Duke Ellington Closed Doors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really surprised that Walls allowed a tour.

+1. They don't even allow shadows/tours for 8th graders until after the child has been accepted.

[Anonymous]

DC spent a lot of money on its jail, comprehensive forensic lab, water treatment plant, mayor's office, and streetcar maintenance facility too. That doesn't mean they are open for public tours whenever someone (who doesn't even live here) wants.

[Anonymous]

I don't want random strangers walking through my kid's school like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Cool story.

But it doesn’t ring true. You can’t just move to DC and attend either SWW or Ellington and it would be dumb to buy a home and hope you get in.

You must apply - NEXT fall. There are open houses and such in the fall.

If you have kids you should definitely know the options before you move to the area. You would be dumb not to explore options before moving to an area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Cool story.

But it doesn’t ring true. You can’t just move to DC and attend either SWW or Ellington and it would be dumb to buy a home and hope you get in.

You must apply - NEXT fall. There are open houses and such in the fall.

If you have kids you should definitely know the options before you move to the area. You would be dumb not to explore options before moving to an area.

And there are ways to do that, including registering for a tour on the school's website rather than just showing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your friends think that they could get into a school with a lengthy and rigorous application and lottery process that is already OVER? Where were they during the multiple open houses and individual info sessions or? Do they also show up at private schools and expect to be dealt with outside the normal process?

My guess is that their kid is in like 2nd grade and they're planning ahead.

Of course they were planning ahead and simply wanted to get someone to talk with them for a few minutes. They tried to arrange this for over a month and several calls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your friends think that they could get into a school with a lengthy and rigorous application and lottery process that is already OVER? Where were they during the multiple open houses and individual info sessions or? Do they also show up at private schools and expect to be dealt with outside the normal process?

My guess is that their kid is in like 2nd grade and they're planning ahead.

Of course they were planning ahead and simply wanted to get someone to talk with them for a few minutes. They tried to arrange this for over a month and several calls.

So they think they deserve concierge service from the school ... as opposed to going online and finding out when the open houses were, like everyone else manages to do?

[Anonymous]

These people are asking for accommodations that are not available to actual residents. My in boundary 8th grader cannot even get a tour of Wilson High School. The website at Ellington is very clear, I also am surprised they got something at Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These people are asking for accommodations that are not available to actual residents. My in boundary 8th grader cannot even get a tour of Wilson High School. The website at Ellington is very clear, I also am surprised they got something at Walls.

We asked for and received an informational meeting with a counselor at Wilson before DC decided to go there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have some friends who are thinking of moving to DC so their daughter can attend Duke Ellington. They wanted to meet with the admissions counselor and take a quick tour of the school. They tried for a month to set something up and either they didn't get return calls, got the wrong information, were told to make the request over email--which they did and then didn't get a response. So they went over to the school today--only to be turned away. After spending $178 million of our DC tax money on their renovation, you would think that they would be just a little more responsive. They also went over to Walls just to see that school as well. Very nice and professional, and they received a wonderful and very brief quick tour of the school by Walls' students.

So,y our friends have not paid DC any tax money. Am I following?

[Anonymous]

I'm really surprised Walls gave a tour. Everyone working in a school and attending a school have jobs- either teaching, learning, doing admin duties, etc. they don't have time to give tours during school hours. If they gave tours to every family who asked you should question whether their position is needed in the school. As a D.C. resident I'd rather they hire a position that helps students learn instead.

[Anonymous]

I think it sucks that no one just pointed them to the website with the info, because that suggests a not terribly functional bureaucracy. That said, the outcome? When they just showed up? Totally correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your friends think that they could get into a school with a lengthy and rigorous application and lottery process that is already OVER? Where were they during the multiple open houses and individual info sessions or? Do they also show up at private schools and expect to be dealt with outside the normal process?

My guess is that their kid is in like 2nd grade and they're planning ahead.

Of course they were planning ahead and simply wanted to get someone to talk with them for a few minutes. They tried to arrange this for over a month and several calls.

Why didn't they just go on one of the scheduled tours? Was there an actual reason? Kid has an IEP or something they wanted specific info about and didn't want to discuss in front of a large group? If not, I just don't get it. Why would they think that years in advance of application, when they don't even live in the city, they would get a private tour?

[Anonymous]

This is a highly sought after DCPS. Maybe that’s the issue, just not understanding how the process works and how many people on this board want to get their DC tax dollar paying kid in there. And I can understand that if you are on the outside looking in, they seem inept. And yes, DCPS definitely doesn’t work like the privates. But the school could have definitely handled the communication better. Just because they are highly sought after doesn’t mean they should act incompetent. But totally agree - just showing up doesn’t fly.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a troll.

Considering moving to DC and buying a house, in hopes Ellington for a very talented kid— maybe.

But no one is going to move to DC just for SWW. Too many equally strong schools in NoVa.