SWS -- Atmosphere and Leadership

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an outside observer I have notice the following asp possible citrin using factors :

1) aftercare or should I say"extended day enrichment" includes Irish step dancing

2) the principal has historically let in families (even since becoming a city wide school) who aren't even on the wait list but who lobby really hard. Not sure what criteria he is using when allowing these families in, but it isn't diversity, from what I have observed.

3) when SWS was in the Peabody building, and started at pk4, while Peabody started at pk3, only families who could afford daycare an extra year could enroll in SWS, because SWS had a policy of not allowing in transfers from Peabody. This difference contributed to the "upstairs downstairs"' appearance.

Wow! Yuck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an SWS parent but not one of the really plugged-in ones. I've recently heard some expressions of unhappiness about how the school, and in particular its leadership, deals with students and families of color. I must say, I have never observed anything other than committed, sensitive behavior from SWS staff, so I've been a little reluctant to accept that there's anything wrong. But then I look around and see that the school's teaching and professional staff has become progressively less and less diverse, and the student body is even less diverse than it used to be (and it was never representative of the city). Since it's not a neighborhood school anymore, I'm afraid that may be a continuing trend.

It's very difficult to raise questions like this, especially at a place like SWS, where many families are "all in" on the concept of the school and all of its initiatives. So I wanted to float these thoughts here and see if any SWS parents have any views on the school's attitudes about diversity and race.

ohhhmy...give it a rest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm black and honestly, I just want the best teacher for the job. I don't want the admin to be pressured into hiring a black teacher just to diversify. I can teach my child how to live as a black person on my own.

I'm not saying they should FORCE him to hire black people, but why shouldn't they at least make sure that the pool of candidates include people of color?? There are plenty of highly qualified teachers in this town who are black.

[Anonymous]

In Arlington, entry into the lottery middle school is reserved by district. There are x number of slots for kids from each part of Arlington. That's how I think SWS and CHM@L should be done.

40 prek slots? 5 from each ward. Boom. Done. You can't tell me there aren't 5 kids in each ward that wouldn't love to be at SWS.

[Anonymous]

Can't rely on the demographic stats that are school-wide. If you look at the PS - 1st grade classes at other schools in neighborhoods nearby, there are a lot of white kids in those classes. Ludlow Taylor looks like a completely different school when you compare upstairs to downstairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Arlington, entry into the lottery middle school is reserved by district. There are x number of slots for kids from each part of Arlington. That's how I think SWS and CHM@L should be done.

40 prek slots? 5 from each ward. Boom. Done. You can't tell me there aren't 5 kids in each ward that wouldn't love to be at SWS.

m

That is very sensible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible that AA families/teachers have less of a desire to attend/teach at this school for some reason?

I'm white but my kids are black. I won't send them to SWS because of the lack of both staff and student body diversity. What am I telling my kids if I send them to a school where all the "helper teachers" are black and all the lead teachers are white?

So my kids are at a school that has black and white and hispanic and asian lead teachers, black and white and hispanic students.

Come on, lady. You won't send them to SWS because you can't get in. Or you won't send them because they're little. You won't necessarily be thrilled with all that lovely diversity come 3rd or 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible that AA families/teachers have less of a desire to attend/teach at this school for some reason?

I'm white but my kids are black. I won't send them to SWS because of the lack of both staff and student body diversity. What am I telling my kids if I send them to a school where all the "helper teachers" are black and all the lead teachers are white?

So my kids are at a school that has black and white and hispanic and asian lead teachers, black and white and hispanic students.

Come on, lady. You won't send them to SWS because you can't get in. Or you won't send them because they're little. You won't necessarily be thrilled with all that lovely diversity come 3rd or 4th grade.

They're in 3rd and 5th grades now, so I'd say we're all set. But thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an SWS parent but not one of the really plugged-in ones. I've recently heard some expressions of unhappiness about how the school, and in particular its leadership, deals with students and families of color. I must say, I have never observed anything other than committed, sensitive behavior from SWS staff, so I've been a little reluctant to accept that there's anything wrong. But then I look around and see that the school's teaching and professional staff has become progressively less and less diverse, and the student body is even less diverse than it used to be (and it was never representative of the city). Since it's not a neighborhood school anymore, I'm afraid that may be a continuing trend.

It's very difficult to raise questions like this, especially at a place like SWS, where many families are "all in" on the concept of the school and all of its initiatives. So I wanted to float these thoughts here and see if any SWS parents have any views on the school's attitudes about diversity and race.

There are plenty of schools in DC where your DC can have a more diverse teaching staff & classmates. What is your IB school op & why did you select SWS? It's not like SWS was more diverse over the last few years, so you had to somewhat know what to expect when you chose the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an outside observer I have notice the following asp possible citrin using factors :

1) aftercare or should I say"extended day enrichment" includes Irish step dancing

2) the principal has historically let in families (even since becoming a city wide school) who aren't even on the wait list but who lobby really hard. Not sure what criteria he is using when allowing these families in, but it isn't diversity, from what I have observed.

3) when SWS was in the Peabody building, and started at pk4, while Peabody started at pk3, only families who could afford daycare an extra year could enroll in SWS, because SWS had a policy of not allowing in transfers from Peabody. This difference contributed to the "upstairs downstairs"' appearance.

