Can anyone tell me the story of Stuart-Hobson?

[Anonymous]

Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Maybe you should get involved in the new OSSE school report card design process, and push them to include those things there. https://osse.dc.gov/builddcsreportcard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP, spare us your holier than thou crap for the high crime of wanting Brent type schools all over the Hill.

What posts are you reading? And what does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Conversation among DCPS admns and DC pols

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"OIC. Next."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Conversation among DCPS admns and DC pols

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"OIC. Next."

lol. no kidding. this PP personifies why middle schools are never going to improve on the hill. s/he ACTUALLY thinks that white people's segregation is a legitimate interest that DCPS should consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+100. More than 70% of IB 5 year olds in the Brent District now attend for K. DCPS keeps these stats.

And? How on earth are you making this about Brent and ECE? Look at the thread title. This is about SH.

No one has suggested that Brent isn't an IB school or that it doesn't do ECE very well. What we have argued is that SH feeders are excelling in tested grades, and that those schools have feeder rights to SH, which is good for SH. Everything isn't about you!

Why don’t you double check the scores for Watkins and JO and try again.

I did, and Watkins matches Brent for 5th grade math, approaches Brent for 4th grade math (the delta is actually less than that between Brent and Maury) and is improving in ELA. Which is consistent with what we have been saying about trajectory. To be sure JO is not there yet, but it is moving in the right direction and there's a larger group of rising K and 1st that will be of testing age in two years.

But here's my question back to you: what do you get from taking shots at other schools? Besides the fact that the data doesn't say what you think it says. What is this knee jerk reaction from some Brent families that anyone else who is also excelling or improving must necessarily be taking something from or hurting Brent? Why do you think it is a zero sum game?

I have said before and I will say again, I believe there is a group of Brent families that live in fear of SH actually becoming what many of us hope it becomes. Is it because if that happens then (i) the pipe dream of DCPS coming running back to the warm embrace of Brent to "save SH" dies and (ii) the 4th wall of reality that protects you from having to face the reality that other schools and communities and cohorts are as smart or moneyed or sophisticated comes crashing down around you.

You can look at the test scores another way - if you have made it to 4th grade at Watkins, you may consider staying for 5th and then going to SH. If you have made it to 4th at Brent, you start sweating MS and will try to lottery into charters or go private (and if you child is really good at math, you will waltz into BASIS happily). So the 5th grade brain drain is more extreme at Brent. And thus the disparaity between Watkins and Btent scores on the math portion and the lesser difference in the 5th grade scores for math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Conversation among DCPS admns and DC pols

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"OIC. Next."

lol. no kidding. this PP personifies why middle schools are never going to improve on the hill. s/he ACTUALLY thinks that white people's segregation is a legitimate interest that DCPS should consider.

What if s/he's AA and concerned that the % of AA students in her school has fallen steadily for years? Or Asian and concerned that the % of Asian students at her IB school is officialy 0% like at SH?

You knee jerk raise baiters need help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Conversation among DCPS admns and DC pols

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"OIC. Next."

lol. no kidding. this PP personifies why middle schools are never going to improve on the hill. s/he ACTUALLY thinks that white people's segregation is a legitimate interest that DCPS should consider.

Don't forget the high SES victim complex. The high-SES white people who are IB for these schools can't get a fair shake because...brown and poor people who don't have a right to those schools except by lottery are taking all of the spots that the high-SES white people aren't taking?

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"I hear you, but how do we get the kids in those ES to want to go to SH; clearly educational outcomes and proximity aren't sufficient."

"I know! Let's just leave seats unfilled for a few years so the high SES families who otherwise won't commit will feel more comfortable. If their snowflakes aren't surrounded by poors then they might be willing to attend."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Conversation among DCPS admns and DC pols

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"OIC. Next."

lol. no kidding. this PP personifies why middle schools are never going to improve on the hill. s/he ACTUALLY thinks that white people's segregation is a legitimate interest that DCPS should consider.

What if s/he's AA and concerned that the % of AA students in her school has fallen steadily for years? Or Asian and concerned that the % of Asian students at her IB school is officialy 0% like at SH?

You knee jerk raise baiters need help.

Wow. Your rhetorical skills are something to behold. Thank you for sticking up for the oppressed, white, high SES families who can't get a fair shake on the Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What if s/he's AA and concerned that the % of AA students in her school has fallen steadily for years? Or Asian and concerned that the % of Asian students at her IB school is officialy 0% like at SH?

In those cases I would think her expectations that DCPS would care about her race number concerns would be equally silly.

DCPS is not going to change feeder patterns to create a mostly white school. Or to get asians into a school. Or to prevent the % of AA students from falling. Unless those are simply side effects of other things.

