Daniels Run ES or private school?

[Anonymous]

Former DRES PP again - since it's a City school, the City also pays for some nice extras - outdoor learning spaces, more PE/Music/Art time, Spanish lessons for all grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former DRES PP again - since it's a City school, the City also pays for some nice extras - outdoor learning spaces, more PE/Music/Art time, Spanish lessons for all grades.

I know professor families who were happy with the school for their kids.

[Anonymous]

Disclaimer - no experience with DRES before AAP. We opted for private in grades 1-3 because DRES, like the entire county, was on virtual learning. We are essential workers, and I had enough background in peds to know that we should not do virtual education for small children.

After the schools re-opened, we gave them a year to let the froth settle down (kids needed to re-socialize), and re-entered Level IV classroom in 4th grade.

So far, our experience has been great. Granted, I am not sure what we are missing out on in Mosaic level 4 classroom, but teachers have been loved by our child, she made great friends, her English language has grown in leaps and bounds (she went to immersion school in another language as a private). Our teachers write a letter home every Friday. They visit the students in their homes a few days before school starts, as is an annual tradition at DRES. All the kids hang out at the pool all summer long. It's a bit like American Dream, honestly.

Academically, it's a big fish in a small pond situation for the school overall, but that's fine because AAP provides an accomplished, smart peer group. Granted, I am not sure how grades K-2 run, but I think if you want your kid challenged academically in these early years, a better ranked pyramid cannot accommodate you either because curriculum is set by the county. Private is the only option.

Another advantage is that since there is only one AAP classroom, the kids in it are guaranteed to always be together. In a way, it's a school within a school. I have no intention to move to Mozaic, which is currently under construction and frankly less accessible to parents if they have a concern or request.

Now, in a few years when DRES will be under construction, and Mozaic will have brand new facilities instead of portables galore, I would at least reassess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which would you recommend? And if private, which one?

Look at Flint Hill, Langley, congressional, and Westminster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which would you recommend? And if private, which one?

Look at Flint Hill, Langley, congressional, and Westminster

One natural option is St Leo’s right across the street. Of course it would depend on your religious and socio-political affiliation also.

If you are driving further, it would help to know a little more about your family and its goals. Basically, private schools that offer better writing and better math / science will most likely not be the same schools. .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which would you recommend? And if private, which one?

Look at Flint Hill, Langley, congressional, and Westminster

For this question the private school forum might be the best place to ask, though there are some truly wierd biases over there.

[Anonymous]

PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

I will just let this sit and attract the right people to our school then, who are not Covidians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disclaimer - no experience with DRES before AAP. We opted for private in grades 1-3 because DRES, like the entire county, was on virtual learning. We are essential workers, and I had enough background in peds to know that we should not do virtual education for small children.

After the schools re-opened, we gave them a year to let the froth settle down (kids needed to re-socialize), and re-entered Level IV classroom in 4th grade.

So far, our experience has been great. Granted, I am not sure what we are missing out on in Mosaic level 4 classroom, but teachers have been loved by our child, she made great friends, her English language has grown in leaps and bounds (she went to immersion school in another language as a private). Our teachers write a letter home every Friday. They visit the students in their homes a few days before school starts, as is an annual tradition at DRES. All the kids hang out at the pool all summer long. It's a bit like American Dream, honestly.

Academically, it's a big fish in a small pond situation for the school overall, but that's fine because AAP provides an accomplished, smart peer group. Granted, I am not sure how grades K-2 run, but I think if you want your kid challenged academically in these early years, a better ranked pyramid cannot accommodate you either because curriculum is set by the county. Private is the only option.

Another advantage is that since there is only one AAP classroom, the kids in it are guaranteed to always be together. In a way, it's a school within a school. I have no intention to move to Mozaic, which is currently under construction and frankly less accessible to parents if they have a concern or request.

Now, in a few years when DRES will be under construction, and Mozaic will have brand new facilities instead of portables galore, I would at least reassess.

Question for this PP: was the AAP classroom you referred to comprised only of level IV kids? The stats for 2023-24 show 36 kids at DRES who were level IV, so it seems like there would be mostly principal placed kids in the AAP classroom. What was your experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disclaimer - no experience with DRES before AAP. We opted for private in grades 1-3 because DRES, like the entire county, was on virtual learning. We are essential workers, and I had enough background in peds to know that we should not do virtual education for small children.

After the schools re-opened, we gave them a year to let the froth settle down (kids needed to re-socialize), and re-entered Level IV classroom in 4th grade.

So far, our experience has been great. Granted, I am not sure what we are missing out on in Mosaic level 4 classroom, but teachers have been loved by our child, she made great friends, her English language has grown in leaps and bounds (she went to immersion school in another language as a private). Our teachers write a letter home every Friday. They visit the students in their homes a few days before school starts, as is an annual tradition at DRES. All the kids hang out at the pool all summer long. It's a bit like American Dream, honestly.