Wow! Yuck

+1, number 2 doesn't surprise me at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an SWS parent but not one of the really plugged-in ones. I've recently heard some expressions of unhappiness about how the school, and in particular its leadership, deals with students and families of color. I must say, I have never observed anything other than committed, sensitive behavior from SWS staff, so I've been a little reluctant to accept that there's anything wrong. But then I look around and see that the school's teaching and professional staff has become progressively less and less diverse, and the student body is even less diverse than it used to be (and it was never representative of the city). Since it's not a neighborhood school anymore, I'm afraid that may be a continuing trend.

It's very difficult to raise questions like this, especially at a place like SWS, where many families are "all in" on the concept of the school and all of its initiatives. So I wanted to float these thoughts here and see if any SWS parents have any views on the school's attitudes about diversity and race.

There are plenty of schools in DC where your DC can have a more diverse teaching staff & classmates. What is your IB school op & why did you select SWS? It's not like SWS was more diverse over the last few years, so you had to somewhat know what to expect when you chose the school.

It's fair to say that the student demographics haven't changed that much over the past few years so that shouldn't come as a surprise. What I didn't expect or anticipate was for the school's teachers and staff to become so overwhelmingly white; I wrongly assumed that non-white teachers would be hired (and I certainly didn't foresee that so many white parents would be hired as teachers/staff!). I also didn't expect or understand how low a priority diversity as reflected in teaching materials would be. Lastly, for those of us who have raised it with the principal, the response is underwhelming.

I encourage all who are concerned about this to speak up with the school.

[Anonymous]

After PreK3 at one of the scores of Title 1 schools offering almost no diversity (because almost every teacher and family was AA) I'm going to suggest that you be careful what you wish (and push) for, OP. The SWS team does a great job. This sort of nitpicking may make you feel good, helping you burnish your liberal bona fides, but it's just that, nitpicking. Will you be lobbying for a non-white principal next?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an outside observer I have notice the following asp possible citrin using factors :

1) aftercare or should I say"extended day enrichment" includes Irish step dancing

2) the principal has historically let in families (even since becoming a city wide school) who aren't even on the wait list but who lobby really hard. Not sure what criteria he is using when allowing these families in, but it isn't diversity, from what I have observed.

3) when SWS was in the Peabody building, and started at pk4, while Peabody started at pk3, only families who could afford daycare an extra year could enroll in SWS, because SWS had a policy of not allowing in transfers from Peabody. This difference contributed to the "upstairs downstairs"' appearance.

Wow! Yuck

+1, number 2 doesn't surprise me at all

Oh please

I'm no SWS apologist, and there plenty of fair questions that can be raised at the school. Questions OP could actually ask in person though, it isn't "difficult to raise these kinds of issues" in any way at that school. Be an adult and knock on Burst's door if you have legitimate concerns.

PPs are being ridiculous though if they think 1. Having Irish step in aftercare is somehow a measured, racist move. It just happened to be what an ex-teacher taught and everyone adores her so that's what she teaches. I guess the lovely AA woman who instructed engineering club was just a measured step to counterbalance that? They need to cleverly keep up the charade that they like black people? 2. Any other Principal in DCPS doesn't have this sort of (as far as I can tell perfectly within the rules) admittance latitude after count day and uses it. See: number of OOB sibs in Brent lower grades or the number of employee children at pretty much any DCPS

3. That SWS consciously started at PK4 when housed at Peabody so as to "weed out the poor black folk."

Yes, Ha ha ha -- the plan of the four founding teachers has finally come to fruition! Keep out the black people! (But please give us the LGBT families, we love those guys.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm no SWS apologist, and there plenty of fair questions that can be raised at the school. Questions OP could actually ask in person though, it isn't "difficult to raise these kinds of issues" in any way at that school. Be an adult and knock on Burst's door if you have legitimate concerns.

Right, it would be very easy. "Say, Mr. Burst, I've heard from black families that they feel as though they are treated differently at this school. Is that true?" I'm sure you'd get a lot of careful, reflective, and objective analysis.

The point isn't what the principal would say his views are. It's pretty easy to imagine what he would say with a high degree of confidence. The point is what are the actual experiences of families at the school. That is the question. The references to lack of diversity are meant as EVIDENCE that something might be amiss in the school's mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm no SWS apologist, and there plenty of fair questions that can be raised at the school. Questions OP could actually ask in person though, it isn't "difficult to raise these kinds of issues" in any way at that school. Be an adult and knock on Burst's door if you have legitimate concerns.

Right, it would be very easy. "Say, Mr. Burst, I've heard from black families that they feel as though they are treated differently at this school. Is that true?" I'm sure you'd get a lot of careful, reflective, and objective analysis.

The point isn't what the principal would say his views are. It's pretty easy to imagine what he would say with a high degree of confidence. The point is what are the actual experiences of families at the school. That is the question. The references to lack of diversity are meant as EVIDENCE that something might be amiss in the school's mindset.

Are there any families of color out there that could weigh in on this? Are you having a bad time at SWS because of the color of your skin? More importantly, does your kid report that he/she feels out of place because there are so many white kids in class?