oyster/stoddert/murch/mann??

[Anonymous]

Another happy Oyster parent here. We haven't dealt with the Adams transition yet but have friends with a 6th-grader. Their sense is that it's good and they want to stick with it, but that there's no question that it's a transition time. The principal is very good and committed, and many people have faith that this will work out. CUrrently, Oyster children who are also in the Deal boundary can choose Deal rather than the Adams campus. There is not a complete overlap in boundaries, so check.

Rhee's kids will go up through Adams, and Reinsoso's. Nothing like having the boss in the house to make sure it's working out.

There are always a few Oyster detractors and I'm not sure why. It's a wonderful school. Maybe it's so popular that when people see a flaw, they pounce. Go to an open house. It's a lovely place.

If this matters to you-- Oyster has the only new building among the ones you mentioned. No trailer space, no window A/C units. It's a really gorgeous, modern space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another happy Oyster parent here. We haven't dealt with the Adams transition yet but have friends with a 6th-grader. Their sense is that it's good and they want to stick with it, but that there's no question that it's a transition time. The principal is very good and committed, and many people have faith that this will work out. CUrrently, Oyster children who are also in the Deal boundary can choose Deal rather than the Adams campus. There is not a complete overlap in boundaries, so check.

Rhee's kids will go up through Adams, and Reinsoso's. Nothing like having the boss in the house to make sure it's working out.

There are always a few Oyster detractors and I'm not sure why. It's a wonderful school. Maybe it's so popular that when people see a flaw, they pounce. Go to an open house. It's a lovely place.

Good to hear another substantive positive report. When I've spoken with moms out in the real world, their complaints are all the same (and it's just three moms, so a very small sample): overcrowded classrooms (one 26, one 27, and one "definitely more than 25") and teachers who don't seem to have control of their classes (likely related to the bloated ratios). And I have to admit, when I attended an open house what I saw (in addition to the lovely building) was overcrowded classrooms (I counted 26 kids in the only class, a K room, where I could count all noses) and kids who seemed much less engaged than kids at other schools. Oyster looked, in short, like a victim of its own popularity. Does anyone know if part of the plan behind the Adams campus is to use the extra space to get classes back under 25 kids?

[Anonymous]

Which tour did you go on, PP? We went in Dec and the kids were VERY engaged. We saw a PE class going on, prek and k classes and all were great. We evern saw a science special with 1st graders and they were all positive experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mann isn't in Gtown - it's in Spring Valley behind AU. Expensive and isolated. I would rather do Lafayette (Chevy Chase)

Murch is fine, but I was very underwhelmed on the tour and talking with parents with older kids at the school. It's just "eh"

Stoddert - Glover Park is a fabulous nabe for families. The construction is a concern for us as well and we ultimately decided against it for that reason. Also, there's no metro in glover park, which is important to us.

Oyster - is spanish immersion, so can't truly be compared to the others. Language is very very important to us, so we've chosen Oyster. The school is also very strong in science. This is our first year and we've been very happy with the principal. I honestly don't have 1st hand info on the middle school, but the fmailies I do know with older kids say that 4-6 are very strong and it's the 7&8 (which are the 2 new grades this year) that need work.

Good luck!

Don't give up on Murch. I have a lot of friends whose kids are there, and I hope to send DD next year. They say the current director is terrible, but that the teachers and families are great. I went to the open house for the last 2 years and they were much better than this year. Hopefully this is a blip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which tour did you go on, PP? We went in Dec and the kids were VERY engaged. We saw a PE class going on, prek and k classes and all were great. We evern saw a science special with 1st graders and they were all positive experiences.

My kid adores the science teacher at Oyster. Glad you got to see a class. Very constructivist, hands-on stuff!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which tour did you go on, PP? We went in Dec and the kids were VERY engaged. We saw a PE class going on, prek and k classes and all were great. We evern saw a science special with 1st graders and they were all positive experiences.

That's great to hear -- I hope my tour was just an aberration! We also went in December, but perhaps the other day (I have in my notes that there were tours on both 12/3 and 12/11, but I can't remember which one we attended).

[Anonymous]

Correction on Oyster MS: The 7th and 8th Grade was last year's 6th and 7th Grade. So, not new this year. That said, a number of students left after the end of 6th Grade, for a variety of reasons.
My child attended Oyster. It was a great if challenging experience. (My child did not take to Spanish the way some children from English dominant families do.)
I would do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Correction on Oyster MS: The 7th and 8th Grade was last year's 6th and 7th Grade. So, not new this year. That said, a number of students left after the end of 6th Grade, for a variety of reasons.
My child attended Oyster. It was a great if challenging experience. (My child did not take to Spanish the way some children from English dominant families do.)
I would do it again.

