Eaton Thrown Under the Bus

[Anonymous]

Most of the Cleveland Park folks in $2 million homes already send their kids to private school, but Cleveland Park has lots of other residents -- in much less expensive homes and condos. They are the ones who will not have options because they don't have the funds for private. The uncertainty will hurt a lot of property values in Ward 3. If Hardy is not good enough for Mann and Stoddert (witness the numbers), then why is it good enough for Eaton. It's not what any of the parents expect. Is it simply Eaton's turn to go to the bad middle school? Can't we do better than that for all the kids in the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the Cleveland Park folks in $2 million homes already send their kids to private school, but Cleveland Park has lots of other residents -- in much less expensive homes and condos. They are the ones who will not have options because they don't have the funds for private. The uncertainty will hurt a lot of property values in Ward 3. If Hardy is not good enough for Mann and Stoddert (witness the numbers), then why is it good enough for Eaton. It's not what any of the parents expect. Is it simply Eaton's turn to go to the bad middle school? Can't we do better than that for all the kids in the city?

Whether or not it's good enough for Mann and Hyde and Key and Stoddert is a decision each family makes for itself. However, as far as the city is concerned, it is and they're stuck with it. Now Eaton will be too. Misery loves company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:The proposals provide that John Eaton ES will be forced out of Deal, and be assigned to Hardy, What do Eaton parents think of that??

Eaton and Oyster were always the most vulnerable. They're both closer to Hardy than Deal anyway. Even if there weren't a re-alignment of the boundaries in the political works, it always made sense to anyone who can read a map.

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Can't remember if I posted in this thread or another, but reading a map doesn't mean much unless it had an overlay of bus and metro lines. However close Eaton and Oyster may be to Hardy, the commute will be twice or three times as long than the one the kids would make via the red line.

Have no horse in this race, just know that there is basically no easy east-west bus route (bit better for Eaton, but pretty bad for Oyster) for those two neighborhoods.

Working with the very unlikely assumption that all Eaton students begin their trip from Eaton itself (as opposed to an OOB location)

Assuming walking:

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 1.6 miles

shortest Eaton to Deal = 1.8 miles

Assuming driving (Google maps):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 5 min. driving, 16 min. public transit

shortest Eaton to Deal = 5 min. driving, 17 min. public transit

Assuming Public Transportation (WMATA trip planner):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = $1.60

shortest Eaton to Deal = $1.60

Please show me the Eaton to Hardy route for $1.60 as well as the timetables.

Don't all DCPS kids ride the bus for free?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I really think Eaton families have 1) a right to voice their frustration or disappointment 2) a responsibility to see that if they mobilize to make Hardy better they will likely be glad they didn't send their kids to Deal.

At this point it seem easier to make Hardy better than to fight these plans.

I'm going to fight them. It's my kid who will live through a transitional school that is not as solid as what she could have had, By the time Hardy is better, I'll be a grandparent.

So, in 4 to 5 years, you'll be a grandparent? Then you've got bigger problems than which MS your Eaton child attends…

It will take almost a generation to turn Hardy around, That's about how long it took at Deal and Wilson. Just sayin.'

It did not. Deal was still very iffy just five years ago...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The proposals provide that John Eaton ES will be forced out of Deal, and be assigned to Hardy, What do Eaton parents think of that??

Eaton and Oyster were always the most vulnerable. They're both closer to Hardy than Deal anyway. Even if there weren't a re-alignment of the boundaries in the political works, it always made sense to anyone who can read a map.

\

Can't remember if I posted in this thread or another, but reading a map doesn't mean much unless it had an overlay of bus and metro lines. However close Eaton and Oyster may be to Hardy, the commute will be twice or three times as long than the one the kids would make via the red line.

Have no horse in this race, just know that there is basically no easy east-west bus route (bit better for Eaton, but pretty bad for Oyster) for those two neighborhoods.

Working with the very unlikely assumption that all Eaton students begin their trip from Eaton itself (as opposed to an OOB location)

Assuming walking:

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 1.6 miles

shortest Eaton to Deal = 1.8 miles

Assuming driving (Google maps):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 5 min. driving, 16 min. public transit

shortest Eaton to Deal = 5 min. driving, 17 min. public transit

Assuming Public Transportation (WMATA trip planner):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = $1.60

shortest Eaton to Deal = $1.60

Please show me the Eaton to Hardy route for $1.60 as well as the timetables.

Don't all DCPS kids ride the bus for free?

Yes, but their parents do not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the Cleveland Park folks in $2 million homes already send their kids to private school, but Cleveland Park has lots of other residents -- in much less expensive homes and condos. They are the ones who will not have options because they don't have the funds for private. The uncertainty will hurt a lot of property values in Ward 3. If Hardy is not good enough for Mann and Stoddert (witness the numbers), then why is it good enough for Eaton. It's not what any of the parents expect. Is it simply Eaton's turn to go to the bad middle school? Can't we do better than that for all the kids in the city?

It may be a good enough outcome for Eaton because it has more than 50 percent students from out of boundary area. Those kids' parents probably will be ok with any option that is not their "home" school, especially if it is on the west side of Rock Creek Park. The OOB parents also are less likely to be activist complainers than you would find in schools with a higher proportion of Ward 3 parents.

