Jackson Reed - why do their public presentations not talk about APs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

If advanced students feel like they are secondary citizens in an academic institution, then it's not being done right. We can know that is how DCPS works and still think it is a regrettable failure of the leadership.

Who said they feel like “secondary citizens”? Not me. Quite the contrary—I said kids in advanced classes are supported and have good teachers. In fact, AP classes have the best teachers, and schedules are arranged to accommodate AP classes, especially in 11th and 12 grades.

You have a narrative, and you want it to be true. It isn’t. I don’t know what else to tell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

If advanced students feel like they are secondary citizens in an academic institution, then it's not being done right. We can know that is how DCPS works and still think it is a regrettable failure of the leadership.

“Secondary citizens?” 😂 Oh honey, your butthurt self might need to move to the ‘burbs. Come to think of it, that’s probably where you live. There are plenty of trolls who like to come here to trash JRHS and DCPS. It’s by no means perfect, but damn it seems to be fine enough to get plenty of kids into Ivies and top schools. When you’re equating some slideshow that doesn’t go on and on about AP classes to being treated as “secondary citizens,” you’re really showing more about how sad you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

Agree with this. My kid is a junior and has had no issues getting into AP classes. She’s on track to apply to top 20 schools next fall. What I am most appreciative of is the support she’s had in her academy. This has been key in positioning her for some great college options. I’m a bit confused by this whole thread.

Look, I have no reason to disbelieve you about your child’s experience. What I am saying is that DCPS’s general unwillingness to publicly articulate advancement and challenge as a legitimate goal of school is meaningful. I’m glad you feel your child is accessing what they need; but you must understand that is *only* due to the unspoken acknowledgement that JR parents would not accept getting rid of APs, simply due to your numbers. You can see that DCPS does what it can to chip away at the margins, like “honors for all” in 9th and 10th and the lack of MS honors/accelerated pathways, and the absence of any G&T program. So you are lucky that you are in JR where you have strength in numbers. The rest of us, not so much.

Think about it. If DCPS were to have a tabula rasa today, do you think there is any chance they would allow Walls and Banneker to exist? Or any AP classes?

I hope that the JR AP track continues to exist. But given all the crazy ideas about “equity” these days, you need to be on guard. I fully expect, for example, to have to battle ideas like this: https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2021/11/california-math/

This is a thread about JR. If you want to talk about DCPS’s approach to acceleration and equity, start another thread.

[Anonymous]

It's key to be reminded what AP's are really. They are not so much 'advanced" as they are a standard curriculum that loads a bit more in. Fine, you can say they are rigorours, but every teacher in every school is teaching the same book information. They are the College Board's hedge from less focus on the SAT. A school selling itself should reasonably, I think, be selling what THEY actually do well, not on how many courses they can teach out of a book. It's nice to have as many options as possible, but if I were running a school I would be leading with values and teacher quality, not APs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

Agree with this. My kid is a junior and has had no issues getting into AP classes. She’s on track to apply to top 20 schools next fall. What I am most appreciative of is the support she’s had in her academy. This has been key in positioning her for some great college options. I’m a bit confused by this whole thread.

Look, I have no reason to disbelieve you about your child’s experience. What I am saying is that DCPS’s general unwillingness to publicly articulate advancement and challenge as a legitimate goal of school is meaningful. I’m glad you feel your child is accessing what they need; but you must understand that is *only* due to the unspoken acknowledgement that JR parents would not accept getting rid of APs, simply due to your numbers. You can see that DCPS does what it can to chip away at the margins, like “honors for all” in 9th and 10th and the lack of MS honors/accelerated pathways, and the absence of any G&T program. So you are lucky that you are in JR where you have strength in numbers. The rest of us, not so much.

Think about it. If DCPS were to have a tabula rasa today, do you think there is any chance they would allow Walls and Banneker to exist? Or any AP classes?

I hope that the JR AP track continues to exist. But given all the crazy ideas about “equity” these days, you need to be on guard. I fully expect, for example, to have to battle ideas like this: https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2021/11/california-math/

This is a thread about JR. If you want to talk about DCPS’s approach to acceleration and equity, start another thread.

+1 Thanks PP. I was just coming to say this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

Agree with this. My kid is a junior and has had no issues getting into AP classes. She’s on track to apply to top 20 schools next fall. What I am most appreciative of is the support she’s had in her academy. This has been key in positioning her for some great college options. I’m a bit confused by this whole thread.

