Hardy Middle School -- 5th grade in feeder school -- who's considering Hardy for 6th?

[Anonymous]

I'm the previous poster (to whom you refer). I wouldn't expect there to be many differences between Mann and Key. Mann tends to be wealthier, but both areas are objectively wealthy, so that's not a distinction.

I cannot speak to Key, but Mann views itself as a center of the community. Parents are very involved with the school and the school plays an outsized role in the social scene of parents. (We all have networks outside of the school, but Mann has many activities throughout the year, so nary two or three weeks go by without some sort of Mann-related activity.)

The parents at Mann are very invested in the school. The principal has been there for a decade (some of that time also as a parent) and parents trust her to do what's best for our children. (And rightly so: she's fantastic.) If she's getting behind Hardy, then I would expect the Mann parent community to also get behind Hardy. This seems to be occurring already. So, I don't it's really about being "more invested in public school," but, rather, being very invested in Mann and willing to trust the judgement of the broader school community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I literally just got off he phone with a Mann parent who was talking about where to send her child to private after Mann. I asked if Hardy was an option and she said everyone at Mann knows Hardy is not an option. Very different opinion. Where do the Mann kids go?

Umm, no. Many other (high-income) Mann parents are considering Hardy strongly. We talk about it.

Whoever said "trolls gotta troll" hit the nail on the head.

Signed,
Mann parent

Likely the admissions and PR staffs from pricey private middle schools that are likely to lose full-priced tuition payments when some families decide to stay public through middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I literally just got off he phone with a Mann parent who was talking about where to send her child to private after Mann. I asked if Hardy was an option and she said everyone at Mann knows Hardy is not an option. Very different opinion. Where do the Mann kids go?

Umm, no. Many other (high-income) Mann parents are considering Hardy strongly. We talk about it.

Whoever said "trolls gotta troll" hit the nail on the head.

Signed,
Mann parent

Likely the admissions and PR staffs from pricey private middle schools that are likely to lose full-priced tuition payments when some families decide to stay public through middle.

I'll bet that Hardy keeps the admissions officers at St Albans and Sidwell up at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I literally just got off he phone with a Mann parent who was talking about where to send her child to private after Mann. I asked if Hardy was an option and she said everyone at Mann knows Hardy is not an option. Very different opinion. Where do the Mann kids go?

Umm, no. Many other (high-income) Mann parents are considering Hardy strongly. We talk about it.

Whoever said "trolls gotta troll" hit the nail on the head.

Signed,
Mann parent

Likely the admissions and PR staffs from pricey private middle schools that are likely to lose full-priced tuition payments when some families decide to stay public through middle.

I'll bet that Hardy keeps the admissions officers at St Albans and Sidwell up at night.

I doubt that. Those schools have more applications than ever these days -- especially for middle and high school. I do think the market for private school may be changing though -- so expensive -- and I suspect it will hurt some of the less prestigious privates that do not easily fill their classes right now. I think there will always be a good market for the top privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, and no offense, but Key is not really relevant to the improvement at Hardy. Changes at Hardy will be led by Stoddert and Mann. None of the Mann parents are revising their opinions based upon whether Key families find Hardy acceptable. (That sounds harsh; I don't mean it to be harsh.)

I don't know what's happening at Stoddert, but familiarity with Pride should mitigate some of the inevitable bumps in the road. I assume -- repeat, assume -- takeup at Hardy from Stoddert will continue rising, perhaps precipitously.

I had long thought that Stoddert would have to do it alone. Mann is devoting a lot of resources to making Hardy more acceptable to in-boundary families. It's not clear that Mann will be one of the leaders of the movement to Hardy.

Agreed that Stoddert will be the bellwether. Unpersuaded that Key is any more or less influential than Mann in terms of convincing larger cohorts of high SES IB families to attend. I don't think that either the Mann community or the Key community is collectively holding its breath, waiting to see what the other will do. What will get more Mann families going to Hardy is . . . more Mann families going to Hardy. And what will get more Key families going to Hardy is, likewise, more Key families going to Hardy. Hopefully, if enough Stoddert families choose Hardy, both the Mann and Key communities will be inspired to give it a try.

Signed, Key mom

[Anonymous]

You quoted my post. I see it has a typo in the final line. It should read

"It's NOW clear Mann will be ..."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, and no offense, but Key is not really relevant to the improvement at Hardy. Changes at Hardy will be led by Stoddert and Mann. None of the Mann parents are revising their opinions based upon whether Key families find Hardy acceptable. (That sounds harsh; I don't mean it to be harsh.)

I don't know what's happening at Stoddert, but familiarity with Pride should mitigate some of the inevitable bumps in the road. I assume -- repeat, assume -- takeup at Hardy from Stoddert will continue rising, perhaps precipitously.

I had long thought that Stoddert would have to do it alone. Mann is devoting a lot of resources to making Hardy more acceptable to in-boundary families. It's not clear that Mann will be one of the leaders of the movement to Hardy.

Agreed that Stoddert will be the bellwether. Unpersuaded that Key is any more or less influential than Mann in terms of convincing larger cohorts of high SES IB families to attend. I don't think that either the Mann community or the Key community is collectively holding its breath, waiting to see what the other will do. What will get more Mann families going to Hardy is . . . more Mann families going to Hardy. And what will get more Key families going to Hardy is, likewise, more Key families going to Hardy. Hopefully, if enough Stoddert families choose Hardy, both the Mann and Key communities will be inspired to give it a try.