[Anonymous]

Your old friend, the current IB Hardy parent, just checking in to this thread again to point out that Hardy is a very solid school now, with students that attend from 6-8th and then get into the most selective privates and DCPS magnets.

Hardy next year will offer Geometry in the building, so you can stop worrying about that. As a bonus, the Math program is run by the award-winning Sarah Bax - arguably the best teacher in DCPS.

Hardy offers a full range of language courses, including ASL.

I know this may shock some parents, but Hardy offers opportunities for students - especially in music and in the gifted and talented programs - that are better than those offered at Deal.

Principal Pride is doing a great job - teachers are happy, students are happy, and there is a great learning environment.

Please give Hardy a fair shot before bashing the school. Your perceptions from 10, or 5, or even 3 years ago are very out of date.

It's a great place to go to school, and you won't regret sending your student there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the Cleveland Park folks in $2 million homes already send their kids to private school, but Cleveland Park has lots of other residents -- in much less expensive homes and condos. They are the ones who will not have options because they don't have the funds for private. The uncertainty will hurt a lot of property values in Ward 3. If Hardy is not good enough for Mann and Stoddert (witness the numbers), then why is it good enough for Eaton. It's not what any of the parents expect. Is it simply Eaton's turn to go to the bad middle school? Can't we do better than that for all the kids in the city?

It may be a good enough outcome for Eaton because it has more than 50 percent students from out of boundary area. Those kids' parents probably will be ok with any option that is not their "home" school, especially if it is on the west side of Rock Creek Park. The OOB parents also are less likely to be activist complainers than you would find in schools with a higher proportion of Ward 3 parents.

So it's "good enough" because the kids are more vulnerable ??

[Anonymous]

Basically everyone who can afford to leave the system will and Hardy will have to be good enough for the rest. Wow.

[Anonymous]

Your old friend, the current IB Hardy parent, just checking in to this thread again to point out that Hardy is a very solid school now, with students that attend from 6-8th and then get into the most selective privates and DCPS magnets.

They will surely need to, because Wilson apparently will no longer be an option for Hardy students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your old friend, the current IB Hardy parent, just checking in to this thread again to point out that Hardy is a very solid school now, with students that attend from 6-8th and then get into the most selective privates and DCPS magnets.

They will surely need to, because Wilson apparently will no longer be an option for Hardy students.

That is snide speculation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your old friend, the current IB Hardy parent, just checking in to this thread again to point out that Hardy is a very solid school now, with students that attend from 6-8th and then get into the most selective privates and DCPS magnets.

They will surely need to, because Wilson apparently will no longer be an option for Hardy students.

That is snide speculation.

It may be snide but it is not speculation. Read the DME recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your old friend, the current IB Hardy parent, just checking in to this thread again to point out that Hardy is a very solid school now, with students that attend from 6-8th and then get into the most selective privates and DCPS magnets.

They will surely need to, because Wilson apparently will no longer be an option for Hardy students.

That is snide speculation.

It may be snide but it is not speculation. Read the DME recommendations.

The DME recommendations make no mention of moving Hardy to any other high school except for a new Ward 3 school - which many Ward 2 and 3 Hardy IB parents have been clamoring for anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your old friend, the current IB Hardy parent, just checking in to this thread again to point out that Hardy is a very solid school now, with students that attend from 6-8th and then get into the most selective privates and DCPS magnets.

They will surely need to, because Wilson apparently will no longer be an option for Hardy students.

That is snide speculation.

It may be snide but it is not speculation. Read the DME recommendations.

The DME recommendations make no mention of moving Hardy to any other high school except for a new Ward 3 school - which many Ward 2 and 3 Hardy IB parents have been clamoring for anyway.

Read the recommendations. It says "new" school but definitely does not say where it would be. (It sure would be new to kids expecting to go to Wilson.) There is no plan anywhere to build any new high schools in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Let me try to understand this. Eaton is being thrown under bus because Deal is overcrowded and 64 percent of Eaton students are OOB? Cry me a river.

So you are saying that John Eaton is expendable because OOB are somehow less deserving of a Deal education? That's rich.

DC schools were constituted as neighborhood schools. Eaton is closer to Hardy than Deal. Feeding Eaton students to Hardy, regardless of IB or OOB status, does not expend Eaton. Pass the popcorn as the drama is highly entertaining.

I fail to see how your snark about a seemingly reasonable explanation is productive. It's closer to Hardy? Fine. Eaton families will embrace it. But it is still a loss of what was expected when we purchased our home. I'm not expecting sympathy, but I wonder if you would talk this way to my face. Let's keep it classy, even for DCUM.

Really. You bought a home for 2mil+ to send your kid in bounds for Eaton? Don't be absurd. Same goes for Hearst, really. No one bought a home in bounds for Eaton or Heart so they could send their kids there. If you have that kind of dough, you'd be sending them to private.

This is presumptuous and false. I bought my condo in the Eaton district specifically for the school, which is lovely. Please stop generalizing just because you can't agree with someone else's choices.