Can we review Middle Schools.....again. Sorry!

[Anonymous]

We are IB for Deal and I started to have second thoughts about it. I have a "slow learner" with an IEP and just have a feeling that a smaller sized school for middle school would be better for him. I randomly threw him into the 2R lottery and got a spot. He is very good socially and has a few friends, has no problems making friends either so I am not too concerned about moving him to a new school. I have sort of discussed the idea with him and he seems to be fine with it but would like to do a tour.

So am I completely crazy to be thinking about skipping Deal? And thinking about driving cross town!?!?!?

[Anonymous]

I drive my kid across town to a charter. It's HE!!. Noted, that my job is in a different direction so home, charter, work, charter, home adds up to 3 plus hours driving a day.

I don't know anything about Deal's responsiveness to IEPs, but I'd tour Deal and try really hard to make that work.

[Anonymous]

We did tour Deal and that is where my cold feet began. *sigh*

[Anonymous]

It's not just driving cross town...which IS hell, but the location of 2R is it's biggest detractor. Great school but it's essentially in a warehouse district with a six lane Florida Ave, only a couple blocks from NY Ave, another crazy street. Granted, when you're talking about middle school aged kids, the traffic isn't as big a worry as with kindergarteners, but still. I would strongly encourage you to try and make Deal work and just be prepared to be your child's advocate to ensure that he gets all the services he needs.

[Anonymous]

2 Rivers is ok for the lower grades, but they hemorrhage kids out in the middle school years.

Inexperienced teachers, weak classroom managment, an unresponsive admin. plus middle school hormones is a terrible mix. I envy your spot at Deal.

[Anonymous]

I just looked at their lottery results and they didn't admit that many children in the upper grades plus there are waitlists so I don't know about the hemorrhaging.

The weak classroom management and inexperienced teachers would worry me more. The drive from NW to NE would not be pleasant either.

[Anonymous]

As a current TR parent, I think there is going to be much less hemorrhaging at the 6th grade level this coming academic year than there has been in some prior years. Also, there is absolutely no need for you to drive cross-town with your middle-schooler. Two Rivers's middle school is one block away from the New York Ave. metro stop, which is a straight shot on the red line. If you're in-bounds for Deal, and are anywhere close to the metro, consider that as an alternative. Plenty of kids metro to middle school.

[Anonymous]

I'd feel a lot better about the walk from the Metro to Deal than the walk from the Metro to 2R, but that's just me.

[Anonymous]

You don't know anything at all about what the neighborhood around Two Rivers is like, then, or who is walking the sidewalks at 8:15 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. It's exactly one block east on M Street, past a police sub-station, a dozen houses, and a parking lot. Of course, you might get mugged by the yuppies walking to the metro or the TR parents taking their kids to school.

[Anonymous]

@Current TR parent -- what grade(s) are you in? Do you hear talk of more people staying? Have you heard anything about the weak teachers?

[Anonymous]

11:23, I live 5 blocks from there and no, I wouldn't let my 11 year old walk alone from the NY Ave Metro stop. DC does, however, walk from many other stops in DC, but not NY Ave.

The location of 2R is not an asset, no matter how much you proclaim it to be.

[Anonymous]

And yes, the 6th grade students will stay so long as they don't get a spot in Latin.

[Anonymous]

Can we have your spot at Deal?

[Anonymous]

I am a pretty street smart adult woman (who lives in SE DC) and I don't love walking around NY Ave metro. That said, I would be happy with a middle school spot at eaither 2Rs or Deal for my DC in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Considering that the MS is only a couple of years old and it is right on the red line, I would call it a safe bet.

As a school it is only going to improve, period. And that metro stop's neighborhood is gentrifying rapidly. It looks more like downtown than the hood.