Banneker versus School Without Walls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Today I visited Banneker with my daughter. The building is breathtaking - an open concept with many common spaces, magnificent art room with outdoor art space. If anything seems to be lacking (e.g. electives, restricted foreign languages) this may be because Banneker has long been cramped in tight quarters. Banneker will be able to double in size over time and hire more teachers. There are some misconceptions/outdated information in some of these posts. I specifically asked about math (one post said they do not offer BC Calculus), and was told that although there is not a lot of demand for the most accelerated math they will accommodate students who are ahead. The tour guide said for example that a student had entered ninth grade who had already completed algebra 2/trig and that they accommodated this student. She said that the kids are a studious bunch some of whom take AP macroeconomics as an after school activity. The building is quiet despite it's open concept, and nothing ever gets stolen. They also have many sports and partnerships with other schools if a sport is lacking. They teach Shakespeare and they take the kids to a Shakespeare play every year (except during covid). The tour guide was one of the English teachers, and her commitment to rigorous and engaging instruction really showed. She looked like a really fun teacher, and said that her students were very well prepared for college (even that college was easy for them compared to Banneker). Positive impression of the principal. The IB program sounds small but very rigorous. I would encourage anyone who is interested to get a building tour. There is also a recorded open house online.

If the school were half as fabulous academically as described, average SAT scores for math simply wouldn't be below the national average, and their average English scores at the average. If the IB program were actually rigorous, their average pass points total, as determined by IB Geneva, wouldn't be in the mid 20s, vs. in the high 30s at several other public school IB programs in this Metro area. Lovely buildings don't make for true rigor alone. We shouldn't still be mired in relativism in the District like this, not in 2021.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Today I visited Banneker with my daughter. The building is breathtaking - an open concept with many common spaces, magnificent art room with outdoor art space. If anything seems to be lacking (e.g. electives, restricted foreign languages) this may be because Banneker has long been cramped in tight quarters. Banneker will be able to double in size over time and hire more teachers. There are some misconceptions/outdated information in some of these posts. I specifically asked about math (one post said they do not offer BC Calculus), and was told that although there is not a lot of demand for the most accelerated math they will accommodate students who are ahead. The tour guide said for example that a student had entered ninth grade who had already completed algebra 2/trig and that they accommodated this student. She said that the kids are a studious bunch some of whom take AP macroeconomics as an after school activity. The building is quiet despite it's open concept, and nothing ever gets stolen. They also have many sports and partnerships with other schools if a sport is lacking. They teach Shakespeare and they take the kids to a Shakespeare play every year (except during covid). The tour guide was one of the English teachers, and her commitment to rigorous and engaging instruction really showed. She looked like a really fun teacher, and said that her students were very well prepared for college (even that college was easy for them compared to Banneker). Positive impression of the principal. The IB program sounds small but very rigorous. I would encourage anyone who is interested to get a building tour. There is also a recorded open house online.

If the school were half as fabulous academically as described, average SAT scores for math simply wouldn't be below the national average, and their average English scores at the average. If the IB program were actually rigorous, their average pass points total, as determined by IB Geneva, wouldn't be in the mid 20s, vs. in the high 30s at several other public school IB programs in this Metro area. Lovely buildings don't make for true rigor alone. We shouldn't still be mired in relativism in the District like this, not in 2021.

Why do you continue to spread incorrect information about the school's SAT scores? Are you a disgruntled empliyee/volunteer with the school? I just looked up national average SAT scores. Here are the scores and source info.

Math: 533 (national)
English: 528 (national)
https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results

Banneker scores

Math: 557
English: 554
A previous poster provided source info for the banneker school report:

https://www.benjaminbanneker.org/ourpages/auto/2015/3/22/49894145/Banneker%20School%20Profile%2021-22_.pdf?rnd=1635171254717

[Anonymous]

For Fairfax County Public Schools - all the schools - average scores are:

Math: 612
English: 606
https://tjhsst.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/inline-files/TJ%20Profile%202020-21.pdf

