Feedback on SWW@Francis-Stevens

[Anonymous]

I went to the open house this morning and was really impressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain to me how the new SWW@FS is in any way substantively different from the old SWW? I understand that the name is different, and the Principal and some of the teachers are different. But by "substance," I mean: what is the long-term plan for the future (I can't find any firm information on this, anywhere)? Is there a plan to increase in-boundary attendance or change the feeder system? What is the relationship with "Walls," really, other than the name change (believe me, I've looked, and I've seen no firm plan in this regard)?

Disclosure: my child attended F-S Campus a few years ago, and the rumors about one or two violent kids not being removed from the school are accurate. Many (I mean, a lot) of the cars at drop-off were from Maryland. Test scores were bad. I would like to learn more about whether there is any basis to be optimistic that things will change.

I am interested in whether or not there is actually a difference, but for a different reason than the previous posters. My DC graduated from Francis-Stevens and was accepted into Banneker and I have to say that I was pleased with the education she received there. I travel a lot and felt comfortable with her there instead of our neighborhood school option. She was challenged and supported while she was there and she grew tremendously as a person and student. My question is are they changing the school for the previous population/demographic of children (Low income minorities) or are they changing the people and demographics of the students in the school? Let's be real about this, the more non-poor (regardless of race) and non-black and brown students there are in ANY school the better their scores are. Was this decision made to serve the current population (which was alienated during the transition) or to recruit the neighborhood white families and upper-middle class blacks that roam this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain to me how the new SWW@FS is in any way substantively different from the old SWW? I understand that the name is different, and the Principal and some of the teachers are different. But by "substance," I mean: what is the long-term plan for the future (I can't find any firm information on this, anywhere)? Is there a plan to increase in-boundary attendance or change the feeder system? What is the relationship with "Walls," really, other than the name change (believe me, I've looked, and I've seen no firm plan in this regard)?

Disclosure: my child attended F-S Campus a few years ago, and the rumors about one or two violent kids not being removed from the school are accurate. Many (I mean, a lot) of the cars at drop-off were from Maryland. Test scores were bad. I would like to learn more about whether there is any basis to be optimistic that things will change.

I am interested in whether or not there is actually a difference, but for a different reason than the previous posters. My DC graduated from Francis-Stevens and was accepted into Banneker and I have to say that I was pleased with the education she received there. I travel a lot and felt comfortable with her there instead of our neighborhood school option. She was challenged and supported while she was there and she grew tremendously as a person and student. My question is are they changing the school for the previous population/demographic of children (Low income minorities) or are they changing the people and demographics of the students in the school? Let's be real about this, the more non-poor (regardless of race) and non-black and brown students there are in ANY school the better their scores are. Was this decision made to serve the current population (which was alienated during the transition) or to recruit the neighborhood white families and upper-middle class blacks that roam this forum.

Not PP to whom you are responding, but to both of you, I'd encourage you to go to an open house and see for yourselves. My sense is that they are committed to meeting the needs of the students who go there. In the upper grades, they are under-enrolled; in the lower-grades, they are at capacity--so I think the goal is to get people in the lower grades to stick with the school through 8th grade and do what is needed to give them the best academic experience possible. One thing they said, for example, is that one 8th grade student has surpassed what they can offer in the math curriculum, so she goes to Walls high school to take math there. If you are reading at a higher level, then you go to the higher level reading group. If you are doing math at an 8th grade level at 5th grade, then you take math with the 8th graders. If you are behind, then you get remedial help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain to me how the new SWW@FS is in any way substantively different from the old SWW? I understand that the name is different, and the Principal and some of the teachers are different. But by "substance," I mean: what is the long-term plan for the future (I can't find any firm information on this, anywhere)? Is there a plan to increase in-boundary attendance or change the feeder system? What is the relationship with "Walls," really, other than the name change (believe me, I've looked, and I've seen no firm plan in this regard)?

Disclosure: my child attended F-S Campus a few years ago, and the rumors about one or two violent kids not being removed from the school are accurate. Many (I mean, a lot) of the cars at drop-off were from Maryland. Test scores were bad. I would like to learn more about whether there is any basis to be optimistic that things will change.

I am interested in whether or not there is actually a difference, but for a different reason than the previous posters. My DC graduated from Francis-Stevens and was accepted into Banneker and I have to say that I was pleased with the education she received there. I travel a lot and felt comfortable with her there instead of our neighborhood school option. She was challenged and supported while she was there and she grew tremendously as a person and student. My question is are they changing the school for the previous population/demographic of children (Low income minorities) or are they changing the people and demographics of the students in the school? Let's be real about this, the more non-poor (regardless of race) and non-black and brown students there are in ANY school the better their scores are. Was this decision made to serve the current population (which was alienated during the transition) or to recruit the neighborhood white families and upper-middle class blacks that roam this forum.

