Deal kid is floundering in private high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

I'm sure you are telling the truth but it sounds freaking miserable being your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

I'm sure you are telling the truth but it sounds freaking miserable being your child.

NP just noting for the umpteenth time the nasty habit of the boosters on this thread to belittle and insult any poster who doesn’t toe the line. Toxic people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is just more work at a private school than a public, it doesn't mean your child isn't able to do it--they just need to get used to the volume. I do think that the volume of work prepares them more for college, but it does take a lot of fun out of the high school experience.

. Come on, such BS. Other US cities offer far more HS rigor in the public system than DC. My alma mater, Boston Latin,is the HS sending the most grads to Ivies on a per capita basis, not a Top DC (or NYC) private. Spare us your misplaced snobbery, PP.

This thread is local.

But the point is a good one. Tony private schools aren't magic bullets. Coddled kids in cocoon environments, with no more than token poor and lower middle-class peers on scholarships, don't necessarily put nose to the grindstone, hustle to get ahead, or appreciate their opportunities to learn like public students might. This is true matter how terrific the teachers and curriculum.

After almost a decade in DCPS, we learned not to rely on school inputs to provide serious humanities challenge long ago. We enroll our children in a variety of on-line workshops and classes each school year to beef up and round out the education on offer at our neighborhood MS. We started hiring a tough writing tutor with another DCPS family last year.

We require our kids to read at least one challenging novel weekly, mainly classics we discuss with them, on top of what's being assigned at school. We shut off the Internet in the afternoons, to promote reading. We have them earn "reading points" they can cash in for adventures of their own choosing, e.g. horse-riding lessons and zip lines. We opt out of PARCC, which we consider a waste of time, in favor of having them read during testing hours. In the summers, we send our children to several weeks of academic sleep-away camps. We spend 8-10K per kid per school year to supplement, a bargain compared to Sidwell, GDS etc.

You don't understand what OP is describing. None of what you write is remotely close. We did all of that and more while in DCPS. It isn't the same at all.

NP. We do understand. We moved on from DCPS to a high-powered private HS (parochial actually) this school year ourselves, after the distance learning mess at Deal. Like the PP above, we effectively homeschooled our kid in humanities subjects in DCPS. Our kid has not been overwhelmed by HS workload. He has hit the ground running.

Get a clue, DCPS parents. When Deal assigns 3 books in 8th grade, ensure that your kid reads at least five times that many. Hire tutors, tutor yourself. Covid or not Covid, you don't have to pay tens of thousands of dollars for private school to ensure that a kid gets a good middle school education, not in this city.

NP here. None of the Catholic high schools in DC are as rigorous as a big three. So, your kid is not having the same transition as ops kid is because her kid is at a harder, more rigorous school than yours is.

Off topic. Take it to private forum.

Off topic and not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

I'm sure you are telling the truth but it sounds freaking miserable being your child.

NP just noting for the umpteenth time the nasty habit of the boosters on this thread to belittle and insult any poster who doesn’t toe the line. Toxic people.

NP. I think there are many toxic helicopter moms on this thread who don’t make their precious snowflake take responsibility for their shortcomings. They blame the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is just more work at a private school than a public, it doesn't mean your child isn't able to do it--they just need to get used to the volume. I do think that the volume of work prepares them more for college, but it does take a lot of fun out of the high school experience.

. Come on, such BS. Other US cities offer far more HS rigor in the public system than DC. My alma mater, Boston Latin,is the HS sending the most grads to Ivies on a per capita basis, not a Top DC (or NYC) private. Spare us your misplaced snobbery, PP.

This thread is local.

But the point is a good one. Tony private schools aren't magic bullets. Coddled kids in cocoon environments, with no more than token poor and lower middle-class peers on scholarships, don't necessarily put nose to the grindstone, hustle to get ahead, or appreciate their opportunities to learn like public students might. This is true matter how terrific the teachers and curriculum.

After almost a decade in DCPS, we learned not to rely on school inputs to provide serious humanities challenge long ago. We enroll our children in a variety of on-line workshops and classes each school year to beef up and round out the education on offer at our neighborhood MS. We started hiring a tough writing tutor with another DCPS family last year.

We require our kids to read at least one challenging novel weekly, mainly classics we discuss with them, on top of what's being assigned at school. We shut off the Internet in the afternoons, to promote reading. We have them earn "reading points" they can cash in for adventures of their own choosing, e.g. horse-riding lessons and zip lines. We opt out of PARCC, which we consider a waste of time, in favor of having them read during testing hours. In the summers, we send our children to several weeks of academic sleep-away camps. We spend 8-10K per kid per school year to supplement, a bargain compared to Sidwell, GDS etc.

You don't understand what OP is describing. None of what you write is remotely close. We did all of that and more while in DCPS. It isn't the same at all.

NP. We do understand. We moved on from DCPS to a high-powered private HS (parochial actually) this school year ourselves, after the distance learning mess at Deal. Like the PP above, we effectively homeschooled our kid in humanities subjects in DCPS. Our kid has not been overwhelmed by HS workload. He has hit the ground running.

Get a clue, DCPS parents. When Deal assigns 3 books in 8th grade, ensure that your kid reads at least five times that many. Hire tutors, tutor yourself. Covid or not Covid, you don't have to pay tens of thousands of dollars for private school to ensure that a kid gets a good middle school education, not in this city.

NP here. None of the Catholic high schools in DC are as rigorous as a big three. So, your kid is not having the same transition as ops kid is because her kid is at a harder, more rigorous school than yours is.

Off topic. Take it to private forum.

Off topic and not true.

Off topic and completely true in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

I'm sure you are telling the truth but it sounds freaking miserable being your child.

NP just noting for the umpteenth time the nasty habit of the boosters on this thread to belittle and insult any poster who doesn’t toe the line. Toxic people.