There was no 7th grade last year. It was prek-6. And it's new, in the sense that the school did not offer grades 7 or 8 last year.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there absolutely was a 7th grade last year! The 6th and 7th grade teachers switched off teaching them. Call the MS if you don't believe me. My child was in the 6th Grade last year, I volunteered for several events and personally dealt with some of last year's 7th Graders last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oyster - is spanish immersion, so can't truly be compared to the others. Language is very very important to us, so we've chosen Oyster. The school is also very strong in science. This is our first year and we've been very happy with the principal. I honestly don't have 1st hand info on the middle school, but the fmailies I do know with older kids say that 4-6 are very strong and it's the 7&8 (which are the 2 new grades this year) that need work.

It's good to hear from someone who actually has kids at Oyster and is actually happy with the school. (These boards seem to be full of both rabid supporters and haters, neither of which tend to have kids at the school.)

Oyster is my first choice, but we're moving to DC with two kids entering K and 4. Our older child speaks French, but has no Spanish. Would it be crazy to try to put her in Oyster in 4th? Also, we have about $900K to spend for a house, and I can't find anything in that price range in Oyster. All are 1.3M plus houses or apartments that are too small for us. Just wondering where people live who go to Oyster if they have our budget. Thanks.

What about Shepherd Park Elementary, which has a French immersion/international baccalaureate program? I think there have been some hiccups (how much French exactly the kids get, full or partial immersion), but generally it is a good school, in upper NW near the Silver Spring point of DC. Somewhat suburban feel to it in terms of houses, but more ethnically diverse than other parts of NW. Definitely houses in your price range there.

[Anonymous]

What about Shepherd Park Elementary, which has a French immersion/international baccalaureate program? I think there have been some hiccups (how much French exactly the kids get, full or partial immersion), but generally it is a good school, in upper NW near the Silver Spring point of DC. Somewhat suburban feel to it in terms of houses, but more ethnically diverse than other parts of NW. Definitely houses in your price range there.

Forgot to mention that Shepherd has a fabulous, award-winning music/violin teacher named Ms. Giles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What about Shepherd Park Elementary, which has a French immersion/international baccalaureate program? I think there have been some hiccups (how much French exactly the kids get, full or partial immersion), but generally it is a good school, in upper NW near the Silver Spring point of DC. Somewhat suburban feel to it in terms of houses, but more ethnically diverse than other parts of NW. Definitely houses in your price range there.

Forgot to mention that Shepherd has a fabulous, award-winning music/violin teacher named Ms. Giles.

Whoops. Sorry for the typo. That would be MR. Giles.

[Anonymous]

At one point Shepherd had both Spanish and French immersion; don't know if that is still true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At one point Shepherd had both Spanish and French immersion; don't know if that is still true.

It is nominally still true.

Having said that, if you want to be sure your DC's school is committed to both French and Spanish immersion, you should have a look at Elsie Whitlow Stokes. Your DC could be enrolled in a program whose charter is committed to delivering bilingual education. (When a charter school gets its charter approved, it is contractually obligated to deliver upon every objective of the charter.) Of course, in theory the same could be said for DCPS, but nobody shuts down a DCPS school for failure to deliver on a contract. Thus has DCPS found itself in its present quandary. Just thoughts to bear in mind as you make your decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At one point Shepherd had both Spanish and French immersion; don't know if that is still true.

It is nominally still true.

Having said that, if you want to be sure your DC's school is committed to both French and Spanish immersion, you should have a look at Elsie Whitlow Stokes. Your DC could be enrolled in a program whose charter is committed to delivering bilingual education. (When a charter school gets its charter approved, it is contractually obligated to deliver upon every objective of the charter.) Of course, in theory the same could be said for DCPS, but nobody shuts down a DCPS school for failure to deliver on a contract. Thus has DCPS found itself in its present quandary. Just thoughts to bear in mind as you make your decision.

Can you elaborate? What is the "present quandry" you're talking about. By saying "nominally," it sounds as if Shepherd is offering less immersion than you think it should? If so, wouldn't that also affect it's IB accreditation? Are you speaking from personal experience there?