Brent rebuild details to know before you accept that lottery spot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were at Brent for a decade, for two kids, wrapping up just last year. I agree with some of the above, but PP is painting with too broad a brush and I don't know how to separate out Covid school closure issues from the Brent issues form the DCPS issues when I reflect on our experiences. I never thought that the curriculum was a problematic but agree that uneven instruction was in the upper grades was. Almost everything was peachy for us at Brent until 2nd grade. After that, the kids found most of their math challenge at Mathnasium, a couple blocks away, and we hired writing tutors. We've only heard negative things about folding the 5th graders into 4th grade classrooms.

+1. We are at the Capitol Hill Mathnasium too, but not from Brent. Hardly anyone from our Hill elementary is there, but there are a ton of Brent kids there.

Are you sure that's not an income-level thing? Mathnasium is expensive. Folks IB for Brent are, on average, substantially better off even than there solid Hill ES counterparts.

I can’t be sure of course, but just based on the families I know at my kids’ school, it’s not an income thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This. No easy answers if you've been at Brent for years and your kid doesn't get into Latin or BASIS, or if you have plans to move on to a DCPS or private MS that starts in 6th. I wish there was much more pressure on Norah to improve the 5th grade experience. She claims it's wonderful. It's not.

+1000 from Brent 5th Grade Parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were at Brent for a decade, for two kids, wrapping up just last year. I agree with some of the above, but PP is painting with too broad a brush and I don't know how to separate out Covid school closure issues from the Brent issues form the DCPS issues when I reflect on our experiences. I never thought that the curriculum was a problematic but agree that uneven instruction was in the upper grades was. Almost everything was peachy for us at Brent until 2nd grade. After that, the kids found most of their math challenge at Mathnasium, a couple blocks away, and we hired writing tutors. We've only heard negative things about folding the 5th graders into 4th grade classrooms.

+1. We are at the Capitol Hill Mathnasium too, but not from Brent. Hardly anyone from our Hill elementary is there, but there are a ton of Brent kids there.

Are you sure that's not an income-level thing? Mathnasium is expensive. Folks IB for Brent are, on average, substantially better off even than there solid Hill ES counterparts.

I can’t be sure of course, but just based on the families I know at my kids’ school, it’s not an income thing.

Mathnasium isn't cheap, but it's manageable for many UMC families at under $300/month for hour-long twice weekly sessions, less for once a week. My kid likes going partly because she sees Brent pals there. I think about poor kids who can't afford what has started to seem like essential math support for an upper grades Brent student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were at Brent for a decade, for two kids, wrapping up just last year. I agree with some of the above, but PP is painting with too broad a brush and I don't know how to separate out Covid school closure issues from the Brent issues form the DCPS issues when I reflect on our experiences. I never thought that the curriculum was a problematic but agree that uneven instruction was in the upper grades was. Almost everything was peachy for us at Brent until 2nd grade. After that, the kids found most of their math challenge at Mathnasium, a couple blocks away, and we hired writing tutors. We've only heard negative things about folding the 5th graders into 4th grade classrooms.

+1. We are at the Capitol Hill Mathnasium too, but not from Brent. Hardly anyone from our Hill elementary is there, but there are a ton of Brent kids there.

Are you sure that's not an income-level thing? Mathnasium is expensive. Folks IB for Brent are, on average, substantially better off even than there solid Hill ES counterparts.

I can’t be sure of course, but just based on the families I know at my kids’ school, it’s not an income thing.

Mathnasium isn't cheap, but it's manageable for many UMC families at under $300/month for hour-long twice weekly sessions, less for once a week. My kid likes going partly because she sees Brent pals there. I think about poor kids who can't afford what has started to seem like essential math support for an upper grades Brent student.

Don't think it's under $300 unless you got in VERY early. For folks with 2 kids, we're talking $600+ a month. That... rules out 50%+ of the population of probably every Hill ES except Brent.

