Leaving Lowell early

[Anonymous]

Hehe about mass exodus. Every school everywhere had a lot of people leave during the first year of the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

Some very few, like the dance teacher, retired. Most just left. Some likely for good reasons, others probably due to the toxic work environment. There are many long-time teachers and administrators who have left in the recent past who were no where near retirement age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

I think posters are giving exactly what the OP asked for and the whole purpose of DCUM. People ask for feedback on topics which obviously come from someone's own experiences and opinions. Everyone should make their own but the posters are providing theirs. Their opinions don't require validation from you or anyone else.

[Anonymous]

In my middle-primary school child's grade, one child left between last year and this year to attend a religious school. I know of one teacher who left during the pandemic and came back after moving away for short-term for family reasons. I do think there was a lot of churn during the pandemic, but it was at least the same if not worse at our neighborhood DCPS. I think things have settled now and my kids are happy there.

[Anonymous]

My DD has been at Lowell for the long haul, and it has been extraordinary for her. Year in and year out, she jumps out of the car in the morning and I have to drag her back into it when I pick her up. The curriculum has been amazing. The social emotional support has been wonderful. Have there been some issues that haven't entirely agreed with. For sure; goes without saying. Lowell is not for everyone, or course: if you want status and only high achievers (there are lots of those at Lowell), perhaps you consider somewhere else. But the vitriol here is, in my view, misplaced. I also think it's definitely a minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very common. Like others have said kids, faculty and admin keep leaving left and right from pandemic onward including lower school head who weirdly left after only one year, assistant lower school head, DEI coordinator, athletic director, development director & a lot of teachers who were at the school forever. The HoS keeps saying that "the hallmark of a great school is when its best people leave for other or better schools" but that's absurd and people know it. Academics are a joke and not getting any better and it's showing in out-placement numbers.

A few folks in this thread clearly have an axe to grind, or maybe the fit wasn't good for them at Lowell, or was good at a point in their child's life but then not in later grades. It happens.

I would just say, as someone currently in the middle school, not all the information being shared here is accurate.

Enrollment numbers have never been higher in the middle school; our 8th grade class has gained students every year. Kids that have left have moved out of the area; not one person in our class left in middle school for another DC area school. It's a great group of teachers, kids and families and we feel lucky to be a part of this community.

And outplacements from our class were very strong. Every family wants something different for their children, and in our class, those with a high academic focus did well in those schools (3 going to Sidwell, folks also going to Maret and GDS and the MCPS IB and CAP magnets). Plenty of Burke and SSFS and Field families for those wanting more progressive or nurturing environments, etc.

I know some folks think schools should have been open sooner during COVID but Lowell struck the right balance for us. Our kid was back in school by November of that school year. I think lower grades came back even sooner. I know there were some challenges with one particular class due to staffing health issues.

So again, that's not to say everything is perfect and for sure we had to say goodbye to a couple of beloved teachers. But honestly, the pandemic has caused a lot of churn for everyone in every industry.

Hope folks find an environment that works for their child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

It’s great you have had a good experience, we did not, particularly with the parent community. As much as Lowell says it celebrates differences, that just isn’t the case. If you don’t tote the party line, it’s not pretty. We are a liberal leaning family and parents simultaneously putting signs out “follow the science” while doing anything but was extremely off-putting. That example was obviously from COVID but permeates throughout. Parents say they are open-minded but really aren’t but are so arrogant in believing they are, it’s nauseating. We witnessed poor administration and teachers vocally unhappy. But different schools for different folks. No school is perfect but the negatives for us at Lowell did not outweigh the positives. Lowell may be the school for you don’t try and diminish other’s experiences because they don’t fit your own. You are welcome to voice your positive experiences just as much as others are their negative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

It’s great you have had a good experience, we did not, particularly with the parent community. As much as Lowell says it celebrates differences, that just isn’t the case. If you don’t tote the party line, it’s not pretty. We are a liberal leaning family and parents simultaneously putting signs out “follow the science” while doing anything but was extremely off-putting. That example was obviously from COVID but permeates throughout. Parents say they are open-minded but really aren’t but are so arrogant in believing they are, it’s nauseating. We witnessed poor administration and teachers vocally unhappy. But different schools for different folks. No school is perfect but the negatives for us at Lowell did not outweigh the positives. Lowell may be the school for you don’t try and diminish other’s experiences because they don’t fit your own. You are welcome to voice your positive experiences just as much as others are their negative.

