Have you had a positive experience at a Title I school? What worked?

[Anonymous]

My daughter is in a Title I school; my two sons are in a high-performing local school. DD is special needs and is bused to the school because it contains a special program. I have to say we like her school a lot better. It is brand new, the staff is much nicer, the principal is better, the classes are smaller, and her teacher was voted Teacher of the Year by Teacher's Union. All of the teachers in her grade are really good. I have yet to see a behavior issue at her school.

[Anonymous]

Some PP's have made good points about social limitations as the kids hit upper elementary. OTOH, by middle school (at least in MCPS, FCPS, and APS), there'll be more of a base of high achievers.

15:33 makes a good point about making sure the PTA and other support systems aren't "the dozen or so middle class moms who'll escape as soon as they can," or "I like being the big fish in a small pond."

I do have to question why 10:55 thinks the entire class getting ESOL instruction is a good thing, that hour or two could have been any number of other things for her kid.

I will add, though, that the immediate surroundings and neighborhood can work wonders and can make a situation that by the school numbers shouldn't work, at least tolerable if not great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some PP's have made good points about social limitations as the kids hit upper elementary. OTOH, by middle school (at least in MCPS, FCPS, and APS), there'll be more of a base of high achievers.

15:33 makes a good point about making sure the PTA and other support systems aren't "the dozen or so middle class moms who'll escape as soon as they can," or "I like being the big fish in a small pond."

I do have to question why 10:55 thinks the entire class getting ESOL instruction is a good thing, that hour or two could have been any number of other things for her kid.

I will add, though, that the immediate surroundings and neighborhood can work wonders and can make a situation that by the school numbers shouldn't work, at least tolerable if not great.

Do you think your children don't need to know about English grammar?

[Anonymous]

10:55 here--I asked the same thing. My son's classroom teacher told me that in kindergarten, the ESOL teacher focuses on oral language, which is developmentally appropriate for the age, native English speakers or not. Also, in my sons' K classes at least, the teachers teach together and cover some of the regular subjects, like social studies and science. I do think it's a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some PP's have made good points about social limitations as the kids hit upper elementary. OTOH, by middle school (at least in MCPS, FCPS, and APS), there'll be more of a base of high achievers.

15:33 makes a good point about making sure the PTA and other support systems aren't "the dozen or so middle class moms who'll escape as soon as they can," or "I like being the big fish in a small pond."

I do have to question why 10:55 thinks the entire class getting ESOL instruction is a good thing, that hour or two could have been any number of other things for her kid.

I will add, though, that the immediate surroundings and neighborhood can work wonders and can make a situation that by the school numbers shouldn't work, at least tolerable if not great.

Do you think your children don't need to know about English grammar?

Does commenting on my comma splices make you smarter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some PP's have made good points about social limitations as the kids hit upper elementary. OTOH, by middle school (at least in MCPS, FCPS, and APS), there'll be more of a base of high achievers.

15:33 makes a good point about making sure the PTA and other support systems aren't "the dozen or so middle class moms who'll escape as soon as they can," or "I like being the big fish in a small pond."

I do have to question why 10:55 thinks the entire class getting ESOL instruction is a good thing, that hour or two could have been any number of other things for her kid.

I will add, though, that the immediate surroundings and neighborhood can work wonders and can make a situation that by the school numbers shouldn't work, at least tolerable if not great.

Do you think your children don't need to know about English grammar?

Does commenting on my comma splices make you smarter?

I wasn't commenting on YOUR grammar...my point was that a little ESOL instruction isn't going to hurt anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some PP's have made good points about social limitations as the kids hit upper elementary. OTOH, by middle school (at least in MCPS, FCPS, and APS), there'll be more of a base of high achievers.

15:33 makes a good point about making sure the PTA and other support systems aren't "the dozen or so middle class moms who'll escape as soon as they can," or "I like being the big fish in a small pond."

I do have to question why 10:55 thinks the entire class getting ESOL instruction is a good thing, that hour or two could have been any number of other things for her kid.

I will add, though, that the immediate surroundings and neighborhood can work wonders and can make a situation that by the school numbers shouldn't work, at least tolerable if not great.

Do you think your children don't need to know about English grammar?

Does commenting on my comma splices make you smarter?

Actually that's not technically a comma splice, as the second part is a fragment. just an OT remark

ESOL and SPED strategies benefit all students and shouldn't be seen as "extras." It's just good teaching. But if you're not the in profession it's hard to understand that. Educators who co-teach successfully use a variety of strategies, and if it's done well (if the co-teachers have a strong working relationship), the instruction is seamless. And it's often hard to detect who's who b/c the methods are used with ALL students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my oldest (now 4th grade) started K, despite having some misgivings about doing so, we chose to opt out of our neighborhood school, which is a Title I school. (and was under NCLB sanction at that time, hence our right to opt out). We were concerned that he would fall through the cracks, since he already had most of the K academic skills going in (social skills, that is a whole other story). Anyway, the school he ended up placed at had very good test scores. (and sadly in many ways , is the non-diversity extreme of our neighborhood school) I will say, after some years there, I found that they taught to the middle. Differentiation there was IMO, minimal. Then again, the classes have been huge too (29-30), so I do not entirely blame that on the teachers. Ds is still there in an AAP (advanced) class. Ds1 likes school, I would not say he loves it. He is a great student, grade wise, but I think feels a bit like he does not fit in since it is not his neighborhood school.
.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "opting out?" Did the school district place you? Which school district?

Also, for the posters who spoke positively about an FCPS Title I school, can you say which ones?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you elaborate on what you mean by "opting out?" Did the school district place you? Which school district?

Also, for the posters who spoke positively about an FCPS Title I school, can you say which ones?

Thanks!

I am the poster you questioned. I am in FCPS. At the time my oldest started, our neighborhood school was "under sanction" under the NCLB legislation for not meeting "Adequate Yearly Progress" within certain ethnic group categories. As a result, they by law had to give us an option. So, we got a letter from the school stating our right to opt out, and giving two choices for FCPS schools that were receiving opt out students. They placed you according to space. They also provided bussing. Now that the neighborhood school is not under sanction, the bus is gone, as is the right to opt out. My son is able to stay where he started till grade 6, but his younger siblings were not grandfathered in. We had decided anyway to give the neighborhood school a try. So far we have been very pleased.

Our neighborhood school is Dogwood Elementary.