DCPS School Planning Team here -- ask us anything about Roosevelt High School!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the one hand I commend the DCPS people for reaching out on this forum. On the other hand, it is annoying because clearly they do not have the ability to respond rapidly as is required on this type of forum. They signed off on yesterday at 4:47 p.m. It is 10:56 and still no new answers. Pretty annoying.

+1. It seems that there The been some brain child who thought "hey, let's respond to questions on DCUM" and the idea was given the greenlight without proper planning. It's truly a lost opportunity in terms of building public trust and buy-in by posting three separate threads on three separate schools inviting questions of all sorts but then not really answering them or engaging as the original post lead readers to believe. Participating in discussions like this should be incorporated into DCPS's formal marketing plan but it really should not be done on a whim as this seems it may have been done. A well-intentioned idea ends up being a negative because it leaves people feeling unsatisfied.

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:Tell us where things stand now on dual-language programming. This is a crucial attractor.

You can find information on dual language programming here: https://reenvisioningroosevelt.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/december-2014_academic-proposal-for-community-input1.pdf. Specifically pages 5-7 go into detail about what the program can look like on a year by year basis.

To make sure students are prepared for dual language when they get to Roosevelt, we’re in dialogue with immersion schools in the neighborhood, as well as all the potential programmatic feeders in the city like Oyster Adams and Tyler Elementary. Currently, there are only a few middle grades feeders into Roosevelt, and while we know there is appetite in the community for reopening MacFarland Middle School, we will be considering that recommendation in the context of the entire district this spring and should have more information on that in April.

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DCPSschoolplanning wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a reputation for violence / unruly behavior at the school. Can you share any measures you've been tracking and what you're doing to create a better environment?

The scores are pretty abysmal. Why would someone with a capable child envision sending them there?

The purpose of the re-envisioning is to improve what Roosevelt has to offer students and parents. With a newly renovated building next fall and a multi-year roll-out of new academic and career training offerings, we want to make Roosevelt a high school more parents will choose. That kind of effort doesn't happen overnight. To see a more detailed explanation of proposed changes, you can take a look at the presentation we’ve been giving at community meetings:
https://reenvisioningroosevelt.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/december-2014_academic-proposal-for-community-input.pdf

As you look at the presentation, please feel free to pose questions or provide input by emailing us at [e-mail]

That doesn't answer either question. Do you not see these as problems?

No problem! What we mean to say is that these efforts are all designed to improve upon some of the successes that Roosevelt has already seen in the past few years. Roosevelt is just one of the high schools in the city that needs re-envisioning, and we are going through this planning and implementation process to ensure all in-boundary (and out-of-boundary) families see Roosevelt as a viable option that leads to college and career success. These programs will take years to implement and refine, but they do represent the hard work being done at the school and district level to keep improving instruction and Roosevelt’s outcomes.

[Anonymous]

"re-envisioning" wonk wonk...

[Anonymous]

DCPSschoolplanning wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DCPSschoolplanning wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a reputation for violence / unruly behavior at the school. Can you share any measures you've been tracking and what you're doing to create a better environment?

The scores are pretty abysmal. Why would someone with a capable child envision sending them there?

The purpose of the re-envisioning is to improve what Roosevelt has to offer students and parents. With a newly renovated building next fall and a multi-year roll-out of new academic and career training offerings, we want to make Roosevelt a high school more parents will choose. That kind of effort doesn't happen overnight. To see a more detailed explanation of proposed changes, you can take a look at the presentation we’ve been giving at community meetings:
https://reenvisioningroosevelt.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/december-2014_academic-proposal-for-community-input.pdf

As you look at the presentation, please feel free to pose questions or provide input by emailing us at [e-mail]

That doesn't answer either question. Do you not see these as problems?

