nice FB post by Hyattsville Elementary PTA

[Anonymous]

from their Facebook page:
As someone with two children attending Hyattsville Elementary School and because of my involvement with the school, I’m often contacted by parents wanting to know more. Some questions remind me that when a family’s first or only child is about to enter school, it can be an anxiety-ridden time. This post is an attempt to shed a little light on the school and share some of my experiences. I apologize for its length. At the end of the post, you’ll find information on a few upcoming opportunities to learn more.

- The Great Unknown -
It’s the time of year when anxiety increases around the neighborhood, most of all among families with young, school-age children who are about to enter the world of elementary education. Understandably, parents lose sleep over making what they hope will be the best decision for their child’s future. Should they home school, should enroll in private school (if they can afford it), should they register for public school, should they move? If they apply for a public specialty program, such as French Immersion or Montessori, but don’t get in, what should they do? Even after making the decision, the anxiety remains: Am I making the best choice for my child?

In 2009, my family experienced this same anxiety. Our oldest was months away from starting kindergarten, and Hyattsville Elementary School was, for us, a great unknown. The online reviews weren’t the best in the county. The facilities didn’t inspire confidence. At the time, it was a Title 1 school (I didn’t know what that meant). We knew no families at the school (we didn’t know any families, really). The students wore uniforms! What were we getting our daughter in to? What options for her future were we eliminating? Were we making a terrible mistake? What should we do!?! Well, what we did was send her to HES, and subsequently our younger daughter, and got involved. So, in an attempt to ease the level of anxiety around town, I’d like to say that for my daughters, one in fourth grade and one in first, Hyattsville Elementary School has been an enriching and joyful experience. Have there been bumps in the road? Sure, like when my daughter’s fantastic third-grade teacher went on maternity leave (how could she!?!) and a hard-working, long-term sub took over for two months. There’s no doubt that this changed the class dynamic, but parents remained engaged and supportive, the school staff was caring and attentive, and the children continued to learn and grow. I understand that not all experiences are shared, but HES has been wonderful school for our family.

In the school guide, Principal Julia Burton affirms that, “The dedicated faculty and staff [at HES] believe all children have the right to learn in an environment that is safe, academically rigorous, joyous, respectful, and sparkling with creativity. HES students and staff are held to high standards for academic performance. We are all expected to treat one another with kindness and respect.” HES teachers regularly assess the needs and skills of students, differentiating in-class instruction as needed. They regularly integrate one subject of learning into another, such as math into reading or art into history. There are before school, in-school, and after-school activities, clubs, groups, and programs designed to build character, expand learning, and foster creativity and wonder. HES should be a source of pride for everyone in our community. It’s a place where a child can go to learn, not only math and reading, but art, science, history, music, social skills, and more. It’s a place where students from different backgrounds come to share, explore, and celebrate their differences and develop wonderful friendships.

But, if HES is such a wonderful school, why all the anxiety? Why don’t all families send their child to HES or other public schools in the county? There are many reasons families opt out of their neighborhood public school and, no doubt, whatever decision families arrive at they’re doing what they think is best for their child. That said, I’d like to address one issue that contributes to the anxiety level of many families. - Tests, Tests, Tests - When you Google “Hyattsville Elementary” one of the first sites that pops up is greatschools.org and, though HES received a number of kind community reviews, greatschool.org rates HES a 2 out of 10. Not, it seems, a good rating. But, what was used to determine this rating? According to the site, the schools’ 2011-2012 Maryland School Assessment (MSA) test scores. Well, what are these tests and what do they measure? If the quality rating of the school depends entirely on MSA result, these must be exacting and comprehensive test, right? The simple answer is, no. A sad relic of the federal No Child Left Behind act, the MSA is a standards-based test administered to students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and grades 5 and 8 in science (the MSA is soon to be replaced by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers or PARCC exam). The goal for schools is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test. If a single cohort, for example English-Language Learners, fails to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in reading, the school is deemed failing, and in the case of greatschools.org this could lead to a rating of 2. So the reputation of a school and its staff depends upon the results of a test that measures two, sometimes three, subjects. If you accept this to be a reliable measure, then you relegate to an inferior status art, social studies, music, history, character development, physical education, music, and all the other subjects and learning that go into making a child a well-rounded and considerate adult. I’m not proposing that we do away with testing, rather that we understand that such tests measure student performance at a particular moment in time not student learning. The all-too-obvious subtext of this sort of high-stakes testing is that poor test results are indicative of bad teachers. This sort of approach to accountability makes the measure of a school’s quality dependent on a single annual test and the apparent ability of teachers to ensure students’ proficiency in two or three subjects. If the child isn’t proficient, it’s the teacher’s fault, so the thinking goes. Never mind that the child might not have eaten breakfast the morning of the test, or that she might have had a terrible night’s sleep, or that the test doesn’t account for everything he’s learned, or that the classroom might have been too hot. Never mind that the student might have just arrived from another country or that her parents might not be engaged in her education. There are many factors that contribute to a quality education, such as parent involvement, school resources, quality of the curriculum, and, yes, the quality of the teachers and administrative staff. It is foolish to think otherwise.

- A Leap of Faith -
For most of us our choice of school for our child is a bit of a leap of faith. Whether we choose homeschooling, private school, or pubic school, there’s no certainty which will be best for our child. There are no quantifiable data that can be analyzed to compare the quality of private, public, or home schooling. We can, for example, look at graduation rates but they don’t necessarily speak to the quality of the school staff or the overall learning experience. We can look at test scores, speak with our neighbors, and visit the schools, but we’ll never be certain if we’ve made the right choice until our child is in his or her school learning and even then anxiety will remain. Personally, I encourage everyone to give their local public school a try, send your child there and get involved. Public schools are the foundation of a healthy democratic society, and your supportive involvement will improve your child’s learning, the school, and your community. It’s possible you and your child will find the experience more enriching that you could’ve imagined. Though, it’s also possible you’ll find the experience disappointing or frustrating. But, you will never and cannot ever know if you don’t enter the building, meet the staff, meet parents, and ask questions. - Getting to Know HES - There are numerous ways to get to know HES. You can attend a PTA meeting (the next meeting is Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library). You can attend this year’s Kindergarten Open House/Round Up (this will likely be in April; details coming soon). Or, feel free to contact Principal Burton ( 301-209-5800, [e-mail]) who is willing to meet with parents and, if necessary, arrange a classroom visit/observation. I’m also more than happy to speak candidly about my family’s experience at HES, and I know that many other families are happy to do the same. Hope this helps.

- Bart Lawrence President, Hyattsville Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association

[Anonymous]

This is great. Thanks for sharing it.

[Anonymous]

too long to read sorry

[Anonymous]

tl;dr version for 15:35 ...

Don't be scared off a school because some website gives it a bad ranking based off of flawed tests. Visit the school and engage with the staff and PTA and your kid will get a good education.

[Anonymous]

Or even shorter than 15:35:

You might be the exception and not the rule if you engage the staff and PTA.

[Anonymous]

With my zoned school, I have tried to engage the staff and received no response. The PTA was non-existent when I did the research. I hope this changes!

[Anonymous]

The post is so long because the OP is trying to sell a school with poor results that is predominately populated families that have a low level of educational attainment . If you want to sacrifice your child's future be my guest.

[Anonymous]

OK, look, PP. My child went to our zoned school. It has ZIP to do with a "low level of educational attainment" and EVERYTHING to do with how it fits him (well, actually) and our reality.

I am insulted.