DCI Course options?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent at DCI. I know of no student taking 3rd language.

Yes, I think the 3rd language is available "in theory." First, DCI needs to help many of these feeder school students perform on grade level in English (to say nothing of the 2nd language they're studying).

So is it true that the YY and LAMB students are pulling up (or held back by) DC Bi?

Stokes isn't helping much either.

I find both of the comments about DCB and Stokes racist, classist, and not at all fitting with the ethos of the school.

That's sweet. I'm sure no-one else on this board is offended by any posts about their school which may or may not be misconstrued as racist, classist or not at all fitting with the ethos of their school. You are undoubtedly the first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost none of the current 6th graders are taking a 3rd language, and the ones who are come with some proficiency or at taking it as independent study. They backed off 3rd language after the first year because it was not working well for many of the students.

Since 2/3 of students at DCI are not at grade level in English or Math that's not surprising. Too bad they have to focus on remediation. We are at a feeder and sad to say we will not continue on to DCI and we are close to middle school.

We're a couple of years away, but we're in the Chinese cohort and not worried.

Because it is going to improve or because DCI separates the students by feeder school language for all classes including science and english?

Likely, both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent at DCI. I know of no student taking 3rd language.

Yes, I think the 3rd language is available "in theory." First, DCI needs to help many of these feeder school students perform on grade level in English (to say nothing of the 2nd language they're studying).

So is it true that the YY and LAMB students are pulling up (or held back by) DC Bi?

Stokes isn't helping much either.

I find both of the comments about DCB and Stokes racist, classist, and not at all fitting with the ethos of the school.

And?!?

[Anonymous]

Hoping all the kinks are worked out by the time my child approaches MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost none of the current 6th graders are taking a 3rd language, and the ones who are come with some proficiency or at taking it as independent study. They backed off 3rd language after the first year because it was not working well for many of the students.

Since 2/3 of students at DCI are not at grade level in English or Math that's not surprising. Too bad they have to focus on remediation. We are at a feeder and sad to say we will not continue on to DCI and we are close to middle school.

Where are you planning on going?

Private either big3 here or a similar private school but in a much larger city where DC has legacy status. We chose the feeder over a private school due to the immersion language but DCI isn't 50/50 like the feeders and coupled with the dismal PARC scores, there is no point in staying. We are close to middle school and don't think there will be enough improvement, meaning at least 60% at grade level, by the time our DC goes to middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost none of the current 6th graders are taking a 3rd language, and the ones who are come with some proficiency or at taking it as independent study. They backed off 3rd language after the first year because it was not working well for many of the students.

Since 2/3 of students at DCI are not at grade level in English or Math that's not surprising. Too bad they have to focus on remediation. We are at a feeder and sad to say we will not continue on to DCI and we are close to middle school.

Where are you planning on going?

Private either big3 here or a similar private school but in a much larger city where DC has legacy status. We chose the feeder over a private school due to the immersion language but DCI isn't 50/50 like the feeders and coupled with the dismal PARC scores, there is no point in staying. We are close to middle school and don't think there will be enough improvement, meaning at least 60% at grade level, by the time our DC goes to middle school.

Sounds like you're not cut out to build something, but you know what you want for your child. Kudos and good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost none of the current 6th graders are taking a 3rd language, and the ones who are come with some proficiency or at taking it as independent study. They backed off 3rd language after the first year because it was not working well for many of the students.

Since 2/3 of students at DCI are not at grade level in English or Math that's not surprising. Too bad they have to focus on remediation. We are at a feeder and sad to say we will not continue on to DCI and we are close to middle school.

Where are you planning on going?

Private either big3 here or a similar private school but in a much larger city where DC has legacy status. We chose the feeder over a private school due to the immersion language but DCI isn't 50/50 like the feeders and coupled with the dismal PARC scores, there is no point in staying. We are close to middle school and don't think there will be enough improvement, meaning at least 60% at grade level, by the time our DC goes to middle school.

Sounds like you're not cut out to build something, but you know what you want for your child. Kudos and good luck to you.

Yes, the PP is not about this DC Charter school life! You have to be willing to experiment with your children's education, and you're clearly not up to the task. Good luck with your next school and its proven track record of success [insert side eye].

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent at DCI. I know of no student taking 3rd language.

Yes, I think the 3rd language is available "in theory." First, DCI needs to help many of these feeder school students perform on grade level in English (to say nothing of the 2nd language they're studying).

So is it true that the YY and LAMB students are pulling up (or held back by) DC Bi?

I believe at some point they are going to need to address the fact that they will need to have on-level and honors courses or some other means of differentiating students other than moving them up a year in course sequence. Not every subject lends itself to that.

Don't count on it. DC public middle schools don't like to risk have mostly white students in higher level classes and AA and Latino kids in lower level classes. Even Deal isn't differentiating in this manner, other than for math.

[Anonymous]

They have electives, even a self-designed elective I think. That's more choice I ever had in middle school (I was in the honors division across all subjects, but no choice at all).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent at DCI. I know of no student taking 3rd language.

Yes, I think the 3rd language is available "in theory." First, DCI needs to help many of these feeder school students perform on grade level in English (to say nothing of the 2nd language they're studying).

So is it true that the YY and LAMB students are pulling up (or held back by) DC Bi?

I believe at some point they are going to need to address the fact that they will need to have on-level and honors courses or some other means of differentiating students other than moving them up a year in course sequence. Not every subject lends itself to that.