Signed, Key mom

Almost 50% of the 5th grade classes from last years feeder schools matriculated to Hardy. This year the enrollment of the feeder school 5th grades have doubled. Even if the matriculation rate stays the same next years 6th grade class will be over 75% Feeder School kids. In addition, Eaton Elementary has the largest 5th grade class of all the feeder schools and will be a full Hardy feeder in 2 years. Add to that a great facility, extremely strong staff, and the small size and Hardy has outstanding prospects. Plus visit the school today and you will be impressed. Don't believe the trolls - see for yourself. There is an open house on November 12th.

[Anonymous]

Don't many Mann and Key students go to private after 4th grade? If so, 50% of the 5th-grade class really isn't the relevant number. You should be looking at % of the 3rd and 4th grade classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, and no offense, but Key is not really relevant to the improvement at Hardy. Changes at Hardy will be led by Stoddert and Mann. None of the Mann parents are revising their opinions based upon whether Key families find Hardy acceptable. (That sounds harsh; I don't mean it to be harsh.)

I don't know what's happening at Stoddert, but familiarity with Pride should mitigate some of the inevitable bumps in the road. I assume -- repeat, assume -- takeup at Hardy from Stoddert will continue rising, perhaps precipitously.

I had long thought that Stoddert would have to do it alone. Mann is devoting a lot of resources to making Hardy more acceptable to in-boundary families. It's not clear that Mann will be one of the leaders of the movement to Hardy.

Agreed that Stoddert will be the bellwether. Unpersuaded that Key is any more or less influential than Mann in terms of convincing larger cohorts of high SES IB families to attend. I don't think that either the Mann community or the Key community is collectively holding its breath, waiting to see what the other will do. What will get more Mann families going to Hardy is . . . more Mann families going to Hardy. And what will get more Key families going to Hardy is, likewise, more Key families going to Hardy. Hopefully, if enough Stoddert families choose Hardy, both the Mann and Key communities will be inspired to give it a try.

Signed, Key mom

Another Key mom -- we are keeping our eye on the academic performance at Hardy and also if a cohort of children's classmates also going to be going. So far, it looks like Stoddert and Mann have had more success in getting a set of children to all attend together - moving as a group' from their schools, but there has been some incremental movement at Key also (there have been clusters of Key kids going to Basis - and those who lottery into Latin -- so there's a significant number of Key kids going to public for MS in one way or another). I think if the trends continue of scores going up at Hardy (from kids from all of the feeder schools combined attending (from whichever of the feeders, I don't think there's any stronger 'influence' if those kids are from Stoddert, Mann, Eaton and/or Hyde)), more families with children moving IB, and it gets harder to lottery into Latin (from the competition from all the other parents staying in the city in charters & the Hill around the city), more and more Key parents will consider it. This year, Key's 5th grade is 36 students (more than a class worth's of kids dropped off from 4th to 5th, but that's almost two full classes remaining that didn't go private or charter in 5th) -- so 50% would be 18, which would be a jump for Key representation!! And there's increasing numbers of overall school attendance at Key, Mann and Stoddert, so the rising enrollment tide raises the overall potential of higher Hardy #s in coming years.

[Anonymous]

With more IB kids going to Hardy from traditionally low feeders, it should be possible to flip Hardy in several years to a majority IB middle school. That in turn will have a cascading effect as more IB prospective parents get comfortable with the academic preparation of the student body and increasing academic performance of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't many Mann and Key students go to private after 4th grade? If so, 50% of the 5th-grade class really isn't the relevant number. You should be looking at % of the 3rd and 4th grade classes.

Mann's fifth-grade class last year was 19 students. This year: 42 students. 100% of third- and fourth-graders returned. Next year's fifth-grade class is supposed to be 55 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With more IB kids going to Hardy from traditionally low feeders, it should be possible to flip Hardy in several years to a majority IB middle school. That in turn will have a cascading effect as more IB prospective parents get comfortable with the academic preparation of the student body and increasing academic performance of the school.

Then it's bye bye uniforms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With more IB kids going to Hardy from traditionally low feeders, it should be possible to flip Hardy in several years to a majority IB middle school. That in turn will have a cascading effect as more IB prospective parents get comfortable with the academic preparation of the student body and increasing academic performance of the school.

Then it's bye bye uniforms.

There it is. We missed you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't many Mann and Key students go to private after 4th grade? If so, 50% of the 5th-grade class really isn't the relevant number. You should be looking at % of the 3rd and 4th grade classes.

Mann's fifth-grade class last year was 19 students. This year: 42 students. 100% of third- and fourth-graders returned. Next year's fifth-grade class is supposed to be 55 kids.

What accounts for the change from 19 to 42?

And how big are k-3 classes (42 is still really small)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With more IB kids going to Hardy from traditionally low feeders, it should be possible to flip Hardy in several years to a majority IB middle school. That in turn will have a cascading effect as more IB prospective parents get comfortable with the academic preparation of the student body and increasing academic performance of the school.

Then it's bye bye uniforms.

There it is. We missed you.

It will also be bye bye angry WTU anti-reform English teacher!