DC charters - which ones are open? hybrid model? plans of reopening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For parents with kids in charters, how have they navigated the whole DL situation?
Do you know of any that has opened or is doing a hybrid model?
What has your experience been like at your charter during the pandemic?
Even if they haven't opened yet, have they been good at communicating with parents about their reopening plans? Any deadlines set?
If you can please name them, that will be valuable information for other parents as well.
Thanks!

CMI has been very good at communicating that leadership is in no rush to resume in person learning and they are prioritizing safety from covid over educational outcomes. They have quite convincingly argued that the majority of parents support this approach.

+100

Argued, or showed you that most parents support virtual as opposed to in person? We’re parents surveyed, and were those survey results shared?

They did some surveys. The wording of the questions was a little odd, but the indication was that the majority of parents preferred DL to in person at that time (October).

[Anonymous]

The public charter schools are proving that their claim that they are more flexible and nimble than regular public schools is absolutely false. They have failed to come up with plans for providing in-person learning because the staff simply does not want to provide in-person learning and their leadership supports them above everything else. They are not following the the science and the data even though they proclaim to be doing so. For reasons I do not understand, DC parents/guardians are complacent. I support public education 100%, but this has made me seriously waiver and I have lost a lot of respect for public school teachers and their leadership. The research is in: distance learning is no good so stop acting like it is a way to provide a quality education. It is crap. And stop acting like you care about the disadvantaged students because you don’t - if you did, the teachers would be double-masked and wearing face shields and the charter schools would be open. We are at a charter and it is one big disappointment. And before you all start making assumptions: we are African-American, with some health issues that worry us, but we would have our kids doing some hybrid program in a second if offered the opportunity because they are suffering academically and in terms of mental health. But according to the charters, my type of family does not want in-person learning. That is complete BS - I know that my brown kids who are already disadvantaged in this society will only be set back even further because of the schools’ failure to actually give a damn and follow the science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The public charter schools are proving that their claim that they are more flexible and nimble than regular public schools is absolutely false. They have failed to come up with plans for providing in-person learning because the staff simply does not want to provide in-person learning and their leadership supports them above everything else. They are not following the the science and the data even though they proclaim to be doing so. For reasons I do not understand, DC parents/guardians are complacent. I support public education 100%, but this has made me seriously waiver and I have lost a lot of respect for public school teachers and their leadership. The research is in: distance learning is no good so stop acting like it is a way to provide a quality education. It is crap. And stop acting like you care about the disadvantaged students because you don’t - if you did, the teachers would be double-masked and wearing face shields and the charter schools would be open. We are at a charter and it is one big disappointment. And before you all start making assumptions: we are African-American, with some health issues that worry us, but we would have our kids doing some hybrid program in a second if offered the opportunity because they are suffering academically and in terms of mental health. But according to the charters, my type of family does not want in-person learning. That is complete BS - I know that my brown kids who are already disadvantaged in this society will only be set back even further because of the schools’ failure to actually give a damn and follow the science.

+1 agree and very sorry to hear that. May we know the name of the charter? I'm curious because I'm applying for 21-22 preK (which we desperately need) and even though it seems like most charters haven't opened their doors, I'd rather know which ones are at least trying (or NOT) to engage with parents in their reopening plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The public charter schools are proving that their claim that they are more flexible and nimble than regular public schools is absolutely false. They have failed to come up with plans for providing in-person learning because the staff simply does not want to provide in-person learning and their leadership supports them above everything else. They are not following the the science and the data even though they proclaim to be doing so. For reasons I do not understand, DC parents/guardians are complacent. I support public education 100%, but this has made me seriously waiver and I have lost a lot of respect for public school teachers and their leadership. The research is in: distance learning is no good so stop acting like it is a way to provide a quality education. It is crap. And stop acting like you care about the disadvantaged students because you don’t - if you did, the teachers would be double-masked and wearing face shields and the charter schools would be open. We are at a charter and it is one big disappointment. And before you all start making assumptions: we are African-American, with some health issues that worry us, but we would have our kids doing some hybrid program in a second if offered the opportunity because they are suffering academically and in terms of mental health. But according to the charters, my type of family does not want in-person learning. That is complete BS - I know that my brown kids who are already disadvantaged in this society will only be set back even further because of the schools’ failure to actually give a damn and follow the science.

Yeah, it’s sad. I’m not sure what to do anymore. Many of us aren’t complacent at all but we have so little power here. All you can do is complain to the admin and have them ignore you.

[Anonymous]

My kids are at a charter that we are so happy at. They've done so well on distance learning, but I fear they don't have the "backing" of a big system to start to open up... so won't.

I hope beyond hope they are taking the surveys they are taking in perspective because every goalpost is moving in real time.

Their mid December survey is irrelevant because if all teachers can get a vaccine the week of Jan 25th, all the posts move earlier.