Don't count on it. DC public middle schools don't like to risk have mostly white students in higher level classes and AA and Latino kids in lower level classes. Even Deal isn't differentiating in this manner, other than for math.

I think they are going to face the same challenge as other charters have as high school approaches.

If test scores stay where they are, will the higher SES families stay into high school or will they peel off after middle for more proven high school options - like the application high schools. Of course those schools are already over subscribed so maybe everyone will stay put.

[Anonymous]

As a parent of an actual DCI 7th grader, who came from a feeder, I can actually answer these questions. Reason why most kids aren't doing a third language now is simply the student/family priorities - DCI has a rich offering of electives, and a year-round full third language course would eat up time for most electives. Core courses include English Lit, Math (currently 7th graders can enroll in 7th, 8th or 9th grade math - also known as Integrated Math I in IB) science, foreign language, history/social studies in a foreign language, art (for some, this is in foreign language) and PE (for some this is also in a foreign language). Some get drama (in foreign language) instead of art. Plus 2 electives, each of which meets on alternate days - chosen from a broad list, including computer programming, writing for social justice, cinema, additional theatre classes, design, model UN, independent study (where many students pursue foreign language), business, and more - I can't recall them all. Plus "approaches to learning" which is an IB advisory course that provides support for across classes and also functions like a "homeroom ++". They stay in the same ATL class with the same teacher for all of their time at DCI, which means students have a real advisor/advocate who knows them well and knows their parents well. Plus, the school offers supplemental math (if a kid wants to move up a math level). In independent study, students pursue what they want - some do photography or writing projects, some do science fair-type studies, some do languages. In all classes, my child does a lot of writing and gets a lot of feedback on work.
My own student is pretty advanced, and I'm impressed by what the school offers as well as the achievement level and intellectual curiosity exhibited by many of my student's classes.
I don't feel like my student is being pulled down by less prepared students. There are so many leveled classes, and individualized work within classes, that kids can work at their own levels and be challenged consistently.
And compared to Deal, it is much more individualized and intimate based on my observations and conversations with friends at Deal.
And I appreciate the true cultural, ethnic and socio-economic diversity; I believe my child will be better prepared for the future because of it, not in spite of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of an actual DCI 7th grader, who came from a feeder, I can actually answer these questions. Reason why most kids aren't doing a third language now is simply the student/family priorities - DCI has a rich offering of electives, and a year-round full third language course would eat up time for most electives. Core courses include English Lit, Math (currently 7th graders can enroll in 7th, 8th or 9th grade math - also known as Integrated Math I in IB) science, foreign language, history/social studies in a foreign language, art (for some, this is in foreign language) and PE (for some this is also in a foreign language). Some get drama (in foreign language) instead of art. Plus 2 electives, each of which meets on alternate days - chosen from a broad list, including computer programming, writing for social justice, cinema, additional theatre classes, design, model UN, independent study (where many students pursue foreign language), business, and more - I can't recall them all. Plus "approaches to learning" which is an IB advisory course that provides support for across classes and also functions like a "homeroom ++". They stay in the same ATL class with the same teacher for all of their time at DCI, which means students have a real advisor/advocate who knows them well and knows their parents well. Plus, the school offers supplemental math (if a kid wants to move up a math level). In independent study, students pursue what they want - some do photography or writing projects, some do science fair-type studies, some do languages. In all classes, my child does a lot of writing and gets a lot of feedback on work.
My own student is pretty advanced, and I'm impressed by what the school offers as well as the achievement level and intellectual curiosity exhibited by many of my student's classes.
I don't feel like my student is being pulled down by less prepared students. There are so many leveled classes, and individualized work within classes, that kids can work at their own levels and be challenged consistently.
And compared to Deal, it is much more individualized and intimate based on my observations and conversations with friends at Deal.
And I appreciate the true cultural, ethnic and socio-economic diversity; I believe my child will be better prepared for the future because of it, not in spite of it.

Thank you, PP. That's helpful.

Would you say that students tend to stick with the cohort they entered in (their feeder school) or do you see a lot of branching out?

[Anonymous]

[Thank you, PP. That's helpful.

Would you say that students tend to stick with the cohort they entered in (their feeder school) or do you see a lot of branching out?


My child still spends a lot of time with her entering cohort, since they have the same language classes and thus tend to have other classes together too, but child also has a great new group of friends including kids from other feeders and new entries. Middle school is a great time for kids to find those with whom they have more in common. One way the school has helped has been with lunch clubs. Rather than just require all kids sit in the same place for lunch, on any given day they host 6-7 official lunchtime clubs per grade (actually either 6th grade or 7th plus 8th grade combined) and/or guest speakers in different parts of the building. PLus, lots of the teachers hold their classrooms open, and certain kids gravitate toward certain rooms, like the science room, theater room or art room. As a result, kids don't have to stress about whether there will be someone to sit with at lunch. They find their own interest groups, and I think a lot of my child's new friendships are based in this. Very happy with how the transition to middle school has gone for my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is also differentiation in math (some 6th grades in math 7, etc).

I don't think there is differentiation in English, humanities or non-language electives. This is typical throughout charters and DCPS.

This is how it was at my high performing public school growing up. Only math differentiation until high school. Has that changed in other school systems?

Looking forward to learning more about DCI as it matures.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for posting this, DCI Parent. I'm a parent at a feeder school and appreciate this info.