Will Whittle be around next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a secondary school student at WSS (won't say MS or US). My child will also not be returning for the next school year. Way too many lies told by CW and his minions. CW has no interest in education or in the well-being of the students and teachers. He is a serial liar and grifter. Back in Spring 2019, I was told that the DC campus was 90% complete, which was a lie. The students had to go to school in an unfinished building, and still to this day, maybe only one pod is occupied. There was a lie about lunches. Just like the MS student said, we were promised chef-made meals for the students. In the school's early Instagram posts, there was even a post about the importance of healthy school lunches. After the start of school did we find out that there was no cafeteria kitchen. Oh another thing, I found it strange that there was no library for an expensive private school. The school's lame statement was that because there is a public library nearby, there was no need for a school library. Excuse me, in DC, public libraries are basically day-time recreational centers for dangerous mentally deranged homeless people.

Just can't deal with CW anymore! Literally the only way to save the school is to kick CW out, rename the school, and being in a new executive team. I feel bad for the students, but I feel worse for the teachers. I hope both the students and teachers have arrangements after June.

The Cleveland Park library is full of a range of books and helpful librarians. It is safe and the homeless people who may spend time there are overwhelmingly harmless. While they may suffer from mental illness, they are not "deranged."

You can complain about Whittle without insulting other people.

Do you think it makes sense for an expensive private school to not have a library, even a small one? Is there another private school that asks parents to pack lunches? Have you been to the West End library? I don't know what it is like there nowadays, but I did not feel safe there even though it is in a safe neighborhood due to the people who use the facility. I have to admit that I don't know what Cleveland Park Library is like. It might be much safer than West End or many public libraries I have been to in other big cities.

The smaller religious schools I am familiar with have kids pack lunches. Ours does offer a deal where you can sign up for weekly pizza or Chick-fil-a delivery to the campus, but this is only one or two days a week, and not for the whole year.

We also have an awesome library, though it's not a huge one.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I am amazed at the number of people who enrolled their kids in Whittle to begin with. I remember reading a piece in New York Magazine or the NYT or some other NY publication about CW about 5, maybe 6 yrs ago. I almost spit out my wine when dining with a friend (summer '19, I think) whose colleague proudly said his son was attending Whittle in the opening year. How easily people are wooed by a new shiny thing. And I get it, we all want the best for our kids but this just seemed too obvious a disaster in the making.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a secondary school student at WSS (won't say MS or US). My child will also not be returning for the next school year. Way too many lies told by CW and his minions. CW has no interest in education or in the well-being of the students and teachers. He is a serial liar and grifter. Back in Spring 2019, I was told that the DC campus was 90% complete, which was a lie. The students had to go to school in an unfinished building, and still to this day, maybe only one pod is occupied. There was a lie about lunches. Just like the MS student said, we were promised chef-made meals for the students. In the school's early Instagram posts, there was even a post about the importance of healthy school lunches. After the start of school did we find out that there was no cafeteria kitchen. Oh another thing, I found it strange that there was no library for an expensive private school. The school's lame statement was that because there is a public library nearby, there was no need for a school library. Excuse me, in DC, public libraries are basically day-time recreational centers for dangerous mentally deranged homeless people.

Just can't deal with CW anymore! Literally the only way to save the school is to kick CW out, rename the school, and being in a new executive team. I feel bad for the students, but I feel worse for the teachers. I hope both the students and teachers have arrangements after June.

The Cleveland Park library is full of a range of books and helpful librarians. It is safe and the homeless people who may spend time there are overwhelmingly harmless. While they may suffer from mental illness, they are not "deranged."

You can complain about Whittle without insulting other people.

Do you think it makes sense for an expensive private school to not have a library, even a small one? Is there another private school that asks parents to pack lunches? Have you been to the West End library? I don't know what it is like there nowadays, but I did not feel safe there even though it is in a safe neighborhood due to the people who use the facility. I have to admit that I don't know what Cleveland Park Library is like. It might be much safer than West End or many public libraries I have been to in other big cities.

The smaller religious schools I am familiar with have kids pack lunches. Ours does offer a deal where you can sign up for weekly pizza or Chick-fil-a delivery to the campus, but this is only one or two days a week, and not for the whole year.

We also have an awesome library, though it's not a huge one.

The more I think about this, the more annoyed I am. It's trivial to half-ass your way into something. Library near me is selling the leftovers from their book sale at $10 a box. There are bound to be, if not gems, at least some decent stuff amongst the dross. Haul back a hundred dollars worth, stamp them PROPERTY OF MINIMAL EFFORT SCHOOL, get a few shelves from Ikea, and then the kids have something to do between classes or if they've finished their work early, other than video games or bullying people on social media.

[Anonymous]

Is there students and teachers in the school now who are duoing an IB program or course?

Or are they just marketing themselves that way to attract international students but not offering them currently?

The claim is that they began an IB school in June 2021. So that suggests that should have some IB offering this school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there students and teachers in the school now who are duoing an IB program or course?

Or are they just marketing themselves that way to attract international students but not offering them currently?

