Looking to talk to Thomson, Two Rivers, and Capitol Hill Montessori parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Thomson is a fine school and if you like the downtown location, great. Two Rivers is for those who go for the "expeditionary" model, but beware the behavior issues they seem to have a hard time with. Also, the middle school of Two Rivers is way over at the Young campus, maybe not great logistics for you? And be sure to look at test scores relative to demographic. IMO a school like Seaton, which has very strong math scores if you look at the MGP and relative to demographics, is more impressive than Two Rivers with its meh scores from mostly high-income kids. Same for CHML-- I'm aghast at their test scores relative to demographics. Don't think that just because a school offers 8th grade that you will actually be happy with it when the time comes.

I don't know why Inspired Teaching wouldn't be on your list. The middle school is nice if you like a small school, and I like the higher number of student teachers because it makes for a great adult-child ratio.

Understand, OP, that some schools are on an improving/gentrifying trajectory and some are not. Langley, for example, much like Garrison, was on hard times 10 years ago and Garrison very nearly shut down by the city. But with new leadership and the hard work of many families, those schools are slowly, slowly improving. It's not a quick process and nobody should expect it to be. But both schools have an engaged cohort of preschool and lower elementary parents who fundraise and advocate with the city for their school. That won't show in the PARCC scores until those kids are retained through spring of 3rd grade. (But you can ask for iReady or DIBELS data on K-2nd if it's important to you.). Contrast that with schools like Two Rivers, Shining Stars, Lee, and Mundo Verde. Not so many low-income kids, the school has existed for long enough, numberically large group of families to donate and advocate and support their kids academically, and yet the test scores are meh, what could be the reason? Bad scores on mostly high-income kids means something is not right in the school.

Don’t minimize the impact that discipline issues can have on upper ES. Even if a student is doing well academically, they are likely to suffer in a chaotic environment. I’m a NP, but as others have stated, this is the primary reason we left TR. The leadership at TR is in complete denial about the incidents related to bullying etc.

I understand there was just a communication sent out to MS parents about discipline issues/low staff morale and high turnover—I hope with new leadership and a focus on these issues the school is able to course correct.

That is interesting, can you post it?

We’re no longer at TR; I heard from a friend whose child is a MS student.

[Anonymous]

This is the OP. Thank you for sharing your experiences, please keep them coming - I'm eager to hear more, even if you'd rather post here than email me. (Email is great though, [e-mail]). Interested in both positive and negative impressions of Cap Hill Montessori and TR..I'd only heard positive things about both, so I'm eager to hear why some of you wouldn't recommend them. I obviously won't make a decision just based on these forums, but I like having a lot of information when I make decisions, so this can only help.

And I'm very interested in talking to Thomson parents, I got a good vibe at Ed Feast and their data looks good to me, given that they have a challenging population. (Half the school is ELLs but their growth scores are good, especially in math, which is an indication that the school is doing something right.) I don't know any parents there though and they don't have a PTA.

Yes to the posters who picked up on this: I am most interested in a school that offers as good a longterm plan as possible, though those of you who pointed out things change over the years are absolutely correct. And proximity to home is important to me. My husband and I both work full-time and I work from home. Unfortunately, some of the schools folks mentioned (like Capitol City) are just too far to be realistic options right now. Others that you all recommended (like Seaton) look great, but my impression is that it's virtually impossible to match there if you aren't inbound.

Thanks again, and please, continue sharing on all three schools and any others that you think I should have on my radar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. Thank you for sharing your experiences, please keep them coming - I'm eager to hear more, even if you'd rather post here than email me. (Email is great though, [e-mail]). Interested in both positive and negative impressions of Cap Hill Montessori and TR..I'd only heard positive things about both, so I'm eager to hear why some of you wouldn't recommend them. I obviously won't make a decision just based on these forums, but I like having a lot of information when I make decisions, so this can only help.

And I'm very interested in talking to Thomson parents, I got a good vibe at Ed Feast and their data looks good to me, given that they have a challenging population. (Half the school is ELLs but their growth scores are good, especially in math, which is an indication that the school is doing something right.) I don't know any parents there though and they don't have a PTA.

Yes to the posters who picked up on this: I am most interested in a school that offers as good a longterm plan as possible, though those of you who pointed out things change over the years are absolutely correct. And proximity to home is important to me. My husband and I both work full-time and I work from home. Unfortunately, some of the schools folks mentioned (like Capitol City) are just too far to be realistic options right now. Others that you all recommended (like Seaton) look great, but my impression is that it's virtually impossible to match there if you aren't inbound.

Thanks again, and please, continue sharing on all three schools and any others that you think I should have on my radar.

At Seaton it's impossible for PK3 but pretty easy thereafter. I think it would benefit you to think of your long-term plan as starting in PK4 or K, and PK3 is more of a placeholder year. If you get something good, wonderful, but if not, no harm done.

