How has Hardy drawn inbound families?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Deal has a program (really just a feeder to Wilson, they don't compete against other DCPS middle schools) which is a complete anomaly in inner city public schools. Yes there are jr rowing programs via clubs but to expect an inner city public school to have a crew team is ridiculous.

I think the rub is that Eaton families don't want to settle for an "inner city" middle school where academic and athletic enrichment programs are "anomalous" and should "not be expected" -- when they can expect them now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, middle school crew at inner city public school-- so popular.

It's very popular at deal. Ever been to NW DC?

It's offered to,8th graders who are interested in joining the Wilson team practices ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Deal has a program (really just a feeder to Wilson, they don't compete against other DCPS middle schools) which is a complete anomaly in inner city public schools. Yes there are jr rowing programs via clubs but to expect an inner city public school to have a crew team is ridiculous.

I think the rub is that Eaton families don't want to settle for an "inner city" middle school where academic and athletic enrichment programs are "anomalous" and should "not be expected" -- when they can expect them now!

Before everyone jumps off the bridge here, 8th graders at Hardy have also been provided the opportunity in past years to partner up with the Wilson team. So the availability of crew at Hardy is no more "anomalous" or "unexpected" than at Deal.


Also, what does poster mean by "inner city"? Is this a theoretically nice way of saying "school with lots of AA kids"? Or is Georgetown considered to be an "inner city" neighborhood?

Or is there a more benign explanation?

[Anonymous]

I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

There are dozens of crew teams on the Potomac every morning. Hardy is one of the closest schools to it - I guess 1-1.5 miles. Not exactly land-locked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

There are dozens of crew teams on the Potomac every morning. Hardy is one of the closest schools to it - I guess 1-1.5 miles. Not exactly land-locked.

Ah, but a PP suggests that students and their parents have no right to expect such "anomalous" programs in "inner city schools." I guess PP's mantra is suck it up or pay up for private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

There are dozens of crew teams on the Potomac every morning. Hardy is one of the closest schools to it - I guess 1-1.5 miles. Not exactly land-locked.

Ah, but a PP suggests that students and their parents have no right to expect such "anomalous" programs in "inner city schools." I guess PP's mantra is suck it up or pay up for private.

We do pay for private. We would have sent DC to deal but we are in bound for hardy.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to point out how appallingly offensive and ill-informed this thread - and the thread on Eaton shifting to Hardy are. The ill-informed assumptions, the factually incorrect stereotyping, the double standards to which Hardy is held...it goes on and on.

You would have no idea that there are effective teachers, solid administrators, and really great and talented kids who attend Hardy and thrive - academically, socially, in sports, in music and the arts, and in many other ways.

Please open your eyes and stop stereotyping this school and its students. If you don't know about the school, we welcome you to come and visit.

Thank you,

- A Hardy Parent (white and IB, for those who care about such things)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wanted to point out how appallingly offensive and ill-informed this thread - and the thread on Eaton shifting to Hardy are. The ill-informed assumptions, the factually incorrect stereotyping, the double standards to which Hardy is held...it goes on and on.

You would have no idea that there are effective teachers, solid administrators, and really great and talented kids who attend Hardy and thrive - academically, socially, in sports, in music and the arts, and in many other ways.

Please open your eyes and stop stereotyping this school and its students. If you don't know about the school, we welcome you to come and visit.

Thank you,

- A Hardy Parent (white and IB, for those who care about such things)

That was also my experience when my kid went there.

[Anonymous]

Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

Parents are judging Hardy based on their experience with Patrick Pope telling them to go to hell when they asked for advanced or at least on grade level classes, then DCPS assigning what was it - 4 different principals in 4 years? The skepticism about the school is well justified.

Everyone hopes it will turn around. But what I have asked for is some evidence that hardy grads are doing well wherever they head to for us, and so far I have not received any information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

Parents are judging Hardy based on their experience with Patrick Pope telling them to go to hell when they asked for advanced or at least on grade level classes, then DCPS assigning what was it - 4 different principals in 4 years? The skepticism about the school is well justified.

Everyone hopes it will turn around. But what I have asked for is some evidence that hardy grads are doing well wherever they head to for us, and so far I have not received any information.

What evidence are you demanding? We don't know how Deal kids do when they go to Wilson, we just presume. How many people on this board have actually gone and looked at the classes, not nearly as many as are commenting.

Do I think Hardy is an amazing school that would wow any visitor, no, but I don't think it is a disaster and from all encounters I have had with the students there having met a half dozen, not data but anecdote, they are challenged and on the road to a solid college experience and life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

Parents are judging Hardy based on their experience with Patrick Pope telling them to go to hell when they asked for advanced or at least on grade level classes, then DCPS assigning what was it - 4 different principals in 4 years? The skepticism about the school is well justified.

Everyone hopes it will turn around. But what I have asked for is some evidence that hardy grads are doing well wherever they head to for us, and so far I have not received any information.

This is a good example of an incredibly stupid and ill-informed decision process. You are basing your decision today on what a Principal who is not even there anymore told you five years ago? It would be hilarious if other sheep-like parents weren't watching each other and making decisions based on the peer group of people like you.

As for Hardy students and how they do...dozens of Hardy students apply and are accepted to DCPS magnets like SWW, Banneker, and Duke Ellington and privates (St. Johns, Georgetown Day, and Sidwell). Many go to Wilson, where the few that I know were accepted and will be attending good solid private and public colleges.

But I suspect none of this will satisfy you. You will no doubt take in all this information and make up some new reason to judge Hardy.

[Anonymous]

No one can deny that the principal turnover in the last few years gas been a huge turnoff for families and destabilizing for the school.

[Anonymous]

Sheep like? Hardly. We made the decision to go private back in 3rd grade when Pope was finally on the way out but DCPS was talking about a part time principal. No regrets here.