Hardy Student #1 in DC Mathcount Competition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

Why is this remarkable? Do you have a kid in DCPS? At decently performing schools, there are tons of bright kids. My spouse and I are both intelligent and educated as are our children and they are in DCPS. We make $350k/year and still could never afford private (nor do I want to be part of that community). I went to a public school in the area and have done well. There are a lot of people in DC between poverty and wealth.

$350,000 per year and you can't afford private school? GTFO. I understand that you prefer public school for a variety of reasons, but, the reality is that you could afford it if you wanted to. This is a budgeting issue. Not an income issue.

OMG so rude!!!! What do you know of PP’s circumstances? I wish I could respond to you in tone, but I am not as appallingly awful as you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

PP said they have multiple kids.
Why is this remarkable? Do you have a kid in DCPS? At decently performing schools, there are tons of bright kids. My spouse and I are both intelligent and educated as are our children and they are in DCPS. We make $350k/year and still could never afford private (nor do I want to be part of that community). I went to a public school in the area and have done well. There are a lot of people in DC between poverty and wealth.

$350,000 per year and you can't afford private school? GTFO. I understand that you prefer public school for a variety of reasons, but, the reality is that you could afford it if you wanted to. This is a budgeting issue. Not an income issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

Why is this remarkable? Do you have a kid in DCPS? At decently performing schools, there are tons of bright kids. My spouse and I are both intelligent and educated as are our children and they are in DCPS. We make $350k/year and still could never afford private (nor do I want to be part of that community). I went to a public school in the area and have done well. There are a lot of people in DC between poverty and wealth.

I can't speak for the OP or other PPs but my sense from the thread is that they were surprised that a kid from DCPS placed first in this competition. Given that this is a middle school competition, it is remarkable that kid is in DCPS at all (their inference). But yes, I agree with your point that not all kids can go to these expensive privates. So it would be good if DCPS works towards supporting these kids as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

It's not remarkable that they are in DCPS!?!? There are strong math students everywhere, and DCPS does support strong math students. My kids didn't want to do competitions while in DCPS, but were supported as math students -- they had excellent math teachers in DCPS (except one, who didn't last long) and were accelerated in differentiated classrooms from K on up.

Also, don't confuse an extracurricular activity with the academic achievement levels at schools, and don't assume public schools are not supporting students just because they haven't always done EC competitions. Sometimes the schools fund these events and sometimes they don't. Some kids like to do competitions and some don't. In fact, at the private high school DC now attends, none of the kids in the top math class ever did this competition, and they are going to great colleges to study math (mine included), but several kids in the lower math section are also strong math students, like to do competitions, and do them with the club.

It is a fun activity, and it is great that DCPS is supporting more academic ECs. Kudos to all of the kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

Why is this remarkable? Do you have a kid in DCPS? At decently performing schools, there are tons of bright kids. My spouse and I are both intelligent and educated as are our children and they are in DCPS. We make $350k/year and still could never afford private (nor do I want to be part of that community). I went to a public school in the area and have done well. There are a lot of people in DC between poverty and wealth.

Agreed. I had a strong math kid at Deal who ended up leaving for private (Sidwell, STA or GDS--i'm being vague) for 9th. Many of his smart, math-brained friends stayed in DCPS.
There are plenty of bright kids at all levels in DCPS.

The OP's thread is kind of pointless. Math Counts success is by no means reflective of what is (or is not) taught by a school. It's innate talent and outside enrichment. I've seen from the inside at Deal and also at STA/Sidwell. These kids are not learning their Mathcounts skills in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Why pointless? OP stated a fact. I am sure they know that doesn’t mean Hardy students are #1 in math in average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is better than the Big 5?

The big 5 or whatever can’t even all compete bc this is only for dc schools

It's for Public and Private schools in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

Why is this remarkable? Do you have a kid in DCPS? At decently performing schools, there are tons of bright kids. My spouse and I are both intelligent and educated as are our children and they are in DCPS. We make $350k/year and still could never afford private (nor do I want to be part of that community). I went to a public school in the area and have done well. There are a lot of people in DC between poverty and wealth.

Agreed. I had a strong math kid at Deal who ended up leaving for private (Sidwell, STA or GDS--i'm being vague) for 9th. Many of his smart, math-brained friends stayed in DCPS.
There are plenty of bright kids at all levels in DCPS.

The OP's thread is kind of pointless. Math Counts success is by no means reflective of what is (or is not) taught by a school. It's innate talent and outside enrichment. I've seen from the inside at Deal and also at STA/Sidwell. These kids are not learning their Mathcounts skills in the classroom.

Why is it pointless? Isn't a Hardy kid #1 in DC Mathcount competition? Isn't that what everyone does when their school come out on top in a competition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is better than the Big 5?

The big 5 or whatever can’t even all compete bc this is only for dc schools

All of the “Big 5” schools are in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

There is also no way to know the household income or personal life challenges of these kids. You don’t need to make it about public vs. private schools but instead celebrate the specific accomplishments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid who comes out on top at Mathcounts is not there because of anything he learned at Hardy. This is natural talent and/or something fostered outside of school.
Same goes for the kids at STA or Sidwell. They're taking the regular math on-grade level classes like everyone else in the grade. They're more of them because
the school has selective (and probably even more importantly---self-selective) admissions. An hour or two a week in a Mathcounts after-school club does not make
one into a math genius.

Anyway, kudos to all these kids but I don't think you can really credit any of these schools with these accomplishments.

Yes, but maybe the PP's point was that it is remarkable that the kid (and the Deal kids) are in DCPS at all. While an after-school club may not be responsible for their success, retaining them in DCPS would require the administration to help them in class (i.e. accelerated offerings etc.) Hopefully these schools are doing so and will continue.

Why is this remarkable? Do you have a kid in DCPS? At decently performing schools, there are tons of bright kids. My spouse and I are both intelligent and educated as are our children and they are in DCPS. We make $350k/year and still could never afford private (nor do I want to be part of that community). I went to a public school in the area and have done well. There are a lot of people in DC between poverty and wealth.

Agreed. I had a strong math kid at Deal who ended up leaving for private (Sidwell, STA or GDS--i'm being vague) for 9th. Many of his smart, math-brained friends stayed in DCPS.
There are plenty of bright kids at all levels in DCPS.

The OP's thread is kind of pointless. Math Counts success is by no means reflective of what is (or is not) taught by a school. It's innate talent and outside enrichment. I've seen from the inside at Deal and also at STA/Sidwell. These kids are not learning their Mathcounts skills in the classroom.

But the point is that kids like these are advanced enough that they will need specialty courses. DCPS (JR included) doesn't have anything beyond Calc BC, which kids like these would be doing in 10th grade. STA has a bunch of advanced courses, as does GDS. DCPS does offer dual enrollment but it is not clear that GW/G'town will cater to these kids or have watered down courses.

[Anonymous]

Kids like these may not even rely on a school teacher at all. They may have a supporting figure at home (eg a math professor parent) or through enrichment activities or both.