Bridges Public Charter School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The lottery works like all of the other charters. No special preferences are given to SN children. However, Bridges is still pretty easy to get into--while it's been around for 7 years, this was the first year for kindergarten.

Since this was the first expansion year, I think a lot of people didn't understand the long term potential of Bridges. Plus, now that the permanent home will most likely be at Sharpe Health (once it closes in 2014), a lot of CH/Petworth families will be clamouring for a slot. This may be the last "easy" lottery for Bridges.

We left Bridges, because while we like the inclusion model, our G&T daughter just wasn't challenged enough and we lucked into a top charter for K. That's one of the drawbacks of inclusion with a high percentage of SN students like Bridges, it's hard to really do differentiated instruction in a way that challenges high achieving students. Love love love the administration though. Wonderful people.

[Anonymous]

How did you know she was G&T? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you know she was G&T? Just curious.

We didn't really know at the time, we just thought she was bored. We were considering a move to NYC for career reasons and had her tested preemptively, since NYC uses ability testing for admissions to g&t programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The lottery works like all of the other charters. No special preferences are given to SN children. However, Bridges is still pretty easy to get into--while it's been around for 7 years, this was the first year for kindergarten.

Since this was the first expansion year, I think a lot of people didn't understand the long term potential of Bridges. Plus, now that the permanent home will most likely be at Sharpe Health (once it closes in 2014), a lot of CH/Petworth families will be clamouring for a slot. This may be the last "easy" lottery for Bridges.

We left Bridges, because while we like the inclusion model, our G&T daughter just wasn't challenged enough and we lucked into a top charter for K. That's one of the drawbacks of inclusion with a high percentage of SN students like Bridges, it's hard to really do differentiated instruction in a way that challenges high achieving students. Love love love the administration though. Wonderful people.

Everyone has a different experience at the same charter, but my daughter is advanced for her age and thriving. If anything, the teachers make a clear effort to assess each kid, and keep them moving forward (and challenged). Bridges provides parents lots of outcomes, goals and detailed reports. I'm confident that her sn classmates aren't affecting her experience or Bridges resources.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that there will be a lottery for many charters on march 22 if there are more applicants than slots. Is that the case w bridges?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you know she was G&T? Just curious.

We didn't really know at the time, we just thought she was bored. We were considering a move to NYC for career reasons and had her tested preemptively, since NYC uses ability testing for admissions to g&t programs.

She might not be as G&T as you think. There are children who get advanced reading, even in PreS/PreK - maybe she just wasn't one of them?

[Anonymous]

2 years later. How is Bridges?

[Anonymous]

Our family loves it and we are thrilled that it has won a permanent location near Fort Totten for the 2016-2017 school year. A truly challenging and yet compassionate environment for our son. Is it perfect? Of course not, but I truly trust and admire the administration and staff.

Given that we had struck out at all of the hot schools, I'm so very grateful that we applied to Bridges. It has turned out to be a great fit for our sensitive son.

[Anonymous]

Another parent with great Bridges experience. My experience in K has been that everything is differentiated to meet each child's needs--no matter what they are--in a positive, affirming way that celebrates all kids. I think it's refreshing- one kid is reading chapter books while others is doing basic letters-but with centralized class goals that are explained to the parents. No one gets left behind and no one is bored. Also kids learn to help each other along -- every kid has amazing talents that are cultivated-- be it art, writing, reading, creativity, math, or being a helper.

[Anonymous]

Another very satisfied Bridges parent here. Great staff and the focus is on the learning and meeting each child where he/she is. We will definitely stick with Bridges as it moves to its permanent location and are so glad that we took the advice of a friend who is an early childhood education specialist who recommended Bridges for preschool/PreK and that we have been able to move into the elementary school as the school has expanded. As we would be with any new/expanding school, we were circumspect about how the elementary school would be but we have been more than satisfied with the ability of the teachers to differentiate and really make the inclusion model work. Great differentiation going on - both in the classroom and with homework that is given. And, the school environment overall is terrific. Are there imperfections? Of course. But none in the educational program so serious that we would leave. And, with the move to Mamie D. lee, we are very excited to have a newly renovated building that can truly help support the already great learning environment being created by the staff.

[Anonymous]

Current Bridges parents, has aftercare improved at all this year or is there a specific plan for improvement (like a new vendor)? It seemed like parents had some concerns earlier.

[Anonymous]

Aftercare by Springboard has improved but it was a LONG time in coming! They just started doing yoga on Tuesdays and art on Thursdays (both included in the price) and my kid enjoys this. Previously, she complained BIG TIME about being bored - and it certainly did not seem like there were any planned activities. Only time will tell whether Springboard can continue to move forward with improvements to the programming and maintain a high quality aftercare program. Not sure whether the school will keep Springboard next year -- it really was a big mess earlier this year and the school administration spent far more time on this than should have been necessary. Seems to me that since Springboard is a nationwide professional provider of after school programs, they really should have their act together and they certainly did not. There ineptness would not make us leave a school that we believe is providing a great education to our child, but I know aftercare is important. It is important to us, too! Anyway, my guess is that Bridges will decide before the lottery closes whether to keep Springboard or not so that current families can be informed and make their plans accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have an opinion as to whether moving to the new campus and partnering with Briya will make the school more or less P for appropriate children who do not have SNs? Based on the plans (http://dme.dc.gov/publication/bridges-briya-mamie-d-lee-presentation), it looks like the move will provide wonderful resources for SNs - but it looks to me like the school is aiming to cater even more to SNs. Wonderful for those families, but I'm concerned about what that would mean for my child's education.

[Anonymous]

The vast majority of the kids at Bridges do not have special needs. Their needs are no less central to the planning and operations of the school than those of any other students. Inclusion really can benefit all children. I especially love the emphasis on a close knit school community and relationship building that the inclusion model fosters.

[Anonymous]

Ditto to what 15:00 said. Bridges has also thought very carefully about how to best support learning for those students who are very advanced (yes - those students exist at Bridges, too) and is implementing that plan beginning in SY2015. We are constantly impressed with the thought, energy and focus by Bridges on how to truly meet and support the educational needs of each child.