Are you saying Lowell did not follow the science during COVID? They were a touch more conservative than other schools, very much following the science. Ant that science dictates that as cases are rising, you make adjustments. When many other schools suddenly shut down because of outbreaks, Lowell was not required because they didn’t meet the minimum to be considered an outbreak.

There is always a balance, which means there are schools and people on either side. With immunocompromised students, faculty, and families in the mix, Lowell chose to consider options for protecting the more vulnerable, while also ensuring children weren’t missing in person classes, nor significant social learning due to prolonged mask requirements.

I am a mother at Lowell, and I have great respect both for thr Head of School and for the results of the policies she implemented that kept our numbers low, and dramatically kept any school wide spread down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

It’s great you have had a good experience, we did not, particularly with the parent community. As much as Lowell says it celebrates differences, that just isn’t the case. If you don’t tote the party line, it’s not pretty. We are a liberal leaning family and parents simultaneously putting signs out “follow the science” while doing anything but was extremely off-putting. That example was obviously from COVID but permeates throughout. Parents say they are open-minded but really aren’t but are so arrogant in believing they are, it’s nauseating. We witnessed poor administration and teachers vocally unhappy. But different schools for different folks. No school is perfect but the negatives for us at Lowell did not outweigh the positives. Lowell may be the school for you don’t try and diminish other’s experiences because they don’t fit your own. You are welcome to voice your positive experiences just as much as others are their negative.

Are you saying Lowell did not follow the science during COVID? They were a touch more conservative than other schools, very much following the science. Ant that science dictates that as cases are rising, you make adjustments. When many other schools suddenly shut down because of outbreaks, Lowell was not required because they didn’t meet the minimum to be considered an outbreak.

There is always a balance, which means there are schools and people on either side. With immunocompromised students, faculty, and families in the mix, Lowell chose to consider options for protecting the more vulnerable, while also ensuring children weren’t missing in person classes, nor significant social learning due to prolonged mask requirements.

I am a mother at Lowell, and I have great respect both for thr Head of School and for the results of the policies she implemented that kept our numbers low, and dramatically kept any school wide spread down.

Hahahaha! I’m sorry, I have to outright laugh at the no prolonged mask requirements! Lowell had children wearing masks outside as late as last year. To the point many healthy children feared not wearing masks and it absolutely negatively affected them. That’s an entirely different topic though and we can agree to disagree but we have very different views on what prolonged mask-wearing entails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

It’s great you have had a good experience, we did not, particularly with the parent community. As much as Lowell says it celebrates differences, that just isn’t the case. If you don’t tote the party line, it’s not pretty. We are a liberal leaning family and parents simultaneously putting signs out “follow the science” while doing anything but was extremely off-putting. That example was obviously from COVID but permeates throughout. Parents say they are open-minded but really aren’t but are so arrogant in believing they are, it’s nauseating. We witnessed poor administration and teachers vocally unhappy. But different schools for different folks. No school is perfect but the negatives for us at Lowell did not outweigh the positives. Lowell may be the school for you don’t try and diminish other’s experiences because they don’t fit your own. You are welcome to voice your positive experiences just as much as others are their negative.

Are you saying Lowell did not follow the science during COVID? They were a touch more conservative than other schools, very much following the science. Ant that science dictates that as cases are rising, you make adjustments. When many other schools suddenly shut down because of outbreaks, Lowell was not required because they didn’t meet the minimum to be considered an outbreak.

There is always a balance, which means there are schools and people on either side. With immunocompromised students, faculty, and families in the mix, Lowell chose to consider options for protecting the more vulnerable, while also ensuring children weren’t missing in person classes, nor significant social learning due to prolonged mask requirements.

I am a mother at Lowell, and I have great respect both for thr Head of School and for the results of the policies she implemented that kept our numbers low, and dramatically kept any school wide spread down.

Hahahaha! I’m sorry, I have to outright laugh at the no prolonged mask requirements! Lowell had children wearing masks outside as late as last year. To the point many healthy children feared not wearing masks and it absolutely negatively affected them. That’s an entirely different topic though and we can agree to disagree but we have very different views on what prolonged mask-wearing entails.

