Lee 1st Impressions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are the assistants? I hear some of them will eventually be leads?

I've had very little interaction with the assistant in my kids class so far but no problems so far. Also not had much interaction with the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are the assistants? I hear some of them will eventually be leads?

I've had very little interaction with the assistant in my kids class so far but no problems so far. Also not had much interaction with the teacher.

Our lead and assistant are both very young, but warm and calm.

[Anonymous]

Where is drop off? Can you park in the neighborhood easily? Of course this will get tougher as the younger students are phased in and ITS starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is drop off? Can you park in the neighborhood easily? Of course this will get tougher as the younger students are phased in and ITS starts.

So far there's been easy street parking. But the ongoing construction is disruptive. Once all the trucks are gone I expect it will be easier but that will be balanced out by there being more students at both Lee and ITS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where is drop off? Can you park in the neighborhood easily? Of course this will get tougher as the younger students are phased in and ITS starts.

So far there's been easy street parking. But the ongoing construction is disruptive. Once all the trucks are gone I expect it will be easier but that will be balanced out by there being more students at both Lee and ITS.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My child seems happy!

[Anonymous]

I am and continue to be impressed at the administration. Things just feel like they are going smoothly. So as a nervous founding parent, that certainly helps to ease my mind! My kid is happy and is reporting back on what happens at school, something she's never done before.

(The quinoa stuffed peppers however were a no go. I hear the administration is asking Halsa to make some tweaks to the menu to make it more appealing to the kids while still healthy)

[Anonymous]

I am surprised and gratified to see the diversity. Lee is no Aiden East. Whenever statistics are released, I bet we'll see it is well under 50% white. Economic diversity is harder to gauge, but I will say that the school itself doesn't look like the middle-class parent events we saw in the spring and the summer. As long as my child doesn't get forgotten in the school's focus on its needy children (of which there are clearly some), I'm very happy about her not going to school in some NW DC bubble.

Everyone seems calm and unharried and my kid liked it.

[Anonymous]

Is there not Spanish class every day from 3:30-4:00? My kid says no. So what is after nap before aftercare at 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there not Spanish class every day from 3:30-4:00? My kid says no. So what is after nap before aftercare at 4?

My assumption was always that the Spanish class would start after all the kids have started. They are phasing them in four at a time, every other day, over three weeks. So Spanish will start around Monday week.

No use in starting class daily and teaching the same thing for three weeks as kids are brought in.

[Anonymous]

I met someone who said she was my son's Spanish teacher today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there not Spanish class every day from 3:30-4:00? My kid says no. So what is after nap before aftercare at 4?

My assumption was always that the Spanish class would start after all the kids have started. They are phasing them in four at a time, every other day, over three weeks. So Spanish will start around Monday week.

No use in starting class daily and teaching the same thing for three weeks as kids are brought in.

Spanish has started. My child started last Monday (with the first cohort) and he had Spanish perhaps 3 times last week? I don't believe there was any yesterday. He's been excited about it and sharing what he's learned. I guess they haven't got it going every day yet. (I think there is no Spanish on Wed because of the early finish).

[Anonymous]

Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

Yes, they started yesterday. My kid did yoga and loved it. Regular aftercare seems to include a lot of outdoor time and activities like crafts and art. It's staffed by the teaching assistants, primarily, I think. The kids seem to be having fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

yes. Seems good so far. Administrators and teachers are around keeping an eye on things - popping into the activities etc. Regular aftercare is the breakfast room with puzzles and paint and games and crayons. The kids seem to find it fun, but there is no staff directed activities. It is, so far, staffed by Lee administrators and so a safe, friendly space, but nothing is really happening there. I plan on picking my child up at 4:00 on days s/he doesn't have enrichment activities rather than use regular aftercare - sh/e can color at home.