No problem! What we mean to say is that these efforts are all designed to improve upon some of the successes that Roosevelt has already seen in the past few years. Roosevelt is just one of the high schools in the city that needs re-envisioning, and we are going through this planning and implementation process to ensure all in-boundary (and out-of-boundary) families see Roosevelt as a viable option that leads to college and career success. These programs will take years to implement and refine, but they do represent the hard work being done at the school and district level to keep improving instruction and Roosevelt’s outcomes.

I'm still not getting it. Can you elaborate on the "successes that Roosevelt has already seen in the past few years"? Are you tracking behavioral problems, absences, suspensions, etc.? What are the successes?

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:It's great that DCPS is trying out some unusual forums to engage DC parents. I would also like to see messages sent out over the petworthparents listserv: [e-mail]. I am not able to make the meeting tonight because it conflicts with an important meeting on dual language programming at DCPS, but would like to learn of upcoming meetings. I do not regularly visit DC Urban Moms but do read the petworthparents listserv.

I agree with jsteele that the best thing DCPS can do for Roosevelt is to guarantee programming that is not tied to enrollment numbers for a certain period (say, three years) while the school gets on its feet in terms of enrollment.

I think another thing Roosevelt can do to attract parents is to find some strong avenues for enrichment activities. Many parents are reluctant to send their children to DCPS because they worry that all the time will be spent drilling children on what they need to know to pass standardized tests. We want to feel that our kids are being stimulated and inspired in multiple ways at school, including through athletics, art, music, and science.

In addition to strong extra-curricular programming, offering project-based enrichment is a very good way to capture families' imaginations and attract them to a school. We want parents to see projects being developed by Roosevelt kids and thing "ooo, that looks like FUN, I wish I had done that in high school and I want that for my kids." Roosevelt is an international school, so how about seeing some Roosevelt students travelling to participate in international competitions oriented towards STEM, entrepreneurship, or urban development?

Another key element will be having school leadership that is willing to devote time to engaging with both parents and prospective parents. Holding open houses an office hours outside the normal business day, having an accessible and up-to-date website, being responsive to email inquiries and following up, and sending messages via community listservs are all very good ways to attract interest from prospective parents and retain current parents. All of these things take enormous commitment and resources from school leadership, but parents definitely take notice.

We signed up for the Petworth listserv on Wednesday, just waiting for approval then we’ll be in touch!

Enrichment activities are a key part of the re-envisioning process. We’re in dialogue with local universities, embassies, and other organizations to partner with the school in academics and career training. More info here: https://reenvisioningroosevelt.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/december-2014_academic-proposal-for-community-input1.pdf. Other key highlights are the biliteracy and global competence seal opportunities that will be offered (not mandatory) as part of the “re-envisioned” Roosevelt. The global competence seal in particular will require students to complete a capstone project in their 12th grade year that explores international issues through a project-based learning approach. Lastly, every student will have the opportunity for a cultural immersion experience – this may include travel or study abroad but also allows students who do not want to travel internationally the option of attending domestic immersion programs. We are working closely with our Director of Global Education at DCPS as well as local organizations with an international focus to begin developing these partnerships.

Currently, Roosevelt is building up a student leadership council, and they will continue to build upon that as we implement the new programming.

Thanks for your comments on ways to better communicate with families and the broader Roosevelt community. Good ideas!

[DCPSschoolplanning]

calexander wrote:First of all, I am pleasantly surprised to see your office reaching out for feedback like this. Keep it up.

Secondly, I would like to see a cohesive plan of action regarding Roosevelt's feeder pattern, specifically the status of a new middle school. Mayor-elect Bowser, Chancellor Henderson and the Council need to come together on this issue like city leaders just did for the DC United Soccer stadium. We have proposals and ideas floating around and several hundred million dollars in capital spending on HS facilities committed, but little to no direction on where the students for the new Roosevelt are going to come from.

