KIPP Grow

[annmanito]

We got an email today that our child received a spot in the KIPP Grow PreK lottery for the 2012-13 year. We also just found out he received a spot at Center City - Trinidad Campus. So far, we have had zero luck getting him a spot anywhere else. He is precocious for a 3 year old and he is unusually skilled verbally. He shows a lot of academic potential -- we just can't seem to get him into a school that will know what to do with a child like him. Perhaps KIPP or even Center City would be able to offer him more?

Anyone else considering KIPP Grow? Does anyone know anything about the school?

[Anonymous]

As a former Center City parent, and current KIPP parent, I strongly encourage you to choose KIPP. Center City didn't know what to do with my son either, so I made sure not to make the same mistake twice by reenrolling him.

My co-worker also received an e-mail and will enroll her daughter at the P Street Campus.

[Anonymous]

Pp, which Center City campus was your child at? My sense has been that quality varies greatly from campus to campus.

[Anonymous]

Capitol Hill. I think they're on the 2nd or 3rd principal for that campus.

[Anonymous]

There is no contest...kipp will provide better teaching and longer hours of free daycare. I'm not being sarcastic...for working parents, hours matter.

[annmanito]

The teaching quality definitely matters to us, but the longer hours doesn't matter in our situation. We are paying a full-time nanny to take care of the younger sib, so there is no real advantage to having the older one in school any longer.
What is odd to me is that statistics for Grow show a fairly high percentage of FARMS kids. Typically, this does not equate to a very enriched, academic student body. So it makes me wonder what the KIPP Grow experience is really like.

[Anonymous]

Drill, Drill, Drill. If your child is creative, don't send them to KIPP. There is no room for individuality at KIPP.

One of the stranges things we encourted at the school is that the kids were taught KIPPs address and phone number. They were not interested in the children learning their home address/phone numbers.

[Anonymous]

KIPP is a cult.

[Anonymous]

annmanito wrote:The teaching quality definitely matters to us, but the longer hours doesn't matter in our situation. We are paying a full-time nanny to take care of the younger sib, so there is no real advantage to having the older one in school any longer.
What is odd to me is that statistics for Grow show a fairly high percentage of FARMS kids. Typically, this does not equate to a very enriched, academic student body. So it makes me wonder what the KIPP Grow experience is really like.

It sounds like you didn't bother to visit the shool or do your homework on KIPP DC or charter movement in general. 80% of charter students are low income. (And many of those are also precocious. Odd, no?)

If stats are your key criteria (prejudice?), then move to wards 2 or 3 or cross your fingers for Yu Ying or Haynes. You might find more parents with nannies there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:KIPP is a cult.

This is over the top but I'll share my experience. My husband and I looked into the school in August of 2010 when we came back to DC and had almost no options available to us. My takeaway was that KIPP is a good school depending on what your needs are and what you're looking for.

There are some children who, because of their family situation, need the longer hours and aren't necessarily hurt by the drilling of basics because they aren't getting much reinforcement at home. I could be wrong, but I believe KIPPs model was created to address the needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged children. That's not to say that middle class children can not benefit from their program, but the longer hours, mandatory Saturday school, and preaching of parenting techniques can seem a little "much" for those who are highly educated, work with their kids at home and expose them to cultural activities on a regular basis. That being said, they gave me the number of a KIPP parent who I did call and speak with. She was solidly middle class and happy with the school.

However, when we took a tour of KIPP GROW with the administration, they were just a little too condescending for my taste. She talked as though my child needed "saving." (As an AA I've learned to take these assumptions in stride ). In their defense, it could have been this one administrator and she could have been having a bad day. In the end, it just wasn't a good fit for our family.

[Anonymous]

annmanito wrote:The teaching quality definitely matters to us, but the longer hours doesn't matter in our situation. We are paying a full-time nanny to take care of the younger sib, so there is no real advantage to having the older one in school any longer.
What is odd to me is that statistics for Grow show a fairly high percentage of FARMS kids. Typically, this does not equate to a very enriched, academic student body. So it makes me wonder what the KIPP Grow experience is really like. [/qu

I keep trying to formulate a response to your benign ignorance, but I get too flustered to think clearly. I'm hoping you didn't mean to sound this way but this question comes across as rather elitist. Read: Poor kids can't be academically motivated and smart.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea what "cult" would mean. So, please explain.

As for the stifling of creativity, that is something I had not heard and that would be a concern. So, I will evaluate that aspect more. Thank you.

Pp at 10:03 your reply is useless. You presume I haven't visited the school when in fact I have. Your statistics do not hold true on a charter school by charter school basis, i.e. see CAPCS - Butler, Two Rivers PCS, and Capital City lower school. None of those charters have low income rates approaching 80%. Historically, there has been a direct correlation between lower income students and failing schools. Somehow, KIPP appears to have bucked that trend. Also, I'm sure there are precocious children at public charters, many of whom are lower income. I don't doubt that, but there is no way of proving your presumption. Further, it doesn't matter whether there are or aren't since it is irrelevant.

I have no interest in, nor did I apply to Yu Ying or EL Haynes. Further, I have no idea why having other parents who hire nannies has anything to do with what school we decide to send our child. All-in-all you've added nothing to the conversation.

[Anonymous]

You are getting too caught up in and reading WAY too much into what I'm asking. I do believe lower income kids are very capable. It is us adults that have failed the kids.

What has happened with DCPS schools is that historically the higher the percentage of low income, the lower the performance is at these schools. This is just a statistical correlation. My comment has nothing to do with what I believe can and ought to occur.

[Anonymous]

+1 Kipp is a cult. Kipp is scary. As a middle class (AA) parent, I do not want the Kipp type treatment with my child. Why do we celebrate the condescension, public shaming, and just mean behavior towards children who are not our own. The spirit of racism and classism ingrained in the school culture from the middle class white teachers and administrators at Kipp towards black and brown children who are poor is frightening. And yet, they continue to be celebrated. Oh, I forget, we are still racist America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 Kipp is a cult. Kipp is scary. As a middle class (AA) parent, I do not want the Kipp type treatment with my child. Why do we celebrate the condescension, public shaming, and just mean behavior towards children who are not our own. The spirit of racism and classism ingrained in the school culture from the middle class white teachers and administrators at Kipp towards black and brown children who are poor is frightening. And yet, they continue to be celebrated. Oh, I forget, we are still racist America.

I imagine those who celebrate KIPP believe that the ends justify the means. Not only would I not want KIPP for my own child, I wouldn't wish that on anyone's child.