Creative Minds feedback

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where did you get in, OP?

OP here. We got offered a spot at Bethune. I had asked for feedback previously about that school, which was mostly positive, but I don’t love the space (they’re looking for a new space and will move soon) and heard about the recent turnover. Our inbound is Truesdell.

I would take Bethune over CMI, especially if Spanish is important to you. You will definitely be able to lottery into a Spanish immersion school in kindergarten.

My child went to both schools, we left Bethune for CMI and then left CMI. I would choose Bethune if you have any interest in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

In 2008 Dc started offering free prek, With universal free pre-k where was more incentive to stay in the city for longer. DC then had a huge Baby boom (especially in the greater petworth area) where you could still easily afford a 3+ bedroom row house in the 2010s. - but a lot of the DCPS elementary schools, at that time, weren't really considered (by Upper Middle Class) a place you would be willing to send your 3 year old -- (Powell hadn't renovated, John lewis, formally West hadn't renovated, poor test schools etc) .. so charters Boomed. CMI opening in 2012 was the perfect timing for all of those upper middle class families, that would never send their kid to DCPS, but would happily all go to CMI's private school like campus for free. Now, 11 years later.. DCPS has improved greatly, way more better charters have opened, there are early education campuses (like military), and tons of daycares that offer free prek ..... there is literally no good reason to go CMI unless you lose the lottery.

[Anonymous]

But why did CMI not keep up with "better" charters? I understand some people want language immersion, but what about ITS, TR, ELHaynes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But why did CMI not keep up with "better" charters? I understand some people want language immersion, but what about ITS, TR, ELHaynes?

TR has had many of the same issues as CMI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But why did CMI not keep up with "better" charters? I understand some people want language immersion, but what about ITS, TR, ELHaynes?

TR has had many of the same issues as CMI.

EL haynes definitely has as well -- but they have 1. a year round schedule 2. a better location for a lot of petworth families and 3. a high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But why did CMI not keep up with "better" charters? I understand some people want language immersion, but what about ITS, TR, ELHaynes?

TR has had many of the same issues as CMI.

EL haynes definitely has as well -- but they have 1. a year round schedule 2. a better location for a lot of petworth families and 3. a high school

Covid killed the year round schedule at Haynes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

In 2008 Dc started offering free prek, With universal free pre-k where was more incentive to stay in the city for longer. DC then had a huge Baby boom (especially in the greater petworth area) where you could still easily afford a 3+ bedroom row house in the 2010s. - but a lot of the DCPS elementary schools, at that time, weren't really considered (by Upper Middle Class) a place you would be willing to send your 3 year old -- (Powell hadn't renovated, John lewis, formally West hadn't renovated, poor test schools etc) .. so charters Boomed. CMI opening in 2012 was the perfect timing for all of those upper middle class families, that would never send their kid to DCPS, but would happily all go to CMI's private school like campus for free. Now, 11 years later.. DCPS has improved greatly, way more better charters have opened, there are early education campuses (like military), and tons of daycares that offer free prek ..... there is literally no good reason to go CMI unless you lose the lottery.

Spot on.

Unfortunate even with the DCPS improvements and other better charters, that area (and most of the city) still have the feeder concerns.

Maybe that can be fixed with Wells for that part of the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

In 2008 Dc started offering free prek, With universal free pre-k where was more incentive to stay in the city for longer. DC then had a huge Baby boom (especially in the greater petworth area) where you could still easily afford a 3+ bedroom row house in the 2010s. - but a lot of the DCPS elementary schools, at that time, weren't really considered (by Upper Middle Class) a place you would be willing to send your 3 year old -- (Powell hadn't renovated, John lewis, formally West hadn't renovated, poor test schools etc) .. so charters Boomed. CMI opening in 2012 was the perfect timing for all of those upper middle class families, that would never send their kid to DCPS, but would happily all go to CMI's private school like campus for free. Now, 11 years later.. DCPS has improved greatly, way more better charters have opened, there are early education campuses (like military), and tons of daycares that offer free prek ..... there is literally no good reason to go CMI unless you lose the lottery.

Spot on.

Unfortunate even with the DCPS improvements and other better charters, that area (and most of the city) still have the feeder concerns.

Maybe that can be fixed with Wells for that part of the city?

I'm super unclear on why CMI isn't one of those "better charters"-- I would think having a few years' head start would be an advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

In 2008 Dc started offering free prek, With universal free pre-k where was more incentive to stay in the city for longer. DC then had a huge Baby boom (especially in the greater petworth area) where you could still easily afford a 3+ bedroom row house in the 2010s. - but a lot of the DCPS elementary schools, at that time, weren't really considered (by Upper Middle Class) a place you would be willing to send your 3 year old -- (Powell hadn't renovated, John lewis, formally West hadn't renovated, poor test schools etc) .. so charters Boomed. CMI opening in 2012 was the perfect timing for all of those upper middle class families, that would never send their kid to DCPS, but would happily all go to CMI's private school like campus for free. Now, 11 years later.. DCPS has improved greatly, way more better charters have opened, there are early education campuses (like military), and tons of daycares that offer free prek ..... there is literally no good reason to go CMI unless you lose the lottery.

Spot on.

Unfortunate even with the DCPS improvements and other better charters, that area (and most of the city) still have the feeder concerns.