Third, I am less than enthusiastic about the "Seal" program that is highlighted in the current proposal. Here we have a high school themed on international studies and languages, yet it seems like your office is going out of its way to avoid either implementing or emulating the established International Baccalaureate (IB) program. At the Truesdell meeting last month, Ms. Kulkarni stated something to the effect of, "With the Seal program, colleges will know that students are prepared to do college level work." Well, no they won't...they won't have any idea what a "Seal" means. Even if IB cannot be enacted right away because of resource limitations, at least model your program on the IB framework (i.e. Diploma programme) so that a future transition is possible. It seems like a gigantic waste of effort the way it stands now.

Lastly, as the founder of the NW Saturday Academy math and computer science program (www.nwsadc.com), I am obliged to ask about Roosevelt's focus on STEM education and technology implementation. Is computer science going to be offered in any format? What about opportunities for students to learn engineering or advanced mathematics?

Again, thank you for reaching out and seeking this feedback.

Regards,

Christopher Alexander
Ward 4 Parent

While there are no current plans for MacFarland Middle School, we plan to consider the recommendation to reopen the school within the context of the broader middle school landscape in the district. We should have updates for you in April/May when we engage in the budgeting process for the following year.

For the Seal program, it is actually not uncommon for districts and schools to have global studies seals for their international programs. During last month’s meeting, we actually stated that it’s a signal to colleges that a student has completed “relevant global studies coursework”. Thank you for your suggestion re: IB at Roosevelt – it has been suggested a few times now, and we are exploring the possibility. We do realize however that an IB program is only as strong as its implementation and the rigor of classroom instruction which is a similar story for AP and honors courses at a non-IB school, so we are currently focused on supporting our teachers in improving instruction and believe success in college and career will follow.

For STEM questions, we’ll direct you to the academic proposal here: https://reenvisioningroosevelt.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/december-2014_academic-proposal-for-community-input1.pdf. There will be advanced math and science offerings, as well as enrichment programming – that includes partnerships with community organizations (like yours!). We do not currently have plans to launch an engineering program at Roosevelt, but we will certainly consider your recommendations as we make our career pathways decisions.

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in bounds for Roosevelt with two small children and I strongly support global education. On paper the vision looks good. I'm wondering what sort of buy-in and real commitment to executing this vision there is from the current principal and faculty/staff? My understanding is that before DCPS determined that Roosevelt would become an Int'l. HS, it was suggested to the principal that he take a more int'l. approach and the response was much less than enthusiastic. But I was present at the the official announcement of the "new " Roosevelt and he seemed to have made a 180...but I am wary. Will he and other staff have to re-apply for their jobs at this "renewed" school?

Also, what of the schools that feed to Roosevelt now and in the future? I know parents here ware working through ideas for a re-opened McFarland. How will that work into the plans for Roosevelt?

Thanks!!

Since we began this process in June, the Roosevelt staff has been extremely enthusiastic about the re-envisioning of the school as an International Studies campus. We’ve been meeting regularly with the staff from the beginning to get input on the planning process, and many of the ideas you see in the proposal reflect their feedback. Of course, offering new programs and courses will require additional staffing and investment in staff training. For the re-envisioning to be successful, the investment of the teachers and administration is absolutely critical, and staff investment will be a key part of our implementation planning. Staff will not have to re-apply for their positions at Roosevelt though they will be expected to attend development sessions such that they can deliver the new course content.

While there are no current plans for MacFarland Middle School, we plan to consider the recommendation to reopen the school within the context of the broader middle school landscape in the district. We should have updates for you in April/May when we engage in the budgeting process for the following year. We have been in close contact with the group that is working on the MacFarland planning, and we have set expectations that their input will serve as recommendations for MacFarland, though DCPS will go through a planning process similar to Roosevelt’s should we decide to reopen the school.

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you using an EPA lead safe certified contractor on the school renovations? The peeling paint on the school's exterior looks like a superfund site.

DGS manages the construction process, DCPS staff receive the building once it is complete. So DCPS won't have in-depth details like this. I am sure they are doing proper remediation of environmental issue on the site, considering how substantial the renovations are.

