So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?

[Anonymous]

PP is crazy. Hardy is so far from becoming the "premier" middle school in DC it's not even funny. What a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again here are some numbers:

Hyde-Addison - CY 5th grade: 29 students, CY 4th grade: 53, 82% increase in class size
Key - CY 5th grade: 36 students, CY 4th grade: 56 Students, 55% increase in class size
Mann - CY 5th Grade: 18 students, CY 4th Grade: 43 students, 138% increase in class size
Stoddert - CY 5th grade: 25 students, CY 4th grade: 60 students, 140% increase in class size
Eaton - CY 5th grade: 66 Students, CY 4th grade students: 70 students, 6% increase

Either there will be additional 5th grade classes (which I have been told there will be) or class sizes in these schools will be huge.


As an Eaton parent with a kid in 2nd grade I can say I believe you are going to see a large number of Eaton kids at Hardy when our class is going to 6th grade (the 1st year we don't have Deal feeder rights). I will also say that there are a lot of parents in our school considering early adoption and choosing Hardy over Deal. This is not to knock Deal. It is a great school as well, however, a school that size is not for everyone and it is only going to get bigger.

I encourage you to go visit Hardy. Talk to Trish Pride and meet with the parents and students. I think you will be impressed.


The number for the Stoddert 5th grade is incorrect. It's been about 20 this year, with a student coming and going. It has never been 25. PP- it makes me questions the accuracy of your post. There are some children in the current 5th grade class at Stoddert going to Hardy, but I know most are going to their Embassy schools or private schools next year.







If you don't want to send your kid to Hardy that is fine. I am sure we are all just trying to provide the best educational experience for our children. With that said look at the under lying numbers. Hardy has strong leadership, has great educators, expanding offerings, and a growing community. It is headed toward success. This is something everyone in DC should cheer and support. More strong Middle School options in DC is good for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP is crazy. Hardy is so far from becoming the "premier" middle school in DC it's not even funny. What a joke.

It may only be a couple of years from going majority IB though. Not sure how it goes from that to being considered better than Deal, but if it gets to the point where it is only slightly less desired than Deal, I don't think many people will care.

The question is not - is it on track to be the premier school. The question is - is it on track enough that A. the notion of a another MS WOTP is dead? B. That people IB who didn't really seriously consider it, need to C. That OOB familes who have counted on it will need to find other options D That it shows DCPS can turn around a MS?

[Anonymous]

The numbers provided are from the schools. they may be off by a couple as kids go in and out but they are not my numbers.

I don't think whether Hardy will be better than Deal is the question. It is whether Hardy will be a "Premeir" middle school. Lets face it not that long ago Deal was in the same boat as Hardy (for those of you that have not been around DC long enough to know it). Deal and Hardy can both be great schools. What might be the best for your child might not be the best for my child. Offerings, School Size etc. may make Deal great for some and not for others and vice versa with Hardy.

Lets face it. Many of you that are saying I would never send my kind to Hardy are the same suburbanites that 10 years ago "Would never live in DC". Things change. Hardy will be a great school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The numbers provided are from the schools. they may be off by a couple as kids go in and out but they are not my numbers.

I don't think whether Hardy will be better than Deal is the question. It is whether Hardy will be a "Premeir" middle school. Lets face it not that long ago Deal was in the same boat as Hardy (for those of you that have not been around DC long enough to know it). Deal and Hardy can both be great schools. What might be the best for your child might not be the best for my child. Offerings, School Size etc. may make Deal great for some and not for others and vice versa with Hardy.

Lets face it. Many of you that are saying I would never send my kind to Hardy are the same suburbanites that 10 years ago "Would never live in DC". Things change. Hardy will be a great school.

The stages of city denial

A. It is insane to live in DC, crime, riots, squalor, long lines at the DMV
B. It is insane to live in DC with kids
C. It is insane to live in DC with school age kids
D. It is insane to live in DC with middle school age kids
E. It is insane to live in DC with middle school age kids, unless you are zoned for Deal, or lucked out in the lottery

We are now at Stage E. DCPS at least on paper wants to move to stage F, where there are more neighborhood middle schools "like Deal" which I think really means "good enough that they do not make moving to the suburbs an obviously better choice" We are getting closer to that, though not quite there yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The numbers provided are from the schools. they may be off by a couple as kids go in and out but they are not my numbers.

I don't think whether Hardy will be better than Deal is the question. It is whether Hardy will be a "Premeir" middle school. Lets face it not that long ago Deal was in the same boat as Hardy (for those of you that have not been around DC long enough to know it). Deal and Hardy can both be great schools. What might be the best for your child might not be the best for my child. Offerings, School Size etc. may make Deal great for some and not for others and vice versa with Hardy.

Lets face it. Many of you that are saying I would never send my kind to Hardy are the same suburbanites that 10 years ago "Would never live in DC". Things change. Hardy will be a great school.

What really legitimized Deal in the eyes of many Upper NW parents was when Dr. Kim's changes got a few folks including Marion Barry riled up. Barry called for her ouster (using the usual race baiting language) and parents figured, heck, if Barry's upset, she must be doing something right at Deal.

Mrs. Pride should have arranged for the ex-Mayor-for-Life to stage a protest over changes at Hardy. Had that happened, IB parents would have started calling in droves. Alas, it's too late for that now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again here are some numbers:

Hyde-Addison - CY 5th grade: 29 students, CY 4th grade: 53, 82% increase in class size
Key - CY 5th grade: 36 students, CY 4th grade: 56 Students, 55% increase in class size
Mann - CY 5th Grade: 18 students, CY 4th Grade: 43 students, 138% increase in class size
Stoddert - CY 5th grade: 25 students, CY 4th grade: 60 students, 140% increase in class size
Eaton - CY 5th grade: 66 Students, CY 4th grade students: 70 students, 6% increase

Either there will be additional 5th grade classes (which I have been told there will be) or class sizes in these schools will be huge.

