Could anyone tell me more about Key (OOB)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. It seems like it's unlikely that we could get into the Key aftercare. Has anyone used the Jelleff aftercare option? Do they pick up your child from Key? What has your experience been with this program?
Jelleff as a whole is a better option for older kids. I would not send a K there. I did not do aftercare there - did summer camp there. You get what you pay for - and it was really cheap.

2. The school website indicates that there are approximately 8% out of bounds students. Are OOB students included socially? Obviously we would expect to do the bulk of driving for play dates etc. since we're the ones not living in the neighborhood, but is the social scene more insular to only Palisades families or are they accepting and inclusive of OOB kids?
People do not exclude- but they do not go out of their way to include. What I mean is on Sat if you are at the playground and you run into a classmate - you might schedule a playdate - or invite them back for an activity. You don't think to yourself - let me also text Joe's mom to see if they are interested. Proximity matters.

3. How does the school handle special needs? We see signs of potential ADHD and it's a hereditary condition in our family. Our rising K child is very bright and does well socially like our older child, but older child needed some supports with an IEP in early elementary. A lot of it was outgrown by around 5th grade but we needed stronger supports until then. We plan to do tutoring if needed too. How satisfied were you with your child's IEP execution?
There was a thread on Key IEP recently on special needs forum - go read it.

4. How are the social emotional skills of the teachers at Key?
5. How collaborative are the administrators with parents? Do they listen to parent's concerns and try to help resolve issues? Or is it more of a take it or leave it proposition?
Go read the threads on the Key Principal to understand the dynamics and culture of the school.

6. What are the chances of a younger sibling getting in with OOB preference? I tried to find the website that shows past admittance data but couldn't find it. A link would be greatly appreciated.
For PreK - will not get in
For K - they will find a spot for you

OP here. Thanks, this is helpful. I searched 10 pages of threads here but didn't find anything on the culture (unfortunately a search of key elementary turns up all sorts of threads on other schools where anyone says the word key, such as key point, key concerns, etc.). Could you please elaborate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You understand the leadership issue at Key - right? So if you are OK with that culture - and it is a better fit for you than your IB school - enjoy.

Op here. What leadership issue? I don't know much about Key. I never paid attention to it because I didn't expect to get in.

Inappropriate response from school adminstration to racial comments by a student. Google it.

[Anonymous]

Here is 1 article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-p6Ljv9bjAhVOxVkKHY9vCEYQFjAAegQICRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Feducation%2Fa-white-child-called-three-black-classmates-a-racial-slur-months-later-the-school-is-struggling-to-move-forward%2F2019%2F03%2F12%2F2d74fa94-412a-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html&usg=AOvVaw2Y2tMiFL9gfTEILYfFcrde

Here is another article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-p6Ljv9bjAhVOxVkKHY9vCEYQFjABegQIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Feducation%2Fprominent-scholar-says-a-racist-slur-was-hurled-at-his-6-year-old-grandson-at-a-dc-public-elementary-school%2F2019%2F05%2F01%2Fead88da6-6cca-4d8c-9414-d4270dda75a9_story.html&usg=AOvVaw1KV18F_xeIynIey3dEtnEI

There was a petition circulated around the school by white parents requesting the Principal to stay. If you are OK with this - take the spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is 1 article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-p6Ljv9bjAhVOxVkKHY9vCEYQFjAAegQICRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Feducation%2Fa-white-child-called-three-black-classmates-a-racial-slur-months-later-the-school-is-struggling-to-move-forward%2F2019%2F03%2F12%2F2d74fa94-412a-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html&usg=AOvVaw2Y2tMiFL9gfTEILYfFcrde

Here is another article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-p6Ljv9bjAhVOxVkKHY9vCEYQFjABegQIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Feducation%2Fprominent-scholar-says-a-racist-slur-was-hurled-at-his-6-year-old-grandson-at-a-dc-public-elementary-school%2F2019%2F05%2F01%2Fead88da6-6cca-4d8c-9414-d4270dda75a9_story.html&usg=AOvVaw1KV18F_xeIynIey3dEtnEI

There was a petition circulated around the school by white parents requesting the Principal to stay. If you are OK with this - take the spot.

Sorry - wrong links - that was about the situation at Mann

[Anonymous]

Here is the link to the article about Key:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/a-white-child-called-three-black-classmates-a-racial-slur-months-later-the-school-is-struggling-to-move-forward/2019/03/12/2d74fa94-412a-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html?utm_term=.fe5c9427964f

[Anonymous]

Key feeds to Hardy so you wouldn’t need to worry about the overcrowding at Deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is 1 article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-p6Ljv9bjAhVOxVkKHY9vCEYQFjAAegQICRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Feducation%2Fa-white-child-called-three-black-classmates-a-racial-slur-months-later-the-school-is-struggling-to-move-forward%2F2019%2F03%2F12%2F2d74fa94-412a-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html&usg=AOvVaw2Y2tMiFL9gfTEILYfFcrde

Here is another article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-p6Ljv9bjAhVOxVkKHY9vCEYQFjABegQIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Feducation%2Fprominent-scholar-says-a-racist-slur-was-hurled-at-his-6-year-old-grandson-at-a-dc-public-elementary-school%2F2019%2F05%2F01%2Fead88da6-6cca-4d8c-9414-d4270dda75a9_story.html&usg=AOvVaw1KV18F_xeIynIey3dEtnEI

There was a petition circulated around the school by white parents requesting the Principal to stay. If you are OK with this - take the spot.

