Van Ness Elementary School Lottery Results

[Anonymous]

Shouldn't we all be boosters for all DCPS schools? I don't get the animosity.

[Anonymous]

VNPG booster is a specific poster. This has nothing to do with animosity toward a particular school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't we all be boosters for all DCPS schools? I don't get the animosity.

I do wish the best for all schools. But the VNPG booster has a distinctly classist / racist tinge to most of his/her posts that really leaves a bad aftertaste.

[Anonymous]

The Van Ness Parents Group will be holding a meeting on April 7th for all families planning on sending their kids to Van Ness for the 2015 - 2016 school year

[Anonymous]

Parents,

Reminder: Tuesday, March 24th - Van Ness Fundraiser at Nando's 5-10pm- Hope to see you there!

Lottery results come out March 27th.
Van Ness School meeting (for lottery winners) - Tuesday April 7th - 6:00pm - Van Ness Gymnasium

Thank you for your comments and concerns on the designs over these past few weeks. Please find attached the most recent designs from our architects. We expected a builder to be introduced at Wednesday night's SIT meeting. However, as a result of various weather delays/cancellations over the past month the contract has not been finalized. The builder should be announced soon. This WILL NOT impact the opening of the school in August and has given our architectural team some extra time to be thoughtful about the design phase.

The construction will be broken down into two Phases as you will see on some of the slides - Phase 1 vs. Phase 2. Below I am going to address some of the comments that were submitted and is not obvious simply by looking at the designs. Feel free to read through as you have time and don't hesitate to ask if something is unclear.

As always SIT notes can be found on the DGS website:
http://dgs.dc.gov/page/van-ness-early-education-center

[Anonymous]

For PS3, does anyone know how many of the slots went to IB kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents,

Reminder: Tuesday, March 24th - Van Ness Fundraiser at Nando's 5-10pm- Hope to see you there!

Lottery results come out March 27th.
Van Ness School meeting (for lottery winners) - Tuesday April 7th - 6:00pm - Van Ness Gymnasium

Thank you for your comments and concerns on the designs over these past few weeks. Please find attached the most recent designs from our architects. We expected a builder to be introduced at Wednesday night's SIT meeting. However, as a result of various weather delays/cancellations over the past month the contract has not been finalized. The builder should be announced soon. This WILL NOT impact the opening of the school in August and has given our architectural team some extra time to be thoughtful about the design phase.

The construction will be broken down into two Phases as you will see on some of the slides - Phase 1 vs. Phase 2. Below I am going to address some of the comments that were submitted and is not obvious simply by looking at the designs. Feel free to read through as you have time and don't hesitate to ask if something is unclear.

As always SIT notes can be found on the DGS website:
http://dgs.dc.gov/page/van-ness-early-education-center

They are opening in August and haven't even hired a builder for their renovation?? That seems...ambitious...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For PS3, does anyone know how many of the slots went to IB kids?

From speaking to a number of different families in Capitol Quarter, it seems like a good number of families are sending their kids to Van Ness for PK3 (and PK4 and K as well). I think Van Ness will be a great option next year.

[Anonymous]

We were matched at Van Ness and I am concerned about the construction timeline. It appears that it's a design/build project with demolition scheduled for late March/early April (now). That construction schedule is aggressive. I plan to go to the next meeting, but does anyone know of a contingency plan in the event the building isn't ready in time?

[Anonymous]

Ahhhh. Welcome to the world of DCPS. "We'll figure it out when we get there, and put you in trailers if it suits us, and let you do ALL the work, because you're so desperate you won't care and you'll suck it up."

- signed SWS parent, but you know, it creates a community

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not all be surprised if Brent parents decide to stay put beyond PK in the event they are happy with the teachers and curriculum, have formed bonds with classmates and/or prioritize diversity. One important issue will be tecresources the PTA can bring to bear. For example, will VN have a dedicated science teacher, school play, etc.? Other major factors that may impact decisionmaking is tbe progression of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project and the housing which is built over the next two years. so, who knows what will happen in SY 2017-18? For better or worse, Brent families may have the best of both worlds to the extent they can avail themselves of their IB rights at any time. If anything, Bret actually may get the shorter end of the stock to the extent that IB families will focus their attention and resources on VN.

