Capitol Hill - middle school and beyond?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason Brent is lumping 5th graders in with 4th graders is because 5th grade numbers are way down after Covid highs. Last year's 5th grade class was a bubble class from the get go, Brent's first fully in-boundary K class six years later. Almost half of the 5th graders stayed at Brent last year, three dozen, many shut out of both Latins and BASIS, with two 5th grade classes. This year, there aren't even enough 5th graders to justify running a single self-contained classroom for them. Brent is reacting to the numbers generated by external forces. City politicians and DCPS leaders don't care.

This is not true. Brent had too many 5th graders for one class but too few for two classes. More 5th graders are staying at Brent compared to a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason Brent is lumping 5th graders in with 4th graders is because 5th grade numbers are way down after Covid highs. Last year's 5th grade class was a bubble class from the get go, Brent's first fully in-boundary K class six years later. Almost half of the 5th graders stayed at Brent last year, three dozen, many shut out of both Latins and BASIS, with two 5th grade classes. This year, there aren't even enough 5th graders to justify running a single self-contained classroom for them. Brent is reacting to the numbers generated by external forces. City politicians and DCPS leaders don't care.

This is not true. Brent had too many 5th graders for one class but too few for two classes. More 5th graders are staying at Brent compared to a few years ago.

They made 5 lottery offers, so if they really did this to themselves that’s just… terrible management. But also? They didn’t offer any slots to the 22 kids on their waitlist, so they didn’t try to fill a second class. Even if this is the scenario (in which case, why not have 1 5th grade and 1 mixed 4th/5th unless you acknowledge the latter is worse… and so now you are hurting all kids in the name of equity), it reflects really poorly on Brent.

[Anonymous]

What happened was that one if the 5th grade teachers quit over the summer and the remaining teacher didn’t want to teach both math and humanities (after years of not teaching both). Admins then created mixed 4th/5th grade classes. Bad decision perhaps but then Brent was in a bind. Also true that 5th grade numbers are down from 2022 and 2021 but they still had enough for one class this fall.

[Anonymous]

I find this confusing. Why do not they have a class of 5th graders taught by 2 teachers (math/ELA) who then also teach 4th during the other 1/2 time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason Brent is lumping 5th graders in with 4th graders is because 5th grade numbers are way down after Covid highs. Last year's 5th grade class was a bubble class from the get go, Brent's first fully in-boundary K class six years later. Almost half of the 5th graders stayed at Brent last year, three dozen, many shut out of both Latins and BASIS, with two 5th grade classes. This year, there aren't even enough 5th graders to justify running a single self-contained classroom for them. Brent is reacting to the numbers generated by external forces. City politicians and DCPS leaders don't care.

This is not true. Brent had too many 5th graders for one class but too few for two classes. More 5th graders are staying at Brent compared to a few years ago.

So how many kids are in these mixed 4th/5th grade classes?

[Anonymous]

Two dozen per class, two thirds 4th graders in each of the several classes. Arrangement sucks for the 5th graders. 5th grade numbers will drop next year if nothing changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not see anything really wrong with saying you would have seriously considered or think that you would have gone with in-bound DCPS had you not gotten a lottery spot and decided to attend a Latin or Basis. It is certainly more true for some people than others. But kids really want to keep their close elementary school friends after they scatter. And a lot of people really do have a 4th grade plan that is basically try DCPS if not charter. Sure maybe they would have changed that plan without lottery luck. But who cares. Although DCUM refuses to believe it, I think some people also increasingly have a plan that is just try DCPS.

I believe this for elementary and MS. Not for HS. When someone claims they would have been happy with Eastern, after getting their kids into Walls, I simply do not believe them.

But I also find it condescending when parents who got lottery spots at charters say this because it just comes off as condescending to those of us who didn't get those spots. Just admit that we all tried to lottery into charters, you got in and we didn't. It is tiresome when a family who is IB for the school you attend, but who sends their kids elsewhere, is like "oh it's a great school, we definitely would have been completely happy there if be hadn't gotten into our charter." Oh really? Then why did you lottery for and then send your kids to a charter? Why do you commute further to attend that charter when the IB is just up the street? It really doesn't sound like you think you'd be equally happy at your IB so maybe don't say that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not see anything really wrong with saying you would have seriously considered or think that you would have gone with in-bound DCPS had you not gotten a lottery spot and decided to attend a Latin or Basis. It is certainly more true for some people than others. But kids really want to keep their close elementary school friends after they scatter. And a lot of people really do have a 4th grade plan that is basically try DCPS if not charter. Sure maybe they would have changed that plan without lottery luck. But who cares. Although DCUM refuses to believe it, I think some people also increasingly have a plan that is just try DCPS.