The commenter is right that this is in the realm of DGS. You can find more information about the renovation here though: http://dgs.dc.gov/page/dgs-roosevelt-high-school-modernization-project

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:What are you going to do to keep highly-effective staff at this school and others. There is high burn-out level at high schools and this constant churning of staff makes it very difficult to get any plans off the ground or to maintain them. What are the plans for the high level of ELL limited proficient and special ed. students that currently attend this school, are there going to be any special programs to support these learners at the new Roosevelt?

DCPS has been one of the most innovative school districts in the country when it comes to recruiting and retaining teachers, including generous bonuses for high-performers and a career pathway program called LIFT that provides high-performers with leadership opportunities. Our Office of Human Capital has continued to refine the IMPACT system to address some of the concerns people have raised about retaining teachers at higher-priority schools.

We are spending time now with our Language Acquisition and our Inclusive Education offices to ensure the new programming is accessible to both English Language Learners and our Special Needs students. The Chancellor has been highlighting equity as a key priority this year, and the only way we can improve Roosevelt’s outcomes is to ensure ALL of our students are graduating prepared for college and career success.

[Anonymous]

We're in bound for Roosevelt but moved our kids to an out of boundary school that feeds to Deal and Wilson which are both too big and honestly Wilson also has a reputation for violence, losing kids in the shuffle...I do not care about which football team wins the local championship, I want to know that my kid can compete in robotics, debate, Mathletes, drama, will be able to take college level math classes, and not get videotaped getting beat up while nobody does anything.

[DCPSschoolplanning]

Anonymous wrote:I would like to applaud the effort to engage here in this forum. An anonymous message board can be both a terrible and valuable place to gain insight. I don't feed into Roosevelt, but I have been following the developments to see "what's next?" As the saying goes: Hope springs eternal. I am always hopeful that real, meaningful progress towards an integrated city is just around the corner.

In a way that can only be done on an anonymous message board I will throw this out: Does Roosevelt envision itself as a racially diverse school in the future? If so, how does it seek to achieve this?

I would argue that today’s Roosevelt is currently racially and culturally diverse, and that will be incredibly valuable to the implementation of the global studies programming. We want all in-boundary families to see Roosevelt as a viable high school option that leads to college and career success, regardless of race.

[Anonymous]

DCPSschoolplanning wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to applaud the effort to engage here in this forum. An anonymous message board can be both a terrible and valuable place to gain insight. I don't feed into Roosevelt, but I have been following the developments to see "what's next?" As the saying goes: Hope springs eternal. I am always hopeful that real, meaningful progress towards an integrated city is just around the corner.

In a way that can only be done on an anonymous message board I will throw this out: Does Roosevelt envision itself as a racially diverse school in the future? If so, how does it seek to achieve this?

I would argue that today’s Roosevelt is currently racially and culturally diverse, and that will be incredibly valuable to the implementation of the global studies programming. We want all in-boundary families to see Roosevelt as a viable high school option that leads to college and career success, regardless of race.

To be blunt, I think the PP was asking about why there aren't any white kids there.

This is the current breakdown:
Black: 68%
Hispanic/Latino: 30%
White: 1%
Asian: 0%
Pacific/Hawaiian: 0%
Native/Alaskan: 1%
Multiple races: 0%

Or if they were trying to dance around that issue, the question is about diversity in economic status:
English language learners 23%
Free and reduced-price lunch 99%
Special education 28%
In-boundary 65%
Average Core Class Size 13

Is that the "diversity" you're aiming for? If so, I think this message board is probably the wrong audience, both in terms of race and economics.

[Anonymous]

I think there is some confusion about how FARMs reporting works going on here.

[Anonymous]

http://greatergreatereducation.org/post/22378/why-are-so-many-dcps-schools-listed-as-99-low-income-its-not-necessarily-because-they-are/