Not PP to whom you are responding, but to both of you, I'd encourage you to go to an open house and see for yourselves. My sense is that they are committed to meeting the needs of the students who go there. In the upper grades, they are under-enrolled; in the lower-grades, they are at capacity--so I think the goal is to get people in the lower grades to stick with the school through 8th grade and do what is needed to give them the best academic experience possible. One thing they said, for example, is that one 8th grade student has surpassed what they can offer in the math curriculum, so she goes to Walls high school to take math there. If you are reading at a higher level, then you go to the higher level reading group. If you are doing math at an 8th grade level at 5th grade, then you take math with the 8th graders. If you are behind, then you get remedial help.

NP here, so the Francis students are being allowed to attend Walls? I have to assume then, that those Francis students who are allowed to take classes at Walls are then given preference for admittance to Walls. Is the plan to change Walls to a feeder school? This seems like a slippery slope otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Yes, from what I gathered today, SWW@FS students can take classes at Walls on a case-by-case basis. However, they emphasized that there was no feeder connection between the two schools--you would need to apply to SWWHS in 8th grade and pass the test, interview, etc. to go there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, from what I gathered today, SWW@FS students can take classes at Walls on a case-by-case basis. However, they emphasized that there was no feeder connection between the two schools--you would need to apply to SWWHS in 8th grade and pass the test, interview, etc. to go there.

So, what's the justification for doing the "SWW" AT Francis-Stevens thing, then? Is there no formal relationship between the two, other than the chance to take an advanced class at Walls? I don't understand how there is any significant difference between the old F-S and the new F-S, other than a partial name change.

[Anonymous]

I also went to the open house this morning. Went in not expecting much and was very very impressed. This could be a really viable good neighborhood school - all the way through 8th grade!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain to me how the new SWW@FS is in any way substantively different from the old SWW? I understand that the name is different, and the Principal and some of the teachers are different. But by "substance," I mean: what is the long-term plan for the future (I can't find any firm information on this, anywhere)? Is there a plan to increase in-boundary attendance or change the feeder system? What is the relationship with "Walls," really, other than the name change (believe me, I've looked, and I've seen no firm plan in this regard)?

Disclosure: my child attended F-S Campus a few years ago, and the rumors about one or two violent kids not being removed from the school are accurate. Many (I mean, a lot) of the cars at drop-off were from Maryland. Test scores were bad. I would like to learn more about whether there is any basis to be optimistic that things will change.

I am interested in whether or not there is actually a difference, but for a different reason than the previous posters. My DC graduated from Francis-Stevens and was accepted into Banneker and I have to say that I was pleased with the education she received there. I travel a lot and felt comfortable with her there instead of our neighborhood school option. She was challenged and supported while she was there and she grew tremendously as a person and student. My question is are they changing the school for the previous population/demographic of children (Low income minorities) or are they changing the people and demographics of the students in the school? Let's be real about this, the more non-poor (regardless of race) and non-black and brown students there are in ANY school the better their scores are. Was this decision made to serve the current population (which was alienated during the transition) or to recruit the neighborhood white families and upper-middle class blacks that roam this forum.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please explain to me how the new SWW@FS is in any way substantively different from the old SWW? I understand that the name is different, and the Principal and some of the teachers are different. But by "substance," I mean: what is the long-term plan for the future (I can't find any firm information on this, anywhere)? Is there a plan to increase in-boundary attendance or change the feeder system? What is the relationship with "Walls," really, other than the name change (believe me, I've looked, and I've seen no firm plan in this regard)?

Disclosure: my child attended F-S Campus a few years ago, and the rumors about one or two violent kids not being removed from the school are accurate. Many (I mean, a lot) of the cars at drop-off were from Maryland. Test scores were bad. I would like to learn more about whether there is any basis to be optimistic that things will change.

I am interested in whether or not there is actually a difference, but for a different reason than the previous posters. My DC graduated from Francis-Stevens and was accepted into Banneker and I have to say that I was pleased with the education she received there. I travel a lot and felt comfortable with her there instead of our neighborhood school option. She was challenged and supported while she was there and she grew tremendously as a person and student. My question is are they changing the school for the previous population/demographic of children (Low income minorities) or are they changing the people and demographics of the students in the school? Let's be real about this, the more non-poor (regardless of race) and non-black and brown students there are in ANY school the better their scores are. Was this decision made to serve the current population (which was alienated during the transition) or to recruit the neighborhood white families and upper-middle class blacks that roam this forum.

+1

[Anonymous]

I don't know if DCPS has provided enough information to answer any of these questions, for those who are interested.

Some seem concerned that the name change was made to cater to "white families" or otherwise wealthy families.

Others want to know if DCPS wishes to make the school more likely to achieve high test scores -- which is another way of interpreting the same concern that gave rise to the first question, I think.

Others simply want to know if there is any sort of plan for Francis-Stevens, that is different from the old plan in any significant way -- which encompasses the first two questions, I think. That is, "Who is the new Boss?" "Is it the same as the old Boss?"