Sorry - wrong links - that was about the situation at Mann

A set of white parents at Key (most of the signers then sent or are sending their kids to private schools by 5th) also circulated petition to keep Key's principal after mishandling a racist incident - and then grossly mishandling the aftermath for months - https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/150/813776.page

[Anonymous]

A little off topic, but I think the recent situations at Key and Mann are what happens when a school lacks any meaningful racial/ethnic diversity (international diversity aside). It makes it very difficult for the few minority kids who remain, and it's a missed opportunity for the majority kids to be in an environment with members of minority groups.

This is partly why I don't think the idea to cut Shepherd and Bancroft from Deal is the best one. To the extent diversity is thought to be an important factor in schools, I think it should be preserved to the extent possible. I'd support putting keep in Shepherd and Bancroft, but putting in a simple preference for OOB instead of making OOB feeder rights a given.

[Anonymous]

If aftercare is a requirement for you then Key is not a good option. I doubt you'll get a spot and Jelleff is NOT a good option for young children. My middle schooler loves it, but for kinder or 1st or even 2nd, no way.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to say it, but I suspect your "not a good fit" excuse about your IB is just a veil for your racism. Let me guess...you're IB is Bancroft but there are too many latino kids for your liking. Or Shepherd, too many black kids for your liking. Just stay put at your charter, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A little off topic, but I think the recent situations at Key and Mann are what happens when a school lacks any meaningful racial/ethnic diversity (international diversity aside). It makes it very difficult for the few minority kids who remain, and it's a missed opportunity for the majority kids to be in an environment with members of minority groups.

This is partly why I don't think the idea to cut Shepherd and Bancroft from Deal is the best one. To the extent diversity is thought to be an important factor in schools, I think it should be preserved to the extent possible. I'd support putting keep in Shepherd and Bancroft, but putting in a simple preference for OOB instead of making OOB feeder rights a given.

To set the facts straight, the recent “situation” at Mann was simply based in the grandfather’s, er, misunderstanding of what transpired. There was nothing racial about the incident according to the people actually there. So it may say something about our racial environment, but it does not support PP’s hypothesis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to say it, but I suspect your "not a good fit" excuse about your IB is just a veil for your racism. Let me guess...you're IB is Bancroft but there are too many latino kids for your liking. Or Shepherd, too many black kids for your liking. Just stay put at your charter, OP.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A little off topic, but I think the recent situations at Key and Mann are what happens when a school lacks any meaningful racial/ethnic diversity (international diversity aside). It makes it very difficult for the few minority kids who remain, and it's a missed opportunity for the majority kids to be in an environment with members of minority groups.

This is partly why I don't think the idea to cut Shepherd and Bancroft from Deal is the best one. To the extent diversity is thought to be an important factor in schools, I think it should be preserved to the extent possible. I'd support putting keep in Shepherd and Bancroft, but putting in a simple preference for OOB instead of making OOB feeder rights a given.

To set the facts straight, the recent “situation” at Mann was simply based in the grandfather’s, er, misunderstanding of what transpired. There was nothing racial about the incident according to the people actually there. So it may say something about our racial environment, but it does not support PP’s hypothesis.

I read the article (as well as threads here). I agree it's a he said she said situation. It's possible that Michael Eric Dyson (the granddad) misunderstood or misrepresented what transpired. But it's also possible that those present didn't hear the full extent of what was said, or heard it but denied it for some reason; it's unclear. However, the family apparently had a similar problem with their older son the prior year, and pulled him out. So the more recent event apparently didn't occur in isolation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to say it, but I suspect your "not a good fit" excuse about your IB is just a veil for your racism. Let me guess...you're IB is Bancroft but there are too many latino kids for your liking. Or Shepherd, too many black kids for your liking. Just stay put at your charter, OP.

+1.

+2, I also guessed it was one of these schools based on her OP, and follow-up posts saying she's "fighting for the school" but it's "not an option" for her own kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to say it, but I suspect your "not a good fit" excuse about your IB is just a veil for your racism. Let me guess...you're IB is Bancroft but there are too many latino kids for your liking. Or Shepherd, too many black kids for your liking. Just stay put at your charter, OP.

+1.

+2, I also guessed it was one of these schools based on her OP, and follow-up posts saying she's "fighting for the school" but it's "not an option" for her own kids.

white savior syndrome