[Anonymous]

If you are ok with commuting to Capitol Hill Montessori you should consider ludlow taylor. It will probably be tough to get into for pre k but it’s possible for k. It’s a strong school with good community support

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are ok with commuting to Capitol Hill Montessori you should consider ludlow taylor. It will probably be tough to get into for pre k but it’s possible for k. It’s a strong school with good community support

Possible but unlikely. Only 5 kids matched in the lottery with No Preference, with 58 remaining on the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

I know a few families at CHML. I think all the positive feedback you're getting isn't wrong. If you want to know the negatives, I'd say that many families are still leaving for middle school (though I'm not sure that will still be the case when your kids reach that age) and that the education seems to favor kids who are natural fits for Montessori (inquisitive, self-motivated). If your kid(s) are happy to not do much, they can get away with it. If your kids would rather learn at their own pace and aren't affected as much by peers, I think they benefit a lot from the school structure.

Also, FWIW, the admins were fairly conservative during COVID and school was virtual for longer, masking may still be in place (which may be a plus or a minus, depending on your stance).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. Thank you for sharing your experiences, please keep them coming - I'm eager to hear more, even if you'd rather post here than email me. (Email is great though, [e-mail]). Interested in both positive and negative impressions of Cap Hill Montessori and TR..I'd only heard positive things about both, so I'm eager to hear why some of you wouldn't recommend them. I obviously won't make a decision just based on these forums, but I like having a lot of information when I make decisions, so this can only help.

And I'm very interested in talking to Thomson parents, I got a good vibe at Ed Feast and their data looks good to me, given that they have a challenging population. (Half the school is ELLs but their growth scores are good, especially in math, which is an indication that the school is doing something right.) I don't know any parents there though and they don't have a PTA.

Yes to the posters who picked up on this: I am most interested in a school that offers as good a longterm plan as possible, though those of you who pointed out things change over the years are absolutely correct. And proximity to home is important to me. My husband and I both work full-time and I work from home. Unfortunately, some of the schools folks mentioned (like Capitol City) are just too far to be realistic options right now. Others that you all recommended (like Seaton) look great, but my impression is that it's virtually impossible to match there if you aren't inbound.

Thanks again, and please, continue sharing on all three schools and any others that you think I should have on my radar.

At Seaton it's impossible for PK3 but pretty easy thereafter. I think it would benefit you to think of your long-term plan as starting in PK4 or K, and PK3 is more of a placeholder year. If you get something good, wonderful, but if not, no harm done.

Probably too late, but just want to say it's definitely not impossible to get into Seaton PK3 OOB. We did it (with a middling lottery score) and have two kids there now - plenty of OOB kids in both their classes. Seaton's wonderful and convenient for MVT (also where we live), so definitely worth a shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You ought to list more than three schools. You'll only get TR if your lottery number is outstanding.

Why not Inspired Teaching?

Definitely look at Langley, it's in the sweet spot where you are very likely to get in but it's a good ECE program. Tons of neighborhood support.

Are Langley scores better than Walker-Jones? Because OP is not comfortable due to test scores and Langley scores are very bad.

The scores and student retention are bad at Langley, which is the opposite of what the Langley boosters described here.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You ought to list more than three schools. You'll only get TR if your lottery number is outstanding.

Why not Inspired Teaching?

Definitely look at Langley, it's in the sweet spot where you are very likely to get in but it's a good ECE program. Tons of neighborhood support.

Are Langley scores better than Walker-Jones? Because OP is not comfortable due to test scores and Langley scores are very bad.

The scores and student retention are bad at Langley, which is the opposite of what the Langley boosters described here.

+1

Nobody is disputing that. People are recommending Langley because it is near where OP lives, OP stands a good chance of getting in OOB, and the ECE and lower elementary experience is positive. There's no need to be such a downer when people are trying to be helpful. OP needs to make a realistic lottery list that accounts for the possibility of having a bad number.

[Anonymous]

This is the OP. After attending open houses at all three schools and talking to a Thomson parent I met through DCUM (thank you!!) I ended up putting CHM and Thomson very high. Last year, the vast majority of kids who listed Thomson got in, so our odds there are good, less so with CHM. I got a great feeling from both schools and think we would be happy with either. Won't know for sure til we get there of course, and as folks here pointed out, schools can change over the course of several years. I also listed Two Rivers, but much lower down, mostly because it's a long walk from home.

This thread was helpful in that I took a second look at Seaton (which I didn't think we had any shot at) and listed it fairly high up. Our odds seem to be better at both Thomson and CHM, but I will keep Seaton on my radar in case we aren't happy with where we wind up for preK since it looks easier to lottery into from kindergarten on. (Thanks for that tip DCUM!) I also included Langley on our list, tho it does seem tough to get into OOB for preK.

And I don't mind boosters! I love what you all are trying to do for DC schools that have the potential to serve all kids better with the help of an active parent community. It's good to know when a school has families pulling for it.

[Anonymous]

I am the Langley booster!
And since you do not mind,
I'll tell you all about our school--
We're smart and strong and kind!

Our enrollment's growing yearly,
Our teachers are so great.
We're working on our garden
And soon we'll renovate.

Some may say I am annoying
Or that I am a troll
But you can boost in rhyme as well
Whereever you enroll.

