JKLM vs Latin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if IEP services are better for kids with learning disabilities at Latin or Deal?

Deal is hit Or miss - and lots of big misses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are leaving JKLM for Latin next year. We put our names in because Deal seems really huge, we LOVE the idea of a classical education for this kid in particular, small classes, tons of opportunities and a gung-ho staff out to not only prove themselves on a national stage but ensure student success. Private would have been a financial stretch, but it also would have been a kick in the pants for a non-top school (DC is middle of the road student entering in 5th who has an IEP for mild learning disability, which also means that Latin has to honor). We definitely would have gone private for HS no matter what, would not have gone JR (maybe Macarthur?) Now the decision is made.

I also think that unless you are a really stand out hooked kid at a private, the college winds are shifting towards less affluent, academically-principled, more truly diverse (not wealthy URMs and even fewer scholarship kids) schools, like Latin.

We feel like we hit the lottery.

Latin needs to "honor" the IEP for 30 days - and may change it after as Latin is a separate LEA.
We moved from a charter to DCPS and DCPS cut specialized education services significantly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are leaving JKLM for Latin next year. We put our names in because Deal seems really huge, we LOVE the idea of a classical education for this kid in particular, small classes, tons of opportunities and a gung-ho staff out to not only prove themselves on a national stage but ensure student success. Private would have been a financial stretch, but it also would have been a kick in the pants for a non-top school (DC is middle of the road student entering in 5th who has an IEP for mild learning disability, which also means that Latin has to honor). We definitely would have gone private for HS no matter what, would not have gone JR (maybe Macarthur?) Now the decision is made.

I also think that unless you are a really stand out hooked kid at a private, the college winds are shifting towards less affluent, academically-principled, more truly diverse (not wealthy URMs and even fewer scholarship kids) schools, like Latin.

We feel like we hit the lottery.

Latin needs to "honor" the IEP for 30 days - and may change it after as Latin is a separate LEA.
We moved from a charter to DCPS and DCPS cut specialized education services significantly.

My DS is a fifth grader at Latin 2nd this year, with an IEP. He's had a great experience so far in terms of support and targeting his learning gaps in math and reading. There's a dedicated student support staff member who is amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are leaving JKLM for Latin next year. We put our names in because Deal seems really huge, we LOVE the idea of a classical education for this kid in particular, small classes, tons of opportunities and a gung-ho staff out to not only prove themselves on a national stage but ensure student success. Private would have been a financial stretch, but it also would have been a kick in the pants for a non-top school (DC is middle of the road student entering in 5th who has an IEP for mild learning disability, which also means that Latin has to honor). We definitely would have gone private for HS no matter what, would not have gone JR (maybe Macarthur?) Now the decision is made.

I also think that unless you are a really stand out hooked kid at a private, the college winds are shifting towards less affluent, academically-principled, more truly diverse (not wealthy URMs and even fewer scholarship kids) schools, like Latin.

We feel like we hit the lottery.

Latin needs to "honor" the IEP for 30 days - and may change it after as Latin is a separate LEA.
We moved from a charter to DCPS and DCPS cut specialized education services significantly.

My DS is a fifth grader at Latin 2nd this year, with an IEP. He's had a great experience so far in terms of support and targeting his learning gaps in math and reading. There's a dedicated student support staff member who is amazing.

Second this - the student support for IEPs at Latin is the best I have ever seen in a public setting - the gains my kid has made with their support is night and day to DCPS’s move them along 30 minutes a week check mark. Latin has gone above and beyond for my kid in every way - even added services when they have seen something that I didn’t even know about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are leaving JKLM for Latin next year. We put our names in because Deal seems really huge, we LOVE the idea of a classical education for this kid in particular, small classes, tons of opportunities and a gung-ho staff out to not only prove themselves on a national stage but ensure student success. Private would have been a financial stretch, but it also would have been a kick in the pants for a non-top school (DC is middle of the road student entering in 5th who has an IEP for mild learning disability, which also means that Latin has to honor). We definitely would have gone private for HS no matter what, would not have gone JR (maybe Macarthur?) Now the decision is made.