Look, I have no reason to disbelieve you about your child’s experience. What I am saying is that DCPS’s general unwillingness to publicly articulate advancement and challenge as a legitimate goal of school is meaningful. I’m glad you feel your child is accessing what they need; but you must understand that is *only* due to the unspoken acknowledgement that JR parents would not accept getting rid of APs, simply due to your numbers. You can see that DCPS does what it can to chip away at the margins, like “honors for all” in 9th and 10th and the lack of MS honors/accelerated pathways, and the absence of any G&T program. So you are lucky that you are in JR where you have strength in numbers. The rest of us, not so much.

Think about it. If DCPS were to have a tabula rasa today, do you think there is any chance they would allow Walls and Banneker to exist? Or any AP classes?

I hope that the JR AP track continues to exist. But given all the crazy ideas about “equity” these days, you need to be on guard. I fully expect, for example, to have to battle ideas like this: https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2021/11/california-math/

It will be telling to see what happens at Macarthur. The principal sounds sane, but his Instructional Superintendent was the creator of "honors for all" when at J-R. Will she impose the same nonsense on Macarthur?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

If advanced students feel like they are secondary citizens in an academic institution, then it's not being done right. We can know that is how DCPS works and still think it is a regrettable failure of the leadership.

Who said they feel like “secondary citizens”? Not me. Quite the contrary—I said kids in advanced classes are supported and have good teachers. In fact, AP classes have the best teachers, and schedules are arranged to accommodate AP classes, especially in 11th and 12 grades.

You have a narrative, and you want it to be true. It isn’t. I don’t know what else to tell you.

I speak from the experience of my two DCs in DCPS. Their teachers have been fine -- some excellent -- but they have never received the attention of admin, even when it was needed and sought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

Agree with this. My kid is a junior and has had no issues getting into AP classes. She’s on track to apply to top 20 schools next fall. What I am most appreciative of is the support she’s had in her academy. This has been key in positioning her for some great college options. I’m a bit confused by this whole thread.

Look, I have no reason to disbelieve you about your child’s experience. What I am saying is that DCPS’s general unwillingness to publicly articulate advancement and challenge as a legitimate goal of school is meaningful. I’m glad you feel your child is accessing what they need; but you must understand that is *only* due to the unspoken acknowledgement that JR parents would not accept getting rid of APs, simply due to your numbers. You can see that DCPS does what it can to chip away at the margins, like “honors for all” in 9th and 10th and the lack of MS honors/accelerated pathways, and the absence of any G&T program. So you are lucky that you are in JR where you have strength in numbers. The rest of us, not so much.

Think about it. If DCPS were to have a tabula rasa today, do you think there is any chance they would allow Walls and Banneker to exist? Or any AP classes?

I hope that the JR AP track continues to exist. But given all the crazy ideas about “equity” these days, you need to be on guard. I fully expect, for example, to have to battle ideas like this: https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2021/11/california-math/

This is a thread about JR. If you want to talk about DCPS’s approach to acceleration and equity, start another thread.

+1 Thanks PP. I was just coming to say this.

My comment was very much about JR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

If advanced students feel like they are secondary citizens in an academic institution, then it's not being done right. We can know that is how DCPS works and still think it is a regrettable failure of the leadership.

Who said they feel like “secondary citizens”? Not me. Quite the contrary—I said kids in advanced classes are supported and have good teachers. In fact, AP classes have the best teachers, and schedules are arranged to accommodate AP classes, especially in 11th and 12 grades.

You have a narrative, and you want it to be true. It isn’t. I don’t know what else to tell you.

I speak from the experience of my two DCs in DCPS. Their teachers have been fine -- some excellent -- but they have never received the attention of admin, even when it was needed and sought.

I’m wondering if the PSAT debacle at JR from last year would ever happen in MCPS. How did it go this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:Thank you. This is helpful. What I don't get is why kids have to talk among themselves and figure it out (and I assume with help from college educated parents and college consultants.) It just seems there's a lack of the administration, staff, to guide the effort and keeping an eye on the selective college landscape.

You must be prepared to guide your child if APs are your concern. The school does not have counselors who guide kids through. They answer questions when asked and help when issues arrive, but they don’t have time to guide.

