Critical feedback about Cap City Charter School please...

[Anonymous]

I would love to hear some detailed feedback about this school. Good and bad and why you feel either way! I often hear that it's "great" but without any real, meaty info! I can speak about the current school my DC attends in great detail, so I'd love to hear the good, bad and ugly...especially about pre-K, and K.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Really? No one has an opinion on this? Hundreds of posts about the Beauvoir scandal but nothing here...please, I really need some info!

[jsteele]

Our older son is in third grade at Cap City and has attended since pre-k. I'm sorry, but my normal reaction when talking about the school is "its great". I'm not sure what more specific information you are seeking. The school is very diverse, culturally, socio-economically, and racially. The teachers are very dedicated and give each student a great amount of personal attention. They follow Outward Bound's expeditionary learning tradition, so the curriculum revolves around a specific expedition. The emphasis is on learning by doing.

Its a low pressure without much of the competitiveness that appears to be associated with many of the "better" schools in the area. There is a great deal of parental involvement (its a requirement).

Pre-K and K are combined. Pre-K students remain in the same class for K and generally keep the same teachers. That provides some nice continuity. They have a drama teacher, music teacher, Spanish teacher, and phys ed teacher, so the kids get that exposure as well.

The biggest downside I see is that the school doesn't have a gym or swimming pool. They have a playground on the roof and use nearby outdoor playgrounds, weather permitting.

It might be easier to respond to specific questions if you have them.

[Anonymous]

That helps...it is a specific accounting of what you like. Did you look at other schools or just luck into Cap City and stayed? Do people tend to stay past third grade or have kids started leaving for privates as in other DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Oh and how big are the classes? I will tour, of course, but I like to get the DCUM(D) perspective.

[Anonymous]

I have friends who sent their kids to Cap City; they loved it, but moved their kids to private after 5th grade.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:That helps...it is a specific accounting of what you like. Did you look at other schools or just luck into Cap City and stayed? Do people tend to stay past third grade or have kids started leaving for privates as in other DCPS?

We also looked at E.L. Haynes. If our son hadn't won either lottery, he would have remained at his preschool for another year while we tried to get our sh*t together.

In my experience, students are staying past third grade. Indeed, I think many plan to continue on to the new upper school. Of course, DC being what it is, some folks have moved from the area (I know of at least two families that have moved overseas). I am not aware of any significant movement to other area schools.

In response to your other question, I don't remember the exact number of students in a class, but I'd guess its 25 or so. There are two teachers per class (one I guess is technically a teacher's aid, but in my experience they were very qualified and many become regular teachers after a couple of years).