Advice Needed-Really Worried about Child at Current School

[Anonymous]

Would you guys give this same residency fraud advice to a parent from Ward 7 or 8? Or would you complain about crowding?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you guys give this same residency fraud advice to a parent from Ward 7 or 8? Or would you complain about crowding?

Nobody outside of Wilson feeders cares about this. You can get into 5th grade at any DCPS outside of Wilson feeders without a lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you guys give this same residency fraud advice to a parent from Ward 7 or 8? Or would you complain about crowding?

Maybe MD residents but any District resident definitely not!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5th grade seems to be hard in DC elementary since so many kids peel off for middle schools that start in 5th. My son is also having a hard 5th grade - he had 7 friends all leave his class after last year - six to Latin, Basis, Inspired, and one moved to MD. Sorry OP, sympathy to you and your family.

NP. You are a first rate jerk. Who responds this way to someone else in pain/crisis? Are you truly incapable of feeling sympathy for someone else's pain? WTH is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

NP. I agree that 5th grade can be a tough year in DCPS, particularly on Cap Hill, where most 4th grade families leave Maury, SWS and Brent. PP above was expressing sympathy in her own way. Don't be so quick to judge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade seems to be hard in DC elementary since so many kids peel off for middle schools that start in 5th. My son is also having a hard 5th grade - he had 7 friends all leave his class after last year - six to Latin, Basis, Inspired, and one moved to MD. Sorry OP, sympathy to you and your family.

NP. You are a first rate jerk. Who responds this way to someone else in pain/crisis? Are you truly incapable of feeling sympathy for someone else's pain? WTH is wrong with you?

Wait what? That PP was literally extending empathy and sympathy. I am honestly confused…..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please deal with the bullying first. That can solve a lot of issues.

This. We had an awful experience one year in upper ES under similar circumstances. The first step is getting a documented case of bullying, and then you can work within that. It won't be an easy time but it sounds like things are already really bad. I would recommend meetings with teachers and principal as well to discuss concerns, and document. You have options and I would definitely exercise them. If you are able to afford it, see if you can find a therapist as well so your child has someone to talk to. The school counselor may also be helpful.

I am so sorry you're going through all this. It is awful and takes a toll. You will have to advocate and I don't buy that it's like this everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade seems to be hard in DC elementary since so many kids peel off for middle schools that start in 5th. My son is also having a hard 5th grade - he had 7 friends all leave his class after last year - six to Latin, Basis, Inspired, and one moved to MD. Sorry OP, sympathy to you and your family.

NP. You are a first rate jerk. Who responds this way to someone else in pain/crisis? Are you truly incapable of feeling sympathy for someone else's pain? WTH is wrong with you?

Wait what? That PP was literally extending empathy and sympathy. I am honestly confused…..

+1. Empathy isn’t jerk behavior at all!

[Anonymous]

OP: yes. I know of situations where school transfers happen within DCPS for extraordinary circumstances. You can start by contacting the DCPS crisis team or family advocate or ombudsman whatever it is called..

But really think about if a transfer is what you want. Is there any way to salvage the current situation? Maybe a new outside school activity or a new pet or some cognitive behavioral ways to think about these difficulties as growth experiences. Definitely something fun to look forward to during winter and spring breaks to give him something to propel him through hard days.

Of course if he is truly being mistreated by other kids or adults at school that needs to be addressed. Speak up loudly.

As for PPs guessing why 5th grade in DCPS can be hard and blaming it on charter schools “taking” friends. I call BS. I have yet to see a DCPS elementary school that provides the intellectual and social opportunities that these 10/11 year olds are ready for. They THRiVE at Latin and Basis in 5th grade. They love it. They are ready for it. DCPS could do something similar in their 5th grades, but don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: yes. I know of situations where school transfers happen within DCPS for extraordinary circumstances. You can start by contacting the DCPS crisis team or family advocate or ombudsman whatever it is called..

But really think about if a transfer is what you want. Is there any way to salvage the current situation? Maybe a new outside school activity or a new pet or some cognitive behavioral ways to think about these difficulties as growth experiences. Definitely something fun to look forward to during winter and spring breaks to give him something to propel him through hard days.

Of course if he is truly being mistreated by other kids or adults at school that needs to be addressed. Speak up loudly.

As for PPs guessing why 5th grade in DCPS can be hard and blaming it on charter schools “taking” friends. I call BS. I have yet to see a DCPS elementary school that provides the intellectual and social opportunities that these 10/11 year olds are ready for. They THRiVE at Latin and Basis in 5th grade. They love it. They are ready for it. DCPS could do something similar in their 5th grades, but don’t.