Academically, it's a big fish in a small pond situation for the school overall, but that's fine because AAP provides an accomplished, smart peer group. Granted, I am not sure how grades K-2 run, but I think if you want your kid challenged academically in these early years, a better ranked pyramid cannot accommodate you either because curriculum is set by the county. Private is the only option.

Another advantage is that since there is only one AAP classroom, the kids in it are guaranteed to always be together. In a way, it's a school within a school. I have no intention to move to Mozaic, which is currently under construction and frankly less accessible to parents if they have a concern or request.

Now, in a few years when DRES will be under construction, and Mozaic will have brand new facilities instead of portables galore, I would at least reassess.

Question for this PP: was the AAP classroom you referred to comprised only of level IV kids? The stats for 2023-24 show 36 kids at DRES who were level IV, so it seems like there would be mostly principal placed kids in the AAP classroom. What was your experience?

Class is 50/50 AAP and regular instruction students. Math is all AAP because kids change classrooms for mathematics, and additional kids who are taking advanced math and otherwise regular instruction, come to the AAP classroom.

I suspect all AAP classroom would allow for deeper study, but so far we have been happy with the level of instruction at DRES. County-wide test scores support my inference.

My expectation is that differences would be most stark in English, so we will do supplementation starting this year.

There is also value to attending a regular neighborhood school with extensive diversity for non-academic activities, to learning to respect people where they are, to understanding we are not all the same, and also to not being relegated to “dumb” status for missing a problem here and there. I like the school’s atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

Front office staff is rude and unwelcoming at many schools. A lot seem miserable in their jobs and I've seen it taken out on parents and staff.

Signed a different sub

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

Front office staff is rude and unwelcoming at many schools. A lot seem miserable in their jobs and I've seen it taken out on parents and staff.

Signed a different sub

PP quoted and I quit subbing last year. Absolutely soul-crushing - the lack of respect and rudeness from staff and students alike. Epidemic levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

Front office staff is rude and unwelcoming at many schools. A lot seem miserable in their jobs and I've seen it taken out on parents and staff.

Signed a different sub

PP quoted and I quit subbing last year. Absolutely soul-crushing - the lack of respect and rudeness from staff and students alike. Epidemic levels.

Soul crushing sums it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

This is actually super helpful because I have been wondering why our substitute teachers seem so… disconnected from the students and the curriculum.

The thing to understand is that the diversity at the school is primarily Hispanic, not black. So these kids sometimes do not speak English, especially in early grades. They do not come from a culture of educational attainment, or at least many do not. It is a warm and welcoming culture, but kids do tend to be less disciplined. They dream to be like their parents, just like all kids do. Their parents tend to have 🏠 maintenance jobs, which are extremely important in our society, but in all honesty do not require multivariable calculus as a prerequisite.

Most of the front office is therefore bilingual in Spanish and share a similar cultural background. It probably helps that I also speak Spanish and can communicate to the front office in that language if needed. It completely changes our communication pathway. They are very sweet and caring. I love our front office.

The AAP classroom is significantly less diverse due to these factors.
///////

Front office staff is rude and unwelcoming at many schools. A lot seem miserable in their jobs and I've seen it taken out on parents and staff.

Signed a different sub

PP quoted and I quit subbing last year. Absolutely soul-crushing - the lack of respect and rudeness from staff and students alike. Epidemic levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who subbed often at DRES.

I see that there is a new principal. Good. Chief concern was DRES very much did their own thing during Covid; that is, refused to comply with safety guidelines. Also, the only school I can recall that allowed students of any age to wander the halls solo.

Front office staff was brusque, rude and unwelcoming.

Front office staff is rude and unwelcoming at many schools. A lot seem miserable in their jobs and I've seen it taken out on parents and staff.

Signed a different sub

PP quoted and I quit subbing last year. Absolutely soul-crushing - the lack of respect and rudeness from staff and students alike. Epidemic levels.

Soul crushing sums it up.

This is actually super helpful because I have been wondering why our substitute teachers seem so… disconnected from the students and the curriculum.

The thing to understand is that the diversity at the school is primarily Hispanic, not black. So these kids sometimes do not speak English, especially in early grades. They do not come from a culture of educational attainment, or at least many do not. It is a warm and welcoming culture, but kids do tend to be less disciplined. They dream to be like their parents, just like all kids do. Their parents tend to have 🏠 maintenance jobs, which are extremely important in our society, but in all honesty do not require multivariable calculus as a prerequisite.

Most of the front office is therefore bilingual in Spanish and share a similar cultural background. It probably helps that I also speak Spanish and can communicate to the front office in that language if needed. It completely changes our communication pathway. They are very sweet and caring. I love our front office.

The AAP classroom is significantly less diverse due to these factors.

The new principal is a Caucasian lady from Laudoun. Hopefully she can set up a better environment for the substitute teachers.