As long as the test scores and IB enrollment at the SH feeders are increasing, I can't see them worrying much about the folks who won't buy in because the feeders are not white enough (or black enough or asian enough)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What if s/he's AA and concerned that the % of AA students in her school has fallen steadily for years? Or Asian and concerned that the % of Asian students at her IB school is officialy 0% like at SH?

In those cases I would think her expectations that DCPS would care about her race number concerns would be equally silly.

DCPS is not going to change feeder patterns to create a mostly white school. Or to get asians into a school. Or to prevent the % of AA students from falling. Unless those are simply side effects of other things.

As long as the test scores and IB enrollment at the SH feeders are increasing, I can't see them worrying much about the folks who won't buy in because the feeders are not white enough (or black enough or asian enough)

You're absolutely right. Remember the back and forth between Grosso and Henderson last year re Jefferson?

[Anonymous]

When I went back to the post in question it sounded like the PP was simply asking what motivates parents to choose a DCPS school, presenting the topic as poorly researched topic.

S/he thinks that the racial make-up of the student body is a contributing factor. She didn't ask whether or not DCPS or other parents thought it should be. I didn't hear that s/he wasn't making a judgement.

Of course the racial/socio-economic make-up of a student body influences most parents' choices, and in a big way. Come on, this is stating the obvious, not cause to attack somebody's post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Directed at bossy pants 12:58.

I'd like to see the results of a probing anonymous survey asking Ward 6 parents to rank their hierarchy of concerns in picking a DCPS public school, and sticking with it.

Without survey results, we aren't in a good position to know why most IB parents aren't willing to enroll their children at SH, EH, JA, Watkins, Miner, JO Wilson and Payne. We also don't know why only about one-third of IB parents are willing to use Watkins and LT from 1st grade up.

Tests results are only one type of data on school quality and parent preferences that could be collected. Many of us are more interested in variety of other factors - e.g. proximity to our homes/walkability, percentage of high SES families, percentage of students of our own race(s), teacher retention rates, strength of the arts and field trip programs, strength of school leadership, PTA fund-raising track record, facilities, support for advanced learners or special needs etc.

Conversation among DCPS admns and DC pols

"We need a new Middle school on the Hill, and to fold Brent, Maury, Watkins into it"

"Whats wrong with the schools on the hill now? Whats wrong with LT?"

"Not enough upper middle class white children"

"OIC. Next."

lol. no kidding. this PP personifies why middle schools are never going to improve on the hill. s/he ACTUALLY thinks that white people's segregation is a legitimate interest that DCPS should consider.

What if s/he's AA and concerned that the % of AA students in her school has fallen steadily for years? Or Asian and concerned that the % of Asian students at her IB school is officialy 0% like at SH?

You knee jerk raise baiters need help.

Wow. Your rhetorical skills are something to behold. Thank you for sticking up for the oppressed, white, high SES families who can't get a fair shake on the Hill.

You do realize that the principal at Watkins flat out said that the school would be intentionally ignoring the needs of advanced students in favor of closing the achievement gap. This isn’t just pearl clutching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a mean-spirited and useless thread this has become.

I've been very active in a DCPS Hill ES PTA for a decade now. I stop by DCUM once in a while and can't remember a nastier and more pointless Hill-related "discussion."

So glad we're in a position to go parochial for MS. I'm fed up with the phenomenon of Hill PTA leaders supporting myopic DCPS decisions where making by-right schools work well for all in-boundary comers goes, with endless rounds of bullying, name-calling, shaming and arm-twisting of neighborhood parents in the mix. Parents and school system leaders are still pulling in different directions after all these years, especially on the neighborhood MS improvement front. There lies the mediocrity of most of the outputs, and future outputs. The ugly dynamic is a recipe for terrible inefficiency in the face of increasingly favorable local demographics.

If you're tired of that, I would not recommend a catholic school. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a mean-spirited and useless thread this has become.

I've been very active in a DCPS Hill ES PTA for a decade now. I stop by DCUM once in a while and can't remember a nastier and more pointless Hill-related "discussion."

So glad we're in a position to go parochial for MS. I'm fed up with the phenomenon of Hill PTA leaders supporting myopic DCPS decisions where making by-right schools work well for all in-boundary comers goes, with endless rounds of bullying, name-calling, shaming and arm-twisting of neighborhood parents in the mix. Parents and school system leaders are still pulling in different directions after all these years, especially on the neighborhood MS improvement front. There lies the mediocrity of most of the outputs, and future outputs. The ugly dynamic is a recipe for terrible inefficiency in the face of increasingly favorable local demographics.

If you're tired of that, I would not recommend a catholic school. Best of luck.

Not the person you're responding to, but who asked you? Many of us who've been on the scene for years and years are fed up. Professional parents still leave the Hill all the time in search of better public schools in the area.

I'd wager that most of the current crop of preschoolers won't be around for 6th grade, let alone 12th. We have a real problem with our by-right Hill middle schools and high school - most parents don't find these programs acceptable and change has been really slow.