Depends on the school of course. My child is having a great experience in fifth grade this year at a Hardy feeder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: yes. I know of situations where school transfers happen within DCPS for extraordinary circumstances. You can start by contacting the DCPS crisis team or family advocate or ombudsman whatever it is called..

But really think about if a transfer is what you want. Is there any way to salvage the current situation? Maybe a new outside school activity or a new pet or some cognitive behavioral ways to think about these difficulties as growth experiences. Definitely something fun to look forward to during winter and spring breaks to give him something to propel him through hard days.

Of course if he is truly being mistreated by other kids or adults at school that needs to be addressed. Speak up loudly.

As for PPs guessing why 5th grade in DCPS can be hard and blaming it on charter schools “taking” friends. I call BS. I have yet to see a DCPS elementary school that provides the intellectual and social opportunities that these 10/11 year olds are ready for. They THRiVE at Latin and Basis in 5th grade. They love it. They are ready for it. DCPS could do something similar in their 5th grades, but don’t.

I fundamentally think the problem is that 5th graders are ready for real content, not just skills learning. But elementary school teachers are skills specialists, not content specialists. So a person who can teach 2nd graders ELA is also going to potentially teach 5th graders. But middle school teachers are content specialists - so they dive deep into their areas of specialty and get to the meaty stuff of history, math, English, science etc.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry this is happening to you. One thing I would say is that relationships in 5th grade proved to be really important for my kids transition to middle school (at Deal). With my older kid, they didn't have a lot of tight friendships in 5th grade because we had just moved to the school. I noticed this was a big struggle when the 6th grade transition happened- they just didn't have a lot of confidence and felt like an outsider to all the "groups" of kids from different elementary schools.

With my older kid, they had a strong friend group in elementary and that translated to a strong social start in 6th grade (although some of those relationships faded). You know your kid better than anyone, but it can be hard either way.

For that reason, I second the PP that suggested you affirmatively work to strengthen a couple of prior relationships (or create opportunity for new friends) even if you need to step in more to orchestrate.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which ward are you in, PP? Are you in a position to get hold of an IB address that works for a school you’d like him to switch to? Last year, we “rented” out our basement apt to a friend in similar circumstances. She moved her kid from one Ward 6 school to another using our basement address. She hasn’t lived in our basement, not a problem. She pulled together enrollment docs with our support.

So.... you are encouraging residency fraud?

I would do whatever it takes to get my child out of a dangerous and damaging situation. Your son is being bullied. He is beginning to hate school. You do whatever it takes. You're still a DC tax payer. Don't listen to these crazies who want to keep you out of their snowflakes' schools. Absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which ward are you in, PP? Are you in a position to get hold of an IB address that works for a school you’d like him to switch to? Last year, we “rented” out our basement apt to a friend in similar circumstances. She moved her kid from one Ward 6 school to another using our basement address. She hasn’t lived in our basement, not a problem. She pulled together enrollment docs with our support.

So.... you are encouraging residency fraud?

Sure, when it's a gray area, like so many other things in life. If nobody's renting a legit housing unit and a friend, the owner, is willing to let you rent it (for, say, $1) go for it, get your kid away from a dysfunctional, even dangerous, classroom situation fast. You pay DC taxes and deserve much better for your family.

+1. NP and I totally agree. If you're planning on continuing to the feeder middle school, I'd find the cheapest short term rental you can at another feeder elementary and consider it money well spent to escape a bullying situation. Cheaper than the therapy bills you'd be paying for if his mental health is destroyed by the end of the school year. Grey area or not, your child's mental health comes first.

A zillion percent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: yes. I know of situations where school transfers happen within DCPS for extraordinary circumstances. You can start by contacting the DCPS crisis team or family advocate or ombudsman whatever it is called..

But really think about if a transfer is what you want. Is there any way to salvage the current situation? Maybe a new outside school activity or a new pet or some cognitive behavioral ways to think about these difficulties as growth experiences. Definitely something fun to look forward to during winter and spring breaks to give him something to propel him through hard days.

Of course if he is truly being mistreated by other kids or adults at school that needs to be addressed. Speak up loudly.

As for PPs guessing why 5th grade in DCPS can be hard and blaming it on charter schools “taking” friends. I call BS. I have yet to see a DCPS elementary school that provides the intellectual and social opportunities that these 10/11 year olds are ready for. They THRiVE at Latin and Basis in 5th grade. They love it. They are ready for it. DCPS could do something similar in their 5th grades, but don’t.

Charters like Basis and Latin and then adding sibling preference has truly hurt the kids and schools on Capitol Hill.
Breaking up 5th grade when it’s a promotion year does hurt. A feeling of being left behind, seeing all the kids commuting.