So much less frenzy these days - does that mean Common Lottery is really really working?

[Anonymous]

I think it's also that the Common Lottery was such an unknown last year, and now we got to see how it worked the last time around, so we feel more informed about the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd venture that these "awesome" schools everyone got into as of ~2nd grade aren't really all that awesome.

+1. Unfortunately there's the upper NW WoTP public schools, SWS, and maybe Brent, and then only Yu Ying for a charter school. Otherwise, anything for ES is substandard. OK, the lottery seems to work, but to what end? We couldn't even get into substandard Stokes. Look at the test scores before you go off raving about mediocrity. If you're EoTP and not in one of the foregoing (drop Stokes), it's very likely your kid isn't being challenged. But keep drinking the Kool Aid and being thankful that I'm no longer competing with you for a substandard school.

EoTP needs an honors / gifted track program to keep and educate high SES kids, and more counselors and aides to help troubled youth. Otherwise we're just kidding ourselves with foolish gimmicks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd venture that these "awesome" schools everyone got into as of ~2nd grade aren't really all that awesome.

+1. Unfortunately there's the upper NW WoTP public schools, SWS, and maybe Brent, and then only Yu Ying for a charter school. Otherwise, anything for ES is substandard. OK, the lottery seems to work, but to what end? We couldn't even get into substandard Stokes. Look at the test scores before you go off raving about mediocrity. If you're EoTP and not in one of the foregoing (drop Stokes), it's very likely your kid isn't being challenged. But keep drinking the Kool Aid and being thankful that I'm no longer competing with you for a substandard school.

EoTP needs an honors / gifted track program to keep and educate high SES kids, and more counselors and aides to help troubled youth. Otherwise we're just kidding ourselves with foolish gimmicks.

Explain your inclusion of Yu Ying in this list and exclusion of, let's say DC Prep from it. Why? And yes I'm well aware of differences between the schools, but if you're going on test scores, it's DC Prep all the way. So please explain what criteria you're basing your statement above on? And why Yu Ying as the only charter you include?

[Anonymous]

People who said they got in "nowhere" evidently didn't take a chance on schools like Cooke and Tubman and Garrison, all of which (whom?) continued to take kids up through the October deadline. From my experience, you take the spot at the "substandard" local ES for PS/PK level, then you play the lottery. You get a few years of stress-free dropoffs (since the local school is walking distance). If you don't get in anywhere "OK," you keep playing. Perhaps you fall in love with your local ES; perhaps you skip out when you get in somewhere else. All I can say is, people who walk in with an "all or nothing" attitude as PS are fooling themselves.

When do you move? At 2nd / 3rd grade all the WOTP parents start wondering if little Larla is going to lose out if they don't go to Sidwell, so suddenly slots start to open and you can get in. If you don't get in anywhere by 2nd grade, THEN you can start to plan your move to MoCo, having banked all that $$$ you saved on privates up to that point.

What's been interesting to me is watching people leave some of the HRCSs in 2nd or 3rd grade to go to WOTP elementaries. Is the bloom off the rose by that time?

[Anonymous]

We are at Cooke and don't consider it "substandard"; to the contrary, it's been fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at Cooke and don't consider it "substandard"; to the contrary, it's been fantastic.

Thank you! And please don't take the other PP's advice about using our neighborhood schools as a spot to park your child until you get into somwhere "better." You are taking spots away from families who really want to invest in the school.

[Anonymous]

08:37 here. Note that I put "substandard" in quotes, meaning allegedly substandard. I agree that many of these schools are actually quite good, but as a veteran of this process, you will be unable to convince every parent (even those with kids there) that the school is fabulous. The reality is, some parents will bolt the first time they hit a "better" (again, note the quotes) in the lottery, and nothing the school does will change their mind. But perhaps some parents who get into the allegedly substandard schools (are you more comfortable if I spell it out like this?) might actually realize the school is good and stay there.

[Anonymous]

When do you move? At 2nd / 3rd grade all the WOTP parents start wondering if little Larla is going to lose out if they don't go to Sidwell, so suddenly slots start to open and you can get in.

Not the case anymore; it's not 1998. See, for example, the lottery form for Murch Janney Lafayette.

