What do we think about Latin second campus

[Anonymous]

and THIS discussion about where Brent kids are going for middle school is why no matter WTF the PCSB said, they were NEVER NEVER gonna locate a Latin east of the Anacostia. No no no no no. They have been captured by the Hill families.

[Anonymous]

You get to decide which causes you devote your energy to. Please let others do the same.

However you slice it, it's a real drag that most of the parents with children in the majority UMC DCPS Hill elementary programs feel they can't afford to stay for 5th grade when many would clearly like to. This certainly isn't the story in Upper NW, where Deal appeals to most in-boundary families.

One set of public school opportunities WotP and a diminished set EotP for taxpayers in the same tax brackets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child was in one of the initial years of Latin (and graduated). Questions are valid. It was a rocky start, and I am not clear what the model is with raising at risk preference or who will go to which campus. It will certainly have some growing pains and I would ask questions as a parent. It's disappointing (but also completely unrealistic) to not begin in a shiny new building, as the fight for appropriate space by charters in DC is real. DC government notoriously violated first release of excess school buildings for many years (selling them to developers) and any other properties will have very high price tags if welll located (by transport etc) and safe. I also completely understand wanting to be close initially to school 1 to launch, as perhaps there will be some shared staff etc. However, I do think it is adding to confusion about "why" a second campus and what/who is it for. They need to clarify the grand vision and how this campus 2 and location are part of that, from day 1. Understandably, parents seek full clarity. And yes, ,it's going to be difficult to eventually evolve to a totally diferent location (though Latin OG did it twice). I agree that I would have waited and focused on finding a very big donor coupled with a perfect location, though that wait could be years. Fundraising has never been Latins strong suit unfortunately, attracting the big money (think Bill and Melinda Gates) that they merit. And the money provided to them for start up without a daddy long legs in the background is simply outsized by prices in this city. Still, great school and wish the launch and families luck.

Several large school buildings EOTR have gone to other charters in the past few years. I really don't know why Latin didn't obtain one of them. Perhaps the Latin boosters can tell us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I truly don't understand why creating more space in an open-enrollment middle school that has a proven record of educating kids well and sending them on to success in high school and beyond is "too bad". Why must we always tear down the good things happening educationally in our city?

Because you don't want to understand, to see the forest for the trees. It's too bad that our highest-performing local elementary schools on Capitol Hill lose up to 2/3 of their 4th graders to BASIS because DCPS and the charters aren't aligned on the transition year to middle school. Why must we always accept almost everything DC public schools dishes out passively as parents?

Of the 70 plus 4th graders at Brent this year, we'll probably have 15 or 20 left for 5th grade with the new Latin campus opening. I get why the 4th grade parents go, not why things have to be this way in the big picture. I highly doubt that most of the 4th grade parents would run off if they didn't have to get on the 5th-12th grade train at Latin or BASIS to stay in the city with confidence that their children can get a good public school education after Brent. The Jefferson Academy boosters will jump on shortly, claiming that a fine education can be had at the by-right school, so no need to run. Whatever.

Middle School and Junior High School programs have always been fluid about what is the appropriate grade to transition from elementary. It’s been an ongoing debate in education circles. I think you’ll find that Stuart Hobson also used to start in 5th grade. Our family has found that fishy grade year to be a perfect time to transition to a new educational setting. Something about a 10-11 year old is ready for a bigger intellectual challenge, but also child-like enough to not be jaded and stamped yet with a self-vision of a “good” student or “bad”student. It’s a perfect age to introduce new norms and school culture, and to also take a step up maturity-wise—maybe traveling independently to a school a bit farther from home. On foot, by bike or bus or metro.

It’s really a waste of energy to get caught up in whether these schools start in the year you’d like them to. There’s more at stake, including 8 years of secondary education.

The problem is that given the huge outflux, everyone then plays the lottery. If they get in, then they feel like they have to go, because they don't know 1) who of their classmates might be attending their IB middle school and 2) as 4th grade families they aren't really in a position to evaluate a 6-8 middle school well. They figure, hey, lets try it, if we don't like it we can always go back to your IB school. So lots of kids wind up leaving who might otherwise not have chose to if they had stayed until 5th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I truly don't understand why creating more space in an open-enrollment middle school that has a proven record of educating kids well and sending them on to success in high school and beyond is "too bad". Why must we always tear down the good things happening educationally in our city?

Because you don't want to understand, to see the forest for the trees. It's too bad that our highest-performing local elementary schools on Capitol Hill lose up to 2/3 of their 4th graders to BASIS because DCPS and the charters aren't aligned on the transition year to middle school. Why must we always accept almost everything DC public schools dishes out passively as parents?

