Is Brent really bringing back a class per grade for live instruction today?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in general this "every school for itself" plan is going to mean inperson schooling will hinge on the reputation and relationship between the principal and the teachers. This will be where the rubber meets the road.

Good luck to the schools with principals none of the teachers can stand.

Exactly. The schools with bad morale and a principal that everyone hates are going to have a hard time here. This is going to expose cracks that are normally hidden from families.

This is true for term 2. However, the reopen committee just advises the Principal, so the Principals can go ahead and reopen for term 3 whether the teachers like it or not. The schools where the Principal actually expects staff to meet the mission will fare better overall. Many teachers don't want to go back to work and won't as long as they think the Principal is fine with it.

The Principal at our school was clear that she sided with WTU and let everyone know that she was afraid of DCPS during the events leading up to the strike. She ignores issues and pretends everything is rosy. She actually sent a message to the entire school stating that there's been very little loss of learning and no social emotional loss during DL based on a ridiculous survey she conducted with the upper elementary students. Sure, her job is easier for her to just go along with her staff and pretend that everyone wants to stay home. But she couldn't even open up a CARES classroom because no one volunteered after she set expectations that we shouldn't reopen. The teachers and staff know she isn't holding them accountable for much of anything. I'll be surprised if we reopen in any meaningful way.

Is this Janney?

No, it's Shepherd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know, but I think it has less to do with them being "a model" and more to do with being a school with a large population of UMC, highly educated parents, and an extremely well-funded PTO. What Brent is doing is simply not possible at other schools, and it actually just highlights the inequities in the system. Brent is also not a destination school for children from less well-funded or well-functioning IBs, since it is virtually impossible to get a spot at Brent unless you are IB. So another example of how the lottery does not actually distribute resources equally among the city's kids, but allows wealthy families to buy into "good" schools that exclude poor children.

Side note: a Brent parent once told me that "any school" could be like Brent if the parents just put in the effort. So if you are wondering if UMC white people still think their sh*t don't stink, the answer is very much: YES.

"Equity" is thrown around as an argument to keep schools closed and completely fails to acknowledge this (from the WaPo today):

"A flood of new data — on the national, state and district levels — finds students began this academic year behind. Most of the research concludes students of color and those in high-poverty communities fell further behind their peers, exacerbating long-standing gaps in American education."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/07/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/#link-EM6ORIHSZZBAHI7WS6GQF3J5EA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know, but I think it has less to do with them being "a model" and more to do with being a school with a large population of UMC, highly educated parents, and an extremely well-funded PTO. What Brent is doing is simply not possible at other schools, and it actually just highlights the inequities in the system. Brent is also not a destination school for children from less well-funded or well-functioning IBs, since it is virtually impossible to get a spot at Brent unless you are IB. So another example of how the lottery does not actually distribute resources equally among the city's kids, but allows wealthy families to buy into "good" schools that exclude poor children.

Side note: a Brent parent once told me that "any school" could be like Brent if the parents just put in the effort. So if you are wondering if UMC white people still think their sh*t don't stink, the answer is very much: YES.

Give s a break with your class envy drenched rant. Brent has some teachers who've volunteered to teach in person, but not one for every grade as yet. Good for Brent teachers when the WTU hasn't been helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Brent can do it, why can't all the NW schools do it?

Brent has Norah Lycknell. She used to be at Janney and was light years better than the current principal.
Quite simply, Norah gets stuff done. Her staff trusts her. She moves mountains within DCPS.
The current principal is borderline worthless. There is no reason Janney couldn't also be going back in some form.
Instead they're not even "able to" staff Cares classrooms.
The number one thing is a leader must inspire confidence/trust in her employees.
Norah has always been able to do this.

+1. We're keeping her, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in general this "every school for itself" plan is going to mean inperson schooling will hinge on the reputation and relationship between the principal and the teachers. This will be where the rubber meets the road.

Good luck to the schools with principals none of the teachers can stand.

Exactly. The schools with bad morale and a principal that everyone hates are going to have a hard time here. This is going to expose cracks that are normally hidden from families.

This is true for term 2. However, the reopen committee just advises the Principal, so the Principals can go ahead and reopen for term 3 whether the teachers like it or not. The schools where the Principal actually expects staff to meet the mission will fare better overall. Many teachers don't want to go back to work and won't as long as they think the Principal is fine with it.

The Principal at our school was clear that she sided with WTU and let everyone know that she was afraid of DCPS during the events leading up to the strike. She ignores issues and pretends everything is rosy. She actually sent a message to the entire school stating that there's been very little loss of learning and no social emotional loss during DL based on a ridiculous survey she conducted with the upper elementary students. Sure, her job is easier for her to just go along with her staff and pretend that everyone wants to stay home. But she couldn't even open up a CARES classroom because no one volunteered after she set expectations that we shouldn't reopen. The teachers and staff know she isn't holding them accountable for much of anything. I'll be surprised if we reopen in any meaningful way.

Is this Janney?

No, it's Shepherd.

