Stoddert Elementary Questions

[Anonymous]

My family is unexpectedly moving back to the DC area from abroad and we're looking at an apartment zoned for Stoddert Elementary. I have an incoming kindergarten student and as the school year is quickly approaching wanted to see if anyone could provide input on a few questions, since we can't visit the school.

1) Any sense of current student:teacher ratio in kindergarten? Does each classroom have a teacher AND a paraprofessional/teaching assistant, or is it just the teacher along with an assistant? Are there other specialists that support each classroom as well?

2) I'm having a hard time determining if the aftercare program is already full, as I know that has been an issue in the past. What do parents typically do if they can't enroll their child in aftercare? Are people generally satisfied with the aftercare offerings?

3) Any recent feedback on teaching quality, concerns, etc? If you have/had a child there, are you satisfied?

4) Finally, I've read there is some ongoing construction at the school. How disruptive is that?

Any other applicable feedback is also welcome! Thanks so much!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
4) Finally, I've read there is some ongoing construction at the school. How disruptive is that?

The new wing is about to open. It'll replace the trailers. So that is good. Things should wrap up in the next month and at worst there will be a couple days of disruption on that side. Heck, the new Pre-K playground is done!

They are going to build a new cafeteria in the place the old trailers were, there will be noise/construction on that side.

[Anonymous]

If you like schools that are 95% white, then Stoddert is perfect for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like schools that are 95% white, then Stoddert is perfect for you.

So tired of this. It’s 58% white

This old fallacy of Ward 3 being all white is getting so old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like schools that are 95% white, then Stoddert is perfect for you.

huh? its like 65%, but only due to all the eastern european immigrants/expats/etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like schools that are 95% white, then Stoddert is perfect for you.

So tired of this. It’s 58% white

This old fallacy of Ward 3 being all white is getting so old.

But no socioeconomic diversity. Very few at risk kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like schools that are 95% white, then Stoddert is perfect for you.

So tired of this. It’s 58% white

This old fallacy of Ward 3 being all white is getting so old.

But no socioeconomic diversity. Very few at risk kids.

Ok. But that wasnt what the poster was complaining about. And honestly do people just go from race to ses in order to complain about schools? It’s a neighborhood school. It reflects the neighborhood (for better or worse).

Other schools have very little racial or socioeconomic diversity but no one cares about those because they aren’t in Ward 3 they are in Ward 8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you like schools that are 95% white, then Stoddert is perfect for you.

So tired of this. It’s 58% white

This old fallacy of Ward 3 being all white is getting so old.

But no socioeconomic diversity. Very few at risk kids.

I was just stating facts. Some people might want tho info.

Ok. But that wasnt what the poster was complaining about. And honestly do people just go from race to ses in order to complain about schools? It’s a neighborhood school. It reflects the neighborhood (for better or worse).

Other schools have very little racial or socioeconomic diversity but no one cares about those because they aren’t in Ward 3 they are in Ward 8.

[Anonymous]

Welcome back/welcome to Glover Park! I recommend reaching out to the front office (https://www.stoddert.org/apps/staff/) and PTO leadership ([e-mail] can redirect Qs to right ppl and the rising kinder community). Re: extended day program ([e-mail]) - last year there were well over 200 kiddos in the program. And no waitlist by middle of fall so definitely sign up if you've not already done so! Coach V is very responsive and can give you a sense of whether there's a waitlist/how long it is.

[Anonymous]

Stoddert feels a lot whiter than 58%. Many non-white kids have one white parent so at social events the crowd is way more than 58% white. Overall the social scene is not very diverse or inclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stoddert feels a lot whiter than 58%. Many non-white kids have one white parent so at social events the crowd is way more than 58% white. Overall the social scene is not very diverse or inclusive.

TIL: many people in DC consider asians 'white'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stoddert feels a lot whiter than 58%. Many non-white kids have one white parent so at social events the crowd is way more than 58% white. Overall the social scene is not very diverse or inclusive.

Stoddert is not a diverse school. If the school doesn’t have black children, then it can’t be considered diverse. Period.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know too many black families that would send their children to Stoddert.

School Community= Racist
Teachers= Racist
Parents= Racist
Children= Racist
Principal= Racist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My family is unexpectedly moving back to the DC area from abroad and we're looking at an apartment zoned for Stoddert Elementary. I have an incoming kindergarten student and as the school year is quickly approaching wanted to see if anyone could provide input on a few questions, since we can't visit the school.

1) Any sense of current student:teacher ratio in kindergarten? Does each classroom have a teacher AND a paraprofessional/teaching assistant, or is it just the teacher along with an assistant? Are there other specialists that support each classroom as well?

2) I'm having a hard time determining if the aftercare program is already full, as I know that has been an issue in the past. What do parents typically do if they can't enroll their child in aftercare? Are people generally satisfied with the aftercare offerings?

3) Any recent feedback on teaching quality, concerns, etc? If you have/had a child there, are you satisfied?

4) Finally, I've read there is some ongoing construction at the school. How disruptive is that?

Any other applicable feedback is also welcome! Thanks so much!!!

1.) it's about the same as it always was, and there are assistants in the kindergarten classes... the big problem is how many embassy kids (specifically Russian) show up on the first day of school. As of today, there might be 22 kids in the kindergarten class, but when the Russia bus pulls up and dumps its load, the class might end up have 30, as it did in my son's class a few years ago. Most of the other embassy kids mingle pretty well, the Russians do not, and most of them start off with pretty challenging language and behavioral issues. It irons out by second grade or so.

2.) We've had kids in the after care program since 2017, and it's never filled up. Certain activities in the aftercare (like cooking club) book up, but we've never encountered an issue with the actual program being overfull. It's not nearly as full as it used to be pre-pandemic.

3.) some are good, some are not, like any school.

4.) major construction is finished, but new project starting soon. Disruptive to neighbors, not to students.

The other feedback is that the quality of your kid's experience will probably vary widely depending on the cohort. Because its a small school, and feels even smaller, if there's a good group of kids, your child will probably have a wonderful time. Our younger is in a grade with many great kids who are wonderful friends. Our older was in a cohort filled with malicious spoiled brats who dominated and bullied and he had a horrible time. School was non-responsive. The grade after his was wonderful. It all depends on the kids, not the teachers. Overall, a good option, especially if you're only here for a few years.

[Anonymous]

What construction is going on at the school? Wasn’t it one of the first schools modernized?