NP. I think there are many toxic helicopter moms on this thread who don’t make their precious snowflake take responsibility for their shortcomings. They blame the teachers.

Well done. Your previous comment was effectively lacking in the misogyny necessary to achieve true toxicity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

I'm sure you are telling the truth but it sounds freaking miserable being your child.

NP just noting for the umpteenth time the nasty habit of the boosters on this thread to belittle and insult any poster who doesn’t toe the line. Toxic people.

NP. I think there are many toxic helicopter moms on this thread who don’t make their precious snowflake take responsibility for their shortcomings. They blame the teachers.

Well done. Your previous comment was effectively lacking in the misogyny necessary to achieve true toxicity.

Well thank you for policing what people say. What would we do with you? You remind me of the all anti-WTU posters… same tone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I've commented a few times on this thread but went back to the beginning and my gosh this is all so silly. A student removed from 18 months of pandemic learning is struggling in their first 2-3 weeks at a new school in a new environment and OP thinks DCPS and specifically Deal is the root cause. OP, if your kid got 5's on PARCC and is in the 99th percentile they will be just fine in private. I feel bad for them that they don't get to do fun activities anymore because you are losing it over a few weeks of grades in a new environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I've commented a few times on this thread but went back to the beginning and my gosh this is all so silly. A student removed from 18 months of pandemic learning is struggling in their first 2-3 weeks at a new school in a new environment and OP thinks DCPS and specifically Deal is the root cause. OP, if your kid got 5's on PARCC and is in the 99th percentile they will be just fine in private. I feel bad for them that they don't get to do fun activities anymore because you are losing it over a few weeks of grades in a new environment.

Perhaps an aside, but how are Deal kids who went to Walls doing? Is this just a DCPS -> private thing or something that happens for kids going to any challenging environment. I only have anecdata but the few Walls kids I know also have a lot of nightly reading to do as well as essays/writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I've commented a few times on this thread but went back to the beginning and my gosh this is all so silly. A student removed from 18 months of pandemic learning is struggling in their first 2-3 weeks at a new school in a new environment and OP thinks DCPS and specifically Deal is the root cause. OP, if your kid got 5's on PARCC and is in the 99th percentile they will be just fine in private. I feel bad for them that they don't get to do fun activities anymore because you are losing it over a few weeks of grades in a new environment.

Perhaps an aside, but how are Deal kids who went to Walls doing? Is this just a DCPS -> private thing or something that happens for kids going to any challenging environment. I only have anecdata but the few Walls kids I know also have a lot of nightly reading to do as well as essays/writing.

I've heard that Walls is slowly easing into things so far this year--very little homework, etc. They're giving kids time to acclimate and catch up from not having school for 18 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM

This. So sick of the boosters jumping in to say posters must be lying if they criticize the school. Deal has a lot of gaps, and parents aren't doing children any favors by pretending this isn't true.

I'm 100% sure that their child learned how to annotate text in ES, especially at a JKLM. I think your kid may be pulling one over on you

Regardless of whether it was taught at one point or not, it wasn't required on every text from 4th grade on like it is at the privates. And then there's the point (belabored above)
that Deal doesn't even have MANY (not all lest you all jump down my throat) kids read full texts.

So whether or not a kid is taught to annotate at some point in time at a DCPS, it is NOT a day-in, day-out expectation on all texts (ELA, Spanish, History, Science). I mean they.don't.even.have.textbooks to annotate (but that is another point entirely).
My kid is now at a private and is expected to read about 100 pages nightly (between all classes) and annotate it all. No one from DCPS (elementary or Deal) can tell me that is the expectation for kids at those schools. My kid went through a JKLM and then Deal with straight As
and 99% PARCCS (just throwing that in there as proof that he/she was FULLY doing what was expected) and never annotated on a regular basis. Started at the private high school and was like "Holy crap, this is a LOT of reading
and a heck of a lot of annotation and my skills are rusty while meanwhile my new peers (from the Big3 and other privates) have been doing this year-in and year-out on every single text."

Now--Cue up the folks who are going to tell me that their Deal kids were annotating on yards and yards of text at home and are experts and I am an idiot for not requiring that of my kid during evenings, weekends and holidays.

I'm sure you are telling the truth but it sounds freaking miserable being your child.

Agreed! 100 pages a NIGHT?! I’m pretty sure I didn’t even do that in grad school. Yuck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I've commented a few times on this thread but went back to the beginning and my gosh this is all so silly. A student removed from 18 months of pandemic learning is struggling in their first 2-3 weeks at a new school in a new environment and OP thinks DCPS and specifically Deal is the root cause. OP, if your kid got 5's on PARCC and is in the 99th percentile they will be just fine in private. I feel bad for them that they don't get to do fun activities anymore because you are losing it over a few weeks of grades in a new environment.

Perhaps an aside, but how are Deal kids who went to Walls doing? Is this just a DCPS -> private thing or something that happens for kids going to any challenging environment. I only have anecdata but the few Walls kids I know also have a lot of nightly reading to do as well as essays/writing.

I've heard that Walls is slowly easing into things so far this year--very little homework, etc. They're giving kids time to acclimate and catch up from not having school for 18 months.

Wonder what very little means. My 9th grader at Walls is doing homework all the time. I don't have any sense that things are being eased into. Fortunately for her, she did fine during distance learning because she is intrinsically motivated and very organized. Socially DL was a disaster but of my 2 kids (one is still at Deal) the one at Walls now is doing fine. I think a lot of this is really at the individual level, some kids have to work harder than others. Annotating texts is something I do not worry about her doing, but she does school very well, unlike her sibling who fell apart during DL last year. Then again, I knew early on not to count on Deal teaching kids anything last year. Sorry your kid is struggling OP.