[Anonymous]

Wanted to bump this back up to see if there are any new opinions a year later. I'd love any insight from current/incoming parents and the larger Brent community's thoughts on the bus/swing space/and potential impacts. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

The next two years are going to be awful. IB parents who got in elsewhere are leaving; those with younger kids are mostly planning to come back. Lots of 2nd and 3rd grade families are moving off the Hill. The Upper School set up is even worse than I could have imagined. It's the exact same non-differentiated class on the ELA side; they didn't even change the book (so my kid read the same book twice in a row). I have actually complained the the Chancellor about it, since I don't think it should be possible that your IB school adopts a model that appears to be designed to drive out 5th graders intentionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The next two years are going to be awful. IB parents who got in elsewhere are leaving; those with younger kids are mostly planning to come back. Lots of 2nd and 3rd grade families are moving off the Hill. The Upper School set up is even worse than I could have imagined. It's the exact same non-differentiated class on the ELA side; they didn't even change the book (so my kid read the same book twice in a row). I have actually complained the the Chancellor about it, since I don't think it should be possible that your IB school adopts a model that appears to be designed to drive out 5th graders intentionally.

Thanks! Yes, I'd read that the combined 4 and 5th leads to challenges for anyone who would want to stay all the way through. We got into another school on the Hill and we're debating if we should take the spot. The bus/swing space logistics seem to detract from all of the positives that drew us to Brent in the first place. But since this would be our first year attending, so we're really seeking candid input from current families. Appreciate this and welcome any other insight!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The next two years are going to be awful. IB parents who got in elsewhere are leaving; those with younger kids are mostly planning to come back. Lots of 2nd and 3rd grade families are moving off the Hill. The Upper School set up is even worse than I could have imagined. It's the exact same non-differentiated class on the ELA side; they didn't even change the book (so my kid read the same book twice in a row). I have actually complained the the Chancellor about it, since I don't think it should be possible that your IB school adopts a model that appears to be designed to drive out 5th graders intentionally.

Dramatic much? Upper school is not great, nor was it ever. I wouldn’t transfer in for just those years. Some families are of course leaving but it’s not that many and honestly even less than I expected - lots of folks with kids young enough to see the upside of the new building are sticking it out, or those with older kids who have an established middle school path (sibling preference). The bus ride is what it is but I’d still take the school and community plus bus ride over switching just to avoid the bus.

It’s a different calculation of course if you’re considering transferring in! It may be harder to build community with a bus drop off/pickup versus milling around the school. Depends on what grades your kids would be joining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The next two years are going to be awful. IB parents who got in elsewhere are leaving; those with younger kids are mostly planning to come back. Lots of 2nd and 3rd grade families are moving off the Hill. The Upper School set up is even worse than I could have imagined. It's the exact same non-differentiated class on the ELA side; they didn't even change the book (so my kid read the same book twice in a row). I have actually complained the the Chancellor about it, since I don't think it should be possible that your IB school adopts a model that appears to be designed to drive out 5th graders intentionally.

Dramatic much? Upper school is not great, nor was it ever. I wouldn’t transfer in for just those years. Some families are of course leaving but it’s not that many and honestly even less than I expected - lots of folks with kids young enough to see the upside of the new building are sticking it out, or those with older kids who have an established middle school path (sibling preference). The bus ride is what it is but I’d still take the school and community plus bus ride over switching just to avoid the bus.

It’s a different calculation of course if you’re considering transferring in! It may be harder to build community with a bus drop off/pickup versus milling around the school. Depends on what grades your kids would be joining.

You are very wrong. I wonder if you have younger kids and so don't realize just how many people are leaving? Check out the WL data and it's only June: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay.

Minimum of 17 offers made in every grade K-5th (where they had only posted 1-2 lottery seats for 1st-5th). For 4th grade, they listed 1 lottery seat, but have made 30 offers already to a WL that only had 33 on it. For 5th, they have offered 19 WL spots (despite having only 24 5th graders last year TOTAL!!)... so only 1 kid on that WL on match day remains. The school is hemorrhaging students. They will fully run through their waitlists in many grades.

[Anonymous]

You are very wrong. I wonder if you have younger kids and so don't realize just how many people are leaving? Check out the WL data and it's only June: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay.

