Does your kid love Walls?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrative capacity is fairly weak and the principal isn't too sharp, not a capable leader by any stretch of the imagination. She replaced a strong personality, the popular, long-serving head who used to push back against DCPS to protect his teachers. He got canned as a result during the pandemic. This empty suit replaced him. Right, not a secret that she sucks.

Empty, mean-spirited statement devoid of any substance/detail. What, specifically, are you upset about? From my perspective as a parent of a 9th grader, things seem to be running smoothly enough. Teachers show up; classes are conducted; grades entered in Aspen; field trips occur; special events take place some school days (so I hear). Very little interaction with administration/principal (why would there be?), so nothing to judge them on.

Teachers show up - not our experience. They have had hiring issues for key positions
When teachers go out on Family Leave for months they do not always have someone to take over the class. We had the experience for months that the kids were given on-line learning for the entire leave and a random teacher popped in to take daily attendance.

ASPEN - My kids grades went from all "As" to not "As" as all the grades were entered in the week after to grading period ended.

Field Trips - My kid was on a field trip and the bus dropped them off at the wrong location

I actually expect more.

Everyone has to realize that at the end of the day, Walls is a DCPS school. It isn't a charter school.

If a teacher goes on leave, you are then at the mercy of DCPS and it is frustrating. It's not school-specific, but perhaps felt more keenly at a smaller school.

It is not as though Walls has autonomy to just go out and hire someone...not the way it works.

But Walls Leadership can plan for when teachers are going out on FMLA. It is not as if it is a surprise that there is a baby.

I don't think they can. The problem is that the teacher going out on leave won't officially file any paperwork until the very last minute in order to maximize their benefits. DCPS won't lift a finger until the official paperwork is filed.

This is why when you have a teacher retiring or otherwise leaving the school, even though you have a going away party in June, the teacher doesn't file the paperwork until late August because usually that is when anyone's seniority is calculated.

Again, DCPS won't lift a finger until the paperwork is filed.

[Anonymous]

Go private if you can afford it. Let another less wealthy child attend Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go private if you can afford it. Let another less wealthy child attend Walls.

I figured that was coming, which is fair. But while if we feel like private is the best route we will make some sacrifices and make it work. It is not at all easily in our budget though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrative capacity is fairly weak and the principal isn't too sharp, not a capable leader by any stretch of the imagination. She replaced a strong personality, the popular, long-serving head who used to push back against DCPS to protect his teachers. He got canned as a result during the pandemic. This empty suit replaced him. Right, not a secret that she sucks.

Empty, mean-spirited statement devoid of any substance/detail. What, specifically, are you upset about? From my perspective as a parent of a 9th grader, things seem to be running smoothly enough. Teachers show up; classes are conducted; grades entered in Aspen; field trips occur; special events take place some school days (so I hear). Very little interaction with administration/principal (why would there be?), so nothing to judge them on.

Teachers show up - not our experience. They have had hiring issues for key positions
When teachers go out on Family Leave for months they do not always have someone to take over the class. We had the experience for months that the kids were given on-line learning for the entire leave and a random teacher popped in to take daily attendance.

ASPEN - My kids grades went from all "As" to not "As" as all the grades were entered in the week after to grading period ended.

Field Trips - My kid was on a field trip and the bus dropped them off at the wrong location

I actually expect more.

Everyone has to realize that at the end of the day, Walls is a DCPS school. It isn't a charter school.

If a teacher goes on leave, you are then at the mercy of DCPS and it is frustrating. It's not school-specific, but perhaps felt more keenly at a smaller school.

It is not as though Walls has autonomy to just go out and hire someone...not the way it works.

But Walls Leadership can plan for when teachers are going out on FMLA. It is not as if it is a surprise that there is a baby.

I don't think they can. The problem is that the teacher going out on leave won't officially file any paperwork until the very last minute in order to maximize their benefits. DCPS won't lift a finger until the official paperwork is filed.

This is why when you have a teacher retiring or otherwise leaving the school, even though you have a going away party in June, the teacher doesn't file the paperwork until late August because usually that is when anyone's seniority is calculated.

Again, DCPS won't lift a finger until the paperwork is filed.

It's not true that the school can't do anything. We have a friend with a student at Jackson-Reed and they had a couple of teachers go out for extended periods. One was a language teacher and they pulled in a ESL teacher (a native speaker) to cover the class rather than have a vacancy or the sub. The other was a science teacher and they had a student teacher from one of the local colleges (I think it was AU but it might have been Howard or GW) shadow the teacher prior to the leave and take over once they were on leave. I don't know if this type of planning always happens- I'm guessing not- but to say that the school is at the mercy of DCPS for long-term teacher absences is not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrative capacity is fairly weak and the principal isn't too sharp, not a capable leader by any stretch of the imagination. She replaced a strong personality, the popular, long-serving head who used to push back against DCPS to protect his teachers. He got canned as a result during the pandemic. This empty suit replaced him. Right, not a secret that she sucks.

Empty, mean-spirited statement devoid of any substance/detail. What, specifically, are you upset about? From my perspective as a parent of a 9th grader, things seem to be running smoothly enough. Teachers show up; classes are conducted; grades entered in Aspen; field trips occur; special events take place some school days (so I hear). Very little interaction with administration/principal (why would there be?), so nothing to judge them on.

Teachers show up - not our experience. They have had hiring issues for key positions
When teachers go out on Family Leave for months they do not always have someone to take over the class. We had the experience for months that the kids were given on-line learning for the entire leave and a random teacher popped in to take daily attendance.

ASPEN - My kids grades went from all "As" to not "As" as all the grades were entered in the week after to grading period ended.