I believe this for elementary and MS. Not for HS. When someone claims they would have been happy with Eastern, after getting their kids into Walls, I simply do not believe them.

But I also find it condescending when parents who got lottery spots at charters say this because it just comes off as condescending to those of us who didn't get those spots. Just admit that we all tried to lottery into charters, you got in and we didn't. It is tiresome when a family who is IB for the school you attend, but who sends their kids elsewhere, is like "oh it's a great school, we definitely would have been completely happy there if be hadn't gotten into our charter." Oh really? Then why did you lottery for and then send your kids to a charter? Why do you commute further to attend that charter when the IB is just up the street? It really doesn't sound like you think you'd be equally happy at your IB so maybe don't say that.

I know so few people who actually say this. These days I hear more parents just say they would have moved if they didn't get into their preferred charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not see anything really wrong with saying you would have seriously considered or think that you would have gone with in-bound DCPS had you not gotten a lottery spot and decided to attend a Latin or Basis. It is certainly more true for some people than others. But kids really want to keep their close elementary school friends after they scatter. And a lot of people really do have a 4th grade plan that is basically try DCPS if not charter. Sure maybe they would have changed that plan without lottery luck. But who cares. Although DCUM refuses to believe it, I think some people also increasingly have a plan that is just try DCPS.

I believe this for elementary and MS. Not for HS. When someone claims they would have been happy with Eastern, after getting their kids into Walls, I simply do not believe them.

But I also find it condescending when parents who got lottery spots at charters say this because it just comes off as condescending to those of us who didn't get those spots. Just admit that we all tried to lottery into charters, you got in and we didn't. It is tiresome when a family who is IB for the school you attend, but who sends their kids elsewhere, is like "oh it's a great school, we definitely would have been completely happy there if be hadn't gotten into our charter." Oh really? Then why did you lottery for and then send your kids to a charter? Why do you commute further to attend that charter when the IB is just up the street? It really doesn't sound like you think you'd be equally happy at your IB so maybe don't say that.

I think it's fine to have one school you prefer but other schools that you consider also very good. And some people live closer to charter schools than they do to their IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not see anything really wrong with saying you would have seriously considered or think that you would have gone with in-bound DCPS had you not gotten a lottery spot and decided to attend a Latin or Basis. It is certainly more true for some people than others. But kids really want to keep their close elementary school friends after they scatter. And a lot of people really do have a 4th grade plan that is basically try DCPS if not charter. Sure maybe they would have changed that plan without lottery luck. But who cares. Although DCUM refuses to believe it, I think some people also increasingly have a plan that is just try DCPS.

I believe this for elementary and MS. Not for HS. When someone claims they would have been happy with Eastern, after getting their kids into Walls, I simply do not believe them.

But I also find it condescending when parents who got lottery spots at charters say this because it just comes off as condescending to those of us who didn't get those spots. Just admit that we all tried to lottery into charters, you got in and we didn't. It is tiresome when a family who is IB for the school you attend, but who sends their kids elsewhere, is like "oh it's a great school, we definitely would have been completely happy there if be hadn't gotten into our charter." Oh really? Then why did you lottery for and then send your kids to a charter? Why do you commute further to attend that charter when the IB is just up the street? It really doesn't sound like you think you'd be equally happy at your IB so maybe don't say that.

What would you rather have them say? "Man, your kid is screwed!"? Say nothing and imply it? I understand that this is tough; it was for all that came before. You'd be right here on DCUM complaining about people rubbing it in if they were honest about escaping. Almost everyone I know who matched at Latin, SWW, etc. has some form of survivor's guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not see anything really wrong with saying you would have seriously considered or think that you would have gone with in-bound DCPS had you not gotten a lottery spot and decided to attend a Latin or Basis. It is certainly more true for some people than others. But kids really want to keep their close elementary school friends after they scatter. And a lot of people really do have a 4th grade plan that is basically try DCPS if not charter. Sure maybe they would have changed that plan without lottery luck. But who cares. Although DCUM refuses to believe it, I think some people also increasingly have a plan that is just try DCPS.

I believe this for elementary and MS. Not for HS. When someone claims they would have been happy with Eastern, after getting their kids into Walls, I simply do not believe them.