Mann & Key at 4th grade, possibly. But realistically, how many families living in a little rowhouse in Eckington are going to move to a 6 bed, 4.5 bath home in Wesley Heights or Kent when Flannery reaches 4th grade? Precious few IME

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:08:37 here. Note that I put "substandard" in quotes, meaning allegedly substandard. I agree that many of these schools are actually quite good, but as a veteran of this process, you will be unable to convince every parent (even those with kids there) that the school is fabulous. The reality is, some parents will bolt the first time they hit a "better" (again, note the quotes) in the lottery, and nothing the school does will change their mind. But perhaps some parents who get into the allegedly substandard schools (are you more comfortable if I spell it out like this?) might actually realize the school is good and stay there.

I'd be comfortable if you stop suggesting that people View their neighborhood school as a school of last resort that they should go to with the intent of leaving as soon as they can. Instead, the better advice is to check out your neighborhood school with an open mind and see if you think it would be a good for for your kid. That's the approach we took, and we have been really pleased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:08:37 here. Note that I put "substandard" in quotes, meaning allegedly substandard. I agree that many of these schools are actually quite good, but as a veteran of this process, you will be unable to convince every parent (even those with kids there) that the school is fabulous. The reality is, some parents will bolt the first time they hit a "better" (again, note the quotes) in the lottery, and nothing the school does will change their mind. But perhaps some parents who get into the allegedly substandard schools (are you more comfortable if I spell it out like this?) might actually realize the school is good and stay there.

I'd be comfortable if you stop suggesting that people View their neighborhood school as a school of last resort that they should go to with the intent of leaving as soon as they can. Instead, the better advice is to check out your neighborhood school with an open mind and see if you think it would be a good for for your kid. That's the approach we took, and we have been really pleased.

I was you, saying the exact same thing, 4 years ago. What I learned: you cannot open a closed mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:08:37 here. Note that I put "substandard" in quotes, meaning allegedly substandard. I agree that many of these schools are actually quite good, but as a veteran of this process, you will be unable to convince every parent (even those with kids there) that the school is fabulous. The reality is, some parents will bolt the first time they hit a "better" (again, note the quotes) in the lottery, and nothing the school does will change their mind. But perhaps some parents who get into the allegedly substandard schools (are you more comfortable if I spell it out like this?) might actually realize the school is good and stay there.

I'd be comfortable if you stop suggesting that people View their neighborhood school as a school of last resort that they should go to with the intent of leaving as soon as they can. Instead, the better advice is to check out your neighborhood school with an open mind and see if you think it would be a good for for your kid. That's the approach we took, and we have been really pleased.

I was you, saying the exact same thing, 4 years ago. What I learned: you cannot open a closed mind.

It would be really awesome if people would stop naysaying other people's optimism. We get it. You veterans who tried and failed think that the people who are trying now are naive. I will never understand why some people cannot recognize that other people have different experiences than they do and attempt to rain on those people's parades by explaining how later, the people who are optimistic about their current good experiences continuing will learn the error of their ways, just like you did.

[Anonymous]

Wow, it's like an echo from my past.

Here's the advice I wish I'd gotten at the time:

1. Hope for the best, but accept that half the parents who are currently extolling the virtues of your EOTP school will be gone next year or sooner (didn't Cooke's biggest booster bail even before the beginning of the school year this year?). Do not take this personally, but understand that people will lie to your face, take up hours of your time meeting with you to plan events, and then walk away without a second glance the minute Mundo Verde calls. They will feel bad, but they will do it.
2. In year two, celebrate the heck out of the parents who came back, and do lots of fun things with those parents and their kids. Half of them will be gone in another two years, but you can create strong bonds that will last past your current school location.
3. Celebrate the small victories: if you only raise $8,000 in year 1 for the PTA, that's $8,000 more than you would have if you hadn't worked on it.
4 Cultivate the heck out of all the parents, even those who look different, speak different languages, and spank their kids in public. These are the parents who will stick with the school so any support you can get from them will be long-lasting.
5. Push the school early and often to advertise events in every medium possible, including emails, texts, flyers posted, and overhead announcements. DO NOT accept that low income parents don't have smart phones. Cricket has made smart phones available to everyone who wants one. Instead push to have blast texts sent out.
6. Do not denigrate the efforts of those who are currently at the school. The seemingly clueless administrator at the front desk is likely the only one who knows where the speakers are for movie night. Make friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, it's like an echo from my past.

