Banneker vs J-R / MacArthur

[Anonymous]

my son had an interview yesterday at banneker and doesnt want to attend the school. he wants to go to JR!!!!

[Anonymous]

My kid chose Banneker over JR. We are in Ward 1, which means the commute was a bit easier than JR. But mostly, kid wanted a smaller school where they knew there wouldn't be behavioral issues.

Kid was there for summer session and about a week before getting off the WL at Walls and chose it over Banneker, largely because they had so many friends who attended Walls.

Kid is still in touch with friends made in those few short weeks. Seems like a really friendly, supportive group of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am not sure you will find consensus on here as very few who post on DCUM seem to go to Banneker. My kid goes there and she loves it. It’s super challenging and has great facilities. We live a 5 minute bus ride up the road which is great for us. I think, regardless of other issues people express if parents are able to consider in bounds for JR or MacArthur, the additional commute to Banneker just may not be worth it given the transport connections from ward 3 to Shaw. Similarly Walls is an easier commute as well if you’re in ward 3.

I agree with this. If Banneker was plopped down in upper NW or somewhere right on the red line, it would see a massive increase in applications.

Also, at least with JR, JR offers all the AP classes, STEM and sports that anyone wants/needs. I am not aware of anything that Banneker offers that is unique to Banneker (outside of student body composition).

Funny because student body composition is heralded on DCUM when we’re talking non-majority black schools. Also, Banneker is unique in many ways to JR, but if you haven’t done your leg work to know about it, you don’t know. And not my job to inform you. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

McA in no way compares to Banneker. Too many loose ends with McA. Perhaps in a few years they may be able to compete with Banneker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:JR will have advanced math classes while Banneker goes up to AP Calculus AB.

There have been Banneker students who took the BC Calc AP with support from the school in the last few years, just not a full fledged class. I wouldn't be surprised if BC Calc is taught at Banneker shortly, just like it's coming into MacArthur next year. Times are changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:JR will have advanced math classes while Banneker goes up to AP Calculus AB.

There have been Banneker students who took the BC Calc AP with support from the school in the last few years, just not a full fledged class. I wouldn't be surprised if BC Calc is taught at Banneker shortly, just like it's coming into MacArthur next year. Times are changing.

I wouldn't be surprised at this addition, either, given how much growth in student numbers Banneker has experienced since moving into its new building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Banneker is not popular on DCUM because its demographics do not align with DCUM’s.

Just telling it like it is - and like all of you KNOW it is.

I personally consider this a good thing. Also, Banneker is more accessible to kids without a viable HS feeder. I wish there was a closer Metro stop to McKinley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker is not popular on DCUM because its demographics do not align with DCUM’s.

Just telling it like it is - and like all of you KNOW it is.

I personally consider this a good thing. Also, Banneker is more accessible to kids without a viable HS feeder. I wish there was a closer Metro stop to McKinley.

McKinley is a .5 mile walk from the metro. Many kids and staff do that walk. It is not that bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Banneker is not popular on DCUM because its demographics do not align with DCUM’s.

Just telling it like it is - and like all of you KNOW it is.

Truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker is not popular on DCUM because its demographics do not align with DCUM’s.

Just telling it like it is - and like all of you KNOW it is.

I personally consider this a good thing. Also, Banneker is more accessible to kids without a viable HS feeder. I wish there was a closer Metro stop to McKinley.

+1

[Anonymous]

Looked at Bannekar - just not strong enough in Math, Science and STEM. If your kid is at all STEM leaning - JR has so many better options. Or McKinley. I don't get the love for Banneker or Walls.

[Anonymous]

Come on, most of us don't have access to J-R unless we sell up EotP and move to Upper NW. Banneker is better than moving after many years in neighborhoods we love. We can supplement on STEM at Banneker easier than we can move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looked at Bannekar - just not strong enough in Math, Science and STEM. If your kid is at all STEM leaning - JR has so many better options. Or McKinley. I don't get the love for Banneker or Walls.

Banneker never claimed to be a STEM school. Although, they do have an award winning robotics team, and I believe they have a great EV team. Banneker also has other things to offer that JR does not, but yes, they are not a STEM school. Also, why does everyone on DCUM default to JR? I get it, it seems like most of DCUM posters live inbounds for JR, but are you all so self-absorbed that you think EVERYONE here does? I certainly don’t. And I wouldn’t send my kid to JR even if I did. For us, the negatives of JR outweigh any positives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Come on, most of us don't have access to J-R unless we sell up EotP and move to Upper NW. Banneker is better than moving after many years in neighborhoods we love. We can supplement on STEM at Banneker easier than we can move.

Most outside of JR’s boundary couldn’t move IB because they have nothing to sell that would allow them to buy in bounds, even if they wanted to. Or even rent for that matter. And I don’t see Banneker as a consolation prize. It’s a great school, and I’d prefer if over JR anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looked at Bannekar - just not strong enough in Math, Science and STEM. If your kid is at all STEM leaning - JR has so many better options. Or McKinley. I don't get the love for Banneker or Walls.

Walls worked out fine for my STEM kid. He is now at Cornell studying Engineering and loving it.