Coolidge High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basic info:
https://www.myschooldc.org/schools/profile/27

Less than 10% kids getting 4s or 5s in Math,
Around 20% getting 4s or 5s in ELA.
69% kids at risk
45% with disabilities
71.5% of students were chronically absent, meaning they missed more than 10 percent of school days.
40.5% of students from the class 2024 of were enrolled in post-secondary programs within 12 months of graduation.


https://schoolreportcard.dc.gov/lea/1/school/455/report

These numbers are terrible. Over 90% below grade level and over 70% truancy

[Anonymous]

I think no one who has the option of going elsewhere goes to Coolidge. It really cannot be on the table for you. Bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different stories of robbery of student walking to class at Coolidge:

Nov. 3, 2023
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/11/03/police-arrest-homicide-dc/

I have lived in the neighborhood for 13 years. Yes there have been some crime but the area is generally pretty safe and I walk around with my young child day and night with no concerns. We walk and bike to school in the neighborhood. Come visit the neighborhood and see how you feel.

I live in the neighborhood and no longer walk in it due to safety concerns. I've lived here longer than you.

[Anonymous]

you guys are freaking out about Takoma? Am I reading this right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think no one who has the option of going elsewhere goes to Coolidge. It really cannot be on the table for you. Bad.

This. Saying what others won't - but this is not a school I would ever send a kid to.

[Anonymous]

I live nearby. The neighborhood is fine. There is some crime but mostly you'll see tons of families and children walking around with no issues. I've never heard anything about the Coolidge kids causing trouble. That being said, it's not a good school and we have zero plans to send our kids there. If you look at the data, most people in the neighborhood don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you guys are freaking out about Takoma? Am I reading this right?

Yes. There are some people on this board who are showing themselves to be scared of their own shadows at this point. Truly the only time I've experienced anything resembling "trouble" was when I was walking with my head down and walked straight into a tree branch. It's basically a suburb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you guys are freaking out about Takoma? Am I reading this right?

Yes. There are some people on this board who are showing themselves to be scared of their own shadows at this point. Truly the only time I've experienced anything resembling "trouble" was when I was walking with my head down and walked straight into a tree branch. It's basically a suburb.

Gun violence is very localized. Last year, there were at least three separate incidents near Coolidge involving gunfire. A Safe Passage worker was murdered, a student was robbed at gunpoint (and shots were fired), and Coolidge (and Wells and Whittier) were put on lockdown because of gunfire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you guys are freaking out about Takoma? Am I reading this right?

Yes. There are some people on this board who are showing themselves to be scared of their own shadows at this point. Truly the only time I've experienced anything resembling "trouble" was when I was walking with my head down and walked straight into a tree branch. It's basically a suburb.

Gun violence is very localized. Last year, there were at least three separate incidents near Coolidge involving gunfire. A Safe Passage worker was murdered, a student was robbed at gunpoint (and shots were fired), and Coolidge (and Wells and Whittier) were put on lockdown because of gunfire.

+1 not sure why people dismissed these incidents. They happened. There have been also lot of carjacking in the area.

[Anonymous]

To answer the original question- if I was looking for a school for next year I would not likely send my student to the regular program at Coolidge but would consider the early college program. This is not out of safety concerns (I live 2 blocks away) but due to academic achievement. That said I am cautiously optimistic about improvement over time. There have only been a few years since renovation, change in feeder pattern to create Ida B Wells middle and reboot of the school that have not been affected by COVID. I feel confident enough to stay in the neighborhood at a feeder elementary that is doing an amazing job with my child. I am planning for my student to attend Ida B Wells (and personally know kids there- not just the aggregate test scores). There are options for HS and I’m not going to stress about it 8 years early. Others make different choices which is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To answer the original question- if I was looking for a school for next year I would not likely send my student to the regular program at Coolidge but would consider the early college program. This is not out of safety concerns (I live 2 blocks away) but due to academic achievement. That said I am cautiously optimistic about improvement over time. There have only been a few years since renovation, change in feeder pattern to create Ida B Wells middle and reboot of the school that have not been affected by COVID. I feel confident enough to stay in the neighborhood at a feeder elementary that is doing an amazing job with my child. I am planning for my student to attend Ida B Wells (and personally know kids there- not just the aggregate test scores). There are options for HS and I’m not going to stress about it 8 years early. Others make different choices which is fine.