Minimum of 17 offers made in every grade K-5th (where they had only posted 1-2 lottery seats for 1st-5th). For 4th grade, they listed 1 lottery seat, but have made 30 offers already to a WL that only had 33 on it. For 5th, they have offered 19 WL spots (despite having only 24 5th graders last year TOTAL!!)... so only 1 kid on that WL on match day remains. The school is hemorrhaging students. They will fully run through their waitlists in many grades.

The link did not work for me.

[Anonymous]

Try this one and then search for Brent: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

[Anonymous]

Bent was a fabulous school and with a fabulous reputation but the principal is ruining the culture and community by her upper grade model, focus on non-neighborhood factors (before this school was almost 100% neighborhood driven), and disconnect with the parents who typically have very strong buy-in. Now with the new school building and nearly 40% increase to student enrollment once it is opened, Brent has lost its unique ability to attract and retain those in the community. It was a small and special school with high-achieving students but now it will just be another typically subpar DCPS school -- which is what the principal wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bent was a fabulous school and with a fabulous reputation but the principal is ruining the culture and community by her upper grade model, focus on non-neighborhood factors (before this school was almost 100% neighborhood driven), and disconnect with the parents who typically have very strong buy-in. Now with the new school building and nearly 40% increase to student enrollment once it is opened, Brent has lost its unique ability to attract and retain those in the community. It was a small and special school with high-achieving students but now it will just be another typically subpar DCPS school -- which is what the principal wants.

Not at Brent or affiliated with the principal, and the upper school model sounds horrible, but curious why you think the principal wants it to be a subpar DCPS? What would be the incentive?

[Anonymous]

Brent used to be the country club school, and that vibe wasn't for everyone. Now it is having growing pains, but I hope after renovation it will become a wonderful school. It's partly up to the families who make up its community.

[Anonymous]

Don’t have younger kids, just not leaping to conclusions. Nothing you said changes my opinion.

Who would take a 4th or 5th grade spot in a swing space across town? Of course they will have to offer it to 30 people and honestly probably no one will ever take it. There’s not a lot of upside there.

Similar story for the 17 spots in each grade you’re citing - it’s probably at least a handful of spaces but I bet the same spot is going to have to be offered around more than once or twice to find a taker. I’m not saying no one is leaving but I don’t think it’s the mass exodus that’s being suggested. I actually also don’t really care either way - time will tell, but just trying to give a balanced perspective here. And if class sizes are smaller, won’t hurt my kid & their many friends who I do know are staying, which greatly outnumber the ones I know leaving (although of course there are some of those too).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The next two years are going to be awful. IB parents who got in elsewhere are leaving; those with younger kids are mostly planning to come back. Lots of 2nd and 3rd grade families are moving off the Hill. The Upper School set up is even worse than I could have imagined. It's the exact same non-differentiated class on the ELA side; they didn't even change the book (so my kid read the same book twice in a row). I have actually complained the the Chancellor about it, since I don't think it should be possible that your IB school adopts a model that appears to be designed to drive out 5th graders intentionally.

Dramatic much? Upper school is not great, nor was it ever. I wouldn’t transfer in for just those years. Some families are of course leaving but it’s not that many and honestly even less than I expected - lots of folks with kids young enough to see the upside of the new building are sticking it out, or those with older kids who have an established middle school path (sibling preference). The bus ride is what it is but I’d still take the school and community plus bus ride over switching just to avoid the bus.

It’s a different calculation of course if you’re considering transferring in! It may be harder to build community with a bus drop off/pickup versus milling around the school. Depends on what grades your kids would be joining.

You are very wrong. I wonder if you have younger kids and so don't realize just how many people are leaving? Check out the WL data and it's only June: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay.

Minimum of 17 offers made in every grade K-5th (where they had only posted 1-2 lottery seats for 1st-5th). For 4th grade, they listed 1 lottery seat, but have made 30 offers already to a WL that only had 33 on it. For 5th, they have offered 19 WL spots (despite having only 24 5th graders last year TOTAL!!)... so only 1 kid on that WL on match day remains. The school is hemorrhaging students. They will fully run through their waitlists in many grades.