MacArthur is the new Walls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bus is full all the time and they very disrespectful and loud and they using terrible vocabulary .DCPS has to hire real teachers and principals to do a better job

Agree with this. DC ruins all of its publics by allowing rude and subs par behavior of its students.

I am not a DCPS apologist but you want teachers and the principal to control behavior on public buses? That’s ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

Parents of a Walls 10th grader here - the above is so not the case. Maybe those kids were in a particularly competitive cohort?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

Maybe in 20 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

Thanks for this. It’s great to hear from people who have actual experience with the school. We have a current Hardy 7th grader and are planning on MacArthur. We are encouraged by what we have learned so far!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

The school is majority black and low income. Title 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

The school is majority black and low income. Title 1.

And? Most schools in DC are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I can hope is that these posts turn off other families on the wait list, thereby increasing the odds that my kids gets a spot off the waitlist!

Haha this forum is always making Basis, Walls, JR and now MacArthur sound like horrible schools. But then you look at the waitlists and clearly people want to go there!

True but reality is that many EOTP families with no better options are desperate and willing to accept substandard schools and options.

They don’t want to move to the burbs which is an option for all and can’t afford private. It’s their reality.

But everyone knows the quality of public schools in the city is not very good and are willing to accept it. No one is moving from the burbs to the city for the schools while there is plenty for the reverse.

As someone who grew up in DC and the public schools here- these elitist takes are incredibly bizarre to me. My friends and I all went to JR, formerly Wilson and some are very high profile, all successful, and most still live in the dc area. The friend groups are all still extremely tight knit too. So much so that my kids are going through all the feeders at DCPS and having a similar experience to mine- they love it and all their friends.

I think a lot of people think they know a certain school well but they don’t. I find in actual conversations that people know very little about any school outside the one their child attends. People on this forum constantly post statements that are demonstrably false (like they could possible know the AP scores or college admissions of all kids in their child’s classes). Or that a school doesn’t offer a class that it actually does.

Yes, exactly this. That’s why I think it’s important as a DC native who grew up in the DCPS system to correct a lot of the misinformation out there. People are often relieved when they talk to me because there are so many wild rumors out there. But it’s also just that so many people live in bubbles that aren’t representative of the real world and they expect everything else in their life to be bubbles. A lot of things in life are beyond our control and the quicker people learn how to deal with adversity (real adversity) the better off we all are.

I think you are in the bubble as the self-vaunted DC native. Perhaps you don't realize that a lot of the country is far more functional than the DC Government and DCPS? It's no badge of honor to wallow in low-expectations and mediocrity.

+1000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

The school is majority black and low income. Title 1.

And? Most schools in DC are.

Give it up, the MacArthur catchment area is obviously overwhelmingly white and UMC. If the school were half as good as claimed on this thread, this wouldn't be the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

Why concerned? You worry that the school won't be diverse enough of if the actual MacArthur zone residents, who are mostly white and high income, embrace it? It's a neighborhood school. Let it mainly serve the neighbors who live there. If you don't want neighborhood schools, you could relocate to a city that mostly eschews them, like Boston or San Fran.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

Why concerned? You worry that the school won't be diverse enough of if the actual MacArthur zone residents, who are mostly white and high income, embrace it? It's a neighborhood school. Let it mainly serve the neighbors who live there. If you don't want neighborhood schools, you could relocate to a city that mostly eschews them, like Boston or San Fran.

Well, I mean, she got what she wanted, so whose expectations are out of line here?

[Anonymous]

Expectations out of line? No expectations of DCPS or MacArthur. We bailed on mediocre Hardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB parent of a current 9th grader at MacArthur chiming in- MacArthur will become a great alternative to Walls and Banneker. We need a high quality DCPS high school where you don’t have to be a sporty, overscheduled, extrovert to be considered successful.

She did not apply to Walls because it wasn’t particularly focused on math and gave off a pressure cooker vibe at the Open House. She got into Banneker and said “not for me” after going to the Open House. She talked to some of the student guides who basically told her that you have to be in tons of extracurriculars and crush your classmates academically to do well at the school.

The teachers at MacArthur seem to genuinely care about teaching and the smaller campus seems suited for quieter personalities. It’s supposedly never getting larger than 850 kids.

We are pleasantly surprised by the cultural and socioeconomic composition of the school. As a multi- ethnic, middle class (sub 200k income) family, we were concerned that it would be a majority White and high income school. Her schedule is Honors Geometry, computer Science, pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP English, Pre-AP History/World Geography, Spanish II, Imaging (Photography), and Fitness/Lifetime Sports (3x a week).

Let’s just give MacArthur time to develop into its own thing- it’s basically in its infancy for goodness sake.

The school is majority black and low income. Title 1.

And? Most schools in DC are.

It’s a neighborhood school in the boundaries of overwhelmingly white and upper middle area.

The point is that there is no neighborhood buy it and it shows in how poor their scores are.

[Anonymous]

The MacArthur parent here- some of you DCUM people are so interesting.

We’ve been IB to Stoddart and Hardy for all of our kid’s life. Walls and Banneker are fine schools -they just weren’t good fits for our kid. I am sure some of you send your kids to private schools because the public option wasn’t a good fit for your kid.

One of the reasons we choose to live in DC proper versus the “good” suburbs is because the schools have more multi-ethnic students, are socioeconomically diverse, more women STEM teachers, and have more progressive curriculums.

A relative of ours lives in McLean where their kid goes to a HS where kids drive Range Rovers and BMWs. In middle school, the kids had to take a Virginia history class and visited former plantations? No shade on that HS automobile game, but it definitely creates a certain kind of elitist atmosphere. Plus, the plantation history thing is weird to me.

Our family is middle class (by regular U.S. standards, not DCUM where people think they are middle class if they have a $300K HHI). We think it will be a helpful life skill for our kid to be able to get along with people from many economic backgrounds and cultures. We think it is fantastic that at MacArthur, affluent Palisades neighborhood kids and kids from low-income families from other Wards are in the same school. Also, as someone who experienced a good amount of bullying being 1 1 of the 50 BIPOC students in a majority White high school of 2000 kids in an upper class Northeast suburban town, I hoped for a different atmosphere for my multi-ethnic kid.
Everyone’s expectations and needs for their kid are different. I truly think that most DCUM
parents want great public schools for all kids.

The school is only in its second year. We don’t think it is perfect- no school or human being is perfect. Let’s give MacArthur time to develop and grow before final judgement.

[Anonymous]

Misspelling "Stoddert" is a tell.