Here's the advice I wish I'd gotten at the time:

1. Hope for the best, but accept that half the parents who are currently extolling the virtues of your EOTP school will be gone next year or sooner (didn't Cooke's biggest booster bail even before the beginning of the school year this year?). Do not take this personally, but understand that people will lie to your face, take up hours of your time meeting with you to plan events, and then walk away without a second glance the minute Mundo Verde calls. They will feel bad, but they will do it.
2. In year two, celebrate the heck out of the parents who came back, and do lots of fun things with those parents and their kids. Half of them will be gone in another two years, but you can create strong bonds that will last past your current school location.
3. Celebrate the small victories: if you only raise $8,000 in year 1 for the PTA, that's $8,000 more than you would have if you hadn't worked on it.
4 Cultivate the heck out of all the parents, even those who look different, speak different languages, and spank their kids in public. These are the parents who will stick with the school so any support you can get from them will be long-lasting.
5. Push the school early and often to advertise events in every medium possible, including emails, texts, flyers posted, and overhead announcements. DO NOT accept that low income parents don't have smart phones. Cricket has made smart phones available to everyone who wants one. Instead push to have blast texts sent out.
6. Do not denigrate the efforts of those who are currently at the school. The seemingly clueless administrator at the front desk is likely the only one who knows where the speakers are for movie night. Make friends.

Curious, PP -- Where does your child go to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:08:37 here. Note that I put "substandard" in quotes, meaning allegedly substandard. I agree that many of these schools are actually quite good, but as a veteran of this process, you will be unable to convince every parent (even those with kids there) that the school is fabulous. The reality is, some parents will bolt the first time they hit a "better" (again, note the quotes) in the lottery, and nothing the school does will change their mind. But perhaps some parents who get into the allegedly substandard schools (are you more comfortable if I spell it out like this?) might actually realize the school is good and stay there.

I'd be comfortable if you stop suggesting that people View their neighborhood school as a school of last resort that they should go to with the intent of leaving as soon as they can. Instead, the better advice is to check out your neighborhood school with an open mind and see if you think it would be a good for for your kid. That's the approach we took, and we have been really pleased.

I was you, saying the exact same thing, 4 years ago. What I learned: you cannot open a closed mind.

It would be really awesome if people would stop naysaying other people's optimism. We get it. You veterans who tried and failed think that the people who are trying now are naive. I will never understand why some people cannot recognize that other people have different experiences than they do and attempt to rain on those people's parades by explaining how later, the people who are optimistic about their current good experiences continuing will learn the error of their ways, just like you did.

+1. It reminds me of when I didn't have kids and people said, "you can live in the city because you don't have kids. You'll see when you do." Completely obnoxious and out of touch with the reality that some people might make different choices from you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, it's like an echo from my past.

Here's the advice I wish I'd gotten at the time:

1. Hope for the best, but accept that half the parents who are currently extolling the virtues of your EOTP school will be gone next year or sooner (didn't Cooke's biggest booster bail even before the beginning of the school year this year?). Do not take this personally, but understand that people will lie to your face, take up hours of your time meeting with you to plan events, and then walk away without a second glance the minute Mundo Verde calls. They will feel bad, but they will do it.
2. In year two, celebrate the heck out of the parents who came back, and do lots of fun things with those parents and their kids. Half of them will be gone in another two years, but you can create strong bonds that will last past your current school location.
3. Celebrate the small victories: if you only raise $8,000 in year 1 for the PTA, that's $8,000 more than you would have if you hadn't worked on it.
4 Cultivate the heck out of all the parents, even those who look different, speak different languages, and spank their kids in public. These are the parents who will stick with the school so any support you can get from them will be long-lasting.
5. Push the school early and often to advertise events in every medium possible, including emails, texts, flyers posted, and overhead announcements. DO NOT accept that low income parents don't have smart phones. Cricket has made smart phones available to everyone who wants one. Instead push to have blast texts sent out.
6. Do not denigrate the efforts of those who are currently at the school. The seemingly clueless administrator at the front desk is likely the only one who knows where the speakers are for movie night. Make friends.

Is it possible that things are different than they were a few years ago? There are so many more IB families going to their neighborhood DCPS because there are no other choices. Charter schools are saturated, and it's more and more difficult to get in OOB anymore. With boundary changes and more restrictions on OOB preferences (like doing away with proximity preference), going to your neighborhood IB school may just be the new normal.