Shining Stars New Location!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Continuing SSMA family and stoked about the space (natural light, close playground). It's a hike, but I much rather hike to a populated, safe area.

I do worry about diversity, but I have faith that once the school is able to focus on something other than it's location that a recruitment and retainment strategy can be developed (shuttles, etc)

+1. would rather have longer commute than have kids walking in a rundown area to get to a playground (sela co location option). for most parents, the commute will be longer, but it's more central than getting almost into Takoma Park. Almost no one works up in that area around Sela, but wisc ave is closer to downtown

Have you even been to that side of town? That area is not rundown or are you speaking of just that street? Perhaps, it’s an "industrial" area and this is what's your basing your assumptions on. There is a new development selling 400k townhomes along with 700k single family homes within walking distance.

It's beside the point now. Comparing the two, Wisconsin Avenue is a much nicer location with a great playground a couple blocks away. It's sad that the location isn't going to work for all parents though. But many new parents are going to be interested.

[Anonymous]

It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

I know, it's crazy. Sela take note . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

Funny but could be true for next year depending on how this year goes.

[Anonymous]

To PP saying there are only parent run shuttles that is not true. A couple years ago we got into Bethune and they offered free transportation. Potomac Lighthouse also has a bus. I assume it is free. Stokes had a bus from the old location in NW to the new one in Brookland, then a van. This year it is being discontinued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone enrolled in Lee Montessori want to trade for a spot at Shining Stars now?

Ha. I'm sure if you called SS you'd get a spot. Meanwhile I know there are SSMA families on the WL for Lee so it would be an effective trade??

Lee family here, we also got in at SS and I'm glad to have turned them down. Sure, if the admin hassles resolve, I'm sure it will be a great school but that commute -- wow! Never in a million years would I drive over there for school. for others who live in NW, I'm sure it can work out great. It looks like a nice building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone enrolled in Lee Montessori want to trade for a spot at Shining Stars now?

Same here!

PP here. I mean, enrolled at Lee and want to get into SSMA now!

Really? I'm sure you can get in and drop your Lee spot right away. The waiting list at Lee has barely budged and some of us are waiting to get in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

Now it will be "HRCS" simply because of location, and frankly the families who would never have considered it before but will look at it now will do so EXACTLY because it's about to lose so much of its race and class diversity.

I'm glad they found space, as it would have been AWFUL for the families already-enrolled to have *nowhere* to go. But sad about what it means for what was shaping up to be an unusual and awesome school. Now it will be awesome... and pretty much reflective of the community it will be located in. Which will be a dream come true for some parents, but a sad and huge loss for so many others (never mind the impossibiity of commute for so many!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To PP saying there are only parent run shuttles that is not true. A couple years ago we got into Bethune and they offered free transportation. Potomac Lighthouse also has a bus. I assume it is free. Stokes had a bus from the old location in NW to the new one in Brookland, then a van. This year it is being discontinued.

There are a LOT of charters in DC. Ok, you know of ONE (Potomac Lighthouse) that has a shuttle that the school pays for (and I don't know a thing about their shuttle or if it's certain students it's set up to serve, I'm just taking your word for it). Other than that, there are so many charters but no other school-funded shuttles. It would be a huge, giant, ridiculous mistake to assume that for the parents that this commute is impossible for, the school will provide/can provide a shuttle from a more convenient area. If SS pulls that off awesome. But it's unusual and not something anyone should count on the school providing.

I hope the school DOES find a way to do that, because of the number of parents I know will not make it to the new site. But there is no reason to think it's likely... at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

That's exactly the point. It will become HRCS because for those who want a charter but want it full of Ward 3 kids like the HRPS in Ward 3, this will make it worth the commute. For those of us who love the diverse diversity (yes, I said "diverse diversity"!) of more centrally-located and accessible schools, no, would never make this trip. I understand SS is doing the best it can with a crappy situation, but this sucks for those who loved what SS was becoming: a great AND diverse school. Majority Ward 3 families will be a lot lot lot lot less diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

That's exactly point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

some parents want a Montessori education, not just a good school. Lots of parents in good school districts PAY for Montessori or immersion or other progressive approaches to education. I moved to ward 5 a year or so ago, but I was zoned for eaton, and I would have chosen ss in a second over Eaton because I want Montessori for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

That's exactly point.

How is it "exactly point"? Ward 3 is but one ward in the city. There are plenty of families and kids who live in other wards who will NOT find SS desirable. I'm one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone enrolled in Lee Montessori want to trade for a spot at Shining Stars now?

Ha. I'm sure if you called SS you'd get a spot. Meanwhile I know there are SSMA families on the WL for Lee so it would be an effective trade??

Lee family here, we also got in at SS and I'm glad to have turned them down. Sure, if the admin hassles resolve, I'm sure it will be a great school but that commute -- wow! Never in a million years would I drive over there for school. for others who live in NW, I'm sure it can work out great. It looks like a nice building.

For a lot of Adams Morgan, U Street, Petworth families it is not such a bad commute. 15 minutes for a great school?? People drive this for LAMB up on Military Rd