But I also find it condescending when parents who got lottery spots at charters say this because it just comes off as condescending to those of us who didn't get those spots. Just admit that we all tried to lottery into charters, you got in and we didn't. It is tiresome when a family who is IB for the school you attend, but who sends their kids elsewhere, is like "oh it's a great school, we definitely would have been completely happy there if be hadn't gotten into our charter." Oh really? Then why did you lottery for and then send your kids to a charter? Why do you commute further to attend that charter when the IB is just up the street? It really doesn't sound like you think you'd be equally happy at your IB so maybe don't say that.

I think it's fine to have one school you prefer but other schools that you consider also very good. And some people live closer to charter schools than they do to their IB.

This is DC. With respect to MS and HS it just isn't so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two dozen per class, two thirds 4th graders in each of the several classes. Arrangement sucks for the 5th graders. 5th grade numbers will drop next year if nothing changes.

Aren't most of the Brent students in fifth grade there only because they didn't get into somewhere else (mostly BASIS or Latin)? I suppose some could move to the 'burbs a year earlier or apply to privates a year earlier, but it's my understanding that most try to leave after fourth anyway.

[Anonymous]

Who knows. These are private issues and decisions that families make. Every parent and kid returning to Brent for 5th doesn't disclose why they're there.

I've had two Brenties go through 5th in recent years. The family situations I knew about in the 5th grade cohort, which we joined in PreS3, varied widely. A good many of the 5th graders didn't crack BASIS or either Latin, yes, maybe a third. But from the sounds of it, others had long planned to move out of the Metro area for 6th grade, to enroll in private middle schools, or to enroll at Stuart Hobson or Jefferson Academy. Brent families living the northern swathe of the Brent District get a proximity preference for SH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not see anything really wrong with saying you would have seriously considered or think that you would have gone with in-bound DCPS had you not gotten a lottery spot and decided to attend a Latin or Basis. It is certainly more true for some people than others. But kids really want to keep their close elementary school friends after they scatter. And a lot of people really do have a 4th grade plan that is basically try DCPS if not charter. Sure maybe they would have changed that plan without lottery luck. But who cares. Although DCUM refuses to believe it, I think some people also increasingly have a plan that is just try DCPS.

I believe this for elementary and MS. Not for HS. When someone claims they would have been happy with Eastern, after getting their kids into Walls, I simply do not believe them.

But I also find it condescending when parents who got lottery spots at charters say this because it just comes off as condescending to those of us who didn't get those spots. Just admit that we all tried to lottery into charters, you got in and we didn't. It is tiresome when a family who is IB for the school you attend, but who sends their kids elsewhere, is like "oh it's a great school, we definitely would have been completely happy there if be hadn't gotten into our charter." Oh really? Then why did you lottery for and then send your kids to a charter? Why do you commute further to attend that charter when the IB is just up the street? It really doesn't sound like you think you'd be equally happy at your IB so maybe don't say that.

What would you rather have them say? "Man, your kid is screwed!"? Say nothing and imply it? I understand that this is tough; it was for all that came before. You'd be right here on DCUM complaining about people rubbing it in if they were honest about escaping. Almost everyone I know who matched at Latin, SWW, etc. has some form of survivor's guilt.

Say nothing. That's what you say: nothing. You state where your kid goes if asked. You do not pretend that you would have been thrilled to attend the IB school you rejected in favor of that charter, nor do you comment that you're so glad you were not forced to do so. You do not comment on the quality of the IB school, which you only know by reputation anyway. You are welcome to speak to your experience at your charter. But you don't walk around pontificating about the quality (or lack their of) of education at a school you chose not to have your kids attend, especially not to people whose kids DO attend that school.

Don't put your own guilt or discomfort about attending a charter onto other people. Figure it out yourself. Just be quiet and don't speak on subjects with which you do not have direct experience (doing the lottery is NOT a direct experience with a school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1. Strongly suspect BS that the family wouldn't have been remotely "fine" with Eastern. Must be a more convincing way to burnish one's social justice orientation bona fides than to make such empty claims. For that matter, not unusual to hear parents who are in-boundary for Jefferson, SH or EH assert that they'd happily have enrolled their 6th graders at one of those schools, that is once their kids have cracked BASIS or one of the Latins. They probably talk that way mainly for the sake of politeness in conversing with those w/out their lottery luck. Social niceties get complicated on Cap Hill.

It's impossible to have a real discussion when you just out of hand dismiss people sharing their own viewpoints.