The claim is that they began an IB school in June 2021. So that suggests that should have some IB offering this school year.

An IB program is offered, but it is not as rigorous as the IB programs of other schools. Most of the teachers who teach IB courses have no prior experience teaching them either. At least they seem to be trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a secondary school student at WSS (won't say MS or US). My child will also not be returning for the next school year. Way too many lies told by CW and his minions. CW has no interest in education or in the well-being of the students and teachers. He is a serial liar and grifter. Back in Spring 2019, I was told that the DC campus was 90% complete, which was a lie. The students had to go to school in an unfinished building, and still to this day, maybe only one pod is occupied. There was a lie about lunches. Just like the MS student said, we were promised chef-made meals for the students. In the school's early Instagram posts, there was even a post about the importance of healthy school lunches. After the start of school did we find out that there was no cafeteria kitchen. Oh another thing, I found it strange that there was no library for an expensive private school. The school's lame statement was that because there is a public library nearby, there was no need for a school library. Excuse me, in DC, public libraries are basically day-time recreational centers for dangerous mentally deranged homeless people.

Just can't deal with CW anymore! Literally the only way to save the school is to kick CW out, rename the school, and being in a new executive team. I feel bad for the students, but I feel worse for the teachers. I hope both the students and teachers have arrangements after June.

The Cleveland Park library is full of a range of books and helpful librarians. It is safe and the homeless people who may spend time there are overwhelmingly harmless. While they may suffer from mental illness, they are not "deranged."

You can complain about Whittle without insulting other people.

Do you think it makes sense for an expensive private school to not have a library, even a small one? Is there another private school that asks parents to pack lunches? Have you been to the West End library? I don't know what it is like there nowadays, but I did not feel safe there even though it is in a safe neighborhood due to the people who use the facility. I have to admit that I don't know what Cleveland Park Library is like. It might be much safer than West End or many public libraries I have been to in other big cities.

The smaller religious schools I am familiar with have kids pack lunches. Ours does offer a deal where you can sign up for weekly pizza or Chick-fil-a delivery to the campus, but this is only one or two days a week, and not for the whole year.

I am just not a fan of religious schools, especially the fundamentalist ones. I graduated from a religious school for high school and absolutely hated it there. The faculty was intolerant, unnecessarily strict, and played some stupid scarlet letter game in singling out students. They don't seem to model their behavior after their religious teachings. Pizza and Chick-fil-a are unhealthy. WSS offers pizza every Friday, and most of the times, is is paid for by a school parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there's a way in hell that WSS actually completed the authorization process for offering any IB programs at all and came out the other end authorized.

Nevertheless, their website claimed at the beginning of this school year (maybe even at the end of the last school year) that they were now an IB school......And implied that it was not just for some IB programs, but all of them -- primary grades through the diploma.

Now, though, they seem to me have changed the website to say that they're just still just CANDIDATES for offering IB programs, which makes much more sense (although I still wonder whether they'd ever get through it, given the faculty and administration turnover they keep having). .... Previously, they flat out said they were were already an IB school. But looks to me like somebody called them out on it and now they've removed the flat-out lie from the webiste (although it's hard to know for sure because I don't know whether I'm on the newest iteration of their website or one of the several?? old ones that are lingering out there.)

Among other things, I'm skeptical that they actually went through a substantial portion of the authorization process and managed to be unaware until this past December that they needed to have a library. The authorization is a very paperwork-heavy process.

It seems they hired a librarian. (whom they then stiffed, as usual). But when they hired this year's faculty, did they seek out people who already had taught in an IB school or taken some of the workshops? That seems to be standard practice for a lot of schools who are launching IB programs...(although I guess CW doesn't ever feel the need to go with standard practices on anything, so ...)

And I don't know if I'm right about Cognia or not....But it's my understanding that they would have had nothing to do with getting Whittle an IB authorization. Cognia operates an accrediting system of its own, which they probably also want. But I've never seen anything that suggests the IB authorization can go through Cognia. Any school I've ever seen listing both lists them as two completely separate authorization processes carried out by two separate organizations.

So I think we probably can't blame Cognia for their having IB authorization (if they do....)

A lot of criticism to be aimed at Whittle. So much. But would it have hurt to verify this on the IB website and also Whittle’s DC campus homepage, which still asserts the original claims? If you’re going to write a screed, make it worth our while and actually do your homework. Pot calling the kettle shoddy with justifying their claims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there students and teachers in the school now who are duoing an IB program or course?

Or are they just marketing themselves that way to attract international students but not offering them currently?

The claim is that they began an IB school in June 2021. So that suggests that should have some IB offering this school year.

An IB program is offered, but it is not as rigorous as the IB programs of other schools. Most of the teachers who teach IB courses have no prior experience teaching them either. At least they seem to be trying.