Maybe that can be fixed with Wells for that part of the city?

I'm super unclear on why CMI isn't one of those "better charters"-- I would think having a few years' head start would be an advantage.

I look at it as re-enrollment numbers and if parents stay at the “better” charter through higher grades before they strategize about middle/high versus leaving a CMI in 1st grade.

To be fair, I only know what the numbers say. Inside CMIs walls it could be a great atmosphere and the parents who go panic more than others about feeder? No clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello! We have a very low WL number for prek3 at Creative Minds and would love some feedback. The location is good for us and like that it seems safe. Test scores are not great and I read here about over enrollment, plus there’s no HS feeder. We’d love Spanish immersion, but that didn’t pan out with our lottery numbers. Is this yet another school where upper middle class kids go for a few years and then bail when academics and behavior issues become an issue? I don’t think we will get off the waitlist anywhere else. Thoughts from parents whose kids attend? TIA!

Yup.

Tell us what your other options are and we can help you assess your chances.

If you really want Spanish, perhaps Bethune could work.

+1 People seem to speak highly of Bethune 16th st. Also, you can definitely get an immersion seat in K. A lot more seats open then.

I think CM is fine for PreK.

+2. Bethune 16th St, then LAMB, DCB, or Stokes if you get a good lottery number. MV, Powell, or Bruce Monroe if the lottery gods don’t come through (or if you prefer one of those schools).

Not good options option if OP cares about middle school. She might as well move sooner rather than later.

That's an uninspired take to the parents of a rising PK. McFarland will no doubt be an option seven years from now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

In 2008 Dc started offering free prek, With universal free pre-k where was more incentive to stay in the city for longer. DC then had a huge Baby boom (especially in the greater petworth area) where you could still easily afford a 3+ bedroom row house in the 2010s. - but a lot of the DCPS elementary schools, at that time, weren't really considered (by Upper Middle Class) a place you would be willing to send your 3 year old -- (Powell hadn't renovated, John lewis, formally West hadn't renovated, poor test schools etc) .. so charters Boomed. CMI opening in 2012 was the perfect timing for all of those upper middle class families, that would never send their kid to DCPS, but would happily all go to CMI's private school like campus for free. Now, 11 years later.. DCPS has improved greatly, way more better charters have opened, there are early education campuses (like military), and tons of daycares that offer free prek ..... there is literally no good reason to go CMI unless you lose the lottery.

Spot on.

Unfortunate even with the DCPS improvements and other better charters, that area (and most of the city) still have the feeder concerns.

Maybe that can be fixed with Wells for that part of the city?

I'm super unclear on why CMI isn't one of those "better charters"-- I would think having a few years' head start would be an advantage.

The re-enrollment and test score numbers speak for themselves here. But specifically, they had a questionable administration until 2020 who had a heavy focus on special education. They also doubled down on some very very strict covid polices that made a lot of people jump ship in Fall 21.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello! We have a very low WL number for prek3 at Creative Minds and would love some feedback. The location is good for us and like that it seems safe. Test scores are not great and I read here about over enrollment, plus there’s no HS feeder. We’d love Spanish immersion, but that didn’t pan out with our lottery numbers. Is this yet another school where upper middle class kids go for a few years and then bail when academics and behavior issues become an issue? I don’t think we will get off the waitlist anywhere else. Thoughts from parents whose kids attend? TIA!

Yup.

Tell us what your other options are and we can help you assess your chances.

If you really want Spanish, perhaps Bethune could work.

+1 People seem to speak highly of Bethune 16th st. Also, you can definitely get an immersion seat in K. A lot more seats open then.

I think CM is fine for PreK.

+2. Bethune 16th St, then LAMB, DCB, or Stokes if you get a good lottery number. MV, Powell, or Bruce Monroe if the lottery gods don’t come through (or if you prefer one of those schools).

Not good options option if OP cares about middle school. She might as well move sooner rather than later.

That's an uninspired take to the parents of a rising PK. McFarland will no doubt be an option seven years from now.

It will always be an option, just not a good option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former CMI parent here -

generally feedback:
- CMI had a cult following from when it opened in 2012 till about 2019. In 2019 MV8 opened its doors and it was an obvious choice for a lot of the CMI current families or families that would have gone there otherwise (similar location, but plus Spanish immersion and DCI feeder ... no brainer).
- The biggest fault of CMI is that its its too "in the middle" -- no immersion, no feeder, sad test scores -- because of this there really isn't a good reason to go there over your DCPS and parents are really forced to take a shot at the lottery every year ... which causes an extreme amount of student turnover.
3. With all of that said, the campus is lovely and you will be completely happy there in prek3/4 .. you will just likely want to lottery out as you age up.

Also a former CMI parent and definitely part of the early cult. All this is true.

This is fascinating, why was it a cult and what went wrong?

Honestly, a lot of the original parents there (me included) were all hyped up on the city living but didn’t want our kids going to public school. The original CMI team were really into the kindness and global learning aspects, but while it was great for PK and K, it didn’t translate into anything in the higher elementary school classes. Then the former principal wanted to be all things to everyone. Mandarin! Spanish! Music! arts! Yoga and that left no time to actually learn math or reading. More so, as the test stores came in, folks began to worry our kids were falling behind.