Creative Minds Int'l PCS -- "Students at DC charter school lose teacher for second consecutive academic year"

[Anonymous]

I do not feel better after the parent meeting today. We heard that another experienced, certified teacher is leaving and a long term sub will be found. We heard that last year the kindergarten had two long term subs, who were not certified, and the students suffered academically. So, a long term sub doesn’t seem ideal. The coach tried to impress us with his experience, but I mostly heard about how he watches students in the hallway, we need academics, not a hall watcher. Although from
what families say, I think the middle school needs that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shame on WUSA for picking up this story. It's not a unique one, just one that some privileged parent pitched. His kid is welcomed to attend Bruce Monroe.

Why would they run this and not the 4 dc schools they won the Dept of Ed Blue Ribbon? Very odd story

[Anonymous]

A

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/dc-parents-concerned-after-students-lose-their-second-teacher-in-a-row/65-c2942f57-5636-4af2-b498-cf00abc0fa89

Anyone else see this about Creative Minds International Public Charter School? I've heard this place used to be a decent school. I have acquaintances that work there and I only hear negative things about the leadership and some of the staff. Looks like the good people that did remain are now leaving in droves. The people I know there say that the leadership is incompetent which has caused many of the qualified staff to resign (like the teachers in the article). I've heard the qualified teachers that leave are being replaced with unlicensed folks with little experience. Won't be sending my children there.

Not ideal!

The teacher in Kindergarten went on Maternity leave. I don't think that's something you can blame the school's leadership for.

So, one teacher left unexpectedly midyear. That can happen anywhere.

[Anonymous]

No,the idea of blaming sub for student’s academic failure doesn’t stood valid. This arise questions on as how the foundation was built ? Does 3-5 months of Subs assisting the lead teacher in the class dominate such portion of child’s academic education success? This might not be fair to blame them blindly. As a parent myself, I can feel the frustration and may against the idea of getting temporary subs but this is not fair for blaming Subs for any child’s academic failure! Many factors including ourselves as a parent , school, lead teacher and system determine that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No,the idea of blaming sub for student’s academic failure doesn’t stood valid. This arise questions on as how the foundation was built ? Does 3-5 months of Subs assisting the next main teacher in the class dominate such portion of child’s academic education success? This might not be fair to blame them blindly. As a parent myself, I can feel the frustration and may against the idea of getting temporary subs but this is not fair for blaming Subs for any child’s academic failure! Many factors including ourselves as a parent , school, lead teacher and system determine that!

[Anonymous]

A white-flight school in a gentrifying area. Their elementary selling point was white classmates. End.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t about blaming subs, it is about school leadership not being prepared for a teacher’s maternity leave, with a certified teacher. And also not hiring a certified teacher when the first teacher resigned a few weeks into the school year. And saying that a sub with no training or certification does not harm a child education is disingenuous. It is also demeaning to teachers who work hard for their certifications and trainings and schooling.

[Anonymous]

This has been going on at CMI for YEARS.
Not new for them. Ask any families who were around when the founder was still in place (right after they moved from Mount Pleasant to the current location) and you’ll hear many tales of student cohorts losing teachers multiple school years in a row, etc. It’s never been a well managed school.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what is going on at CMI. My child’s new teacher leads the class to shame students as my student told me yesterday. They all pointed at a student and told the student to pay attention along with the student’s name. One of my child’s friend has had to stand in the corner at different times, no idea why that would be allowed. I have asked to switch rooms but have not heard anything from the school. I am seriously thinking of pulling my kids out. It’s disheartening that a school that claims to be inclusive is NOT INCLUSIVE and thinks shaming students is acceptable. Not to mention the new testing regime, 20 word vocabulary test and no IPC on the schedule! Another reason why we chose the school! Shameful.

[Anonymous]

The saga continues, and all that the ED is doing is positing on Facebook. I could not be happier that I pulled my child this summer. The fact that you are the head of a school and choosing to approach your issues by cryptically complaining on Facebook instead of stepping out of your office and addressing some of the issues head on shows you are unfit for the job.

[Anonymous]

The fundamental failure with DC charter laws is the lack of accountability. Once you have a charter, you have to be grossly incompetent to lose your charter. And the whole enrollment system is designed to keep you open, even if you are filled with kids who have you as their 13th choice or whatever. So every couple years there will be these threads about CMI that ought to alarm the right officials, and unless it's wholly mismanaged, it will still be open 20 years from now.

[Anonymous]

As an employee it breaks my heart to hear so many of my current and former colleagues of mine being bad mouthed by admin on the regular. There seems to be a lot of blame shifting rather than anyone stepping up and taking accountability or showing any leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fundamental failure with DC charter laws is the lack of accountability. Once you have a charter, you have to be grossly incompetent to lose your charter. And the whole enrollment system is designed to keep you open, even if you are filled with kids who have you as their 13th choice or whatever. So every couple years there will be these threads about CMI that ought to alarm the right officials, and unless it's wholly mismanaged, it will still be open 20 years from now.

In the period between 2012 and 2020, 26 charter LEA schools/programs closed; 18 because of academics and 8 because of financial management.... but, yeah, no accountability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fundamental failure with DC charter laws is the lack of accountability. Once you have a charter, you have to be grossly incompetent to lose your charter. And the whole enrollment system is designed to keep you open, even if you are filled with kids who have you as their 13th choice or whatever. So every couple years there will be these threads about CMI that ought to alarm the right officials, and unless it's wholly mismanaged, it will still be open 20 years from now.

In the period between 2012 and 2020, 26 charter LEA schools/programs closed; 18 because of academics and 8 because of financial management.... but, yeah, no accountability.

And yet so many crappy charter schools remain open.