Deal and Hardy turnaround

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The simplest solution is to make Hardy more in-bounds. That means moving Oyster, Eaton and maybe Hearst to Hardy. This is also the most dangerous solution, for an influx of Hearst, Eaton and Oyster may be enough to prompt Mann and Key students to stay on as well, and then the school could eventually find itself over capacity with just in-bounds kids.

I was actually speaking to a Mann mom today. Her oldest is 8, I think. She mentioned she (and others) are expecting to send their kids to Hardy.

Hearst prek is increasingly IB, so I bet a high percentage will end up feeding whichever middle school in the future.

Taking Hearst out of Deal would make for fairly strange geographical patterns. The north boundary of Hearst is closer to Deal than parts of Murch or Janney, and all of Lafayette. (Yes clearly parts of Janney and clearly Murch are closer, and parts of Hearst are farther, but most of Hearst is quite close to Deal.) You could also potentially have a strange wrap-around shape if Bancroft stays in.

As-the-crow-flies measurements without considering the alternative options are silly. The point is that it's easier to move Hearst to Hardy than to move Lafayette anywhere at present, regardless that Hearst is closer to Deal than Lafayette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The simplest solution is to make Hardy more in-bounds. That means moving Oyster, Eaton and maybe Hearst to Hardy. This is also the most dangerous solution, for an influx of Hearst, Eaton and Oyster may be enough to prompt Mann and Key students to stay on as well, and then the school could eventually find itself over capacity with just in-bounds kids.

I was actually speaking to a Mann mom today. Her oldest is 8, I think. She mentioned she (and others) are expecting to send their kids to Hardy.

Hearst prek is increasingly IB, so I bet a high percentage will end up feeding whichever middle school in the future.

Taking Hearst out of Deal would make for fairly strange geographical patterns. The north boundary of Hearst is closer to Deal than parts of Murch or Janney, and all of Lafayette. (Yes clearly parts of Janney and clearly Murch are closer, and parts of Hearst are farther, but most of Hearst is quite close to Deal.) You could also potentially have a strange wrap-around shape if Bancroft stays in.

As-the-crow-flies measurements without considering the alternative options are silly. The point is that it's easier to move Hearst to Hardy than to move Lafayette anywhere at present, regardless that Hearst is closer to Deal than Lafayette.

As the crow flies it should go by geography, so if some schools eotp are shut out so be it if they are farther away.

[Anonymous]

It's time for Horace Mann to move to Deal. It's our turn now!

[Anonymous]

Race and school boundaries have been entangled in every school system in the US for decades and decades. ESPECIALLY DC. Don't act so surprised my friend.

Except that Chocolate City is melting my friend!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, if IB parents find it so off putting, then they can go private or OOB somewhere else. Frankly, I think there is much more anti-Hardy sentiment from certain parents who think that Ward 3 needs another MS (which it doesn't, compared to other wards) and were not happy to simply run Pope out of Hardy.

2010 is over. Get over it.

If W3 and W2 parents made a concerted effort, we could totally take over Hardy and change the trajectory of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Melissa Kim made a very big deal about what students were permitted to do and where they were permitted to go after leaving Deal. She was very conscious of this "obnoxious teenager" effect on perceptions of the school and potential students. This control was an excellent idea and ought to be copied by more middle schools.

Don't forget that when she started this a group of parents tried to have her fired and there were daily protests outside the school. Some details are here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/28/AR2007052801371.html

Wow. Well, we've also heard right here on DCUM that misbehaving boys have also been "unfairly" singled out for correction. But I firmly believe that this strict emphasis on enforcing behavior expectations is a huge part of Deal's success. It's what makes our kids safe and allows the real work of the school day to proceed. Not to mention, it looks a lot better than rudeness and disorder to prospective parents.

And schools that don't do this because they think it's not necessary or they worry it will be unpopular with squeaky parents... unfortunately it shows.

Marion Barry aided and abetted the protest. 'Nuff said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why, 23:13?

People seem to have made up their minds and the news is a whole lot of nothing. Ward 3 doesn't need a new MS, no matter how much hand wringing takes place from IB families who overplayed their hand when running out Pope.

Hardy is making excellent strides every year, and anyone who doubts that is not directly involved with the school or its students.

If IB parents don't appreciate it, fine. Go elsewhere and pay the price.

Well, that's the rub, isn't it? Families that are IB for deal don't want to be IB for Hardy. They've already paid the price for their houses, now don't want to lose value and pay the price all over again for private school vs. a poorer middle school "choice."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in-boundary with 3 children for Stoddert/Hardy and I would love to know from a current parent what the actual returning numbers are for IB children for 5th grade (what percentage did not apply to or get into Latin or Basis). Also, what percentage of IB Stoddert students who did stay for 5th grade are going to Hardy for 6th next year vs getting one of the few 6th grade spots at Latin or Basis, going private, or moving?

I know from friends with older children that the numbers are higher for IB Stoddert 5th grade and for Stoddert>Hardy 6th than in previous years, but I would really like to know how MUCH higher they are. A neighbor told me that this year's Hardy 6th grade has less than a dozen children from Stoddert, but that this number is a slight increase over previous years.

Can anyone correct or confirm? I know I could call both schools, but I don't think they'd give the information to someone who is not yet a parent.

The real question is how many will it take for you to embrace your neighborhood school.

As Nancy Pelosi said, "Embrace the suck."

[Anonymous]

Which schools currently feed deal? Which feed hardy?

[Anonymous]

Exactly. Glad Kim focused on major and minor behaviors. That needs to be the focus at Hardy.

[Anonymous]

You think you bought something when you bought your house that isn't in your deed. Sorry, it's not in there. DC needs the flexibility to make a workable citywide school system.

[Anonymous]

So, if Kids start in fall 2015, will that be a grandfathered year or the first new year completely for feeder patterns?

[Anonymous]

Instead of being chancellor, why doesn't Kim return to be principal of Hardy if she was so effective at Deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why, 23:13?

People seem to have made up their minds and the news is a whole lot of nothing. Ward 3 doesn't need a new MS, no matter how much hand wringing takes place from IB families who overplayed their hand when running out Pope.

Hardy is making excellent strides every year, and anyone who doubts that is not directly involved with the school or its students.

If IB parents don't appreciate it, fine. Go elsewhere and pay the price.

Well, that's the rub, isn't it? Families that are IB for deal don't want to be IB for Hardy. They've already paid the price for their houses, now don't want to lose value and pay the price all over again for private school vs. a poorer middle school "choice."

Finally! Someone who is honest with themselves and others. This is so much better of an argument than "but Deal needs us for diversity!" the this is an argument I can respect and understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Glad Kim focused on major and minor behaviors. That needs to be the focus at Hardy.

What the hell does this mean? Isn't a behavior major OR minor? And isn't that the principal's job?