Eliot-Hine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The percentage of kids below/at grade level really is not a function of how effective the school is. SO many students arrive at middle school incredibly far behind where they should be. This is a function of so many factors, including quality of elementary school education, pandemic, socioeconomic status, etc. While there is still a lot of progress to be made, the school was recognized earlier this school year for math and reading growth that exceeds other middle schools.

This. Middle school PARCC scores are just not a very informative metric. A middle school only has three years with each kid, best case scenario, to make up for them being many years behind when they come in. Look to growth metrics and other quality indicators such as retention and published student work.

My concern would be about the energy/resources that need to be spent on the very large majority of remedial students. Does the school end up so focused on their needs that it isn't able to give adequate attention to kids who are on- and above-grade level. What does the tracking look like? In my public middle school we had honors classes for all four core subjects, but my impression has been that EH does not. Would be delighted to be wrong.

OP here. This is where I had to drop a lot of preconceptions. My kid is not so special that he doesn’t benefit from interacting with all the other kids or the lessons as taught. The teachers are good and engage everyone. Lots of opportunities for cooperation, expression and group work. Honestly my particular kid likely benefits more from that than say being assigned books at his actual reading level.

If your child's peers were at/on grade level, your child would still benefit from all the above AND get to read books at his actual reading level, no? That's happening elsewhere in DCPS and DCPCS, and it's not "misinformation" to point it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The percentage of kids below/at grade level really is not a function of how effective the school is. SO many students arrive at middle school incredibly far behind where they should be. This is a function of so many factors, including quality of elementary school education, pandemic, socioeconomic status, etc. While there is still a lot of progress to be made, the school was recognized earlier this school year for math and reading growth that exceeds other middle schools.

This. Middle school PARCC scores are just not a very informative metric. A middle school only has three years with each kid, best case scenario, to make up for them being many years behind when they come in. Look to growth metrics and other quality indicators such as retention and published student work.

My concern would be about the energy/resources that need to be spent on the very large majority of remedial students. Does the school end up so focused on their needs that it isn't able to give adequate attention to kids who are on- and above-grade level. What does the tracking look like? In my public middle school we had honors classes for all four core subjects, but my impression has been that EH does not. Would be delighted to be wrong.

OP here. This is where I had to drop a lot of preconceptions. My kid is not so special that he doesn’t benefit from interacting with all the other kids or the lessons as taught. The teachers are good and engage everyone. Lots of opportunities for cooperation, expression and group work. Honestly my particular kid likely benefits more from that than say being assigned books at his actual reading level.

If your child's peers were at/on grade level, your child would still benefit from all the above AND get to read books at his actual reading level, no? That's happening elsewhere in DCPS and DCPCS, and it's not "misinformation" to point it out.

I’m not sure what they are reading in the Deal and SH ELA classes - feel free to post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The percentage of kids below/at grade level really is not a function of how effective the school is. SO many students arrive at middle school incredibly far behind where they should be. This is a function of so many factors, including quality of elementary school education, pandemic, socioeconomic status, etc. While there is still a lot of progress to be made, the school was recognized earlier this school year for math and reading growth that exceeds other middle schools.

This. Middle school PARCC scores are just not a very informative metric. A middle school only has three years with each kid, best case scenario, to make up for them being many years behind when they come in. Look to growth metrics and other quality indicators such as retention and published student work.

My concern would be about the energy/resources that need to be spent on the very large majority of remedial students. Does the school end up so focused on their needs that it isn't able to give adequate attention to kids who are on- and above-grade level. What does the tracking look like? In my public middle school we had honors classes for all four core subjects, but my impression has been that EH does not. Would be delighted to be wrong.

OP here. This is where I had to drop a lot of preconceptions. My kid is not so special that he doesn’t benefit from interacting with all the other kids or the lessons as taught. The teachers are good and engage everyone. Lots of opportunities for cooperation, expression and group work. Honestly my particular kid likely benefits more from that than say being assigned books at his actual reading level.

