about sports (esp track)?

Thanks!

My kid found 9th grade overwhelming with the amount of homework and studying. However, they were coming from a middle school that had had very little homework (and coming right out of the at-home portion of the pandemic), so it was a big adjustment. They then found 10th-12th more manageable, though I'm still awed at how much work they do at nights and on weekends.

But there is a wide variety of effort levels put in. A friend whose kid is also a 12th grader says their kid doesn't work very hard at all and she (the mother) was surprised at how *little* homework her kid had in 9th grade. That kid did have to do more in 10th.

My kid has not been shy about seeking teachers outside of class and with a couple of exceptions, that's worked well. The kids do have to learn to advocate for themselves and not be shy about seeking out that extra time with the teachers.

The teachers have been a mixed bag--which is a disappointment to this parent. Quite a number of teachers seem to be phoning it in. But there definitely are some every year who love the kids and the material they're teaching.

My kid has done a few sports including indoor track. They don't love the coach but seem to have had a good time with the sport. Like someone else said, there are a few outstanding athletes (one is in the top 10 nationally in her event!), but I don't know that the team is super strong overall.

It has not been a fantastic 3.5 years for my kid but it hasn't been awful, either. I recently asked them if they thought they'd have had a better experience at Banneker (which they'd ranked 2nd, and at which they have a number of friends) and they said no, which was good to hear.

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader has a good amount of HW each week. I would say 5-10 hours per week, depending on reading/annotating assignments, which can usually be spread out (a/b days help with that). I can’t speak to music, but my child plays multiple sports and generally has had a good experience and been able to balance everything. The lack of sports facilities is the biggest issue.

[Anonymous]

My kids both played soccer and track for walls and both went on to compete in college at the D1 level. To say Walls doesn’t have a good sports culture is a common misconception among dc parents. In the past four years there have been 4 D1 commits, 2 D2 and several D3 across soccer, track, swim and golf and other sports. To have that with zero assigned athletic facilities is impressive in its own right. This class alone has had five kids committed to play in college. For track the coaches are good and do the best they can to train them at the square track at Bannecker rec because that’s all there is available. The girls team especially has been in the top four for DCIAA the past seven years even placing 3rd in indoor at states a few years ago. They currently have four athletes qualified for nationals this year. Walls has the second highest amount of student athletes across 20+ sports in DCPS only fewer than JR. Because of the students’ commitment to travel far and wide all over the city for practice space and also excel in the classroom they are extremely prepared for college I’d say. Just my two cents. Do your research with the athletic director there before listening to uniformed parents.