You can get into Langley--
The waitlist moves-- you'll see.
We'd be so glad to have you
And your whole family!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. After attending open houses at all three schools and talking to a Thomson parent I met through DCUM (thank you!!) I ended up putting CHM and Thomson very high. Last year, the vast majority of kids who listed Thomson got in, so our odds there are good, less so with CHM. I got a great feeling from both schools and think we would be happy with either. Won't know for sure til we get there of course, and as folks here pointed out, schools can change over the course of several years. I also listed Two Rivers, but much lower down, mostly because it's a long walk from home.

This thread was helpful in that I took a second look at Seaton (which I didn't think we had any shot at) and listed it fairly high up. Our odds seem to be better at both Thomson and CHM, but I will keep Seaton on my radar in case we aren't happy with where we wind up for preK since it looks easier to lottery into from kindergarten on. (Thanks for that tip DCUM!) I also included Langley on our list, tho it does seem tough to get into OOB for preK.

And I don't mind boosters! I love what you all are trying to do for DC schools that have the potential to serve all kids better with the help of an active parent community. It's good to know when a school has families pulling for it.

It's my understanding that many (most?) of the TRY ES classes are not fully staffed--in that one teacher is covering both classes. This is alarming. Not sure if this is also the case at TR4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. After attending open houses at all three schools and talking to a Thomson parent I met through DCUM (thank you!!) I ended up putting CHM and Thomson very high. Last year, the vast majority of kids who listed Thomson got in, so our odds there are good, less so with CHM. I got a great feeling from both schools and think we would be happy with either. Won't know for sure til we get there of course, and as folks here pointed out, schools can change over the course of several years. I also listed Two Rivers, but much lower down, mostly because it's a long walk from home.

This thread was helpful in that I took a second look at Seaton (which I didn't think we had any shot at) and listed it fairly high up. Our odds seem to be better at both Thomson and CHM, but I will keep Seaton on my radar in case we aren't happy with where we wind up for preK since it looks easier to lottery into from kindergarten on. (Thanks for that tip DCUM!) I also included Langley on our list, tho it does seem tough to get into OOB for preK.

And I don't mind boosters! I love what you all are trying to do for DC schools that have the potential to serve all kids better with the help of an active parent community. It's good to know when a school has families pulling for it.

It's my understanding that many (most?) of the TRY ES classes are not fully staffed--in that one teacher is covering both classes. This is alarming. Not sure if this is also the case at TR4.

What? No, that would violate the adult-child ratio rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. After attending open houses at all three schools and talking to a Thomson parent I met through DCUM (thank you!!) I ended up putting CHM and Thomson very high. Last year, the vast majority of kids who listed Thomson got in, so our odds there are good, less so with CHM. I got a great feeling from both schools and think we would be happy with either. Won't know for sure til we get there of course, and as folks here pointed out, schools can change over the course of several years. I also listed Two Rivers, but much lower down, mostly because it's a long walk from home.

This thread was helpful in that I took a second look at Seaton (which I didn't think we had any shot at) and listed it fairly high up. Our odds seem to be better at both Thomson and CHM, but I will keep Seaton on my radar in case we aren't happy with where we wind up for preK since it looks easier to lottery into from kindergarten on. (Thanks for that tip DCUM!) I also included Langley on our list, tho it does seem tough to get into OOB for preK.

And I don't mind boosters! I love what you all are trying to do for DC schools that have the potential to serve all kids better with the help of an active parent community. It's good to know when a school has families pulling for it.

Can I inquire as to whether you got the impression from TR that they are aware of any the issues and perception/reputational challenges they face? We left in the two years ago and it was heartbreaking to do so. I lost faith when it became clear that the school could not course correct because they didn't think there was any correction needed. My hope is that with the ED gone the school is acknowledging challenges and addressing them. Just wondering if they even acknowledge any of this or if they continue to sing from the same hymnal as before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. After attending open houses at all three schools and talking to a Thomson parent I met through DCUM (thank you!!) I ended up putting CHM and Thomson very high. Last year, the vast majority of kids who listed Thomson got in, so our odds there are good, less so with CHM. I got a great feeling from both schools and think we would be happy with either. Won't know for sure til we get there of course, and as folks here pointed out, schools can change over the course of several years. I also listed Two Rivers, but much lower down, mostly because it's a long walk from home.

This thread was helpful in that I took a second look at Seaton (which I didn't think we had any shot at) and listed it fairly high up. Our odds seem to be better at both Thomson and CHM, but I will keep Seaton on my radar in case we aren't happy with where we wind up for preK since it looks easier to lottery into from kindergarten on. (Thanks for that tip DCUM!) I also included Langley on our list, tho it does seem tough to get into OOB for preK.

And I don't mind boosters! I love what you all are trying to do for DC schools that have the potential to serve all kids better with the help of an active parent community. It's good to know when a school has families pulling for it.

It's my understanding that many (most?) of the TRY ES classes are not fully staffed--in that one teacher is covering both classes. This is alarming. Not sure if this is also the case at TR4.

What? No, that would violate the adult-child ratio rules.

But are those rules enforced? NP, but we were formerly at TRY and I reported a number of violations to OSSE, nothing came of it (to my knowledge).