question about deal middle school and 16th Street heights

[Anonymous]

We live in this area and are IB for West. My understanding is that my current 4th grader is grandfathered for Deal but my younger child is not. We could get sibling preference, but that won't take us far enough to get the younger kid in. Unless they restore this area to Deal boundary, which won't happen, this whole area is IB for MacFarland for any kids in 3rd grade or younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So where do these particular rich kids go to middle school now? Or where will they? Private?

Have you considered that I may not be rich but want the better rated school for my kid anyway? Or would that just blow your mind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So where do these particular rich kids go to middle school now? Or where will they? Private?

Have you considered that I may not be rich but want the better rated school for my kid anyway? Or would that just blow your mind?

And some "rich kids" may go to MacFarland.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s going to be great to have my kids at MacFarland. There are plenty of kids, the school is good size now, principal has his own kid there, teachers actually have good activist reputations, extracurriculars expanding. I think that for our kids next year it’s a bit of a negotiation to get all the programming to suit. But engagement over the next few years will bring a lot to the school. Frankly I don’t want a huge middle school for my kids. I think MacFarland becoming our middle school is a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s going to be great to have my kids at MacFarland. There are plenty of kids, the school is good size now, principal has his own kid there, teachers actually have good activist reputations, extracurriculars expanding. I think that for our kids next year it’s a bit of a negotiation to get all the programming to suit. But engagement over the next few years will bring a lot to the school. Frankly I don’t want a huge middle school for my kids. I think MacFarland becoming our middle school is a good thing.

Spanish Immersion side? Or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So where do these particular rich kids go to middle school now? Or where will they? Private?

Have you considered that I may not be rich but want the better rated school for my kid anyway? Or would that just blow your mind?

Am only referring to the wealthy inhabitants of crestwood and parts of 16th street heights who are now zoned out of Deal...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s going to be great to have my kids at MacFarland. There are plenty of kids, the school is good size now, principal has his own kid there, teachers actually have good activist reputations, extracurriculars expanding. I think that for our kids next year it’s a bit of a negotiation to get all the programming to suit. But engagement over the next few years will bring a lot to the school. Frankly I don’t want a huge middle school for my kids. I think MacFarland becoming our middle school is a good thing.

Spanish Immersion side? Or not?

Our kids are in dual language Spanish classes, but people tend to exaggerate this. We're talking about 1-2 classes a day for students doing that, and most of the classes are in English with all students together. Talk to the principal or the other folks there, this isn't a separate cohort of students learning Spanish vs. other students. Our older kid is also pretty into the sports possibilities, so having soccer and track and cross country there sounds like it's happening (barring COVID, dammit) and while in some ways Deal might have more, some of these opportunities might be more accessible to students in a 600 student middle school than one with 1450.

So, seriously, I think MacFarland should have buzz. DCUM is like this collective Scrooge sometimes, but I think MacFarland's going to be great. I know we only look like a couple years out but does anybody remember how Deal had this negative reputation, what, 10 years ago? And what really changed? Add your views, but it mostly just seemed local kids went there in greater numbers and then it was well-regarded.

So all that said - our plan is to see you there. Don't want to deanonymize myself, but it won't be very long!

All the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s going to be great to have my kids at MacFarland. There are plenty of kids, the school is good size now, principal has his own kid there, teachers actually have good activist reputations, extracurriculars expanding. I think that for our kids next year it’s a bit of a negotiation to get all the programming to suit. But engagement over the next few years will bring a lot to the school. Frankly I don’t want a huge middle school for my kids. I think MacFarland becoming our middle school is a good thing.

Spanish Immersion side? Or not?

Our kids are in dual language Spanish classes, but people tend to exaggerate this. We're talking about 1-2 classes a day for students doing that, and most of the classes are in English with all students together. Talk to the principal or the other folks there, this isn't a separate cohort of students learning Spanish vs. other students. Our older kid is also pretty into the sports possibilities, so having soccer and track and cross country there sounds like it's happening (barring COVID, dammit) and while in some ways Deal might have more, some of these opportunities might be more accessible to students in a 600 student middle school than one with 1450.

So, seriously, I think MacFarland should have buzz. DCUM is like this collective Scrooge sometimes, but I think MacFarland's going to be great. I know we only look like a couple years out but does anybody remember how Deal had this negative reputation, what, 10 years ago? And what really changed? Add your views, but it mostly just seemed local kids went there in greater numbers and then it was well-regarded.

So all that said - our plan is to see you there. Don't want to deanonymize myself, but it won't be very long!

All the best.

Cheers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So where do these particular rich kids go to middle school now? Or where will they? Private?

Have you considered that I may not be rich but want the better rated school for my kid anyway? Or would that just blow your mind?

Am only referring to the wealthy inhabitants of crestwood and parts of 16th street heights who are now zoned out of Deal...

In my neighborhood it's either Deal or private; those who can't go to Deal will go private.

[Anonymous]

A lot of kids parents in Crestwood/16th Street Heights go private or buy a rental property in MoCo, use that as their school address, and send their kids to SS/TPMS and then Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of kids parents in Crestwood/16th Street Heights go private or buy a rental property in MoCo, use that as their school address, and send their kids to SS/TPMS and then Blair.

This really happens? I obviously don't know every kid in my neighborhood in 16th St. Heights, but I have lived here for a long time and I have never once heard of this. How do they make this work? Do they live there during the week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of kids parents in Crestwood/16th Street Heights go private or buy a rental property in MoCo, use that as their school address, and send their kids to SS/TPMS and then Blair.

This really happens? I obviously don't know every kid in my neighborhood in 16th St. Heights, but I have lived here for a long time and I have never once heard of this. How do they make this work? Do they live there during the week?

I have known several families who do this. They essentially change their address on paper to MoCo, giving up on the homestead deduction in DC. The schools do zero enforcement, and especially with the number of divorced parents, other parents don’t ask questions. Another popular option is to have a non custodial parent move IB for a good MoCo option. I had a coworker who drove her kid to Rockville every day. Father rarely sees kid. People with options will use them.

[Anonymous]

We’ve gone from a lot to I know several. What’s common here is Ward 3 schools all the way through. And a lot of people are older and the neighborhood is getting a new wave of parents and there is crowding in Ward 3. Private schools are expensive and exclusive and charters aren’t expanding like they were. Something’s gonna give.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve gone from a lot to I know several. What’s common here is Ward 3 schools all the way through. And a lot of people are older and the neighborhood is getting a new wave of parents and there is crowding in Ward 3. Private schools are expensive and exclusive and charters aren’t expanding like they were. Something’s gonna give.

Things give a little. There's more discussion on here about considering MacFarland than there was a few years ago, although the people who bring it up usually get badgered.

[Anonymous]

did you read the links in the first page of this topic?