I feel so torn about the teachers. I'm sure most if not all of them are doing the very best they can. And their hard work for the kids makes them heroes.....At the same time, it depresses amd sickens me to think of their work ultimately also propping up Whittle and his henchmen and helping him prolong his con. The teachers (and the parents) should never have to carry that school on their backs. CW promised that he and his somewhat mythical investors would carry it. But he's broken every part of the bargain and left others to support the enterprise for the kids' sake. A rotten deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re IB, whittle is listed on the IB website

https://www.ibo.org/school/062074/

I like this part: "Students are currently registered for the following subjects: (Large blank space) "

Good catch

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there's a way in hell that WSS actually completed the authorization process for offering any IB programs at all and came out the other end authorized.

Nevertheless, their website claimed at the beginning of this school year (maybe even at the end of the last school year) that they were now an IB school......And implied that it was not just for some IB programs, but all of them -- primary grades through the diploma.

Now, though, they seem to me have changed the website to say that they're just still just CANDIDATES for offering IB programs, which makes much more sense (although I still wonder whether they'd ever get through it, given the faculty and administration turnover they keep having). .... Previously, they flat out said they were were already an IB school. But looks to me like somebody called them out on it and now they've removed the flat-out lie from the webiste (although it's hard to know for sure because I don't know whether I'm on the newest iteration of their website or one of the several?? old ones that are lingering out there.)

Among other things, I'm skeptical that they actually went through a substantial portion of the authorization process and managed to be unaware until this past December that they needed to have a library. The authorization is a very paperwork-heavy process.

It seems they hired a librarian. (whom they then stiffed, as usual). But when they hired this year's faculty, did they seek out people who already had taught in an IB school or taken some of the workshops? That seems to be standard practice for a lot of schools who are launching IB programs...(although I guess CW doesn't ever feel the need to go with standard practices on anything, so ...)

And I don't know if I'm right about Cognia or not....But it's my understanding that they would have had nothing to do with getting Whittle an IB authorization. Cognia operates an accrediting system of its own, which they probably also want. But I've never seen anything that suggests the IB authorization can go through Cognia. Any school I've ever seen listing both lists them as two completely separate authorization processes carried out by two separate organizations.

So I think we probably can't blame Cognia for their having IB authorization (if they do....)

A lot of criticism to be aimed at Whittle. So much. But would it have hurt to verify this on the IB website and also Whittle’s DC campus homepage, which still asserts the original claims? If you’re going to write a screed, make it worth our while and actually do your homework. Pot calling the kettle shoddy with justifying their claims.

Whittle's homepage is very out of date. If the school is serious about being in operation, at least continue to update and have maintenance of its website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there students and teachers in the school now who are duoing an IB program or course?

Or are they just marketing themselves that way to attract international students but not offering them currently?

The claim is that they began an IB school in June 2021. So that suggests that should have some IB offering this school year.

An IB program is offered, but it is not as rigorous as the IB programs of other schools. Most of the teachers who teach IB courses have no prior experience teaching them either. At least they seem to be trying.

I feel so torn about the teachers. I'm sure most if not all of them are doing the very best they can. And their hard work for the kids makes them heroes.....At the same time, it depresses amd sickens me to think of their work ultimately also propping up Whittle and his henchmen and helping him prolong his con. The teachers (and the parents) should never have to carry that school on their backs. CW promised that he and his somewhat mythical investors would carry it. But he's broken every part of the bargain and left others to support the enterprise for the kids' sake. A rotten deal.

Seriously, I feel so bad for the teachers for putting up with late paychecks and being lied to constantly. I am sure most of them have no intention of returning. I mean, who can put up with so much instability? For the teachers who have children enrolled at Whittle, I am sure they don't want to see their children be further behind their other peers in education. I heard from other people that children in LS and MS don't really learn anything because most of their time is spent playing or at recess.

I am seriously done with the school, but my child still has some desire left to stay even though they are not happy with a lot of things at the school. I just hope that mass teacher departures convince my child to not look back at Whittle.

[Anonymous]

CW lied about so many things. One of them was that Whittle does not expect donations that are typical of other independent schools. Well guess what? Parents were told to contribute to Christmas gifts for teachers back in December. We contributed a decent amount. Maybe, this was done to persuade teachers to stay and not leave. Also, there were instances of parents being asked to pitch in for bridge funding to pay teachers.

For the parents who are continuously pitching in to CW's edu venture, it would make much more economical sense to pay full tuition at a well-established private school that is not at risk of closing. Not to mention, any emails sent by CW or MR about funding are super vague and sounds scammy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, i hope families from other countries do their due diligence! Can you imagine the nightmare, thinking you're sending your kid off to some great school in another country, thousands of dollars, turning down other opportunities, only to discover this?

I don’t have much pity for them. In my home country, the uber rich and corrupt send their kids to boarding school in the US or UK for the name brand, and find a way to pay school fees in cash to avoid the taxes. I wouldn’t be surprised if CW offered a fast track money laundering system for those people.

[Anonymous]

I am just so curious, but what exactly was the "Studios" aspect of Whittle School and Studios? Was there actually individualized learning, and how helpful were the advisory sessions?

[Anonymous]

Finally the billing statements for 2022-23 came out. Anyone submitting the enrollment agreement by the May 12th deadline?