Jefferson-Houston Principal

[Anonymous]

ACPScommunications wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While we have your attention Ms Lloyd, will you confirm that some admin transfers are still be granted out of JH?

While some administrative transfers are permitted under ACPS policies, these are for exceptional student situations based on health, safety, or a temporary or mid-year housing change. These requests may be granted if there is capacity at the requested grade level, and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Transportation is not provided for parent/guardian-requested administrative transfers.

Students may opt into JH on the grounds that as a K-8 school it is a programmatic school if there is capacity at the requested grade level. Students may not opt out of a K-8 school during grades K-5, but may opt out beginning in grade 6. Transportation is provided for programmatic transfers.

The two bolded sentences seem contradictory ("are permitted . . . exceptional student situations" vs. "may not").

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ACPScommunications wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While we have your attention Ms Lloyd, will you confirm that some admin transfers are still be granted out of JH?

While some administrative transfers are permitted under ACPS policies, these are for exceptional student situations based on health, safety, or a temporary or mid-year housing change. These requests may be granted if there is capacity at the requested grade level, and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Transportation is not provided for parent/guardian-requested administrative transfers.

Students may opt into JH on the grounds that as a K-8 school it is a programmatic school if there is capacity at the requested grade level. Students may not opt out of a K-8 school during grades K-5, but may opt out beginning in grade 6. Transportation is provided for programmatic transfers.

The two bolded sentences seem contradictory ("are permitted . . . exceptional student situations" vs. "may not").

Not the PP who wrote this explanation, but I'm familiar with the transfer policies. The phrase
Students may not opt out of a K-8 school during grades K-5
is indicating that if you have an elementary aged kid zoned for Jefferson-Houston, or the new K-8 school Patrick Henry, you can't say that the reason you want a transfer out is because you don't want to do the middle school years at the K-8 schools. You would remain at Jefferson Houston or Patrick Henry for grades K-5, and then when your student gets to 6th grade, you can choose to remain at Jefferson Houston or Patrick Henry, or you can opt for the traditional middle schools, George Washington or Francis Hammond.

Administrative transfers are now a very narrow, limited option that is possible to apply for at any school (not just Jefferson Houston) but it's only going to be granted for very specific reasons related to health and safety of the student.

Every year, the school board get reports on the number of transfers in and out of schools, and the reasons the transfers were granted. It's publicly posted and discussed at a meeting. For folks that have concerns about transfers out of Jefferson Houston, what you need to be looking for is not zero transfers out of Jefferson Houston, because there could always be legitimate reasons for a handful of transfers. What you DO need to look for is that there is not an unusually higher number of transfers out of Jefferson Houston in comparison to other elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend that you grab a screenshot of this thread if you are considering a admin transfers

[Anonymous]

What kind of name is MScott? Pronounced like it should have a period - M. Scott? Or Muh-Scott? Or is the M silent? Why no space? Why no period?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of name is MScott? Pronounced like it should have a period - M. Scott? Or Muh-Scott? Or is the M silent? Why no space? Why no period?

Probably typed by an ACPS grad.

[Anonymous]

Any update from ACPS Communications? Or did they stop answering in which case, bad on them.

Specific question asked on wisdom of IB focus at high FARMS Jefferson Houston K-8.

[Anonymous]

ACPScommunications wrote:Hello parents,

Just want to respond to this thread on behalf of ACPS.

ACPS is looking forward to welcoming MScott Berkowitz as the new principal of Jefferson-Houston School on July 1. MScott is excited to start at Jefferson-Houston and is looking forward to continuing the school’s positive trajectory.

Berkowitz has a solid foundation in classroom instruction and a range of educational leadership experience in diverse educational environments. His accomplishments include double-digit percentage improvements in science, math and writing SOLs for the fifth-grade team at Hybla Valley and significant improvements in targeted areas of academic achievement. His focus on team and leadership development, through the coaching and empowerment of teaching staff, has resulted in academic gains in each of his roles.

Over the last four years, Jefferson-Houston has made marked progress toward achieving full accreditation, particularly under new accreditation standards that measure growth as well as overall achievement. Reading levels at the school have increased by one and a half years or more each year, and student success on state reading tests has increased by 19 points. Math scores on state assessments have increased by 20 points, science scores by 31 points and history scores by 22 points. The student population has increased by 64 percent and the school has been transformed into a community school with passionate advocates and partners.

