Latin, Two Rivers or ITS for Middle?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP above, where do they generally go to HS if they leave Latin? Private or is it that Walls, etc are considered better? If you take HS out of the mix, does that still make Latin the best of the 3?

Not PP, but kids generally leave Latin to go to Wilson, Walls and private. This is changing though as the school now has an actual campus and gym and the high school curriculum offerings are expanding. So my sense is that more high SES families are staying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again.Next year will be 4th grade but if I feel like TR or ITS would be best, we will go ahead and lottery for those this year to give us an additional shot. I only want to move once, though so if Latin ends up on the top, we will wait a year and go for broke.

My feelings for each of the schools are...

Latin: The most options, I like the advanced placement classes (which I'm thinking the other schools don't have, and frankly I'm not positive my child would be in them, but the option is important.) The arts and sports are a big plus and of course the HS option.

TR: The middle school open house was very organized and they seem to have things down pat. I also liked what the students had to say about their social dynamic and inclusion model. This is comforting to me given that Latin is very large and I'm not sure if they focus on social issues as much.

ITS: I have the least amount of information about their middle school and its the newest. I did like the MS teachers at the open house a lot and I also just feel like this school would be a good fit for us. The project based learning is a big plus here as well. Academically it seems on par with TR but they are so new, so there are a lot of open ends. It also seems much more 'little kid' than the very 'big kid' school feel that Latin has. I am honestly unsure which is better for a 5th-8 grader.

Watch out, the admins' focus at all three schools is bringing up the academic bottom. You mean advanced placement classes in Latin's HS, or advanced classes at Latin? The only track for acceleration they offer is for math, 7th grade algebra etc. Plenty of SES families still peel off from Latin after MS, or after 9th grade.

Not PLENTY. 20 last year yes, but the years before it was single digits. Very few moves to Walls even after being accepted. My understanding is that those that left for privates that offered scholarships and that was mostly for sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP above, where do they generally go to HS if they leave Latin? Private or is it that Walls, etc are considered better? If you take HS out of the mix, does that still make Latin the best of the 3?

Just note that the Walls experience is WAY bigger the OP sounds like she is even looking for. She wants small. If Latin is too big at 90 kids per grade then Walls for HS might blow her mind!

[Anonymous]

I believe ITS also offers differentiated math, at least for 7th/8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Latin HS was great. It would be a great option to have op, and with the other choices you don't.

[Anonymous]

You mentioned that you are interested in Two Rivers because of its 4th Street location. The Board of Two Rivers just voted to pursue moving the middle school to the Young campus (with the opening of the Young campus, the current 4th Street location is not big enough for all of the elementary kids, and between Young and trying to expand at 4th Street they chose Young). Their plan is to open the new middle school -- which to my understanding all middle school kids will attend -- in fall 2020, when your child (I think, if I read right) will be going into 6th grade. I'm not sure how that changes the "convenient location" calculus for you, if at all.

[Anonymous]

Its starts middle at fifth grade and tr at sixth, if that matters to you.

[Anonymous]

thanks everyone! This is OP. Wondering if there are an parents of middle schoolers at 2R or ITS that could weigh in? I hear about a lot of people applying to Latin for MS but not a lot about people making the switch to 2R or ITS just for middle...Wonder why?

And PP, I wasn't aware that 2R had decided about a move for middle, but its ok, the other schools are farther anyway. We have enjoyed a very short school commute for years, so I will have to give it up sometime! Thank you for the heads up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thanks everyone! This is OP. Wondering if there are an parents of middle schoolers at 2R or ITS that could weigh in? I hear about a lot of people applying to Latin for MS but not a lot about people making the switch to 2R or ITS just for middle...Wonder why?

And PP, I wasn't aware that 2R had decided about a move for middle, but its ok, the other schools are farther anyway. We have enjoyed a very short school commute for years, so I will have to give it up sometime! Thank you for the heads up.

Lots of people hope to send their kids to a MS that offers a HS path, or that they are very sure will adequately prepare them to get into SWW HS or Banneker. Middle school goes by really quickly.

[Anonymous]

I definitely get that, but I wonder if thats all it is, or if the PS-Middles just don't do middle as well since its not their main focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I definitely get that, but I wonder if thats all it is, or if the PS-Middles just don't do middle as well since its not their main focus.

I don't know TR or ITS, but have heard that the problems at CMI with the prek-8th are significant, so I'd expect similar issues there.

We were at a JKLM school and applied to Latin first and Basis second. We got into Latin and I don't think we would have gone to Basis because we liked our IB middle school fine. We do have friends that are at Basis and very happy. We will stay at Latin for HS, because it is bigger, but our friends at Basis say that they are looking at Walls/private for HS because it is too small at Basis. Basis may be a better fit for your DC, but if small is your preference, I would look at TR, ITS, CMI for 4th grade, and if you don't get in, then try Latin, Basis for 5th. DCI would be too far and your IB middle is good, so I would then go there.

[Anonymous]

I do think that 2R and ITS have their middle school together better than CMI. CMI seems to be struggling almost as much as our current school, which is why we may need an out before 5th. I'm just nervous to jump too since it seems like Latin probably where we would ideally be for middle. (I realize its not easy to get into!)

[Anonymous]

^ nervous to jump too early...

[Anonymous]

OP, in your shoes, I'd enter the lottery now for TR and ITS and see what happens. Latin is a long shot for a rising 5th grader, no matter what. I know you really don't want to move your kid twice, but I'd hate that goal to keep you from trying TR or ITS, both of which sound like they might be good matches for you. And then, if you do decide to apply to Latin in a year (and are lucky enough to match there), you'll be able to make a more informed decision about whether to take the spot.

[Anonymous]

Latin will be almost impossible to get into because of sibling preference. It's the most popular middle/high charter in DC.