Field Trips - My kid was on a field trip and the bus dropped them off at the wrong location

I actually expect more.

This should not be allowed to happen. Especially in HS when GPA is really important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Come on, how could a 9th grade parent know what the school lost in the unjust dismissal of the previous independent-minded and super capable head, who was adored? He built the capacity the Walls runs on over almost two decades as a strong leader. This 12th grade parent knows that the statement above is anything but empty and mean-spirited. It's depressingly factual.

I don't know anything about the current principal, but when we were looking at Walls 5 years ago the common refrain from parents that we knew (with kids enrolled) at the time was "The principal sucks, but don't worry because it doesn't really impact your kid".

So, let's just say it was not unanimous praise for that guy.

Very true...this is the same guy that tried to hire his wife! You can search this forum and see all the complaints and criticism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrative capacity is fairly weak and the principal isn't too sharp, not a capable leader by any stretch of the imagination. She replaced a strong personality, the popular, long-serving head who used to push back against DCPS to protect his teachers. He got canned as a result during the pandemic. This empty suit replaced him. Right, not a secret that she sucks.

Empty, mean-spirited statement devoid of any substance/detail. What, specifically, are you upset about? From my perspective as a parent of a 9th grader, things seem to be running smoothly enough. Teachers show up; classes are conducted; grades entered in Aspen; field trips occur; special events take place some school days (so I hear). Very little interaction with administration/principal (why would there be?), so nothing to judge them on.

Teachers show up - not our experience. They have had hiring issues for key positions
When teachers go out on Family Leave for months they do not always have someone to take over the class. We had the experience for months that the kids were given on-line learning for the entire leave and a random teacher popped in to take daily attendance.

ASPEN - My kids grades went from all "As" to not "As" as all the grades were entered in the week after to grading period ended.

Field Trips - My kid was on a field trip and the bus dropped them off at the wrong location

I actually expect more.

Walls in general is pretty good at finding long term subs for FMLA. It doesn’t have trouble hiring for key positions- all positions for the past two years have been fully hired prior to the school year. The pandemic threw a wrench in hiring for the school year before that but honestly the staff is pretty stable. I’m not sure I understand this complaint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrative capacity is fairly weak and the principal isn't too sharp, not a capable leader by any stretch of the imagination. She replaced a strong personality, the popular, long-serving head who used to push back against DCPS to protect his teachers. He got canned as a result during the pandemic. This empty suit replaced him. Right, not a secret that she sucks.

Empty, mean-spirited statement devoid of any substance/detail. What, specifically, are you upset about? From my perspective as a parent of a 9th grader, things seem to be running smoothly enough. Teachers show up; classes are conducted; grades entered in Aspen; field trips occur; special events take place some school days (so I hear). Very little interaction with administration/principal (why would there be?), so nothing to judge them on.

Teachers show up - not our experience. They have had hiring issues for key positions
When teachers go out on Family Leave for months they do not always have someone to take over the class. We had the experience for months that the kids were given on-line learning for the entire leave and a random teacher popped in to take daily attendance.

ASPEN - My kids grades went from all "As" to not "As" as all the grades were entered in the week after to grading period ended.

Field Trips - My kid was on a field trip and the bus dropped them off at the wrong location

I actually expect more.

This should not be allowed to happen. Especially in HS when GPA is really important.

The Geometry teacher is terrible about this - terrible about keeping grades up to date in Aspen at all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Come on, how could a 9th grade parent know what the school lost in the unjust dismissal of the previous independent-minded and super capable head, who was adored? He built the capacity the Walls runs on over almost two decades as a strong leader. This 12th grade parent knows that the statement above is anything but empty and mean-spirited. It's depressingly factual.

I don't know anything about the current principal, but when we were looking at Walls 5 years ago the common refrain from parents that we knew (with kids enrolled) at the time was "The principal sucks, but don't worry because it doesn't really impact your kid".

So, let's just say it was not unanimous praise for that guy.

Very true...this is the same guy that tried to hire his wife! You can search this forum and see all the complaints and criticism.

You can also search the forum to learn what a kick ass job the guy did over many years building Walls into DCPS' high school powerhouse. Walls was the poor sister to Wilson in the 90s, nothing like it is today. You can also learn that his wife was more than qualified for the job he tried to hire her for. He certainly made a dumb decision, but still had plenty to offer. Not the impression I get with the current head. We've been at Walls over an 8-yr period. You newbies don't know the half of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go private if you can afford it. Let another less wealthy child attend Walls.

I figured that was coming, which is fair. But while if we feel like private is the best route we will make some sacrifices and make it work. It is not at all easily in our budget though.

Definitely apply for aid. We make a decent HHI and get aid for private. The income limits at many privates are much higher than they are for colleges.

[Anonymous]

Are there really no lockers at Walls?!

Do kids drag computers around all day, across the city for sports practice, and on the hour commute to/from home?

Do kids use computers at school during the day?

[Anonymous]

Yes kids drag everything around. Including coats and backpacks, an instrument if you play one, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes kids drag everything around. Including coats and backpacks, an instrument if you play one, etc.

That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. What were they thinking?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes kids drag everything around. Including coats and backpacks, an instrument if you play one, etc.

Thanks for the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there really no lockers at Walls?!

Do kids drag computers around all day, across the city for sports practice, and on the hour commute to/from home?

Do kids use computers at school during the day?

I have a kid who is a rising Jr at Jackson Reed and another that will be attending Walls starting this year. At JR they also don't have lockers (I believe you can special request) and the kids carry their items with them through the day. This wasn't the way it was when I was younger, but it does seem to be the norm now.