You see 108 "extra" 4th graders who will start Hardy in 2016, but they could just as easily move out of DC, start private school, or lottery in somewhere else. This year, Bancroft offered 4 5th grade seats, Murch offered 5, Shepherd offered 3, and Hearst offered 4. I don't have the exact numbers for charters, but figure BASIS and Latin take 200 5th graders combined. 5th grade is also the entry year for Sidwell Friends and Maret's middle school (probably others but I don't know).

[Anonymous]

Yes but those same seats and spaces were available last year and even with them 15% of Hardy is IB. My point was in theory even if the % of kids from Feeder schools is consistent the number increases drastically.

[Anonymous]

We are an IB Eaton Family (not the numbers guy) and have a 3rd grader and a 2nd grader. We have been in DC for about 5 years and are former "suburbanites". Just thought I would offer my perspective - for what it is worth.

At Eaton there are mixed feelings. There is a contingent that is upset we lost our Deal feeder pattern. This is change and very few people like change. There are also some families that are fine with the change. The feeder pattern to Deal is grandfathered until our current 2nd grade and looking at the projections think Hardy will be a strong school by then.

We moved to the city because we love it. We love the culture, the diversity, the urban environment, and the experiences my children are growing up with. Moving is not an option we are considering. Private school and charters could be but I am a strong supporter of public schools and that is where I want to send my kids.

I have been involved since the redistricting came up with a group of Hardy feeder school parents working to support Hardy. I had the quick realization Eaton would be going to Hardy and didn't know how the grandfathering would work so I assumed my kids would go there. I figured get involved support the community school and help out. Why not? I have been very impressed since I got involved with this group. There are parents committed to Hardy and I do think its future will be bright.

So where do I fall out? We are committed to sending our kids to Hardy even though we have a right to attend Deal. We will be early adopters from Eaton. I do not think we will be the only ones. This is not a poor reflection on Deal. It is a great school. But after careful consideration I believe Hardy is a better fit for us.

Some actual stats just provided by Hardy:
- the current 6th grade class is 27% feeder school kids and another 14% are charter school or independent school transfers or from out of state.
- there are 180 feeder school 5th graders that have the opportunity to attend Hardy next year
- hardy feeder schools are experiencing tremendous growth and are retaining more kids through 5th grade. I think this is the growth the PP was referring to.

There will be an Open House at the Hardy Library at 6:00 PM on April 22nd to meet Trish Pride and speak with Hardy teachers. Parents are welcome and 4th and 5th grade students are also welcome.

I encourage all of you to reserve any judgement visit the school and then decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The numbers provided are from the schools. they may be off by a couple as kids go in and out but they are not my numbers.

I don't think whether Hardy will be better than Deal is the question. It is whether Hardy will be a "Premeir" middle school. Lets face it not that long ago Deal was in the same boat as Hardy (for those of you that have not been around DC long enough to know it). Deal and Hardy can both be great schools. What might be the best for your child might not be the best for my child. Offerings, School Size etc. may make Deal great for some and not for others and vice versa with Hardy.

Lets face it. Many of you that are saying I would never send my kind to Hardy are the same suburbanites that 10 years ago "Would never live in DC". Things change. Hardy will be a great school.

What really legitimized Deal in the eyes of many Upper NW parents was when Dr. Kim's changes got a few folks including Marion Barry riled up. Barry called for her ouster (using the usual race baiting language) and parents figured, heck, if Barry's upset, she must be doing something right at Deal.

Mrs. Pride should have arranged for the ex-Mayor-for-Life to stage a protest over changes at Hardy. Had that happened, IB parents would have started calling in droves. Alas, it's too late for that now.

Bowser will do. She is doing her best yo fill his incompetent shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The numbers provided are from the schools. they may be off by a couple as kids go in and out but they are not my numbers.

I don't think whether Hardy will be better than Deal is the question. It is whether Hardy will be a "Premeir" middle school. Lets face it not that long ago Deal was in the same boat as Hardy (for those of you that have not been around DC long enough to know it). Deal and Hardy can both be great schools. What might be the best for your child might not be the best for my child. Offerings, School Size etc. may make Deal great for some and not for others and vice versa with Hardy.

Lets face it. Many of you that are saying I would never send my kind to Hardy are the same suburbanites that 10 years ago "Would never live in DC". Things change. Hardy will be a great school.

What really legitimized Deal in the eyes of many Upper NW parents was when Dr. Kim's changes got a few folks including Marion Barry riled up. Barry called for her ouster (using the usual race baiting language) and parents figured, heck, if Barry's upset, she must be doing something right at Deal.

Mrs. Pride should have arranged for the ex-Mayor-for-Life to stage a protest over changes at Hardy. Had that happened, IB parents would have started calling in droves. Alas, it's too late for that now.

Bowser will do. She is doing her best yo fill his incompetent shoes.

Maybe Barry's n'er-do-well son will be elected to fill his father's seat, and then the clown caucus will continue on the Council.

[Anonymous]

So 110 pages later and nearly a year after the 2014-15 school year began, do we finally know last year's official figures for students who live in boundaries and attend Hardy. Or is that still DCPS classified information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So 110 pages later and nearly a year after the 2014-15 school year began, do we finally know last year's official figures for students who live in boundaries and attend Hardy. Or is that still DCPS classified information?

http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Hardy+Middle+School

IB (but not including OOB who attended IB elementaries) was up to 15%

FWIW, white+asian/pacific+Multiracial = 27%

FARMs percent, unknown (for all DCPS, not just Hardy)

[Anonymous]

Looks like slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

[Anonymous]

What was the percentage the prior year?