Tell me about Lafayette

[Anonymous]

Class sizes are not too big, the community is close-knit (many families remain on the school ground and surrounding park well after school hours), the kids seem to stay friends through MS and HS. It has a more suburban feel than Murch or the Janney site (AU Park has a more suburban feel, but the school itself is right off Wisconsin Ave), but not like in MoCo - kids and dropped off and picked up at the school, which fosters the community feel. The school will be vastly improved once the renovations are completed. Diversity, which is a big factor for many in choosing DC schools, is more multicultural than, say socioeconomic, but your child(ren) will be surrounded by children of many different backgrounds.

Incidentally, I don't think you could go wrong with Janney, Murch, or Mann either (or several other schools in the area - I don't mean to leave anyone out) - they just each have their own character. You asked about Lafayette, though, so I think it makes sense to stick to your question. And, if you are limited in how much time you will have to look around, I think you will do well with CCDC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many people like it. Many teachers not into the new Principal. Some folks are peeling off. This happens in all schools - but all else is pretty typical and fine. I would send my kids there if they are able to go with the flow and dont have special needs. Janney is the "star" school in the area...but also Murch, Oyster, Mann (my opinion the best or second to Janney) and a few others. Good luck.

Janney is the star because it is a great turnaround story. You don't hear a lot about Lafayette because it has been a terrific school for years and years.

Turnaround? Janney has been very good as long as Lafayette. Janney's last principal was a superstar and really took it up a level and that coincided with a renovation that tremendously improved the facilities.

All this happened at the same time that lots of real estate turned over in the Janney boundary so the school has increased in size substantially over the past 6 years.

Not trying to hijack the thread, just responding to a strange statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Class sizes are not too big, the community is close-knit (many families remain on the school ground and surrounding park well after school hours), the kids seem to stay friends through MS and HS. It has a more suburban feel than Murch or the Janney site (AU Park has a more suburban feel, but the school itself is right off Wisconsin Ave), but not like in MoCo - kids and dropped off and picked up at the school, which fosters the community feel. The school will be vastly improved once the renovations are completed. Diversity, which is a big factor for many in choosing DC schools, is more multicultural than, say socioeconomic, but your child(ren) will be surrounded by children of many different backgrounds.

Incidentally, I don't think you could go wrong with Janney, Murch, or Mann either (or several other schools in the area - I don't mean to leave anyone out) - they just each have their own character. You asked about Lafayette, though, so I think it makes sense to stick to your question. And, if you are limited in how much time you will have to look around, I think you will do well with CCDC.

What about Eaton? I don't hear much about it, especially when mentioned along with Janney, Lafayette and Mann.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's as good as it gets for DCPS. Why wouldn't you just move across Western for MCPS.

DCPS in upper NW is much better than MCPS. I guess it used to be different, but it certainly doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

I agree for elementary school but there are huge disparities for middle and high school. The only way I'd do Lafayette was if planned on moving to private at middle school. We lived in CCDC & loved it, but ultimately weren't comfortable with the schools so we moved to MD.

I would (an am) picking Deal over Westland or Pyle any day of the week.

+1 PP is just trying to justify her move (or gamble).

[Anonymous]

Its very crowded and some of the teachers are less than ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many people like it. Many teachers not into the new Principal. Some folks are peeling off. This happens in all schools - but all else is pretty typical and fine. I would send my kids there if they are able to go with the flow and dont have special needs. Janney is the "star" school in the area...but also Murch, Oyster, Mann (my opinion the best or second to Janney) and a few others. Good luck.

Janney is the star because it is a great turnaround story. You don't hear a lot about Lafayette because it has been a terrific school for years and years.

Turnaround story. Where did you get that idea? Janney has been considered to be in league with Lafayette for at least the last 20 years (which is as far back as I go in terms of my relationship with DCPS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's as good as it gets for DCPS. Why wouldn't you just move across Western for MCPS.

DCPS in upper NW is much better than MCPS. I guess it used to be different, but it certainly doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

I agree for elementary school but there are huge disparities for middle and high school. The only way I'd do Lafayette was if planned on moving to private at middle school. We lived in CCDC & loved it, but ultimately weren't comfortable with the schools so we moved to MD.

I would (an am) picking Deal over Westland or Pyle any day of the week.

+1 PP is just trying to justify her move (or gamble).

+2. Deal is an exceptional school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's as good as it gets for DCPS. Why wouldn't you just move across Western for MCPS.

DCPS in upper NW is much better than MCPS. I guess it used to be different, but it certainly doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

I agree for elementary school but there are huge disparities for middle and high school. The only way I'd do Lafayette was if planned on moving to private at middle school. We lived in CCDC & loved it, but ultimately weren't comfortable with the schools so we moved to MD.

I would (an am) picking Deal over Westland or Pyle any day of the week.

+1 PP is just trying to justify her move (or gamble).

+2. Deal is an exceptional school.

What about Hardy? Mann feeds its students to Hardy.

[Anonymous]

What is so exceptional about Deal? Without a magnet program how can you say it is better than the top moco middle school? Am honestly interested. Live in DC.

It may "good enough", but what makes it exceptional?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is so exceptional about Deal? Without a magnet program how can you say it is better than the top moco middle school? Am honestly interested. Live in DC.

It may "good enough", but what makes it exceptional?

Why is a magnet program necessary for a school to be exceptional/better than MoCo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is so exceptional about Deal? Without a magnet program how can you say it is better than the top moco middle school? Am honestly interested. Live in DC.

It may "good enough", but what makes it exceptional?

I don't know of anyone who thinks Deal is exceptional. Some think it's "acceptable."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is so exceptional about Deal? Without a magnet program how can you say it is better than the top moco middle school? Am honestly interested. Live in DC.

It may "good enough", but what makes it exceptional?

I don't know of anyone who thinks Deal is exceptional. Some think it's "acceptable."

I have spoke with many parents of Deal students that assert it is exceptional, some have said better than elementary when they were very happy with the highly regarded elementary their children attended. It has middle school IB status, it regularly has more than 50% of its 6th graders in pre-Algebra, kids can go on international trips at the end of their three years study in a language. I had a parent tell me recently how great the parent teacher conferences are at Deal, that it was clear each teacher really got their child. What have you heard that indicates it is merely acceptable? That was the story 6 years ago, not so much anymore.

[Anonymous]

My child's friend just moved to a private HS from Deal and is having to repeat Geometry and start language at Spanish I so I'm not sure exceptional is the best descriptor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is so exceptional about Deal? Without a magnet program how can you say it is better than the top moco middle school? Am honestly interested. Live in DC.

It may "good enough", but what makes it exceptional?

Jeez. If Deal is only "good enough," where does that leave Hardy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child's friend just moved to a private HS from Deal and is having to repeat Geometry and start language at Spanish I so I'm not sure exceptional is the best descriptor.

A private school we considered (and rejected) said all kids had to start at the same class level no matter what. They didn't give targeted placement tests for individual classes (just a general entrance exam that was not used for specific course placement). So you'd have to have and provide more information for your comment to shed any light on the quality of education at Deal.