I was going to say it doesn’t sound like Janney as the principal has made clear that she thinks the kids should be back in school and is not happy about how any of this has rolled out (including by DCPS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know, but I think it has less to do with them being "a model" and more to do with being a school with a large population of UMC, highly educated parents, and an extremely well-funded PTO. What Brent is doing is simply not possible at other schools, and it actually just highlights the inequities in the system. Brent is also not a destination school for children from less well-funded or well-functioning IBs, since it is virtually impossible to get a spot at Brent unless you are IB. So another example of how the lottery does not actually distribute resources equally among the city's kids, but allows wealthy families to buy into "good" schools that exclude poor children.

Side note: a Brent parent once told me that "any school" could be like Brent if the parents just put in the effort. So if you are wondering if UMC white people still think their sh*t don't stink, the answer is very much: YES.

Well extremely similar schools are not doing this mere blocks away (Maury) so I think there's something different going on at Brent.

Also I'm not sure why you think Brent is doing something no other school could replicate?

Potentially, but Maury is not as similar to Brent as you think. In the younger grades, yes, but the school is more socio-economically diverse overall and much more so in the older grades. I would also venture that the teaching staff is more diverse as well. Brent is a true bubble.

No it isn't. You must not have children at Brent. There have been at least a few poor minority kids in my upper grades children's classes at Brent all along. The PTA raises dough to have struggling students of all backgrounds tutored.

[Anonymous]

I don't get all the person who want in-person school. You have threads on this same board from people who are scared to go into a grocery store for 30 minutes, and yet still want to send their kids to in-person school for 6 hours? What on earth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, she is good at majority-white elementary schools where most students come in with huge advantages.

Brookland Middle - not so much.

Which is ok (except for the kids there). It's good to know one's limitations.

Right, and who's been a rock star heading up Brookland Middle prey tell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I applaud any school principal that is following the science and acknowledging, unlike the WTU and the city, that kids and teachers can safely return in some capacity. That's leadership.

+100. Yes it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone answered the actual question about Brent?

PK has been going for a few weeks. Now Brent also has K, 4th, and 5th.

http://www.brentelementary.org/uploads/6/8/5/8/68589867/tues_news_december_1_2020_final_.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Brent can do it, why can't all the NW schools do it?

Brent has Norah Lycknell. She used to be at Janney and was light years better than the current principal.
Quite simply, Norah gets stuff done. Her staff trusts her. She moves mountains within DCPS.
The current principal is borderline worthless. There is no reason Janney couldn't also be going back in some form.
Instead they're not even "able to" staff Cares classrooms.
The number one thing is a leader must inspire confidence/trust in her employees.
Norah has always been able to do this.

+1. We're keeping her, thanks.

I wouldn't be so sure. She'll get bored and move on to another challenge. It's what she does. I bet she's gone within a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Brent can do it, why can't all the NW schools do it?

Brent has Norah Lycknell. She used to be at Janney and was light years better than the current principal.
Quite simply, Norah gets stuff done. Her staff trusts her. She moves mountains within DCPS.
The current principal is borderline worthless. There is no reason Janney couldn't also be going back in some form.
Instead they're not even "able to" staff Cares classrooms.
The number one thing is a leader must inspire confidence/trust in her employees.
Norah has always been able to do this.

+1. We're keeping her, thanks.

I wouldn't be so sure. She'll get bored and move on to another challenge. It's what she does. I bet she's gone within a year.

To give her credit, she is better than 98% of all DCPS principals - maybe 99%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Brent can do it, why can't all the NW schools do it?

Brent has Norah Lycknell. She used to be at Janney and was light years better than the current principal.
Quite simply, Norah gets stuff done. Her staff trusts her. She moves mountains within DCPS.
The current principal is borderline worthless. There is no reason Janney couldn't also be going back in some form.
Instead they're not even "able to" staff Cares classrooms.
The number one thing is a leader must inspire confidence/trust in her employees.
Norah has always been able to do this.

+1. We're keeping her, thanks.

I wouldn't be so sure. She'll get bored and move on to another challenge. It's what she does. I bet she's gone within a year.

To give her credit, she is better than 98% of all DCPS principals - maybe 99%

when she has a UMC parent base an $$$ - she flamed out at Brookland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get all the person who want in-person school. You have threads on this same board from people who are scared to go into a grocery store for 30 minutes, and yet still want to send their kids to in-person school for 6 hours? What on earth?

To each her own. My kid is I an in person class at Brent and I’m thrilled. I am also totally impressed with super strict and well thought through and explained safety protocols.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Brent can do it, why can't all the NW schools do it?

Brent has Norah Lycknell. She used to be at Janney and was light years better than the current principal.
Quite simply, Norah gets stuff done. Her staff trusts her. She moves mountains within DCPS.
The current principal is borderline worthless. There is no reason Janney couldn't also be going back in some form.
Instead they're not even "able to" staff Cares classrooms.
The number one thing is a leader must inspire confidence/trust in her employees.
Norah has always been able to do this.

+1. We're keeping her, thanks.

I wouldn't be so sure. She'll get bored and move on to another challenge. It's what she does. I bet she's gone within a year.

. She can do that. In the meantime, we’re going to revel in our safe in-person classes.