Truth about being three coughs above FARMS at a high performing Charter School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTF did I just read

NP obviously it went way over your head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't like it OP? Then move.

Seriously stop whining about your free high performing charter school education and move to the burbs.

I can recommend Alexandria City. We have shitty public schools, lots of public housing and the schools are overwhelmed with farms kids and near farms kids. Free high performing charter schools are nowhere to be found so no more imaginative ways your child will be slighted by "the man".

NP You are ridiculous. OP's post was a heartfelt effort to start a conversation, not the typical whining that happens ad nauseum on DCUM. Lots of people agree, and lots disagree with aspects of OPs post, but just because there are no free charters where you are does not take away her right to speak to the challenges she perceives HERE in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two people actively campaign for PTA president.
DC Charter school
I gave a much better speech at the all hands meeting than my competitor.
How much more proof do you people need?

There needs to be DC charter school reform.

Hey, maybe votes weren't solely determined by who gave the best speech. Maybe they were also affected by volunteer history, personality, and experience.

Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and sorry to hear of OP's issues, whether real or otherwise - whatever the case, absolutely none of what OP describes applies to our own "in-demand, high-performance, long-waitlist, frequently-talked-about charter."

We certainly can't afford to donate thousands of dollars nor can we afford private tutoring or camps, but that never stopped us from stepping up to the plate and getting involved both in the school and in our kids education. For us that means finding free videos like Khan academy, it means the library, it means a walk to the Smithsonians on the weekend, and the only extra expense in terms of supplementing that we ever had was finding a couple of used books cheaply online. Just about all of that is accessible to anyone. Yet there are a lot of people who don't even bother. Families who've never even been to the Museum and families who don't use the library and read at home. People aren't even taking advantage of all of the free stuff that's available.

We have seen no preferential treatment or "choosing" of one kid over another. We also don't see the scales or grading as "subjective" - being involved in the school and talking to other parents at pickup - you get a sense for what goes on in the classroom and in activities.

Also, regarding Title I and FARMS - a lot of charters including "high-performing, in-demand, long-waitlist" do indeed have a lot of FARMS kids and do receive Title I funds and in fact have a lot more socioeconomic diversity than most of the DCPS schools. So please do not go around mischaracterizing all charters based on whatever skewed perception you might have there.

And also - the whole thing about a "high performing" school is that they have high expectations, high bars, and will challenge students to perform. They provide the opportunity, and they provide the instruction, but the child still has to do their part as well. They are teachers, they aren't wizards waving wands and magically swirling education into their students heads. It takes work and commitment on the part of the student and their family, and if you aren't making that commitment then you are the biggest part of your problem. Again, many DC families aren't even taking advantage of freebies like libraries and museums, families aren't encouraging their kids to read, families aren't supportive of their kids at home. That's a much bigger issue outside of the schools that needs to be dealt with, rather than going around blaming charters - dealing with that outside, broader societal issue would solve many of the achievement gap issues in the schools, whether DCPS or otherwise. But instead, people like OP want to go around scapegoating charters.

Gotta challenge this statement about HRCSs and Title I. Many charters get Title I funding but NOT many HRCSs, because while they have FARMS students, they don't have enough to be eligible for Title I. Which HRCSs with impossibly long waitlists are you saying receive Title I funds?

[Anonymous]

I must say the FARM students at the high-performing charter high-schools are raking up the scholarships. They are getting full rides to many of the prestigious universities/colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two people actively campaign for PTA president.
DC Charter school
I gave a much better speech at the all hands meeting than my competitor.
How much more proof do you people need?

There needs to be DC charter school reform.

The 'best' candidate doesn't always win, nor the richest one. Google Bush and Romney...

True. The boob currently occupying the WH has succeeded in elevating Carter into no-longer-our-worst-president status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here and sorry to hear of OP's issues, whether real or otherwise - whatever the case, absolutely none of what OP describes applies to our own "in-demand, high-performance, long-waitlist, frequently-talked-about charter."