I would expect the city’s selective high school to outperform a whole county. I agree with previous posters that the school would benefit from leadership willing to recognize room for improvement and be willing to push for diversity and tougher admissions standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Today I visited Banneker with my daughter. The building is breathtaking - an open concept with many common spaces, magnificent art room with outdoor art space. If anything seems to be lacking (e.g. electives, restricted foreign languages) this may be because Banneker has long been cramped in tight quarters. Banneker will be able to double in size over time and hire more teachers. There are some misconceptions/outdated information in some of these posts. I specifically asked about math (one post said they do not offer BC Calculus), and was told that although there is not a lot of demand for the most accelerated math they will accommodate students who are ahead. The tour guide said for example that a student had entered ninth grade who had already completed algebra 2/trig and that they accommodated this student. She said that the kids are a studious bunch some of whom take AP macroeconomics as an after school activity. The building is quiet despite it's open concept, and nothing ever gets stolen. They also have many sports and partnerships with other schools if a sport is lacking. They teach Shakespeare and they take the kids to a Shakespeare play every year (except during covid). The tour guide was one of the English teachers, and her commitment to rigorous and engaging instruction really showed. She looked like a really fun teacher, and said that her students were very well prepared for college (even that college was easy for them compared to Banneker). Positive impression of the principal. The IB program sounds small but very rigorous. I would encourage anyone who is interested to get a building tour. There is also a recorded open house online.

If the school were half as fabulous academically as described, average SAT scores for math simply wouldn't be below the national average, and their average English scores at the average. If the IB program were actually rigorous, their average pass points total, as determined by IB Geneva, wouldn't be in the mid 20s, vs. in the high 30s at several other public school IB programs in this Metro area. Lovely buildings don't make for true rigor alone. We shouldn't still be mired in relativism in the District like this, not in 2021.

Why do you continue to spread incorrect information about the school's SAT scores? Are you a disgruntled empliyee/volunteer with the school? I just looked up national average SAT scores. Here are the scores and source info.

Math: 533 (national)
English: 528 (national)
https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results

Banneker scores

Math: 557
English: 554
A previous poster provided source info for the banneker school report:

https://www.benjaminbanneker.org/ourpages/auto/2015/3/22/49894145/Banneker%20School%20Profile%2021-22_.pdf?rnd=1635171254717

However you slice it, Banneker's SAT scores are very embarrassing for a magnet, just a tad above the national average. For an elite test-in program, these scores are catastrophic. They're what you'd expect from 8th or 9th graders at an application school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For Fairfax County Public Schools - all the schools - average scores are:

Math: 612
English: 606
https://tjhsst.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/inline-files/TJ%20Profile%202020-21.pdf

I would expect the city’s selective high school to outperform a whole county. I agree with previous posters that the school would benefit from leadership willing to recognize room for improvement and be willing to push for diversity and tougher admissions standards.

Tougher admissions standards would be a big step forward, but they'd only get Banneker so far. DC needs ES and MS GT to boost these scores. A lovely building and nice, enthusiastic teachers and admins are no substitute for a large cohort of high-performing students.

[Anonymous]

I ask what are the alternatives in DCPS? What are the SAT scores at Walls?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ask what are the alternatives in DCPS? What are the SAT scores at Walls?

From Wikipedia: “The school's averaged combined score was 1272 in 2018.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I ask what are the alternatives in DCPS? What are the SAT scores at Walls?

From Wikipedia: “The school's averaged combined score was 1272 in 2018.”

Close to 1300 is more like it. 1000-1100 for a test-in magnet high school like Banneker is grim.

[Anonymous]

You are all acting like Banneker is just an ordinary test in school like all the others. It isn’t. It’s the high school equivalent of an HBCU. It has other aspirations than just test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are all acting like Banneker is just an ordinary test in school like all the others. It isn’t. It’s the high school equivalent of an HBCU. It has other aspirations than just test scores.

Well, it depends on whom you ask. See earlier posts…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are all acting like Banneker is just an ordinary test in school like all the others. It isn’t. It’s the high school equivalent of an HBCU. It has other aspirations than just test scores.

