Ross?

[Anonymous]

Would welcome any specifics for folks joining the school at K/1. I know the demographics bolster test scores but curious to learn what special sauce there is beyond just plugged-in families. (MS/HS not a consideration since we will be moving after 5th).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would welcome any specifics for folks joining the school at K/1. I know the demographics bolster test scores but curious to learn what special sauce there is beyond just plugged-in families. (MS/HS not a consideration since we will be moving after 5th).

I think the Ross special sauce relates to the ambitious principal, who has been there for maybe 15 years and turned the school into what it is now.

Some info:
https://thedcline.org/2019/10/17/ross-principal-credits-years-of-our-community-working-together-for-inclusion-as-one-of-dcs-five-national-blue-ribbon-schools/

The school also has an extra writing curriculum, so the kids learn how to write (persuasive essays, narratives) really properly. And I find it pretty low tech, compared to other DCPS schools.

The demographic influence may be because if you have a room full of kids with really involved parents, you can ask more of all the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would welcome any specifics for folks joining the school at K/1. I know the demographics bolster test scores but curious to learn what special sauce there is beyond just plugged-in families. (MS/HS not a consideration since we will be moving after 5th).

I think the Ross special sauce relates to the ambitious principal, who has been there for maybe 15 years and turned the school into what it is now.

Some info:
https://thedcline.org/2019/10/17/ross-principal-credits-years-of-our-community-working-together-for-inclusion-as-one-of-dcs-five-national-blue-ribbon-schools/

The school also has an extra writing curriculum, so the kids learn how to write (persuasive essays, narratives) really properly. And I find it pretty low tech, compared to other DCPS schools.

The demographic influence may be because if you have a room full of kids with really involved parents, you can ask more of all the students.

I read Ross as a great principal with a school in a high income area equals gentrifying the school to achieve success. A good blueprint for any other schools EOTP?

[Anonymous]

Ross is awesome! Don't even think twice.

-Happy former Ross parent

[Anonymous]

The Ross parents we know are happy and people at nearby schools often try to lottery in. Some kids who are in bound for Ross start at our school but usually move back (or move out). The only kids who leave Ross to go to nearby schools have complex IEPs. Ross is also a small school which is good for some kids and bad for others.

[Anonymous]

Someone tangental, but it's crazy how much the Ross waitlist is moving for K and 1st. Our first grader has moved up 10 slots and our K has moved up 9.

Meanwhile, for Garrison (right next door!) neither grade has moved an inch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Ross parents we know are happy and people at nearby schools often try to lottery in. Some kids who are in bound for Ross start at our school but usually move back (or move out). The only kids who leave Ross to go to nearby schools have complex IEPs. Ross is also a small school which is good for some kids and bad for others.

Yes this is notable. One class per grade (with very occasional exceptions). So the kids and families go through the grades together and know each other well, and the principal and AP know every kid by name and know all about them too.

[Anonymous]

How big are the Ross class sizes? A friend was saying her daughter's K class had 26 kids, and she heard that the 2nd through 5th grade classes were similar (1st was somehow organized differently). That seemed really large for a title 1 school, but I didn't know if the neighborhood had an elementary school boom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How big are the Ross class sizes? A friend was saying her daughter's K class had 26 kids, and she heard that the 2nd through 5th grade classes were similar (1st was somehow organized differently). That seemed really large for a title 1 school, but I didn't know if the neighborhood had an elementary school boom.

They are pretty big but often have two teachers (the rooms are large).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How big are the Ross class sizes? A friend was saying her daughter's K class had 26 kids, and she heard that the 2nd through 5th grade classes were similar (1st was somehow organized differently). That seemed really large for a title 1 school, but I didn't know if the neighborhood had an elementary school boom.

They are pretty big but often have two teachers (the rooms are large).

Yeah, I visiting Ross this year and they are very limited by the size/layout of their building. Basically, the bottom floor has admin (garden level, partially underground), then the next two floors have all the classrooms. Each of these floors are essentially just a big square "hallway" (maybe 12 x 12?) with four classrooms around it. That's it. Then the fourth floor (recently renovated) is the library. There's no other spaces. The classrooms themselves, though, are spacious and well lit. So they have one class per grade, and it's on the larger side, as that's what the building requires. The space is actually nice, but it is and feels old (though very well maintained - I'd almost say historic feeling?) and there's no cafeteria/gym/etc. I would call it cozy. The vibes are excellent. Students are engaged and generally pretty well behaved. They try to get them outside as much as humanly possible - they have a field and playground, and picnic tables outside - they usually eat lunch outside.

I do think, especially since so many charters are accused of "cherry picking" their students (cough, basis, cough) that it's reasonable to note that they do not have a robust special education team because of their size, so kids with serious special needs are transferred to other schools. There is no self-contained classroom of any type. It is, in their defense, the smallest DCPS school.

Anyway, feel free to turn down your K seat, we'd def take it (lol, we're like #30 on the waitlist, not happening).

[Anonymous]

We lived on that block for years and moved for work reasons before our oldest entered K. It’s clearly a tight knit parent community and a sweet school. We have friends who are waitlisted now and live very close. One thing I never understood was how, for such a small school, so many MD families get away with enrolling their kids? Our parking was behind the house on that block, same side of the street, and multiple times per week we were blocked in by MD cars waiting for drop off or pick up. I tried to mind my own business, but if I ever asked them to move so I could get my car out, I was often sworn at. We are thinking of moving back to the neighborhood, and my youngest would still get 3 years there (beginning in ‘27). Is there still a large contingent of MD residents cheating the system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How big are the Ross class sizes? A friend was saying her daughter's K class had 26 kids, and she heard that the 2nd through 5th grade classes were similar (1st was somehow organized differently). That seemed really large for a title 1 school, but I didn't know if the neighborhood had an elementary school boom.

Ross is not remotely a T1 school... Like not even close.

[Anonymous]

I have only ever heard two parents really dislike Ross. 1 had a kid with an IEP that was not being met. 1 came for 4th grade -- kid was somewhat socially awkward and, to be fair, prior school was not a better fit -- and the social dynamics were not good.

If your kid does not have a serious IEP and is starting in K/1st, I would go without hestitation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We lived on that block for years and moved for work reasons before our oldest entered K. It’s clearly a tight knit parent community and a sweet school. We have friends who are waitlisted now and live very close. One thing I never understood was how, for such a small school, so many MD families get away with enrolling their kids? Our parking was behind the house on that block, same side of the street, and multiple times per week we were blocked in by MD cars waiting for drop off or pick up. I tried to mind my own business, but if I ever asked them to move so I could get my car out, I was often sworn at. We are thinking of moving back to the neighborhood, and my youngest would still get 3 years there (beginning in ‘27). Is there still a large contingent of MD residents cheating the system?

I don't know a single family living in maryland (and it's a really small community, I know every single family in our grade). Still some OOB kids who came in through lottery spots, but no MD.

Ross used to have very little buy in from IB parents -- that's really changed in the last decade.

[Anonymous]

Ross parent of two, it’s amazing. A little culty, sure, but really great for the kids and for the parents. People are down to earth and doers, most everyone pitches in.