Hardy Middle School -- 5th grade in feeder school -- who's considering Hardy for 6th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think current IB families should ask to get rid of the uniforms. That will help attract more IB families.

If you are interested in getting rid of the uniforms, go to a PTO meeting or make an appointment with Principal Pride and ask.

My guess is that most current families at Hardy would not feel that strongly either way. However, since nobody has asked them to change the status quo, they have not given much thought to changing it. So don't assume that current families at Hardy have strong feelings about uniforms - instead, assume that if you make a good-faith suggestion, it will be considered in good faith.

Actually I think Principal Pride has done some surveys on this and they have been pro-uniform. The uniform is a class issue for Northwest parents that they can't cope with. It sort of like when poor people adopt upper class names it all the sudden loses power. Frankly, given all the issues I see needing to be addressed this one just needs to go away, if you can't cope, pony up or private.

Is that you Tiffany?

It may be the angry WTU teacher/rep who doesn't want Hardy to become an IB school.

[Anonymous]

I'd assume it's not just the "Tiffany"s who are freaking out at the prospect of Hardy slowly losing its "unique culture" (translation = mostly OOB), but also private school administrators who are scared of losing a substantial number of full-paying students from NW. So you're gonna get a bunch of troll-ish behaviour on this board: uniforms, "mean" teachers, foul-mouthed and violent (trans = "inner city") kids, wacky teachers union, cell phone tower cancer emitter, etc....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd assume it's not just the "Tiffany"s who are freaking out at the prospect of Hardy slowly losing its "unique culture" (translation = mostly OOB), but also private school administrators who are scared of losing a substantial number of full-paying students from NW. So you're gonna get a bunch of troll-ish behaviour on this board: uniforms, "mean" teachers, foul-mouthed and violent (trans = "inner city") kids, wacky teachers union, cell phone tower cancer emitter, etc....

Not only private school administrators. Also a certain charter school, I think.

[Anonymous]

If the interested IB parents are so interested, are they meeting with the Hardy PTA? Why are they not influencing the decisions about uniforms or dress code? It seems like changing this will help flip the school more quickly, then I bet you would rapidly have parents trying to lottery in from the Deal boundary. Speaking as a Deal parent, I can say that having a smaller and rigorous option that still feeds to Wilson would be very popular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the interested IB parents are so interested, are they meeting with the Hardy PTA? Why are they not influencing the decisions about uniforms or dress code? It seems like changing this will help flip the school more quickly, then I bet you would rapidly have parents trying to lottery in from the Deal boundary. Speaking as a Deal parent, I can say that having a smaller and rigorous option that still feeds to Wilson would be very popular.

They have tried in the past, with some success, and some failures. In the past, one problem has been that they are very disrespectful towards the parents actually at Hardy, not consulting with them but going around them, and talking about them and treating them as if they are inferior and not entitled to their own opinions about the school their children attend. However, I emphasize that is in the past - in recent years Principal Pride and the PTO and current Hardy parents have had very good relations with prospective IB parents. I think the real reason that the uniform question does not come up in meetings with the PTA and with Principal Pride is that with the exception of a few anonymous people on this board, most IB parents really don't care about the uniforms.

[Anonymous]

The whole uniform discussion is so ridiculous. NCS, St. Albans, Potomac & Latin all have uniforms and NO ONE COMPLAINS. Give it up people! Uniforms in middle school work.
-- in boundary parent not afraid of uniforms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You forgot to mention a third type of parents: those who genuinely think that Hardy is the best educational option for their kid. No need to reassure themselves. No interest or intention to contribute to the change.
Kids are different, parents are different. The school is a great match for some, and is a bad match for others. It definetly works great for kids who are socially mature and academically advanced. Those kids will thrive at Hardy.

ok on this one I am with pp above - if you are academically really advanced and have no interest or intention to contribute to the change and are coming from IB, don't go

but what I really want to know is about how Hardy is a perfect match for kids who

who have thick skins and can adjust ok from more nurturing and civil WOTP elementary school environments to the "tough love" disciplinary culture still practiced at Hardy

does the person who posted this care to describe/define/offer examples of/explain "the 'tough love' discipinary culture still practiced at Hardy?"[b]

My assumption is no one is talking about Lorton and maybe not talking about BASIS or EOTP but could someone tell me what the [b]Hardy version of tough love disciplinary culture is? Because it sounds like it applies to all students, and is in fact a culture, not singling out and isolating kids, which I am not in general on board with anyway until they get really out of line, however..........................

we had an immediate diverting and diversionary discussion to the subject of uniforms. I still want an answer to my question, and if no one can or will, that in and of itself speaks volumes..............

So come on Hardy parents, just explain this please - the types of kids who will fit in are those

[b]who have thick skins and can adjust ok from more nurturing and civil WOTP elementary school environments to the "tough love" disciplinary culture still practiced at Hardy

[Anonymous]

Those of you that are interested in Hardy might enjoy this "Welcome to Hardy" video that Principal Pride and the school put together.

http://www.hardyms.org/apps/video/

Also, there is a feeders school open house that will be held at Hardy on October 8 at 9:15 AM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They have tried in the past, with some success, and some failures. In the past, one problem has been that they are very disrespectful towards the parents actually at Hardy, not consulting with them but going around them, and talking about them and treating them as if they are inferior and not entitled to their own opinions about the school their children attend.

This is a really unfair characterization. I was there. That's not how it went down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole uniform discussion is so ridiculous. NCS, St. Albans, Potomac & Latin all have uniforms and NO ONE COMPLAINS. Give it up people! Uniforms in middle school work.
-- in boundary parent not afraid of uniforms.

Read the recent Post article. This isn't St. Albans. Public school uniforms, according to their origin and history, suggest troubled, ungovernable, high poverty, even violence-prone urban schools. This isn't the Hardy reality today, so why should Hardy want to continue be saddled with this connotation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole uniform discussion is so ridiculous. NCS, St. Albans, Potomac & Latin all have uniforms and NO ONE COMPLAINS. Give it up people! Uniforms in middle school work.
-- in boundary parent not afraid of uniforms.

Read the recent Post article. This isn't St. Albans. Public school uniforms, according to their origin and history, suggest troubled, ungovernable, high poverty, even violence-prone urban schools. This isn't the Hardy reality today, so why should Hardy want to continue be saddled with this connotation?

Whatever. If you think it is worth changing this, go see Principal Pride and the PTO. They will take your views seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They have tried in the past, with some success, and some failures. In the past, one problem has been that they are very disrespectful towards the parents actually at Hardy, not consulting with them but going around them, and talking about them and treating them as if they are inferior and not entitled to their own opinions about the school their children attend.

This is a really unfair characterization. I was there. That's not how it went down.

I was there too, and I think it is quite a fair characterization. Luckily, this history is moot - as the post noted, relationships between current Hardy parents and IB prospective parents are quite good today. I hope that all who are interested attend the open house on the 8th.

[Anonymous]

Can someone going to the open house ask about whether the uniform policy can be changed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone going to the open house ask about whether the uniform policy can be changed?

Of course it can be changed. But if this is something that is important to you, you should attend the open house or call Principal Pride and meet with her to discuss. All would be open to discussing it - but if this change is important to you, it is unfair to expect others to make it without you even showing up in person to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you that are interested in Hardy might enjoy this "Welcome to Hardy" video that Principal Pride and the school put together.

http://www.hardyms.org/apps/video/

Also, there is a feeders school open house that will be held at Hardy on October 8 at 9:15 AM.

Thank you. I've visited the school and attended several events. The video captures what I liked about Hardy.