DCI vs Deal for middle

[Anonymous]

Starting our research on which middle school to send our child to. DCI is our feeder but IB for Deal. Are there any thoughts on which is better? Feels like DCI has transformed from its early years and Deal is very over subscribed.

[Anonymous]

Honestly these are both fine schools. My kids went to one, we have friends whose kids went to the other, everyone turned out fine (happy kids, high scores, etc.). Neither school is perfect but a reasonably smart kid can get a reasonably good education at either.

[Anonymous]

How important is the language? You can always give DCI a shot and enroll at deal if it doesn’t work out.

[Anonymous]

Deal’s behavior has gotten out of hand, and the curricula coming from downtown in English and Science is utterly lacking in rigor.

[Anonymous]

If your child wants to stay with their feeder school classmates and to continue with the language, it may make sense to try DCI for 6th with the option to switch. Deal has more advanced math. Some sports teams will be very hard to make at Deal due to school size.

[Anonymous]

No brainer. DCI and then if you don’t like it, can always switch to Deal since it’s your IB.

You can’t do it the other way around. You only have 1 chance at DCI so take it and try it out. Plus most of your kids friends will be going there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child wants to stay with their feeder school classmates and to continue with the language, it may make sense to try DCI for 6th with the option to switch. Deal has more advanced math. Some sports teams will be very hard to make at Deal due to school size.

DCI now has multiple levels of math in middle school and highest level goes to AP Calculus in 10th grade. Does Deal offer more advance math than that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child wants to stay with their feeder school classmates and to continue with the language, it may make sense to try DCI for 6th with the option to switch. Deal has more advanced math. Some sports teams will be very hard to make at Deal due to school size.

DCI now has multiple levels of math in middle school and highest level goes to AP Calculus in 10th grade. Does Deal offer more advance math than that?

You can take Algebra II at Deal which puts you on track for Calc by 10th at JR.

Not sure if DE is an option at DCI, but JR kids can take post Calc at GW, Georgetown et al

[Anonymous]

OP could do DCI for middle school and then JR

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deal’s behavior has gotten out of hand, and the curricula coming from downtown in English and Science is utterly lacking in rigor.

Not at DCI yet but I hear from families that the science dept and teachers are strong, in addition to offering advance math. There is also an allied health and computer science track in high school.

Their middle and high school robotics teams are great and do well in competitions. Lots of STEM clubs also.

So if you have a STEM kid, I think DCI would be a good fit.

[Anonymous]

DCI is getting better every year. The principal is fantastic and the new cell phone policy this year requires students to lock their phones in Yonder pouches during entire school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCI is getting better every year. The principal is fantastic and the new cell phone policy this year requires students to lock their phones in Yonder pouches during entire school day.

Deal has used Yondr pouches for two years now.

[Anonymous]

Cell phones collected for both middle and high school.

Great initiative and very happy about it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCI is getting better every year. The principal is fantastic and the new cell phone policy this year requires students to lock their phones in Yonder pouches during entire school day.

Did the middle school get a new principal? If so, what are the thoughts around the incoming principal?

[Anonymous]

DCI is notorious for having kids on laptops every minute of every day.