We certainly can't afford to donate thousands of dollars nor can we afford private tutoring or camps, but that never stopped us from stepping up to the plate and getting involved both in the school and in our kids education. For us that means finding free videos like Khan academy, it means the library, it means a walk to the Smithsonians on the weekend, and the only extra expense in terms of supplementing that we ever had was finding a couple of used books cheaply online. Just about all of that is accessible to anyone. Yet there are a lot of people who don't even bother. Families who've never even been to the Museum and families who don't use the library and read at home. People aren't even taking advantage of all of the free stuff that's available.

We have seen no preferential treatment or "choosing" of one kid over another. We also don't see the scales or grading as "subjective" - being involved in the school and talking to other parents at pickup - you get a sense for what goes on in the classroom and in activities.

Also, regarding Title I and FARMS - a lot of charters including "high-performing, in-demand, long-waitlist" do indeed have a lot of FARMS kids and do receive Title I funds and in fact have a lot more socioeconomic diversity than most of the DCPS schools. So please do not go around mischaracterizing all charters based on whatever skewed perception you might have there.

And also - the whole thing about a "high performing" school is that they have high expectations, high bars, and will challenge students to perform. They provide the opportunity, and they provide the instruction, but the child still has to do their part as well. They are teachers, they aren't wizards waving wands and magically swirling education into their students heads. It takes work and commitment on the part of the student and their family, and if you aren't making that commitment then you are the biggest part of your problem. Again, many DC families aren't even taking advantage of freebies like libraries and museums, families aren't encouraging their kids to read, families aren't supportive of their kids at home. That's a much bigger issue outside of the schools that needs to be dealt with, rather than going around blaming charters - dealing with that outside, broader societal issue would solve many of the achievement gap issues in the schools, whether DCPS or otherwise. But instead, people like OP want to go around scapegoating charters.

Gotta challenge this statement about HRCSs and Title I. Many charters get Title I funding but NOT many HRCSs, because while they have FARMS students, they don't have enough to be eligible for Title I. Which HRCSs with impossibly long waitlists are you saying receive Title I funds?

Two Rivers. Haynes. Stokes. Bridges. Just to name a few.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I must say the FARM students at the high-performing charter high-schools are raking up the scholarships. They are getting full rides to many of the prestigious universities/colleges.

Does DC have an existing high-performing charter high school (or middle school for that matter)? If so, I've never heard of it. I'm only aware of fairy new high-performing elementary schools (and start of a few middle schools like BASIS). PP, do you even live in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two people actively campaign for PTA president.
DC Charter school
I gave a much better speech at the all hands meeting than my competitor.
How much more proof do you people need?

There needs to be DC charter school reform.

Hello OP! Again, you're confusing a case of what I think can best be described as a cultural disconnect with flat-out discrimination. Simply because you aren't getting the attention and recognition you personally desier doesn't mean your children are being mistreated.

This thread is a great argument for DCUM requiring everyone to have a consistent username (not real names) or use IP addresses to track posters in a given thread. Not to "out" real life identities, but to avoid the sock-puppetry.

I have a strong suspicion that after OP was outed earlier in this thread she continued to post, agreeing with herself, defending herself, but no longer identifying herself.

Thankfully there seem to be some PPs who can identify some of her posts, as above. If it weren't for those PPs then OP would be able to completely manipulate this thread. I don't care who she is in real life, BTW, I just suspect some thread-manipulation trolling here.

I have only seen Jeff call out sock-puppetry in one other thread recently, I forget the topic but believe it was also in the public schools forum. I wouldn't complain if he did this more often, or instituted unique IDs. Only problem with the unique IDs is it would reduce participation, because people are lazy and want maximum anonymity. I suppose that's why it hasn't been done. And policing individual threads would be time-consuming.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I must say the FARM students at the high-performing charter high-schools are raking up the scholarships. They are getting full rides to many of the prestigious universities/colleges.