Of the 70 plus 4th graders at Brent this year, we'll probably have 15 or 20 left for 5th grade with the new Latin campus opening. I get why the 4th grade parents go, not why things have to be this way in the big picture. I highly doubt that most of the 4th grade parents would run off if they didn't have to get on the 5th-12th grade train at Latin or BASIS to stay in the city with confidence that their children can get a good public school education after Brent. The Jefferson Academy boosters will jump on shortly, claiming that a fine education can be had at the by-right school, so no need to run. Whatever.

Middle School and Junior High School programs have always been fluid about what is the appropriate grade to transition from elementary. It’s been an ongoing debate in education circles. I think you’ll find that Stuart Hobson also used to start in 5th grade. Our family has found that fishy grade year to be a perfect time to transition to a new educational setting. Something about a 10-11 year old is ready for a bigger intellectual challenge, but also child-like enough to not be jaded and stamped yet with a self-vision of a “good” student or “bad”student. It’s a perfect age to introduce new norms and school culture, and to also take a step up maturity-wise—maybe traveling independently to a school a bit farther from home. On foot, by bike or bus or metro.

It’s really a waste of energy to get caught up in whether these schools start in the year you’d like them to. There’s more at stake, including 8 years of secondary education.

The problem is that given the huge outflux, everyone then plays the lottery. If they get in, then they feel like they have to go, because they don't know 1) who of their classmates might be attending their IB middle school and 2) as 4th grade families they aren't really in a position to evaluate a 6-8 middle school well. They figure, hey, lets try it, if we don't like it we can always go back to your IB school. So lots of kids wind up leaving who might otherwise not have chose to if they had stayed until 5th.

We are one of those families. We would prefer to stay at our elementary for 5th but we don’t really have a choice, do we?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I truly don't understand why creating more space in an open-enrollment middle school that has a proven record of educating kids well and sending them on to success in high school and beyond is "too bad". Why must we always tear down the good things happening educationally in our city?

Because you don't want to understand, to see the forest for the trees. It's too bad that our highest-performing local elementary schools on Capitol Hill lose up to 2/3 of their 4th graders to BASIS because DCPS and the charters aren't aligned on the transition year to middle school. Why must we always accept almost everything DC public schools dishes out passively as parents?

Of the 70 plus 4th graders at Brent this year, we'll probably have 15 or 20 left for 5th grade with the new Latin campus opening. I get why the 4th grade parents go, not why things have to be this way in the big picture. I highly doubt that most of the 4th grade parents would run off if they didn't have to get on the 5th-12th grade train at Latin or BASIS to stay in the city with confidence that their children can get a good public school education after Brent. The Jefferson Academy boosters will jump on shortly, claiming that a fine education can be had at the by-right school, so no need to run. Whatever.

Middle School and Junior High School programs have always been fluid about what is the appropriate grade to transition from elementary. It’s been an ongoing debate in education circles. I think you’ll find that Stuart Hobson also used to start in 5th grade. Our family has found that fishy grade year to be a perfect time to transition to a new educational setting. Something about a 10-11 year old is ready for a bigger intellectual challenge, but also child-like enough to not be jaded and stamped yet with a self-vision of a “good” student or “bad”student. It’s a perfect age to introduce new norms and school culture, and to also take a step up maturity-wise—maybe traveling independently to a school a bit farther from home. On foot, by bike or bus or metro.

It’s really a waste of energy to get caught up in whether these schools start in the year you’d like them to. There’s more at stake, including 8 years of secondary education.

The problem is that given the huge outflux, everyone then plays the lottery. If they get in, then they feel like they have to go, because they don't know 1) who of their classmates might be attending their IB middle school and 2) as 4th grade families they aren't really in a position to evaluate a 6-8 middle school well. They figure, hey, lets try it, if we don't like it we can always go back to your IB school. So lots of kids wind up leaving who might otherwise not have chose to if they had stayed until 5th.

We are one of those families. We would prefer to stay at our elementary for 5th but we don’t really have a choice, do we?

Right, because you feel like you have to play the lottery because everyone else. If B/L started in 6th, then families could make a choice between this middle school or that one. But not when the choices are scattered among years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You get to decide which causes you devote your energy to. Please let others do the same.

However you slice it, it's a real drag that most of the parents with children in the majority UMC DCPS Hill elementary programs feel they can't afford to stay for 5th grade when many would clearly like to. This certainly isn't the story in Upper NW, where Deal appeals to most in-boundary families.

One set of public school opportunities WotP and a diminished set EotP for taxpayers in the same tax brackets.

