does anyone else find the social scene at Janney hard to take?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of what I read seems exaggerated but part of it rings true. A colleague at work started her DS at Janney last year and fretted about hosting a reception at home to "introduce" their family to other Janney parents. She seemed pretty stressed out about it.

Did your colleague tell you that she VOLUNTEERED to host the low-key parent social that each class holds at the beginning of the school year? That it's a potluck with generally bad food? That lots of schools do this? That the purpose is all parents to get to know one another, not for your friend to "introduce" herself to the Janney community? That "reception" is a generous description for 20-30 parents munching on chips and salsa for 90 minutes?

Given that description, does your view still "ring true" or does your colleague seem a bit neurotic?

I don't think this was a potluck, because I know she was working with a caterer and talking a lot with her DH about the invitation list. No comment to the bit neurotic question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of what I read seems exaggerated but part of it rings true. A colleague at work started her DS at Janney last year and fretted about hosting a reception at home to "introduce" their family to other Janney parents. She seemed pretty stressed out about it.

Did your colleague tell you that she VOLUNTEERED to host the low-key parent social that each class holds at the beginning of the school year? That it's a potluck with generally bad food? That lots of schools do this? That the purpose is all parents to get to know one another, not for your friend to "introduce" herself to the Janney community? That "reception" is a generous description for 20-30 parents munching on chips and salsa for 90 minutes?

Given that description, does your view still "ring true" or does your colleague seem a bit neurotic?

I don't think this was a potluck, because I know she was working with a caterer and talking a lot with her DH about the invitation list. No comment to the bit neurotic question.

You have probably just outed your colleague.

[Anonymous]

Is the social scene at Janney hard to take...or hard to fake?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of what I read seems exaggerated but part of it rings true. A colleague at work started her DS at Janney last year and fretted about hosting a reception at home to "introduce" their family to other Janney parents. She seemed pretty stressed out about it.

Did your colleague tell you that she VOLUNTEERED to host the low-key parent social that each class holds at the beginning of the school year? That it's a potluck with generally bad food? That lots of schools do this? That the purpose is all parents to get to know one another, not for your friend to "introduce" herself to the Janney community? That "reception" is a generous description for 20-30 parents munching on chips and salsa for 90 minutes?

Given that description, does your view still "ring true" or does your colleague seem a bit neurotic?

I don't think this was a potluck, because I know she was working with a caterer and talking a lot with her DH about the invitation list. No comment to the bit neurotic question.

If your colleague actually did this it probably has nothing to do with the school and everything to do with your friend. It can be perfectly normal to make efforts when you are new to a community, stressing over inviting the "right people" to invite to a catered event to introduce yourself to the parents of other children in your child's grade sounds kind of kooky to me, but okay. Of course, you could just go to the aforementioned parents social that each class has. If you are trying to get an in with the PTA, a better way may just be to go to meetings and volunteer. They pretty much take all volunteers.

[Anonymous]

"I don't think this was a potluck, because I know she was working with a caterer and talking a lot with her DH about the invitation list. No comment to the bit neurotic question."

You are making this up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I don't think this was a potluck, because I know she was working with a caterer and talking a lot with her DH about the invitation list. No comment to the bit neurotic question."

You are making this up.

Half these posts are made up, but I'm still enjoying them. Keep 'em coming!

[Anonymous]

When did Janney DCPS become Janney DC Desperate Housewives?

[Anonymous]

this is hilarious! I am reading the new posts and at the bottom of the page there is an ad for toe shoes. how appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Hilarious. I am getting the toe shoe ad as well. Now will a bravo ad for real housewives pop up?

[Anonymous]

What is a toe shoe? All I am getting is an for Smithsonian IMAX theatre!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is a toe shoe? All I am getting is an for Smithsonian IMAX theatre!

There is a picture upthread. They are the vibram barefoot running shoes that were a thing a few years back. This is the DCUM seminal thread on Janney and started with an observation about the lack of attractive parents at Janney that had some good comedy legs a few years back. This is a reference to a particular dad that some opined stood out as attractive if not for the "toe shoes." It is interesting to contrast the alleged attractiveness shortcomings of the Janney community with the shortcomings alleged in this thread.

[Anonymous]

LOL, yes, now am remembering the toe shoe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This entire thread has been an answer to the question, "is it possible to have too much parent involvement in schools?"

Obviously, there's some benefit to relative wealth and an abundance of SAHMs, but then some drawbacks when they're educated overachievers as well. I dislike stereotyping, but it's an unavoidable phenomenon in every culture and at least some of what's decsribed (and played out) here in this thread must be true. It sounds like the worst of DCUM exhibited in living color.

I previously thought that WOTP principals and teachers had it easy with great numbers of well-prepared kids. Now I have a newfound respect for the challenge they must face on a daily basis from WOTP parents with too much time on their hands.

I think there's more going on here than over-involved well-educated parents, because you get that in the high-quality suburban districts too.

Janney is unique. It has Bethesda (Whitman pyramid) demographics, quality and IB %, yet it is located in DC where the politics are wild west and nothing about education policy can be taken for granted. I think this explains some of the Janney culture, at least what I am observing during this whole boundary review process.

People I talk to in the Whitman pyramid are very secure about their schools. They bought for the schools and they know they have 100% top quality K-12 and it is guaranteed to continue that way forever. Janney parents know they have top quality PK-5. But then for MS they know Deal is quality but they are worried about overcrowding, and they know Wilson has room for improvement. And some are even concerned about crowding at Janney.

I think this leads to a more active PTA and parent body. If you are IB for Janney you know you need to keep working. If you are IB within Whitman or attending a top private you can relax. Just a hypothesis.

This is insightful. For a while this spring, some number of Janney families were afraid that they would be zoned out of Janney to some other ES. Perhaps they wanted to be sure they had the principal's ear to make their case and were doing everything possible for an "in." Now the revised DME proposals don't seem to change the Janney status quo. Of course, some of the first bucket of DME proposals were non-starters like a city wide lottery for ES. But can you imagine if they actually did that? OMG! Not only would it wreck the public schools, but property values in AU Park would drop like a stone.

[Anonymous]

Np here, and Janney parent. In reading this thread I realize I am pretty clueless about these social dynamics. I work outside the home and barely get involved in the social events that surround the school year.
I am pretty grateful about the parents who spend a lot of time and effort helping the PTA and similar activities like being room parents. Because I don't have the bandwidth to contribute my time or effort. I do try to thank them when I have the chance. Some are moms who full time or part time and are doing more than I could at this point. My hat is off to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hilarious. I am getting the toe shoe ad as well. Now will a bravo ad for real housewives pop up?

I can't wait for the "Janney Moms" reality show.... although the audience may be somewhat limited.