What is wonderful about Murch?

[Anonymous]

Do any of you have children who attend Murch? It is our local school.

I am not inclined to send DD there for two main reasons -- NCLB effects on curriculum and the day-to-day experience, and the general suck-ness of DCPS shortfalls and management.

I have heard that many parents love the school, however I don't know anyone I could ask.

[Anonymous]

I am going to send my child to a DCPS in the fall (Mann) after having had the same reservations you mention. My husband and I never went to public schools and those things you mention worried us immensely. However, I've talked to many parents at the better DCPS schools (including Murch) and have come to believe that in those schools the parents involvement makes up for an shortfalls coming from the school system. In our case, we are so impressed with the principal of the schools our child will be attending (actually more so than with the head of the private schools where dc is now). And, parents we've talked to are universally thrilled with the school, which is not the case at the private schools where we are now.

Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going to send my child to a DCPS in the fall (Mann) after having had the same reservations you mention. My husband and I never went to public schools and those things you mention worried us immensely. However, I've talked to many parents at the better DCPS schools (including Murch) and have come to believe that in those schools the parents involvement makes up for an shortfalls coming from the school system. In our case, we are so impressed with the principal of the schools our child will be attending (actually more so than with the head of the private schools where dc is now). And, parents we've talked to are universally thrilled with the school, which is not the case at the private schools where we are now.

Hope that helps.

I always hear that Mann is the best though. Not sure how well Murch compares.

[Anonymous]

My kids went to Murch (they are in private now) and we loved the school. Great teachers, especially the kindergarten teachers, wonderful and diverse parents who are very supportive of the school, and a real community feeling. It's small enough so that most of the children are known to most of the staff. Sure there are some pushy or overinvolved parents who need to get a life, but I think there are probably less of those than in other places. There's a fair amount of attrition between grades 4 and 6, when some kids go off to private or charter schools.

[Anonymous]

Second-hand comment, but a very dear friend sends their extremely bright/gifted 5th grader there and the child is absolutely thrilled. She tells everyone about what she does at school. And she's not one to mince words. By contrast - friend's younger child is at an elite private school (every child is different of course) because they thought he might prefer it socially. That hasn't panned out. He too is gifted and openly complains about lack of challenge and admin mess ups. They're still up in the air on switching.

Not sure this helps, but these kids are really gifted and I'm not just saying it to be nice about my friend. (I sure as heck wasn't a gifted student. )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to Murch (they are in private now) and we loved the school. Great teachers, especially the kindergarten teachers, wonderful and diverse parents who are very supportive of the school, and a real community feeling. It's small enough so that most of the children are known to most of the staff. Sure there are some pushy or overinvolved parents who need to get a life, but I think there are probably less of those than in other places. There's a fair amount of attrition between grades 4 and 6, when some kids go off to private or charter schools.

We were in thee same boat. Murch then private. Murch was excellent in K and 1. But tapered off dramatically afterward. And there simply is no public school option post-Murch, though I sure home Rhee can continue with the good fight. We're at NCS/STA now. Barely made it in as the majority of slots were reserved for Beauvoir kids. But I do think the privates try to give a nod to folks like us (starting out in public, moving to private when it becomes too scary). So, it worked for us, but if you have no exit strategy, it could get sticky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to Murch (they are in private now) and we loved the school. Great teachers, especially the kindergarten teachers, wonderful and diverse parents who are very supportive of the school, and a real community feeling. It's small enough so that most of the children are known to most of the staff. Sure there are some pushy or overinvolved parents who need to get a life, but I think there are probably less of those than in other places. There's a fair amount of attrition between grades 4 and 6, when some kids go off to private or charter schools.

We were in thee same boat. Murch then private. Murch was excellent in K and 1. But tapered off dramatically afterward. And there simply is no public school option post-Murch, though I sure home Rhee can continue with the good fight. We're at NCS/STA now. Barely made it in as the majority of slots were reserved for Beauvoir kids. But I do think the privates try to give a nod to folks like us (starting out in public, moving to private when it becomes too scary). So, it worked for us, but if you have no exit strategy, it could get sticky.

Very interesting -and alarming- about the taper after 1st grade. At what grade did your kids move? How recently were they at Murch? I wonder if things are the same now. I've also heard that one of the K teachers is leaving. argh. We're in boundary for Murch and thought we'd be good through 3rd grade at least. Thanks for any more info!