THIS

But would Deal have happened if parents didn’t all keep their IB kids in DCPS? So many good private schools west of the park. . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our child was in one of the initial years of Latin (and graduated). Questions are valid. It was a rocky start, and I am not clear what the model is with raising at risk preference or who will go to which campus. It will certainly have some growing pains and I would ask questions as a parent. It's disappointing (but also completely unrealistic) to not begin in a shiny new building, as the fight for appropriate space by charters in DC is real. DC government notoriously violated first release of excess school buildings for many years (selling them to developers) and any other properties will have very high price tags if welll located (by transport etc) and safe. I also completely understand wanting to be close initially to school 1 to launch, as perhaps there will be some shared staff etc. However, I do think it is adding to confusion about "why" a second campus and what/who is it for. They need to clarify the grand vision and how this campus 2 and location are part of that, from day 1. Understandably, parents seek full clarity. And yes, ,it's going to be difficult to eventually evolve to a totally diferent location (though Latin OG did it twice). I agree that I would have waited and focused on finding a very big donor coupled with a perfect location, though that wait could be years. Fundraising has never been Latins strong suit unfortunately, attracting the big money (think Bill and Melinda Gates) that they merit. And the money provided to them for start up without a daddy long legs in the background is simply outsized by prices in this city. Still, great school and wish the launch and families luck.

Several large school buildings EOTR have gone to other charters in the past few years. I really don't know why Latin didn't obtain one of them. Perhaps the Latin boosters can tell us.

Perhaps the other charters outbid them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You get to decide which causes you devote your energy to. Please let others do the same.

However you slice it, it's a real drag that most of the parents with children in the majority UMC DCPS Hill elementary programs feel they can't afford to stay for 5th grade when many would clearly like to. This certainly isn't the story in Upper NW, where Deal appeals to most in-boundary families.

One set of public school opportunities WotP and a diminished set EotP for taxpayers in the same tax brackets.

THIS

But would Deal have happened if parents didn’t all keep their IB kids in DCPS? So many good private schools west of the park. . .

Yes, so many good private schools charging 30-40K a year...

Deal parents can keep their IB kids in DCPS without sacrificing rigor in the same way EotP parents can, given the interface between demographics WotP and the results of DCPS policies on academic ability grouping at the MS level (just for math and foreign language, and English at Stuart Hobson). Most Deal students test proficient, and around one-third test advanced. This just isn't the case in DCPS middle schools in Wards 5,6,7 and 8.

[Anonymous]

Are there any details anywhere? Number of kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will kids who enroll in the new campus get any kind of preference to lottery for the main campus in subsequent years?

Is the ultimate goal to move across the River?

They are specifically NOT allowing transfers from new campus to current one.

They said for years that they really wanted to be EOTR, but now say they couldn't find a suitable place.

The document they filed with the PCSB seeking approval for the Edgewood location says they hope to stay "near Edgewood" permanently, but that should probably be taken with a big grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will kids who enroll in the new campus get any kind of preference to lottery for the main campus in subsequent years?

Is the ultimate goal to move across the River?

They are specifically NOT allowing transfers from new campus to current one.

They said for years that they really wanted to be EOTR, but now say they couldn't find a suitable place.

The document they filed with the PCSB seeking approval for the Edgewood location says they hope to stay "near Edgewood" permanently, but that should probably be taken with a big grain of salt.

I live in Edgewood and I have no idea where they would find a large enough building to do that. I suppose they could divide their middle and high schools over two campuses, but really I don't know. It might have to be new construction or something they tear down or renovate.

[Anonymous]

The list of excess DCPS buildings is here: https://dme.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dme/publication/attachments/Appendix%20F%20-%20Designations%20of%20DCPS%20Facilities.pdf

I don't see anything large in the Edgewood area. I guess Washington Met (KC Lewis) which is near McMillen could work if they constructed something bigger, but I think DCPS would be foolish to part with a building in a central location like that. Unless there's some secret deal for them to have Spingarn (which I also doubt), I think they'll have to look to privately owned land.

I just don't see how DCPS can justify parting with any of its buildings WOTR, given the increases in enrollment (aside from the pandemic) and the need to serve students for many decades to come.

[Anonymous]

It's congested around that area in the morning especially turning left on 7th street from the bridge. Too industrial too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will kids who enroll in the new campus get any kind of preference to lottery for the main campus in subsequent years?

Is the ultimate goal to move across the River?

They are specifically NOT allowing transfers from new campus to current one.

They said for years that they really wanted to be EOTR, but now say they couldn't find a suitable place.

The document they filed with the PCSB seeking approval for the Edgewood location says they hope to stay "near Edgewood" permanently, but that should probably be taken with a big grain of salt.

This is terrible. Latin should not be allowed to open yet another charter in that area that drains resources from local schools. It will just promote more gentrification of people buying houses there if their kids get in. And it's so hard for ward 7 and 8 kids to get there including all those people looking to have a new middle school at the old banneket. And Brookland middle will lose all.steam. Put it east of the river or don't do it.