*as late as this school year- last calendar year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is silly. The “longtime Lowell teachers” didn’t leave - they retired (and good for them). The head of primary school didn’t leave after one year - she was named interim head for a year, because she planned and then did move to the west coast. Attrition rates are low and what you would expect — a few kids leave from 5th to 6th because they get into top K-12s and their families don’t want to risk waiting for HS to apply, maybe 1 will depart for public school, and that’s it. Plus more kids join in 6th, which is nice because the cohorts could use some new personalities by then to mix things up.

Always amazes me how much people on here like to create drama when what the OP seeks is just basic information.

It’s great you have had a good experience, we did not, particularly with the parent community. As much as Lowell says it celebrates differences, that just isn’t the case. If you don’t tote the party line, it’s not pretty. We are a liberal leaning family and parents simultaneously putting signs out “follow the science” while doing anything but was extremely off-putting. That example was obviously from COVID but permeates throughout. Parents say they are open-minded but really aren’t but are so arrogant in believing they are, it’s nauseating. We witnessed poor administration and teachers vocally unhappy. But different schools for different folks. No school is perfect but the negatives for us at Lowell did not outweigh the positives. Lowell may be the school for you don’t try and diminish other’s experiences because they don’t fit your own. You are welcome to voice your positive experiences just as much as others are their negative.

Are you saying Lowell did not follow the science during COVID? They were a touch more conservative than other schools, very much following the science. Ant that science dictates that as cases are rising, you make adjustments. When many other schools suddenly shut down because of outbreaks, Lowell was not required because they didn’t meet the minimum to be considered an outbreak.

There is always a balance, which means there are schools and people on either side. With immunocompromised students, faculty, and families in the mix, Lowell chose to consider options for protecting the more vulnerable, while also ensuring children weren’t missing in person classes, nor significant social learning due to prolonged mask requirements.

I am a mother at Lowell, and I have great respect both for thr Head of School and for the results of the policies she implemented that kept our numbers low, and dramatically kept any school wide spread down.

Hahahaha! I’m sorry, I have to outright laugh at the no prolonged mask requirements! Lowell had children wearing masks outside as late as last year. To the point many healthy children feared not wearing masks and it absolutely negatively affected them. That’s an entirely different topic though and we can agree to disagree but we have very different views on what prolonged mask-wearing entails.

This is just not true. Are you a current parent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what percentage of children who come into the Pre-Primary program at Lowell transfer out before 8th grade? What are the most common reasons for leaving? Where do these students tend to go (e.g., public, private, K-12, etc.)? And what grades are likeliest to see departures (e.g., K, 4, 7, etc.)?

Many students are leaving this year- especially from the primary division. Administration has been weak with consequences to stop bullying and harassment. I’m a current parent and would have left if my child was accepted to other privates. I might still put DC in public. I have a few more days to decide. The school is struggling financially and I’m sure they don’t want to upset full paying families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what percentage of children who come into the Pre-Primary program at Lowell transfer out before 8th grade? What are the most common reasons for leaving? Where do these students tend to go (e.g., public, private, K-12, etc.)? And what grades are likeliest to see departures (e.g., K, 4, 7, etc.)?

Many students are leaving this year- especially from the primary division. Administration has been weak with consequences to stop bullying and harassment. I’m a current parent and would have left if my child was accepted to other privates. I might still put DC in public. I have a few more days to decide. The school is struggling financially and I’m sure they don’t want to upset full paying families.

It’s not just primary. I’m a MS parent and there are also bullying and harassment issues here and have been for awhile. Like you say, admin does very little about it beyond telling kids to stop spreading rumors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what percentage of children who come into the Pre-Primary program at Lowell transfer out before 8th grade? What are the most common reasons for leaving? Where do these students tend to go (e.g., public, private, K-12, etc.)? And what grades are likeliest to see departures (e.g., K, 4, 7, etc.)?

Many students are leaving this year- especially from the primary division. Administration has been weak with consequences to stop bullying and harassment. I’m a current parent and would have left if my child was accepted to other privates. I might still put DC in public. I have a few more days to decide. The school is struggling financially and I’m sure they don’t want to upset full paying families.

We are in another K through 8 and 50% left by six grade to other schools.