SE Prek3 and 4

[Anonymous]

Read some of the threads on here about Van Ness--first from before the boundaries were published and lots of parents were adamant that the boundary should be very small and only include the Navy Yard neighborhood (so all the public housing residents stayed zoned for Amidon) and then from as recently as this month where some people are very adamant that whether it's a good school depends on either the percentage of in-bounds kids (by which they imply just from the SE side of the boundary) or kids who don't qualify for FARMS.

Also check out http://greatergreatereducation.org/post/23170/capitol-riverfront-parents-organize-to-reopen-a-closed-dcps-school/ where one VNPG member "didn't even apply to Amidon-Bowen, her zoned school, because someone told her it was dangerous. (She admits she didn't have time to do much research.)" While Amidon-Bowen doesn't have great test scores, I definitely wouldn't describe it as dangerous, I wouldn't rely on rumor or have my recounting of rumors published online, and I would take the time to do some research on where my 3 year old was going to spend 40+ hours a week without me.

Van Ness may turn out to be a nice school with good test scores. It will have a modernized building and no older kids to start out with. But it's also a school where many of the most involved prospective families are quite vocal about wanting to attract kids from Capitol Riverfront and from schools with in-bounds PK3 waitlists (Brent and Maury, for example) and not low-income kids.

[Anonymous]

I'm sending my baby to PK next year, and we're probably going to the neighborhood school, King Elementary. The neighborhood kids that attend the IB school are a nice bunch of kids, who are really sweet and considerate with my baby. I figure it's worth checking out your neighborhood school at least for the early grades. Worse case scenario you'll have to lottery into a different school next year.

Also, I tutor at Malcolm X Elementary, and when I started tutoring, I was pleasantly surprised by the teachers and students there. I was expecting less based off of the test results. Turns out it is a pretty normal school from my time in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you had to pick between Randle Highlands and Beers would Beers come out on top? I heard good things about Beers at EdFest but didn't get a chance to look at Randle?

I would visit both. Having worked in public education in DC for many years, I've met educators and the leadership at both schools. I'm sure they would allow you to visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Randle Highlands- edge of Hillcrest.

You have to be kidding, right?

Nope, I'm not. Why would you ask?

I work with children in the general area, many of whom go or have gone to RH. I've been less than impressed with the school. Specific examples include dropping off a developmental evaluation which was opened and read by a school secretary who told me and the parent that the child obviously didn't belong at the school because the evaluation made the child sound like a monkey (she was referring to a description of the child's gait in the OT section). Another preschooler I worked with was repeatedly suspended or sent home early due to behavioral issues that were not addressed by the school.

Referring to the question about Anne Beers Elementary, the last time I was in Anne Beers, though it was a couple of years ago, the children there were being treated like prisoners--marched down the hallway and being yelled at to keep their shoulders touching the wall and to keep silent.

Maybe I'm just too picky about the way young children are treated.

Interesting. I hope you spoke with the administration regarding the opening of the documents and the suspensions.

[Anonymous]

add on to previous comment- I have a friend who is an educator and has his child at RH in the early childhood program. When we spoke he said he was very pleased with the teacher and felt comfortable with the teachers for the next couple of grades.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if Ingenuity Prep is any good?

[Anonymous]

Plummer

[Anonymous]

What are the classes like at Plummer?

[Anonymous]

I find Plummer to be a very warm environment. My child is in the 4th grade. If your child is advancing, they do differentiate in their teaching. Same sucky curriculum! Also plan to enroll my rising Pre-k 3er.