For the moment, I don't care about white, black, rich, or poor: just direct me to a place that can give me substantive answers and not fluff or minor examples that distract from the big picture. Saying, "attend an open house" doesn't do anything for me -- if there was a talking head at the meeting, please tell me what noises it made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if DCPS has provided enough information to answer any of these questions, for those who are interested.

Some seem concerned that the name change was made to cater to "white families" or otherwise wealthy families.

Others want to know if DCPS wishes to make the school more likely to achieve high test scores -- which is another way of interpreting the same concern that gave rise to the first question, I think.

Others simply want to know if there is any sort of plan for Francis-Stevens, that is different from the old plan in any significant way -- which encompasses the first two questions, I think. That is, "Who is the new Boss?" "Is it the same as the old Boss?"

For the moment, I don't care about white, black, rich, or poor: just direct me to a place that can give me substantive answers and not fluff or minor examples that distract from the big picture. Saying, "attend an open house" doesn't do anything for me -- if there was a talking head at the meeting, please tell me what noises it made.

It sounds to me like this is not the school for you--if you are not willing to attend an open house, talk to the administrators and teachers, and see for yourself.

[Anonymous]

It seems strange that they are keeping this a preschool- 8 school when Kaya was just saying that K-8 models are not working well in the city. One reason for problems with the K-8 model is the schools don't have enough students in the MS grades to fund what is needed to make MS successful.

[Anonymous]

I think it's important to remember that this decision was made for SWW and FS without consultation of staff and stakeholders. As a former employee of FS and a current employee of SWW@FS it's been hard to hear all of the negativity surrounding this decision, it was not our choice, it was what we were told we had to do. With a brand new team of dedicated teachers, a brand new administration, and a brand new set of school policies that reflect high academic and behavioral expectations, I find very little that remains from the old FS.

As far as the connection between SWW and SWW@FS, we share a principal, therefore we share a school model that reflects his education philosophy. I have an intern from SWWHS come to my classroom every Tuesday and Thursday as a tutor for my students. Will there be more that connects us in the future? I'm not sure. There are a multitude of factors that play into how the two campuses can interact and that is something that is being talked about every day. It has been made clear that our students will have to take the same admissions tests for HS that every other applicant will take. No preferential treatment will be given. I understand the concerns that have been expressed. However, my goal for my students is not for them to be accepted to a top high school because they've received preferential treatment based on their previous school. I'm not sure I could whole-heartedly call myself a good teacher if it was. My goal is to do everything I can to prepare them for future success so that when they are applying to those top high schools, they have options.

One great change that SWWFS has implemented is the looping structure for PS-5 teachers. The kindergarten teachers this year will have their students again for first grade. The second grade teacher will move up to third grade with her students next year, and fourth and fifth have the same structure. This cuts out those first 6 weeks of getting to know students and learning styles and allows the class to use all of those precious minutes for rigorous instruction.

I could go on but I understand I'm probably a little biased. If you are interested in learning more, please come to an open house, and thanks to those who've already attended!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's important to remember that this decision was made for SWW and FS without consultation of staff and stakeholders. As a former employee of FS and a current employee of SWW@FS it's been hard to hear all of the negativity surrounding this decision, it was not our choice, it was what we were told we had to do. With a brand new team of dedicated teachers, a brand new administration, and a brand new set of school policies that reflect high academic and behavioral expectations, I find very little that remains from the old FS.

As far as the connection between SWW and SWW@FS, we share a principal, therefore we share a school model that reflects his education philosophy. I have an intern from SWWHS come to my classroom every Tuesday and Thursday as a tutor for my students. Will there be more that connects us in the future? I'm not sure. There are a multitude of factors that play into how the two campuses can interact and that is something that is being talked about every day. It has been made clear that our students will have to take the same admissions tests for HS that every other applicant will take. No preferential treatment will be given. I understand the concerns that have been expressed. However, my goal for my students is not for them to be accepted to a top high school because they've received preferential treatment based on their previous school. I'm not sure I could whole-heartedly call myself a good teacher if it was. My goal is to do everything I can to prepare them for future success so that when they are applying to those top high schools, they have options.

One great change that SWWFS has implemented is the looping structure for PS-5 teachers. The kindergarten teachers this year will have their students again for first grade. The second grade teacher will move up to third grade with her students next year, and fourth and fifth have the same structure. This cuts out those first 6 weeks of getting to know students and learning styles and allows the class to use all of those precious minutes for rigorous instruction.

I could go on but I understand I'm probably a little biased. If you are interested in learning more, please come to an open house, and thanks to those who've already attended!

Thank you! This is more information than I've seen made available, in print, anywhere. As a parent of a former F-S student, these seem like excellent changes. I hope the school is a success.

[Anonymous]

sounds like some benefit for FS but none for the true SWW High School…another screw up by DCPS to drag down one of the better high schools by stretching the duties of the Principal. Why couldn't they just improve FS and leave SWW alone. I hope the high school kids never have to trek over there.