What is going on at Cleveland?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The upper SES families eventually leave -- and those who stay work with the administration to make incremental changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

Well sometimes the gentrifiers try to get the principal fired, especially if they perceive that their 'high achieving' children's needs aren't being met, or that the principal is too focused on helping students who are struggling (see Watkins ES as an example). http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/20864768/a-fight-to-remove-a-dcps-principal-on-capitol-hill-gets-ugly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

Well sometimes the gentrifiers try to get the principal fired, especially if they perceive that their 'high achieving' children's needs aren't being met, or that the principal is too focused on helping students who are struggling (see Watkins ES as an example). http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/20864768/a-fight-to-remove-a-dcps-principal-on-capitol-hill-gets-ugly

Lol, of all the problems our IB has, an angry Grover Norquist is not one of them. Small mercies.

[Anonymous]

Wow...all this speculation about what is "happening" at Cleveland but no real information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a Cleveland parent. But what that usually means is that the school is experiencing some tensions between the population it always served, and gentrifying families who want to see changes.

It surfaces often over things like recess time, after care fees or programming, what the PTA/PTO should do.

I get the aftercare thing, but what is the issue with recess?

Typically, the issue is that high(er) SES parents want/demand more recess (either multiple times per day or longer each time) and/or recess in all weather (days below 40-ish degrees in winter, in particular).

Seriously? Why would more recess be controversial? 40 is not really cold, it is not even 32. Is this about kids not having jackets and mittens?

A lot of it is about whether the teachers and aides want to go outside when it's cold. And a lot of *that* is about whether the school hires a lot of native DC residents who've been around a while and hate standing around in the cold, or a lot of young Teach for America types who will run around with the kids and went to Dartmouth so 40 is balmy.

[Anonymous]

LOL. This whole thread has been co-opted by talk about recess, which may or may not have anything to do with Cleveland's growing pains. Thanks DCUM! Enlightening as usual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And a lot of *that* is about whether the school hires a lot of native DC residents who've been around a while and hate standing around in the cold, or a lot of young Teach for America types who will run around with the kids and went to Dartmouth so 40 is balmy.

I love this thread. Even though it hasn't answered the OP question. Great summary lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

You don't see the problem with a bunch of white parents coming in with a savior complex to "help" the "poor black/brown kids"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

You don't see the problem with a bunch of white parents coming in with a savior complex to "help" the "poor black/brown kids"?

Of course I do, that's why "help" is in quotes. But what tends to happen beyond general resentment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

You don't see the problem with a bunch of white parents coming in with a savior complex to "help" the "poor black/brown kids"?

Of course I do, that's why "help" is in quotes. But what tends to happen beyond general resentment?

A lot of instability as kids leave the school in later grades and less-prepared kids come to take their places
A principal and teachers sidetracked by petty arguments and more likely to quit so they don't have to deal with that
Low participation in the PTA and other activities where parents can get involved

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought recess time was fixed, it seems like at least for the preschoolers the day is on a minute by minute schedule.

Can't the gentrifiers bring in some outerwear?

If the school social worker says that's wanted and needed and appropriate -- maybe. But there are only about 10% higher SES families at a school live Cleveland, and most are gone by K or 1st. The population that stays through fifth is kinda over the know it all white women coming in and telling them how to do behave / what to wear / how to live in most parts of the city.

So then what happens? Serious question, if this is playing out at a lot of schools, what typically happens next?

The higher SES kids go to other charters or move, the other families stick around. Is that what you mean?

I mean, is this the "growing pains"? It doesn't seem so bad... gentrifiers trying to raise money and "help" the school in the ways they genuinely think are good, but being resented and ignored by others.... does anything worsr tend to happen?

You don't see the problem with a bunch of white parents coming in with a savior complex to "help" the "poor black/brown kids"?

Of course I do, that's why "help" is in quotes. But what tends to happen beyond general resentment?

A lot of instability as kids leave the school in later grades and less-prepared kids come to take their places
A principal and teachers sidetracked by petty arguments and more likely to quit so they don't have to deal with that
Low participation in the PTA and other activities where parents can get involved

But wasn't participation already low? Our Title I had no PTA at all before gentrification, certainly no fundraising, high principal turnover, high student turnover, and awful test scores. Things are a little better with some high-income parents (despite, the horror, kids being forced to go outside), but it's hard to see any problems that didn't already exist. What am I missing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a Cleveland parent. But what that usually means is that the school is experiencing some tensions between the population it always served, and gentrifying families who want to see changes.

It surfaces often over things like recess time, after care fees or programming, what the PTA/PTO should do.

I get the aftercare thing, but what is the issue with recess?

Not saying this is an issue at Cleveland, but at some schools there is tension over whether students should go out every day, no matter the weather, or stay in when it's wet / too cold. Speaking in general terms, gentrifier parents will say that they should be out no matter what; some parents / teachers disagree. Not all kids have proper outerwear (rain coats / boots, gloves, hats, winter coats) and some parents think kids will get sick if they're out.

There are a lot of cultural differences in parenting. The schools with populations of high poverty and high SES students, get caught in the middle.

Cleveland parent here, had no idea we had a problem with recess times and access to proper weather attire. If our lost and found spoke it would tell you otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a Cleveland parent. But what that usually means is that the school is experiencing some tensions between the population it always served, and gentrifying families who want to see changes.

It surfaces often over things like recess time, after care fees or programming, what the PTA/PTO should do.

I get the aftercare thing, but what is the issue with recess?

Not saying this is an issue at Cleveland, but at some schools there is tension over whether students should go out every day, no matter the weather, or stay in when it's wet / too cold. Speaking in general terms, gentrifier parents will say that they should be out no matter what; some parents / teachers disagree. Not all kids have proper outerwear (rain coats / boots, gloves, hats, winter coats) and some parents think kids will get sick if they're out.

There are a lot of cultural differences in parenting. The schools with populations of high poverty and high SES students, get caught in the middle.

Cleveland parent here, had no idea we had a problem with recess times and access to proper weather attire. If our lost and found spoke it would tell you otherwise.

So what are people talking about when they refer to growing pains? All this spring I have heard rumors, plus our nearby school has taken in a few mid-year from Cleveland, plus new principal.... what's up?