If your child's peers were at/on grade level, your child would still benefit from all the above AND get to read books at his actual reading level, no? That's happening elsewhere in DCPS and DCPCS, and it's not "misinformation" to point it out.

Well, “learn as much as possible” can’t be the goal because there would be no limit. We could be like Korea with Hagwons. I feel like parents with that goal can move to Fairfax and shoot for AAP - that’s not us.

[Anonymous]

I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

NP and I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I went to private school and prefer to send my kids to public school. Saw the drug issues, entitlement issues, etc. But if I have a choice between a middle of the road SES public school where my high achieving kid can get challenged while also being around a diverse array of kids - I'm going to choose that over the school with a majority cohort of under grade level performing kids. The red flag for me was the PP who thought it was more important for their kid to be around diversity than to be reading grade level material. I don't think I should have to make a choice, I think it's possible for me to put my kid in a situation where they get both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

NP and I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I went to private school and prefer to send my kids to public school. Saw the drug issues, entitlement issues, etc. But if I have a choice between a middle of the road SES public school where my high achieving kid can get challenged while also being around a diverse array of kids - I'm going to choose that over the school with a majority cohort of under grade level performing kids. The red flag for me was the PP who thought it was more important for their kid to be around diversity than to be reading grade level material. I don't think I should have to make a choice, I think it's possible for me to put my kid in a situation where they get both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

NP and I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I went to private school and prefer to send my kids to public school. Saw the drug issues, entitlement issues, etc. But if I have a choice between a middle of the road SES public school where my high achieving kid can get challenged while also being around a diverse array of kids - I'm going to choose that over the school with a majority cohort of under grade level performing kids. The red flag for me was the PP who thought it was more important for their kid to be around diversity than to be reading grade level material. I don't think I should have to make a choice, I think it's possible for me to put my kid in a situation where they get both.

DP to add, it can be a difficult wake up call for a kid to attend a high performing college/highschool/etc. when that kid has been a strong performer at a school where majority were below grade level and that kid didn't get some of the more intensive teaching on writing, grammar, etc. I was a teaching assistant for kids like that when I was in grade school. I don't want my kid to be in that position either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

This comment is notable to me for its complete focus on college admissions (which seems to be a proxy for "your child's success"). I don't want my kids to be challenged in school so they get into a better college; I want them to be challenged so they learn more, develop their interests, etc. I don't need my kids to attend a perfect school -- goodness knows I didn't, and I turned out okay -- but I would like them to attend a school where they are actually learning -- content, study/organizational skills, how to stick with hard things. And I am really skeptical about how well they can do that in a classroom where a huge proportion of kids aren't even at grade level -- though I do appreciate you posting, and am glad you have had a good experience. I hope to continue hearing good things about EH -- I genuinely would love to be able to send my kids to our neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

“ The red flag for me was the PP who thought it was more important for their kid to be around diversity than to be reading grade level material.”

That was me and I need to clarify. They are definitely reading grade level material! My kid has an extremely high (tested in gifted range) reading level. But the reading in the ELA class is totally appropriate and likely similar to other 6th grades in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

This comment is notable to me for its complete focus on college admissions (which seems to be a proxy for "your child's success"). I don't want my kids to be challenged in school so they get into a better college; I want them to be challenged so they learn more, develop their interests, etc. I don't need my kids to attend a perfect school -- goodness knows I didn't, and I turned out okay -- but I would like them to attend a school where they are actually learning -- content, study/organizational skills, how to stick with hard things. And I am really skeptical about how well they can do that in a classroom where a huge proportion of kids aren't even at grade level -- though I do appreciate you posting, and am glad you have had a good experience. I hope to continue hearing good things about EH -- I genuinely would love to be able to send my kids to our neighborhood school.

What makes you think your kids can’t learn if they are in a classroom with kids who struggle more than they do? Is there any natural stopping point to what is “actually learning,” or will you not feel likey they are “actually learning” unless they are surrounded by a homogeneous group of high SES kids? Because I promise you, my kid is actually learning at EH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

NP and I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I went to private school and prefer to send my kids to public school. Saw the drug issues, entitlement issues, etc. But if I have a choice between a middle of the road SES public school where my high achieving kid can get challenged while also being around a diverse array of kids - I'm going to choose that over the school with a majority cohort of under grade level performing kids. The red flag for me was the PP who thought it was more important for their kid to be around diversity than to be reading grade level material. I don't think I should have to make a choice, I think it's possible for me to put my kid in a situation where they get both.