There are over 2 dozen APs offered. Human geography, psych, Econ, calc (if your child enters 9th in pre calc, CS principals for kids at that level, and a few others are available in 10th. The school does not offer AP world history. At 11th and 12th grade all core classes can be AP, and then depending on the level your child is at, things like stats, CS, env science, language, AP Art are all available. The top 10 kids in each grade usually graduate with 10-14 or so APs. Taking 8 in a year is never recommended by anyone there (or annywhere) and honestly overkill and an intense amount of unnecessary stress.

Has this changed dramatically in the past couple of years? My DS wasn’t in the top 20% of the class and graduated with 10 APs (and all 4s and 5s). My sense is that was pretty universal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:I find that it's not just with school staff that consider you "over the top" when you ask about academics with an eye towards what's needed for selective colleges. I find many parents are like that as well. Or, they're willing to talk to you one on one, but not with others in group. It's as if as soon as you want to be open about shooting for highly selective colleges, you must be an elistist, or racist, or not "cool and liberal" or an overbearing parent.

yes, I have found this as well (but still just at MS level). the party line is supposed to be “my child will be FINE wherever they go to school!” Meanwhile there are many MC black parents in DC who are keenly interested in academics.

(and FWIW I don’t even aspire to an elite college for my particular kid - I just want him to be challenged and learn. Apparently I am supposed to only have the type of kid who doesn’t need actual teaching and structure to learn.)

There is teaching and structure at JR. There just isn’t much (any) parent hand-holding.

How is it parent hand-holding to provide clear information about AP classes? What it really suggests is that it’s not supposed to be part of JR’s mission to facilitate advanced classes. It’s not about some notion of kids being independent. It’s a clear message that while JR knows it has to continue offering AP classes in some capacity, it is not going to do an iota of work to support them beyond the minimum.

Look, I have kids at the school. They take advanced classes. They are supported. Their teachers are good.

Your perception is that because the administration isn’t focusing on advanced classes in mass meetings that means they don’t care about advanced classes. I can say, as a parent with students there, that that’s categorically not true.

I understand that it’s frustrating not to get exactly the information you want exactly when you want it. I’d recommend sending Principal Brown an email with your questions; I’ve found him to be quite responsive.

If advanced students feel like they are secondary citizens in an academic institution, then it's not being done right. We can know that is how DCPS works and still think it is a regrettable failure of the leadership.

Who said they feel like “secondary citizens”? Not me. Quite the contrary—I said kids in advanced classes are supported and have good teachers. In fact, AP classes have the best teachers, and schedules are arranged to accommodate AP classes, especially in 11th and 12 grades.

You have a narrative, and you want it to be true. It isn’t. I don’t know what else to tell you.

I speak from the experience of my two DCs in DCPS. Their teachers have been fine -- some excellent -- but they have never received the attention of admin, even when it was needed and sought.

Is this at JR? That’s the topic of this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:Thank you. This is helpful. What I don't get is why kids have to talk among themselves and figure it out (and I assume with help from college educated parents and college consultants.) It just seems there's a lack of the administration, staff, to guide the effort and keeping an eye on the selective college landscape.

You must be prepared to guide your child if APs are your concern. The school does not have counselors who guide kids through. They answer questions when asked and help when issues arrive, but they don’t have time to guide.

There are over 2 dozen APs offered. Human geography, psych, Econ, calc (if your child enters 9th in pre calc, CS principals for kids at that level, and a few others are available in 10th. The school does not offer AP world history. At 11th and 12th grade all core classes can be AP, and then depending on the level your child is at, things like stats, CS, env science, language, AP Art are all available. The top 10 kids in each grade usually graduate with 10-14 or so APs. Taking 8 in a year is never recommended by anyone there (or annywhere) and honestly overkill and an intense amount of unnecessary stress.

Has this changed dramatically in the past couple of years? My DS wasn’t in the top 20% of the class and graduated with 10 APs (and all 4s and 5s). My sense is that was pretty universal.

DP here, and I agree. My kid is in the top 10% (which means top 50 students), and I think 10 APs is pretty normal for that group. The breakpoint is probably more like 12-14 for the kids on track to take calc in 11th, because they are also better positioned to take both AP Physics C classes. One of my kids will take calc in 12th and is taking 4 APs in 11th (1 in 10th, 5 in 12th). Kids taking calc and both physics C classes in 11th tend to have 6 APs that year (7 if they also accelerate to take AP foreign language in 11th). That’s maybe 15 kids, as most of the 11th grade calc kids do AP Physics 1 in 11th.

