So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?

[Anonymous]

I've been thinking about the most over-the-top IB complainers on this thread. While they mostly annoy me, it is true that one should feel entitled to good services and not accept mediocre offerings so maybe they shouldn't annoy me so much. On the other hand, there are a couple of posters who just want the administration to beg them to come and to make it so much easier for them by limiting the numbers of those objectionable OOB kids. (My kid was OOB at Hardy FWIW.) Those are the posters I can't stand - who want someone to hold their hand, who can't possibly be expected to face a challenge the way the rest of us do when making decisions about our children's middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the animosity coming from families IB that choose private, bc they need to justify the expense?

On the contrary. The animosity seems to be coming from OOB and IB families attending Hardy who resent non-attending IB families who question the caliber of the educational experience and suggest changes that might improve that experience.

To clarify, there is a fair amount of animosity from OOB families that comes when you question the caliber of our children and propose that they not be allowed to come to Hardy in order to make Hardy acceptable to IB families.

It's fine if you want to question whether Hardy does or does not provide a solid education, and how to improve it. But you should expect us to be angry when you imply that our children are second-rate.

[Anonymous]

Just saw this on the Mann homepage, at the top:

"Meet Hardy Principal this Friday (1/23)
Parents of 3rd - 5th Graders: This Friday, January 23, we will host a gathering in the new Mann library with Pat Pride, the principal of Hardy Middle School. Joining Principal Pride will be a small cohort of Mann graduates and parents of current Hardy students who will share their experience at Hardy MS. There will be supervision on the field for early morning play to enable parents to attend this 8:00 a.m. gathering."

Great to hear that Mann is actively engaging its parents to consider Hardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the animosity coming from families IB that choose private, bc they need to justify the expense?

On the contrary. The animosity seems to be coming from OOB and IB families attending Hardy who resent non-attending IB families who question the caliber of the educational experience and suggest changes that might improve that experience.

To clarify, there is a fair amount of animosity from OOB families that comes when you question the caliber of our children and propose that they not be allowed to come to Hardy in order to make Hardy acceptable to IB families.

It's fine if you want to question whether Hardy does or does not provide a solid education, and how to improve it. But you should expect us to be angry when you imply that our children are second-rate.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate. IB families are very concerned that Hardy is second-rate, at least in comparison to the other middle school WOTP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the animosity coming from families IB that choose private, bc they need to justify the expense?

On the contrary. The animosity seems to be coming from OOB and IB families attending Hardy who resent non-attending IB families who question the caliber of the educational experience and suggest changes that might improve that experience.

To clarify, there is a fair amount of animosity from OOB families that comes when you question the caliber of our children and propose that they not be allowed to come to Hardy in order to make Hardy acceptable to IB families.

It's fine if you want to question whether Hardy does or does not provide a solid education, and how to improve it. But you should expect us to be angry when you imply that our children are second-rate.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate. IB families are very concerned that Hardy is second-rate, at least in comparison to the other middle school WOTP.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate?? What on earth do you think people are saying when they suggest that we need to cap OOB enrollment to make the school acceptable to IB families?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the animosity coming from families IB that choose private, bc they need to justify the expense?

On the contrary. The animosity seems to be coming from OOB and IB families attending Hardy who resent non-attending IB families who question the caliber of the educational experience and suggest changes that might improve that experience.

To clarify, there is a fair amount of animosity from OOB families that comes when you question the caliber of our children and propose that they not be allowed to come to Hardy in order to make Hardy acceptable to IB families.

It's fine if you want to question whether Hardy does or does not provide a solid education, and how to improve it. But you should expect us to be angry when you imply that our children are second-rate.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate. IB families are very concerned that Hardy is second-rate, at least in comparison to the other middle school WOTP.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate?? What on earth do you think people are saying when they suggest that we need to cap OOB enrollment to make the school acceptable to IB families?

There does seem to be some hostility on the part of OOB parents who resent the notion that a school that is "good enough" for their kids (and compared to their nieghborhood alternatives, may seem superlative) is considered by potential IB parents to be sorely lacking, particularly compared to Deal and certain charters. Objectively, Hardy needs more than tweaks to the status quo to propel it into the top rank of DC schools. Intimations that more IB families (and specifically, their potential PTA contributions) are welcome at Hardy so long as they don't rock the boat and don't disturb the school's culture (for example, the uniforms) send a signal that the existing Hardy community is too invested in the status quo to support real change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the animosity coming from families IB that choose private, bc they need to justify the expense?

On the contrary. The animosity seems to be coming from OOB and IB families attending Hardy who resent non-attending IB families who question the caliber of the educational experience and suggest changes that might improve that experience.