We're PK 3 and IB for brent but equidistant to the two schools. Had we matched at Van Ness and liked the school we would have been inclined to stay for K, especially given the enormous K class likely to hit Brent. But we didn't match and have a ridiculous wait list number so it's all theoretical for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not all be surprised if Brent parents decide to stay put beyond PK in the event they are happy with the teachers and curriculum, have formed bonds with classmates and/or prioritize diversity. One important issue will be tecresources the PTA can bring to bear. For example, will VN have a dedicated science teacher, school play, etc.? Other major factors that may impact decisionmaking is tbe progression of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project and the housing which is built over the next two years. so, who knows what will happen in SY 2017-18? For better or worse, Brent families may have the best of both worlds to the extent they can avail themselves of their IB rights at any time. If anything, Bret actually may get the shorter end of the stock to the extent that IB families will focus their attention and resources on VN.

We're PK 3 and IB for brent but equidistant to the two schools. Had we matched at Van Ness and liked the school we would have been inclined to stay for K, especially given the enormous K class likely to hit Brent. But we didn't match and have a ridiculous wait list number so it's all theoretical for us.

What's your waitlist number at Van Ness?

[Anonymous]

High 20s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not all be surprised if Brent parents decide to stay put beyond PK in the event they are happy with the teachers and curriculum, have formed bonds with classmates and/or prioritize diversity. One important issue will be tecresources the PTA can bring to bear. For example, will VN have a dedicated science teacher, school play, etc.? Other major factors that may impact decisionmaking is tbe progression of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project and the housing which is built over the next two years. so, who knows what will happen in SY 2017-18? For better or worse, Brent families may have the best of both worlds to the extent they can avail themselves of their IB rights at any time. If anything, Bret actually may get the shorter end of the stock to the extent that IB families will focus their attention and resources on VN.

We're PK 3 and IB for brent but equidistant to the two schools. Had we matched at Van Ness and liked the school we would have been inclined to stay for K, especially given the enormous K class likely to hit Brent. But we didn't match and have a ridiculous wait list number so it's all theoretical for us.

Allow me to debunk the mythology regarding the supposed enormity of the K class. 1. Brent has three K classrooms. 2. There are 40 rising Kers enrolled in Brent this year. 3. It appears likely that or more of those enrolled rising Kers will leave at the end of the SY. 4. IIRC about 36 IB families were shut out for PK3 for SY 2013-14 and approx 30 of those IB families applied for a PK4 slot for SY 2014-15. So, it would seem reasonable to conclude that the incoming class of rising Kers will be between 70 and 75. This translates to 23 to 25 per class. I for one don't consider this to be enormous. While it certainly was the case that past K classes of 27 or 28 were large, at least 41 new IB Kers would need to enroll to get to that level without taking into account withdrawals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not all be surprised if Brent parents decide to stay put beyond PK in the event they are happy with the teachers and curriculum, have formed bonds with classmates and/or prioritize diversity. One important issue will be tecresources the PTA can bring to bear. For example, will VN have a dedicated science teacher, school play, etc.? Other major factors that may impact decisionmaking is tbe progression of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project and the housing which is built over the next two years. so, who knows what will happen in SY 2017-18? For better or worse, Brent families may have the best of both worlds to the extent they can avail themselves of their IB rights at any time. If anything, Bret actually may get the shorter end of the stock to the extent that IB families will focus their attention and resources on VN.

We're PK 3 and IB for brent but equidistant to the two schools. Had we matched at Van Ness and liked the school we would have been inclined to stay for K, especially given the enormous K class likely to hit Brent. But we didn't match and have a ridiculous wait list number so it's all theoretical for us.

Allow me to debunk the mythology regarding the supposed enormity of the K class. 1. Brent has three K classrooms. 2. There are 40 rising Kers enrolled in Brent this year. 3. It appears likely that or more of those enrolled rising Kers will leave at the end of the SY. 4. IIRC about 36 IB families were shut out for PK3 for SY 2013-14 and approx 30 of those IB families applied for a PK4 slot for SY 2014-15. So, it would seem reasonable to conclude that the incoming class of rising Kers will be between 70 and 75. This translates to 23 to 25 per class. I for one don't consider this to be enormous. While it certainly was the case that past K classes of 27 or 28 were large, at least 41 new IB Kers would need to enroll to get to that level without taking into account withdrawals.

I think PP was referring to the Brent K class that the rising PK3 kids will form. I don't know what the full IB lottery picture is for that class to know if total IB demand (siblings and non-siblings) is greater than it was for the rising K class, but dynamics maybe similar. Many of the waitlistees will find other things to do and won't return to Brent for K (partially offset by others moving in).
I