Jefferson-Houston School is Alexandria’s first Pre-K to 8th-grade school. Jefferson-Houston is an International Baccalaureate® (IB) school. It is authorized for both the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). The IB focuses on developing the whole child so that s/he gains the intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills needed to live, learn, and work in a rapidly globalizing world.

Helen Lloyd
Director of Communications
Alexandria City Public Schools

Thank you for the detailed and thoughtful response. That said, only a few months ago we heard effluent praise from ACPS for John Murphy when he was appointed to Day Elementary, then a couple weeks later he was gone. You'll forgive us if we're a tad skeptical.

[ACPScommunications]

In regard to International Baccalaureate:

Many experts have asserted that achievement gaps are due largely to environmental factors and “opportunity gaps” in the resources available to low income students versus middle class/wealthy children.

The International Baccalaureate programs provide rigorous instructional opportunities that are grounded in inquiry and exploration. The curriculum serves to connect what students are learning in the classroom to a larger global perspective; in turn providing many of the learning opportunities or experiences that Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) students may otherwise never receive.

Research also shows that low-income students who have taken IB courses attend/graduate from college at a higher rate than low-income students who have not participated in IB programs.

Currently, 46% of IB public schools qualify for schoolwide Title I programs.

While the International Baccalaureate mission is broader than just improving academic preparation, as its stated goal is: “to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect”, IB is also dedicated to providing an excellent education regardless of personal circumstances.

Below are some articles/resources that parents may reference if they have additional questions:

https://www.ibo.org/news/news-about-ib-schools/post-secondary-success-for-low-income-ib-students/
https://sites.ed.gov/underservedyouth/files/2017/01/MS3-Lead-Higher-Initiative-Finding-Americas-Missing-AP-and-IB-Students.pdf
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1054288.pdf
https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/dp/ib-and-low-income-students-report-sri-en.pdf

[Anonymous]

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/12/16/finding-classroom-rigor-in-a-global-curriculum/advanced-placement-is-a-better-option-for-us-schools

Advanced Placement Is a Better Option for U.S. Schools
by Patrick Welsh, a retired teacher, taught English at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va. DECEMBER 16, 2013

...First off all, the I.B. program is expensive. Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education writer, estimates that it costs high schools about $56,000 a year to run an I.B.

And for all puffery about the prestige of an I.B. diploma, in many schools the majority of I.B. students end up with only meaningless I.B. certificates awarded to anyone who pays for and takes an I.B. exam regardless of whether he or she passes.

The International Baccalaureate is also more prescriptive than Advance Placement, boxing in teachers and forcing them to teach courses such as epistemology, the last thing most high school students need.

Perhaps most important, with college tuitions rising, high scores on A.P. exams are awarded more college credit than scores on I.B. tests. I have known students who have saved parents thousands in tuition by gaining a full year of college credit after acing A.P. exams.

Lot's of differing opinions on IB curriculum. Surely fully worthy of more debate for Jefferson Houston Elementary K-8 given IB cost to ACPS and we taxpayers, as well as traditional AP credits earned in high school keeping down future college going JH students college cost. H/T to Ms. Floyd for responding!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/12/16/finding-classroom-rigor-in-a-global-curriculum/advanced-placement-is-a-better-option-for-us-schools

Advanced Placement Is a Better Option for U.S. Schools
by Patrick Welsh, a retired teacher, taught English at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va. DECEMBER 16, 2013

...First off all, the I.B. program is expensive. Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education writer, estimates that it costs high schools about $56,000 a year to run an I.B.

And for all puffery about the prestige of an I.B. diploma, in many schools the majority of I.B. students end up with only meaningless I.B. certificates awarded to anyone who pays for and takes an I.B. exam regardless of whether he or she passes.

The International Baccalaureate is also more prescriptive than Advance Placement, boxing in teachers and forcing them to teach courses such as epistemology, the last thing most high school students need.

Perhaps most important, with college tuitions rising, high scores on A.P. exams are awarded more college credit than scores on I.B. tests. I have known students who have saved parents thousands in tuition by gaining a full year of college credit after acing A.P. exams.

Lot's of differing opinions on IB curriculum. Surely fully worthy of more debate for Jefferson Houston Elementary K-8 given IB cost to ACPS and we taxpayers, as well as traditional AP credits earned in high school keeping down future college going JH students college cost. H/T to Ms. Floyd for responding!

