Tell me more about School Without Walls
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Anonymous
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My DD is in the 8th grade and I was certain she would move on to Wilson, however I think it makes sense to take a hard look at SWW. Right now, I’m strictly concerned with the rigor of the academics, level of engagement with instructors, opportunities for creative expression (drama theater, arts), class sizes, and the resources available around college placement. My DD is concerned that she will just be doing a lot of busywork.
The situation regarding the “merger” with Francis-Stevens is on my radar but right now I want to get a clear fix on what the school has to offer. We do plan to attend the open house next month. But I wanted to hear from current SWW about their experiences. |
Anonymous
| Bump. Also parent of an 8th grader looking at SWW as a possible alternative to Wilson, who has been a little concerned both about the merger and also rumors about how the program has been weaker in prior years as class sizes have grown and DCPS has instituted budget cuts. I'd love to hear some first-hand info from a parent or student (or both) with recent experience. |
Anonymous
| As a current parent with 2 at SWW and 1 at Deal, I don't know where I want the youngest to go. No one knows what will happen to the HS with the merger. This year a lot is on hold after the HS community fought DCPS about the merger. There is a task force with members from both schools that will submit recommendations for the merger to the Chancellor by 11/1, but many have little confidence she will listen to them. If the HS is split and students are sent to FS, it will change the whole culture of the school. No one at the HS wants to split the campus. We would rather be crowded in one place. With the merger, the school feels unmoored. The principal is mainly at FS- understandably -but that leaves a HS with 600 students with no one physically there running the show. And DCPS says the HS will remain application only and FS will not be a feeder, but many feel unconvinced about this. I know many current parents who opted not to send their 9th graders to Walls, and the school had to go way into the wait list to fill the grade. It's future feels uncertain and not it a good way. |
Anonymous
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OP here. I understand that the whole merger makes it feel uncertain and change is difficult but I still really want to know about what the school has to offer.
If I put the merger aside, what I see is a school that is focused on academic rigor, smaller classes, and engaged teachers. And because it's an application only school - the student body is made of smart kids that can help push each other along. I understand the merger is a big focus for parents - but I'd really like to understand the student experience. |
Anonymous
You're seeing what you want to see and not listening to things you don't want to hear. |
Anonymous
| OP- No one knows if the HS will continue to be application only or to have small classes. DCPS continues to push for more students. With the merger, FS has not hit their enrollment numbers, so the HS keeps taking more and more. Right now, the future is uncertain. That's the bottom line. The school has changed drastically since my children started there- and not for the better. |
Anonymous
No I'm actually trying to get a sense of what the school offers. I want to get beyond the merger stuff, but if it has really affected the student experience, give some specifics. |
Anonymous
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I have a child in his second year at Walls. He is working hard, but still loves the school. This is a school where the atmosphere is about learning--there is little to no disruptive behavior in class. That is very important to our son and to us as parents.
Even though enrollment is growing, and will likely continue to grow based on DCPS's recent statements, it's never going to be a big school. IMO having 150 kids in a grade level for high school is not large. Larger than it was 4 years ago? of course! But these kids are moving all over the school to a variety of activities throughout the day and are in a LOT of different classes, many of which still have fewer than 20 kids. There are both privileges and expectations that come with the decision to attend this school, and accepting a lot of responsibility and frequently (but not universally) heavy workload are part of the package. My son is still able to participate in two extra-curricular activities, arts and sports-based. He is working hard, but definitely not drowning. School isn't supposed to be easy if it's meeting you at your instructional level (or so I keep telling him). The merger is out there but not something that I feel is going to "ruin" the school--it would not be our first choice, but I'm suspect whenever I hear people saying the school is going downhill. It's definitely not for everyone, but a very good fit for our child. And yes--I have many friends who have not had good experiences at Walls or whose kids have transferred. Like I said--not right for evereyone. That doesn't mean it's not a strong school. |
Anonymous
| Thank you very much 11:45. Obviously without posting identifying information, could you give a little more insight about why kids that have transferred away or have not had a good experience didn't like Walls? I hear often that it's not for every kid, and it would be useful to get a better sense (beyond merely academically strong) of what makes a kid a good vs. bad fit? |
Anonymous
| OP here thanks 11:45 - this is the type of info I'm looking for. |
Anonymous
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Is your kid a top 2% type with the Ivy League in his or her sights? If yes, I'd think twice about about buying into Walls hype. If not, Walls will probably work.
I've interviewed a number of the kids in the running for SWW valedictorian in the last decade for my Ivy, as an alum volunteer. None has been admitted, or even wait listed, though I did what I could to sell these bright, personable and hard-working (if somewhat average seeming) kids to the Ivy. The test-in MS deficit in DCPS and DCPC obviously hurts Walls. |
Anonymous
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PP I'm not asking about college admittance. I want to know what the student experience is like so I can figure out if it will work for my kid.
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Anonymous
| Here are some of my insights: challenging work, lots of homework, really strong math and science courses. The school offers Chinese, Latin, French and Spanish (probably weakest in Spanish). Lots of international travel opportunities for families with money. The trips typically take place during the school year, so kids do have to work to catch up on missed assignments. Plenty of sports, although students have to travel for both practice and games. Decent music programs. Very diverse student population from all over the city. |
Anonymous
| Parent of freshman at Walls here. I'd say it's a mixed bag. The good: kid loves the school, has a great social life, seems happy and thriving. There is a lot of homework but it is not crushing. Seems adequate, in fact. Teachers and administrators are very responsive and nice. There appears to be a very pleasant atmosphere in the school. The bad: some teachers are lackluster; one is quite frankly a nightmare. There is a good amount of busy work. Everything seems geared toward passing AP exams. There does not seem to be much creative or inspiring academics going on. Still waiting for some sort of transformative "aha" learning moment. Then again, it's only been a couple of months. |
Anonymous
| Agree with PP on the push towards AP exams. Every year they push kids to take more APs so the school can have a higher ranking. All 10th graders are required to take AP World History and the school used to discourage taking any more but now they push 2-3 AP's sophomore year. As for teachers, there are great ones there and awful ones too. Administration does nothing about the bad ones and they are well known. Administration has let go of some terrific teachers too. |