[Transplant_1]

My child is at Deal, and one thing I notice, is that non-consistency, confusion, lack of communication / clarity, is often explained away with "students need to learn to self-advocated and organize." I don't deny they need to learn this, and would have to in any public school. But it seems just too much. It seems there just aren't enough rescources to create clarity, consistency, etc. Just look at the difference between the website of JR and a high school in MoCo, Fairfax, Arlington. Also, I find, that as a parent, if you are trying to support your child -- either with organization, trying to help them develop montivation for challenge, etc -- the lack of communication/clarity puts you as the parent in a difficult position with nothing to "hold onto" to "grab onto." And this is not about being an overbearing parent, or about letting the kids figure it out or self-advocate. This is about, parents guiding children about the importance of school, until they are at the point of really understanding it themselves. For example, if I let my children "guide themselves" - they would eat sugary junk all day. Same thing with school - if I let my child guide themselves, they would try to do as little as possble. This is where I find the biggest difficult with DCPS's under resource, under communciation, under organization. That as a parent -- no matter what color - if you want to support your child until they can do it on their own, it is very very hard.

[Anonymous]

Transplant_1 wrote:My child is at Deal, and one thing I notice, is that non-consistency, confusion, lack of communication / clarity, is often explained away with "students need to learn to self-advocated and organize." I don't deny they need to learn this, and would have to in any public school. But it seems just too much. It seems there just aren't enough rescources to create clarity, consistency, etc. Just look at the difference between the website of JR and a high school in MoCo, Fairfax, Arlington. Also, I find, that as a parent, if you are trying to support your child -- either with organization, trying to help them develop montivation for challenge, etc -- the lack of communication/clarity puts you as the parent in a difficult position with nothing to "hold onto" to "grab onto." And this is not about being an overbearing parent, or about letting the kids figure it out or self-advocate. This is about, parents guiding children about the importance of school, until they are at the point of really understanding it themselves. For example, if I let my children "guide themselves" - they would eat sugary junk all day. Same thing with school - if I let my child guide themselves, they would try to do as little as possble. This is where I find the biggest difficult with DCPS's under resource, under communciation, under organization. That as a parent -- no matter what color - if you want to support your child until they can do it on their own, it is very very hard.

My parents (who were very involved in my life overall) were not at all involved in my HS decisions. They had no input into the classes I selected, and they interacted with the school only via back to school night/teacher conferences. There were no parent orientation sessions. If I wanted or needed their help, I’d talk with them. I made good decisions, got into a top college.

I just think parental expectations of involvement are skewed. Kids are capable of registering for classes themselves at 14. And JR limits their options for 9th grade in ways that are age-appropriate, so that they can make these decisions for themselves. They introduce a few AP options in 10th grade to ease them in. Then in 11th grade they have a lot more freedom. It’s actually thoughtful and appropriate—it’s just not what you want. Your complaint is about how you’re involved, and I think JR would say that you don’t really need to be deeply involved.

[Anonymous]

Transplant_1 wrote:My child is at Deal, and one thing I notice, is that non-consistency, confusion, lack of communication / clarity, is often explained away with "students need to learn to self-advocated and organize." I don't deny they need to learn this, and would have to in any public school. But it seems just too much. It seems there just aren't enough rescources to create clarity, consistency, etc. Just look at the difference between the website of JR and a high school in MoCo, Fairfax, Arlington. Also, I find, that as a parent, if you are trying to support your child -- either with organization, trying to help them develop montivation for challenge, etc -- the lack of communication/clarity puts you as the parent in a difficult position with nothing to "hold onto" to "grab onto." And this is not about being an overbearing parent, or about letting the kids figure it out or self-advocate. This is about, parents guiding children about the importance of school, until they are at the point of really understanding it themselves. For example, if I let my children "guide themselves" - they would eat sugary junk all day. Same thing with school - if I let my child guide themselves, they would try to do as little as possble. This is where I find the biggest difficult with DCPS's under resource, under communciation, under organization. That as a parent -- no matter what color - if you want to support your child until they can do it on their own, it is very very hard.

My youngest is an 8th grader at Deal. Oldest kid went to Deal but is in 10th grade now. I really have no idea what you are talking about. I don’t need a website to tell my kids school is important. If your kid lacks intrinsic motivation, it is likely because they have had heavy external motivation, which stops working as they enter the teenage years.