You should be happy to know that Alexandria's only high school is not IB and does offer AP classes. How is AP vs IB relevant to the value of the primary years programme?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/12/16/finding-classroom-rigor-in-a-global-curriculum/advanced-placement-is-a-better-option-for-us-schools

Advanced Placement Is a Better Option for U.S. Schools
by Patrick Welsh, a retired teacher, taught English at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va. DECEMBER 16, 2013

...First off all, the I.B. program is expensive. Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education writer, estimates that it costs high schools about $56,000 a year to run an I.B.

And for all puffery about the prestige of an I.B. diploma, in many schools the majority of I.B. students end up with only meaningless I.B. certificates awarded to anyone who pays for and takes an I.B. exam regardless of whether he or she passes.

The International Baccalaureate is also more prescriptive than Advance Placement, boxing in teachers and forcing them to teach courses such as epistemology, the last thing most high school students need.

Perhaps most important, with college tuitions rising, high scores on A.P. exams are awarded more college credit than scores on I.B. tests. I have known students who have saved parents thousands in tuition by gaining a full year of college credit after acing A.P. exams.

Lot's of differing opinions on IB curriculum. Surely fully worthy of more debate for Jefferson Houston Elementary K-8 given IB cost to ACPS and we taxpayers, as well as traditional AP credits earned in high school keeping down future college going JH students college cost. H/T to Ms. Floyd for responding!

You should be happy to know that Alexandria's only high school is not IB and does offer AP classes. How is AP vs IB relevant to the value of the primary years programme?[/quote]

Great question pp. As educators here in Alexandria City, we know that IB at Jefferson Houston if like reaching for the moon when learning to walk not run. It is an incredibly complex educational program compared to traditional education. I don't know for sure, but I suspect IB at JH is an attempt to pull in upper middle class families in the City: a draw card. Given our track record at J-H, which still is not accredited, IB is a leap rather than well thought out. Seems to be a recurring theme here in Alexandria, and IB is very costly to our City who needs capital funds for buildings and common sense academic leadership towards simple J-H accreditation after ALL these years!

Put the ACPS money into teacher salaries instead!

[Anonymous]

Even more reason to drop Jefferson Houston IB plans. An overly expensive waste for ACPS!


Elite DC-area private schools drop Advanced Placement classes
By Megan Cloherty | @ClohertyWTOP
June 18, 2018 4:37 pm
WASHINGTON — Advanced Placement courses will soon be a thing of the past in eight D.C.-area independent high schools.

Related Stories

DC’s public schools go from success story to cautionary tale
WASHINGTON, DC NEWS
"AP courses have long been considered the most rigorous a high school student could put on his or her schedule, but these schools say AP isn’t what it used to be."....

https://wtop.com/education/2018/06/elite-dc-area-private-schools-drop-advanced-placement-classes/

[Anonymous]

It is interesting how people can read the same information and come to different conclusions. I read the WaPo article and concluded that AP and IB programs are a way for our ACPS public school students to continue to differentiate themselves from their private school peers. And that, therefore, it would be worthwhile for ACPS to continue to support IB and AP in its schools.

As my grandma used to say, just because everyone else is jumping off the bridge it doesn't mean that you have to also. Certainly this topic is worthy of more consideration and not a rash follow-the-leader move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see so much negativity on this board for J-H and I'm trying to reconcile it with my experience. I have a child in the special ed pre-K program. Our experience with that program (parents/teachers/administrators) has been terrific. At first, I assumed it was because we were in special ed pre-k and "separate" from the rest of the school, but in everyday run-ins with other staff and teachers for the general school population of k-8 (school nurse, principal, other special ed staff, coaching staff, teachers), I also get a very warm, friendly, and competent vibe (much more friendly than staff at my other children's highly regarded school). Maybe this is just because we are only scratching the surface at J-H so I'm not seeing some of the more systemic problems that are identified on this board. Who knows....

It’s not a problem with the teachers and staff. They’re lovely. It’s the students. I subbed there for 3 weeks and they offered me a long term job but I said no. The children are incredibly unruly and rude and disrespectful. It’s a shame because there are some good kids but the general demographic is not pleasant. Those teachers work their butts off and do everything they can, but at the end of the day they cannot change the child.

[Anonymous]

What are the odds the principal stays longer than this year?