[Anonymous]

It's after 4th grade that it gets dicey, in my opinion. Although there are a couple of good teachers in 5th-6th grade. This year a lot of boys are leaving after 5th grade. Not sure why.

[Anonymous]

I have wondered about why there seem to be so many kids leaving Murch at approx. 3rd grade -- making room for many out-of-boundary applicants -- when this does NOT seem to be the case at Janney and Lafayette. I ID'd these two other schools because they are the closest geographically, and the demographics of the neighborhoods surrounding all 3 of these schools are similar.

What is different about Janney/Lafayette at grade 5? Why do neighborhood families leave Murch, but not Janney?

Teachers, curriculum, sport fields ... what?

[Anonymous]

Another reason people leave at that time is that it coincides with then provate schools open up to more admissions. If they do not intend to go to Deal and Wilson, parents may view leaving at 3, 4, 5 as easier than at the point where they would be screwed if they didn't get in somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Yup. 4th and 6th grades are entry years at many private schools, so that's when you see departures.

[Anonymous]

I have also heard mixed reviews of Murch from friends. Sure, there is parental involvement and that can "make up" for some of the things that are not great. However, there are definitely limits to this. First (and this applies to all DCPS, obviously), the NCLB effects on teaching and curriculum are (at least for now) THERE. No amount of parent involvement can change that, and that is obviously one of the BIGGEST challenges facing the teachers there today. Second, I have heard there are some discipline issues there and despite some parental involvement I hear that at least some parents are unhappy with the current situation. Fourth, apparently there is a wide array of teacher quality there. Some are considered great, while others are seen as real thorns.

Again, this is not first hand information. This is based on the four families we know who send/or have sent their kids there and bailed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have also heard mixed reviews of Murch from friends. Sure, there is parental involvement and that can "make up" for some of the things that are not great. However, there are definitely limits to this. First (and this applies to all DCPS, obviously), the NCLB effects on teaching and curriculum are (at least for now) THERE. No amount of parent involvement can change that, and that is obviously one of the BIGGEST challenges facing the teachers there today. Second, I have heard there are some discipline issues there and despite some parental involvement I hear that at least some parents are unhappy with the current situation. Fourth, apparently there is a wide array of teacher quality there. Some are considered great, while others are seen as real thorns.

Again, this is not first hand information. This is based on the four families we know who send/or have sent their kids there and bailed.

What kind of discipline issues? Also wondered about the new "communication policy" on the web site. Seems something triggered this -- does anyone have info?

[Anonymous]

15:52, here. 21:39, in response to your question, they said K, 1 are fine... the discipline issues start 3, 4 and on... perhaps it is b/c there is an influx of new kids and that upsets the dynamic? I am sure that many parents love Murch, it is just odd I think that the 4 families I happen to know fairly well who send/have sent their kids there are less than enthusiastic. I've done my own research, of course (test scores, curriculum, etc.), but what the real, live, speaking families say is what seems to stick in my mind.

At least for right now, there is enough that concerns me where I have mentally crossed Murch off my list and next year we will put our names in the hat for some of the charters. I don't want our kids to have to deal with transferring, so I would rather start them off at a school we feel more comfortable with.

But again, as this board shows, there are some people who seem to be fine with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15:52, here. 21:39, in response to your question, they said K, 1 are fine... the discipline issues start 3, 4 and on... perhaps it is b/c there is an influx of new kids and that upsets the dynamic? I am sure that many parents love Murch, it is just odd I think that the 4 families I happen to know fairly well who send/have sent their kids there are less than enthusiastic. I've done my own research, of course (test scores, curriculum, etc.), but what the real, live, speaking families say is what seems to stick in my mind.

At least for right now, there is enough that concerns me where I have mentally crossed Murch off my list and next year we will put our names in the hat for some of the charters. I don't want our kids to have to deal with transferring, so I would rather start them off at a school we feel more comfortable with.

But again, as this board shows, there are some people who seem to be fine with it.

21.39 here. Thanks so much. I have been really ambivalent about Murch. I think we're going to do charter too if we can make the logistics work. Ironic since we moved to be in boundary at Murch!