It is hard to not think they aren't trying to not open.

Vaccines won't be to kids for a long long time.

DCPS is offering CARES and moving to CARES+/modified opening. Any movement in the planning for long term closures vs modified/hybrid opening only looks like as$covering/head in the sand. '

The Mayor has extended opening options/grace/latitudes/tools to charters. Seize them please. If my kid can be in school for 3-5 months and more importantly be with peers, I don't care about the "community" their teacher has built.

They care about being with like aged kids. Will wear a mask. Will bubble, walk in lines, take specials in classroom instead of out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LAMB has been making detailed plans to reopen late Jan or early Feb, including asking for commitment to hybrid or virtual for that date. Mundo Verde has plans to reopen on Feb 1.

If no other charters, or DCPS, do this, then I doubt they will follow through. [/quote

Predictably, LAMB announced yesterday it will no longer open for hybrid in late Jan./early Feb. No rescheduled date announced.

The school will just end up following what DPCS and/or other charters do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB has been making detailed plans to reopen late Jan or early Feb, including asking for commitment to hybrid or virtual for that date. Mundo Verde has plans to reopen on Feb 1.

If no other charters, or DCPS, do this, then I doubt they will follow through. [/quote

Predictably, LAMB announced yesterday it will no longer open for hybrid in late Jan./early Feb. No rescheduled date announced.

The school will just end up following what DPCS and/or other charters do.

And on that note, anyone know of any private schools taking children for the remainder of the year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are the LEAs' plans: https://osse.dc.gov/publication/lea-continuous-education-plans

I believe that KIPP, Friendship, Meridian, Truth, and BASIS all have at least some students coming into their buildings, but I don't know whether they are getting direct education from teachers or whether it's a learning hub model where they are watching DL from the school building.

Our school's plan is there and is for show only it seems. I.e., it includes where outdoor classrooms might go but they have no plans to have outdoor classrooms.

This is DCB and they have not been good about communicating that they have basically decided as little in person as possible and its really up to teachers if they offer it or not. They are also prioritizing a big construction project starting this spring. It's pretty maddening and I wouldn't recommend the school to new parents at this point even though we initially loved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB has been making detailed plans to reopen late Jan or early Feb, including asking for commitment to hybrid or virtual for that date. Mundo Verde has plans to reopen on Feb 1.

If no other charters, or DCPS, do this, then I doubt they will follow through. [/quote

Predictably, LAMB announced yesterday it will no longer open for hybrid in late Jan./early Feb. No rescheduled date announced.

The school will just end up following what DPCS and/or other charters do.

And on that note, anyone know of any private schools taking children for the remainder of the year?

You need to call around. Try WES, Grace Episcopal, Lowell. It will depend on the school and grade.

[Anonymous]

DH and I have been surprised by Yu Ying's complete disinterest in reopening the school. Admin answers every questions with platitudes and remarks about how teachers "are feeling." We're leaving next year. Hey, two new spots!

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile, local Catholic schools and many other school districts around the country opened back up in August.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The public charter schools are proving that their claim that they are more flexible and nimble than regular public schools is absolutely false. They have failed to come up with plans for providing in-person learning because the staff simply does not want to provide in-person learning and their leadership supports them above everything else. They are not following the the science and the data even though they proclaim to be doing so. For reasons I do not understand, DC parents/guardians are complacent. I support public education 100%, but this has made me seriously waiver and I have lost a lot of respect for public school teachers and their leadership. The research is in: distance learning is no good so stop acting like it is a way to provide a quality education. It is crap. And stop acting like you care about the disadvantaged students because you don’t - if you did, the teachers would be double-masked and wearing face shields and the charter schools would be open. We are at a charter and it is one big disappointment. And before you all start making assumptions: we are African-American, with some health issues that worry us, but we would have our kids doing some hybrid program in a second if offered the opportunity because they are suffering academically and in terms of mental health. But according to the charters, my type of family does not want in-person learning. That is complete BS - I know that my brown kids who are already disadvantaged in this society will only be set back even further because of the schools’ failure to actually give a damn and follow the science.

Really well said. On all accounts. We are at a dual language charter and see all of this, including the bigger joke of autonomy providing charters with the freedom to come up with creative solutions to hard problems. Instead our charter follows DCPS when convenient (we can't have summer school if they don't have summer school) and when its not says their staff get to decided things like if there should be any in person learning supervision for really struggling kids.

[Anonymous]

Same here. No real sense of urgency, or at least I haven't seen it.

[Anonymous]

DCI has had its neediest kids back for quite awhile and is planning on adding the next tier back at the end of this month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile, local Catholic schools and many other school districts around the country opened back up in August.

Which Catholic schools? Ours only opened for PK and has been closed to in person since Thanksgiving.