To clarify, there is a fair amount of animosity from OOB families that comes when you question the caliber of our children and propose that they not be allowed to come to Hardy in order to make Hardy acceptable to IB families.

It's fine if you want to question whether Hardy does or does not provide a solid education, and how to improve it. But you should expect us to be angry when you imply that our children are second-rate.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate. IB families are very concerned that Hardy is second-rate, at least in comparison to the other middle school WOTP.

No one says that anyone's children are second-rate?? What on earth do you think people are saying when they suggest that we need to cap OOB enrollment to make the school acceptable to IB families?

There does seem to be some hostility on the part of OOB parents who resent the notion that a school that is "good enough" for their kids (and compared to their nieghborhood alternatives, may seem superlative) is considered by potential IB parents to be sorely lacking, particularly compared to Deal and certain charters. Objectively, Hardy needs more than tweaks to the status quo to propel it into the top rank of DC schools. Intimations that more IB families (and specifically, their potential PTA contributions) are welcome at Hardy so long as they don't rock the boat and don't disturb the school's culture (for example, the uniforms) send a signal that the existing Hardy community is too invested in the status quo to support real change.

Yeah, okay, keep telling yourself that. Move in-bounds for Deal if you don't like the way Hardy is heading. We are IB Hardy, currently at Stoddert and will happily send both of our children to Hardy in a few years. This posturing is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

My house was in bounds for Deal forever, and this year some social engineering bureaucrats decided that my kids should go to Hardy. Is it fair that we be forced to sell our home to maintain the same quality of education that we would have had before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I seriosly hope IB folks just stay away in droves...more room for other kids who could benefit from Hardy's growing strengths. You all make me a bit ill.

Sure. It will be easy to build a top-notch DCPS middle school with 80% or higher OOB enrollment.

Mary Cheh and Jack Evans have proposed a new middle school WOTP. It makes sense because few IB want to go to Hardy, and few at Hardy welcome the changes that would be necessary to attract a lot of IB families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I seriosly hope IB folks just stay away in droves...more room for other kids who could benefit from Hardy's growing strengths. You all make me a bit ill.

This post reflect the no-so-hidden agenda of many folks at Hardy. They want IB families to stay away -- except for a token few -- so that the spots are made available in the lottery.

I don't think this is true of everyone but it may be true of some. At our elementary school there were OOB parents who were not very enthusiastic about proposed curricular changes and enrichment programs that they believed would make the school more attractive to families in the boundary area. They felt it would lessen the pan-city character of the school (majority OOB) which they felt was important to maintain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My house was in bounds for Deal forever, and this year some social engineering bureaucrats decided that my kids should go to Hardy. Is it fair that we be forced to sell our home to maintain the same quality of education that we would have had before?

This is what happens when school boundaries are changed. Complaining about the new school is probably the least effective tool you have for addressing your unfortunate situation. I hope that you and other affected parents at your elementary are meeting to strategize ways that you might work together to get the attention of your elected officials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this on the Mann homepage, at the top:

"Meet Hardy Principal this Friday (1/23)
Parents of 3rd - 5th Graders: This Friday, January 23, we will host a gathering in the new Mann library with Pat Pride, the principal of Hardy Middle School. Joining Principal Pride will be a small cohort of Mann graduates and parents of current Hardy students who will share their experience at Hardy MS. There will be supervision on the field for early morning play to enable parents to attend this 8:00 a.m. gathering."

Great to hear that Mann is actively engaging its parents to consider Hardy.

"Shall cohort" is putting it charitably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this on the Mann homepage, at the top:

"Meet Hardy Principal this Friday (1/23)
Parents of 3rd - 5th Graders: This Friday, January 23, we will host a gathering in the new Mann library with Pat Pride, the principal of Hardy Middle School. Joining Principal Pride will be a small cohort of Mann graduates and parents of current Hardy students who will share their experience at Hardy MS. There will be supervision on the field for early morning play to enable parents to attend this 8:00 a.m. gathering."

Great to hear that Mann is actively engaging its parents to consider Hardy.

"Shall cohort" is putting it charitably.

How many speakers do you really need at one event?

[Anonymous]

Almost 25% of Mann's graduating class went to Hardy last year, jagoff.

Mann is making a clear movement towards Hardy, and that speaks volumes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost 25% of Mann's graduating class went to Hardy last year, jagoff.

Mann is making a clear movement towards Hardy, and that speaks volumes.

Let's be clear here. How many kids are in Mann's 5th grade? What is the actual number of kids who attended Hardy from Mann? What percentage of the 6th grade class at Hardy is from Mann?

Just as a comparison, the Deal feeder JKLMM schools have 3-4 classes of 20+ kids each who head off to Deal. That speaks volumes.