I also think that unless you are a really stand out hooked kid at a private, the college winds are shifting towards less affluent, academically-principled, more truly diverse (not wealthy URMs and even fewer scholarship kids) schools, like Latin.

We feel like we hit the lottery.

Latin needs to "honor" the IEP for 30 days - and may change it after as Latin is a separate LEA.
We moved from a charter to DCPS and DCPS cut specialized education services significantly.

My DS is a fifth grader at Latin 2nd this year, with an IEP. He's had a great experience so far in terms of support and targeting his learning gaps in math and reading. There's a dedicated student support staff member who is amazing.

Second this - the student support for IEPs at Latin is the best I have ever seen in a public setting - the gains my kid has made with their support is night and day to DCPS’s move them along 30 minutes a week check mark. Latin has gone above and beyond for my kid in every way - even added services when they have seen something that I didn’t even know about

And I third. Same experience at Latin for my kid who started with an IEP, moved to a 504, and is now a straight A student in high school. My kid would not have been able to achieve this without the excellent and caring support services at Latin.

[Anonymous]

Do facilities matter?

Extracurricular activities, sports matter but there are ways to get those after school in other places.

Is there bullying and teasing either at Deal or Latin?

[Anonymous]

Is there bullying and teasing either at Deal or Latin?

There is plenty of bullying and teasing at our JKLM.

I would venture to assume that this is something that happens at every school, especially in later elementary and middle school.

The more important questions to ask would be:
Are the teachers and staff engaged and aware of issues with their students?
Are the behaviors and issues being addressed?
Is there an overall culture of respect?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Our family left Janney for Latin in the early days of Latin, and am so glad I did. Deal and Wilson were never going to be a path for my oldest, so having sibling preference at Latin was key for the rest of my children to attend Latin with no stress of winning the lottery again.

[Anonymous]

Was there a big shift switching from DCPS to Latin? Anyone make the switch from Lafayette?

[Anonymous]

Latin’s ability to support a range of kids at the HS level is terrible. In HS they do not care about anyone other than the kids they have tracked into their highest track. Of course, those kids are mostly white. Latin’s HS replicates tracking from the 1970s and they could care less about bright kids who may need some accommodations.

[Anonymous]

What accommodations is Latin bad at providing? What changed from MS to HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Latin’s ability to support a range of kids at the HS level is terrible. In HS they do not care about anyone other than the kids they have tracked into their highest track. Of course, those kids are mostly white. Latin’s HS replicates tracking from the 1970s and they could care less about bright kids who may need some accommodations.

Yup. Exactly my experience at Latin. If your child is tracked into the highest level they will be treated very well. But it feels gross.

[Anonymous]

My IEP kid at Latin was not tracked into honors (nor did we want that). Our experience was that Latin made sure that some of their most experienced and talented teachers taught “gen Ed” levels as well as honors. DC definitely did not get lost in the shuffle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My IEP kid at Latin was not tracked into honors (nor did we want that). Our experience was that Latin made sure that some of their most experienced and talented teachers taught “gen Ed” levels as well as honors. DC definitely did not get lost in the shuffle.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Latin’s ability to support a range of kids at the HS level is terrible. In HS they do not care about anyone other than the kids they have tracked into their highest track. Of course, those kids are mostly white. Latin’s HS replicates tracking from the 1970s and they could care less about bright kids who may need some accommodations.

Yup. Exactly my experience at Latin. If your child is tracked into the highest level they will be treated very well. But it feels gross.

No doubt it is also why it continues to attract UMC white folks. As DCPS leads the race to the middle and bottom, there are fewer and fewer options for people who care more about the quality of their kids' education than the level and volume of virtue signaling a school and its administration do. I personally find it "gross" that we have come to a place in DC education where concentrating on high performing kids is "gross".