There were 13 kids total across 9th and 10th grade scoring proficient in math last year, including the early college program students.

There are presumably zero students who have actually earned an associate's degree through it, or else DCPS would be saying something, and there'd probably be a Post article.

What's going on there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To answer the original question- if I was looking for a school for next year I would not likely send my student to the regular program at Coolidge but would consider the early college program. This is not out of safety concerns (I live 2 blocks away) but due to academic achievement. That said I am cautiously optimistic about improvement over time. There have only been a few years since renovation, change in feeder pattern to create Ida B Wells middle and reboot of the school that have not been affected by COVID. I feel confident enough to stay in the neighborhood at a feeder elementary that is doing an amazing job with my child. I am planning for my student to attend Ida B Wells (and personally know kids there- not just the aggregate test scores). There are options for HS and I’m not going to stress about it 8 years early. Others make different choices which is fine.

There were 13 kids total across 9th and 10th grade scoring proficient in math last year, including the early college program students.

There are presumably zero students who have actually earned an associate's degree through it, or else DCPS would be saying something, and there'd probably be a Post article.

What's going on there?

There has not been a single cohort who has gone through the program 9-12 grade in person yet. The seniors this year were virtual in 9th grade. Next year will graduate the first group going through the full program. The program needs some time to ramp up and see success!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you guys are freaking out about Takoma? Am I reading this right?

Yes. There are some people on this board who are showing themselves to be scared of their own shadows at this point. Truly the only time I've experienced anything resembling "trouble" was when I was walking with my head down and walked straight into a tree branch. It's basically a suburb.

Gun violence is very localized. Last year, there were at least three separate incidents near Coolidge involving gunfire. A Safe Passage worker was murdered, a student was robbed at gunpoint (and shots were fired), and Coolidge (and Wells and Whittier) were put on lockdown because of gunfire.

+1 not sure why people dismissed these incidents. They happened. There have been also lot of carjacking in the area.

OK, but we also have Banneker in Shaw, SWW in downtown, and kids fighting in Tenleytown. Maybe we should all move to Potomac?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To answer the original question- if I was looking for a school for next year I would not likely send my student to the regular program at Coolidge but would consider the early college program. This is not out of safety concerns (I live 2 blocks away) but due to academic achievement. That said I am cautiously optimistic about improvement over time. There have only been a few years since renovation, change in feeder pattern to create Ida B Wells middle and reboot of the school that have not been affected by COVID. I feel confident enough to stay in the neighborhood at a feeder elementary that is doing an amazing job with my child. I am planning for my student to attend Ida B Wells (and personally know kids there- not just the aggregate test scores). There are options for HS and I’m not going to stress about it 8 years early. Others make different choices which is fine.

There were 13 kids total across 9th and 10th grade scoring proficient in math last year, including the early college program students.

There are presumably zero students who have actually earned an associate's degree through it, or else DCPS would be saying something, and there'd probably be a Post article.

What's going on there?

There has not been a single cohort who has gone through the program 9-12 grade in person yet. The seniors this year were virtual in 9th grade. Next year will graduate the first group going through the full program. The program needs some time to ramp up and see success!

OK, but are the kids at grade level or not? And what does it mean when someone says they know of families that have succeeded in the program? If the answer is, "like McKinley, this is a program where a lot of students aren't at grade level, but they're hardworking, the environment is supportive, the teachers are great" -- that's much-needed and terrific. It's just, it's clearly not what's implied by the name and description, so it's difficult to tell what it is.

[Anonymous]

Agree that the neighborhood is fine, the school...not good.