MacArthur

[Anonymous]

20% white in a catchment area that’s majority white with a feeder MS that’s half white doesn’t inspire confidence in this parent. Call me names, sure.

[Anonymous]

Why were the posts deleted about how the school is not majority IB?

[Anonymous]

This thread is depressing, can we get back to a real discussion about MacArthur such as academics, subjects/specialities/enrichment offered, rigor, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20% white in a catchment area that’s majority white with a feeder MS that’s half white doesn’t inspire confidence in this parent. Call me names, sure.

In another year or two when grandfathering to JR runs out, you'll see a spike in neighborhood buy-in. Esp since by then, the school will offer all grades and be fully renovated.
No one is avoiding the school because of its student demographics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is depressing, can we get back to a real discussion about MacArthur such as academics, subjects/specialities/enrichment offered, rigor, etc.?

At the Open House, they mentioned that they are starting a flag football team. The library seemed to be a work in progress. I think once the expansion is done, it will feel much more established. The grounds are really nice - I imagine that since it is somewhat removed from main shopping areas, kids tend to go home/to friends houses after their school activities versus hanging out like the J-R kids?

Are buses running more often on MacArthur/Foxhall during the afternoon to pick up students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why were the posts deleted about how the school is not majority IB?

It quite weird that those posts are constantly deleted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is depressing, can we get back to a real discussion about MacArthur such as academics, subjects/specialities/enrichment offered, rigor, etc.?

At the Open House, they mentioned that they are starting a flag football team. The library seemed to be a work in progress. I think once the expansion is done, it will feel much more established. The grounds are really nice - I imagine that since it is somewhat removed from main shopping areas, kids tend to go home/to friends houses after their school activities versus hanging out like the J-R kids?

Are buses running more often on MacArthur/Foxhall during the afternoon to pick up students?

“Hanging out” is one way to put it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The special education team is amazing

Please say more about this. My daughter may go there next year, but she is very self-conscious about being called out as "special needs" and MHS has said it has an inclusion program that included two teachers in Math and English/Reading. Is this correct?

[Anonymous]

I’m also interested in how the school deals with kids who might need extra time or who just want to be able to have extra review with teachers during breaks or after school. Are the teachers approachable?

[Anonymous]

completely approachable teachers. teachers have office hours during lunch and/or after school and students are encouraged to attend. DC saw a dramatic improvement in their grades after starting to take advantage of office hours, which DC now does regularly. I appreciate the teachers and this approach because it encourages DC to form relationships with their teachers and self advocate, which will be a valuable skill in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The special education team is amazing

Please say more about this. My daughter may go there next year, but she is very self-conscious about being called out as "special needs" and MHS has said it has an inclusion program that included two teachers in Math and English/Reading. Is this correct?

they have an evidence based for credit reading elective for dyslexic students and those who’s testing scores indicate a need for the intervention and have two teachers in Language Arts and Math. They also have a big focus on grammar basics in ELA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The special education team is amazing

Please say more about this. My daughter may go there next year, but she is very self-conscious about being called out as "special needs" and MHS has said it has an inclusion program that included two teachers in Math and English/Reading. Is this correct?

they have an evidence based for credit reading elective for dyslexic students and those who’s testing scores indicate a need for the intervention and have two teachers in Language Arts and Math. They also have a big focus on grammar basics in ELA.

How much actual writing do they do? A “big focus on grammar basics” is good but kinda sounds like the very bare minimim …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The special education team is amazing

Please say more about this. My daughter may go there next year, but she is very self-conscious about being called out as "special needs" and MHS has said it has an inclusion program that included two teachers in Math and English/Reading. Is this correct?

they have an evidence based for credit reading elective for dyslexic students and those who’s testing scores indicate a need for the intervention and have two teachers in Language Arts and Math. They also have a big focus on grammar basics in ELA.

How much actual writing do they do? A “big focus on grammar basics” is good but kinda sounds like the very bare minimim …

Man, wish they'd had that in middle school. Or earlier. As basic curriculum, not extra focus support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a grip, the feeders schools are far more diverse than their neighborhoods/catchment areas. Arguably, the right demographic balance hasn't been struck. Trying to shame and shout down anybody who points this out isn't reasonable.

Did you expect a bunch of kids in 8th grade to suddenly leave NCS and Landon to show up at first year MacArthur?

Why would MacArthur look wildly different from its feeder schools of from the other nearby DCPS middle and high schools (eg, Deal, Walls, J-R, Oyster-Adams)?

And to add a question:

What school--private or public--in NW DC or even in nearby MD or VA is 85% white?!

I'm not sure there is a neighborhood that is 85% white. You might find schools or neighborhoods that are 15% Black, but not 85% white.

In Arlington you’ll find schools that have very high percentages of white students (at around 85%), but that county has always been very segregated.

However, in the DC region as a whole, Upper NW public schools are actually some of the most white. Many if not most of the high performing suburban public schools are actually majority or plurality Asian.

It’s funny how people are actually discussing this. It’s like a conversation from the 1980s or 1990s.

[Anonymous]

Whitman is very white.