Deal and Hardy turnaround

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are not an impressionable bookmark.

What does that even mean? Do you mean "benchmark"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Principal Pope did not get fired. He was given an opportunity to starte anew at an elementary school in Southeast. The school that Pope is at the helm is doing marvelously well.

Before Pope was assigned to Savoy, he spent ~ a year "planning" a Middle School with an arts emphasis, that was never funded or created. When Rhee removed Pope from Hardy, that was the given reason, for this great new opportunity. Then, he was assigned to Savoy.

[Anonymous]

When you think about it, there wasn't a need for a middle school with an arts emphasis because Sousa MS was already established. It just made common sense to have it start anew at the elementary level with Savoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The school that Pope is at the helm is doing marvelously well.

It's Savoy Elementary, near the Anacostia metro. He got there in the spring of 2011, so he's had the 2011-12 school year and now this one to lead the school. It has had some awesome visitors (Yo-yo Ma, Kerry Washington) but the DC-CAS scores haven't really improved so far.

In 2011, 15% of kids were proficient or advanced in math; in 2012 it was 16% The percent of kids at the below basic level went up from 38 to 44.
Reading is actually worse: 21% of kids were proficient or advanced in 2011 and only 20% in 2012. The percent of kids at the below basic level went up from 29 to 35.

Attendance also went down from 2011 to 2012, as did retention of highly-performing teachers (none left in 2011; 10% left in 2012).

Obviously a short time-frame, but I'm not super impressed.

Very short-sighted analysis.
Watch this documentary about a DC high school and think again about the struggles that poor children face that aren't going to be resolved in a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The school that Pope is at the helm is doing marvelously well.

It's Savoy Elementary, near the Anacostia metro. He got there in the spring of 2011, so he's had the 2011-12 school year and now this one to lead the school. It has had some awesome visitors (Yo-yo Ma, Kerry Washington) but the DC-CAS scores haven't really improved so far.

In 2011, 15% of kids were proficient or advanced in math; in 2012 it was 16% The percent of kids at the below basic level went up from 38 to 44.
Reading is actually worse: 21% of kids were proficient or advanced in 2011 and only 20% in 2012. The percent of kids at the below basic level went up from 29 to 35.

Attendance also went down from 2011 to 2012, as did retention of highly-performing teachers (none left in 2011; 10% left in 2012).

Obviously a short time-frame, but I'm not super impressed.

Very short-sighted analysis.
Watch this documentary about a DC high school and think again about the struggles that poor children face that aren't going to be resolved in a year.

Whoops - here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/programs/180-days-american-school/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Very short-sighted analysis.
Watch this documentary about a DC high school and think again about the struggles that poor children face that aren't going to be resolved in a year.

This is the fall-out of Rhee/Henderson reform -- people expect a miracle when a "rock-star" principal takes over a "failing school" and "turns it around" by getting the teachers to "teach harder."

People forget that all the miracles here in DC turned into cheating.

[Anonymous]

Deal didn't need a turn-around? Are you mad? Neighborhood families were not sending their kids there until Kim and her teachers started to turn things around. Where have you been??!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
people expect a miracle when a "rock-star" principal takes over a "failing school" and "turns it around" by getting the teachers to "teach harder."

I don't. but i think it's inaccurate/premature to say he's doing a "marvelous job."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm another happy Hardy parent. We're fine with it not being another Deal. Come and see if for yourself. It's small and that's good, it's got some great teachers and the building is nice and not all the kids are rich and snobby.. They're real.

So, are all you implying that all the IB kids at Deal are rich and snobby or that all the IB kids at Hardy are rich and snobby but they are offset by the OOB kids so that not "all" the kids are rich and snobby?

Also, Deal absolutely turned around in the past few years. It may previously have been the most "acceptable" option in DC middle schools for as long as anyone can remember but that did not make it a desirable option for the majority of the feeder school families. Now it is, that is a turnaround.

[Anonymous]

Rich and snobby in a public school. This will surely have our private school uppity entourage in stitches. *Openmouthinsertfoot*

[Anonymous]

So what makes, or will make, Hardy desirable?

And what is "not all the kids are rich and snobby" supposed to mean? I've read on old DCUM threads that there's a hostility at Hardy to IB families. Is that what this means? Do lots of people feel this way? How are IB kids affected?

[Anonymous]

I'm IB for Hardy, with ES-aged children, and am encouraged by the recent comments from current Hardy parents.

I would send my children there if I felt they would be safe and receive a good education. What I saw there 3 years ago did not impress me in a positive way (although the rennovated facilities did). I did not feel my kids would be safe or receive a good education. I'm glad it is turning around.

[Anonymous]

12:54, you answered your own question. Thanks, sweetie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm IB for Hardy, with ES-aged children, and am encouraged by the recent comments from current Hardy parents.

I would send my children there if I felt they would be safe and receive a good education. What I saw there 3 years ago did not impress me in a positive way (although the rennovated facilities did). I did not feel my kids would be safe or receive a good education. I'm glad it is turning around.

I'm an OOB parent of a Hardy 6th grader. We feel that he is safe and getting a good education. We check in with him regularly about feeling safe, if there are fights, if kids get along, how teachers treat them, etc. He's having a really good year, is involved in sports and has always reported that he feels safe. No reports of fights. We've met with all his teachers as well as the administrators and have been impressed by their enthusiasm and professionalism. He has several friends from soccer and basketball that are in 5th grade that live IB. They are excited to come next year.

[Anonymous]

We are IB for hardy, but DD is a few years away. I have had the opportunity to visit the school while Pope was there, but lately it seems like a place I would not want to send my child. When I walk by kids are screaming and cursing and I have seen teachers yelling at kids. I get it. It's middle school. In an urban environment. But I haven't seen that stuff at deal.