DP to add, it can be a difficult wake up call for a kid to attend a high performing college/highschool/etc. when that kid has been a strong performer at a school where majority were below grade level and that kid didn't get some of the more intensive teaching on writing, grammar, etc. I was a teaching assistant for kids like that when I was in grade school. I don't want my kid to be in that position either.

I think it’s a bit of a myth that kids are getting more “intensive teaching” at eg Deal as compared to EH. I truly do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

You are a breath of fresh air. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

NP. I've had a student at EH for three years. I'm sure everyone knows that math skills took a nosedive across the board during the pandemic, and everyone is still digging out. You also see the stubborn achievement gap that exists. They have been very intentional about targeting math skills, and it's helped that DCPS has changed their policies. It used to be the DCPS policy that a student had to be in advanced math in 6th grade to be considered for Algebra in 8th, so EH put everyone in advanced math for 6th and tried to support. It was ROUGH the first few years post-pandemic and may account for scores. But each year, EH has worked to apply more resources to math, bolstering the team and adding resources.

Overall, my kid has had a really good experience like OPs. Teachers have mostly been excellent, many have been there for years and years. The school is small enough in student population that everyone knows your kid. It's also large enough in size that kids are able to move comfortably, which may sound minor, but I think is really important at this age when bodies and emotions and brain development are all changing rapidly. There are still some discipline issues of course, but you don't have the stuff that I've heard about at Deal where they're packed in like sardines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the bar in this thread just keeps getting lower and lower.

Not really. The fact is nobody can ever be assured their kid is in the perfect school. My relative who sent her “high achieving” kids to private regrets it because the publics weight grades for college admissions. Friends who sent kids to top privates whose kids emerged with serious mental health/addiction issues and lackluster grades. Other relatives who spent $$$ to move to the “best” public school zones are disappointed that their kids got “shut out” from Ivys. Meanwhile I see that nephew who is supposedly a disappointment for “only” going to a lesser known state college is actually a wonderful wonderful young man who cares for younger cousins and leads all the games and fun at Thanksgiving. Likewise relative who flunked out and went to community college is now a professor.

This is all to say, schools don’t guarantee anything about your child’s success. And I am hesitant to say this because I KNOW I will be accused of being a “virtue signaler” but being at a high poverty school has if anything made me more concerned for the at-risk kids and less concerned about my own kid. The criticisms I do have about EH’s curriculum etc (which are actually more general to all of schools these days than specific to EH) are more acute because I see that they are going to impact other kids more than mine.

Finally one big thing that was not visible to me when I was making this decision last year was how reassuring it is to see that the EH administration, teachers & staff are on the ball. Actually a big step up from elementary school. You will not feel like your kid is in a “bad” school.

NP and I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I went to private school and prefer to send my kids to public school. Saw the drug issues, entitlement issues, etc. But if I have a choice between a middle of the road SES public school where my high achieving kid can get challenged while also being around a diverse array of kids - I'm going to choose that over the school with a majority cohort of under grade level performing kids. The red flag for me was the PP who thought it was more important for their kid to be around diversity than to be reading grade level material. I don't think I should have to make a choice, I think it's possible for me to put my kid in a situation where they get both.

DP to add, it can be a difficult wake up call for a kid to attend a high performing college/highschool/etc. when that kid has been a strong performer at a school where majority were below grade level and that kid didn't get some of the more intensive teaching on writing, grammar, etc. I was a teaching assistant for kids like that when I was in grade school. I don't want my kid to be in that position either.

I think it’s a bit of a myth that kids are getting more “intensive teaching” at eg Deal as compared to EH. I truly do.

+1. And with the overcrowding and grade inflation at Deal, very unlikely. EH has like 1/4 of the students Deal has.