Does DC have an existing high-performing charter high school (or middle school for that matter)? If so, I've never heard of it. I'm only aware of fairy new high-performing elementary schools (and start of a few middle schools like BASIS). PP, do you even live in DC?

Latin is the obvious one. See:

http://www.latinpcs.org/academics/college-counselling/college-news/class-of-2013
http://www.latinpcs.org/academics/college-counselling/college-news/class-of-2012

[Anonymous]

I personally have not witnessed socio economic discrimination against the wealthy at my DS's charter school.
OP, I think the rich will survive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two people actively campaign for PTA president.
DC Charter school
I gave a much better speech at the all hands meeting than my competitor.
How much more proof do you people need?

There needs to be DC charter school reform.

Hello OP! Again, you're confusing a case of what I think can best be described as a cultural disconnect with flat-out discrimination. Simply because you aren't getting the attention and recognition you personally desier doesn't mean your children are being mistreated.

This thread is a great argument for DCUM requiring everyone to have a consistent username (not real names) or use IP addresses to track posters in a given thread. Not to "out" real life identities, but to avoid the sock-puppetry.

I have a strong suspicion that after OP was outed earlier in this thread she continued to post, agreeing with herself, defending herself, but no longer identifying herself.

Thankfully there seem to be some PPs who can identify some of her posts, as above. If it weren't for those PPs then OP would be able to completely manipulate this thread. I don't care who she is in real life, BTW, I just suspect some thread-manipulation trolling here.

I have only seen Jeff call out sock-puppetry in one other thread recently, I forget the topic but believe it was also in the public schools forum. I wouldn't complain if he did this more often, or instituted unique IDs. Only problem with the unique IDs is it would reduce participation, because people are lazy and want maximum anonymity. I suppose that's why it hasn't been done. And policing individual threads would be time-consuming.

The forum owner is the only one who can identify sock puppets and he has not done it on this thread. So you're guessing and may be a manipulative troll yourself

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two people actively campaign for PTA president.
DC Charter school
I gave a much better speech at the all hands meeting than my competitor.
How much more proof do you people need?

There needs to be DC charter school reform.

Hello OP! Again, you're confusing a case of what I think can best be described as a cultural disconnect with flat-out discrimination. Simply because you aren't getting the attention and recognition you personally desier doesn't mean your children are being mistreated.

This thread is a great argument for DCUM requiring everyone to have a consistent username (not real names) or use IP addresses to track posters in a given thread. Not to "out" real life identities, but to avoid the sock-puppetry.

I have a strong suspicion that after OP was outed earlier in this thread she continued to post, agreeing with herself, defending herself, but no longer identifying herself.

Thankfully there seem to be some PPs who can identify some of her posts, as above. If it weren't for those PPs then OP would be able to completely manipulate this thread. I don't care who she is in real life, BTW, I just suspect some thread-manipulation trolling here.

I have only seen Jeff call out sock-puppetry in one other thread recently, I forget the topic but believe it was also in the public schools forum. I wouldn't complain if he did this more often, or instituted unique IDs. Only problem with the unique IDs is it would reduce participation, because people are lazy and want maximum anonymity. I suppose that's why it hasn't been done. And policing individual threads would be time-consuming.

The forum owner is the only one who can identify sock puppets and he has not done it on this thread. So you're guessing and may be a manipulative troll yourself

Exactly !

The paranoia and projection in this thread are frightening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I must say the FARM students at the high-performing charter high-schools are raking up the scholarships. They are getting full rides to many of the prestigious universities/colleges.

Does DC have an existing high-performing charter high school (or middle school for that matter)? If so, I've never heard of it. I'm only aware of fairy new high-performing elementary schools (and start of a few middle schools like BASIS). PP, do you even live in DC?

Yes.

Latin, Multiple KIPPs, Thurgood Marshall, Paul, Cap City, Haynes, DC Prep, Seed, 2 Rivers, Chavez prep. Do you even live in DC?