It isn’t a HS HBCU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Today I visited Banneker with my daughter. The building is breathtaking - an open concept with many common spaces, magnificent art room with outdoor art space. If anything seems to be lacking (e.g. electives, restricted foreign languages) this may be because Banneker has long been cramped in tight quarters. Banneker will be able to double in size over time and hire more teachers. There are some misconceptions/outdated information in some of these posts. I specifically asked about math (one post said they do not offer BC Calculus), and was told that although there is not a lot of demand for the most accelerated math they will accommodate students who are ahead. The tour guide said for example that a student had entered ninth grade who had already completed algebra 2/trig and that they accommodated this student. She said that the kids are a studious bunch some of whom take AP macroeconomics as an after school activity. The building is quiet despite it's open concept, and nothing ever gets stolen. They also have many sports and partnerships with other schools if a sport is lacking. They teach Shakespeare and they take the kids to a Shakespeare play every year (except during covid). The tour guide was one of the English teachers, and her commitment to rigorous and engaging instruction really showed. She looked like a really fun teacher, and said that her students were very well prepared for college (even that college was easy for them compared to Banneker). Positive impression of the principal. The IB program sounds small but very rigorous. I would encourage anyone who is interested to get a building tour. There is also a recorded open house online.

+1 I asked about math also. The kid has to test out the actually class to take the advanced class. In my experience, this is the norm. Our tour guide was a science teacher (and robotics club sponsor) who was enthusiastic about the kids. They have had to hire additional science teachers because of demand. In anticipate more offerings s they grow into the space...

I don’t think that’s a bad policy but other schools do not let kids test out of classes. Banneker makes all freshmen take Algebra I regardless of middle school transcript. The only way out of that is to test. At other DCPS high schools if the kid has Algebra I on their transcript from middle school they are automatically given that credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Today I visited Banneker with my daughter. The building is breathtaking - an open concept with many common spaces, magnificent art room with outdoor art space. If anything seems to be lacking (e.g. electives, restricted foreign languages) this may be because Banneker has long been cramped in tight quarters. Banneker will be able to double in size over time and hire more teachers. There are some misconceptions/outdated information in some of these posts. I specifically asked about math (one post said they do not offer BC Calculus), and was told that although there is not a lot of demand for the most accelerated math they will accommodate students who are ahead. The tour guide said for example that a student had entered ninth grade who had already completed algebra 2/trig and that they accommodated this student. She said that the kids are a studious bunch some of whom take AP macroeconomics as an after school activity. The building is quiet despite it's open concept, and nothing ever gets stolen. They also have many sports and partnerships with other schools if a sport is lacking. They teach Shakespeare and they take the kids to a Shakespeare play every year (except during covid). The tour guide was one of the English teachers, and her commitment to rigorous and engaging instruction really showed. She looked like a really fun teacher, and said that her students were very well prepared for college (even that college was easy for them compared to Banneker). Positive impression of the principal. The IB program sounds small but very rigorous. I would encourage anyone who is interested to get a building tour. There is also a recorded open house online.

+1 I asked about math also. The kid has to test out the actually class to take the advanced class. In my experience, this is the norm. Our tour guide was a science teacher (and robotics club sponsor) who was enthusiastic about the kids. They have had to hire additional science teachers because of demand. In anticipate more offerings s they grow into the space...

I don’t think that’s a bad policy but other schools do not let kids test out of classes. Banneker makes all freshmen take Algebra I regardless of middle school transcript. The only way out of that is to test. At other DCPS high schools if the kid has Algebra I on their transcript from middle school they are automatically given that credit.

This is 100% untrue. They do give assessments to all incoming freshman in addition to transcripts. Freshman are not automatically put into Algebra 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ask what are the alternatives in DCPS? What are the SAT scores at Walls?

I doubt most of the posters have kids anywhere near high school age. If they did, basic research would be done vs gossipy BS posts. We are in the midst of high school visits and research so we are researching as much as we can. The HBCU comments are simply hilarious. Spend a few minutes at HU, Morgan, or Bowie St. and you'd a least have point of reference.

Walls and Banneker serve very different populations. The Walls administration doesn't have to deal with the issues that a Title I school like Banneker deals with. Thus, the actual starting points are different for kids. These are facts not excuses. I'd expect better scores from Banneker but I do understand some of the challenges-1st generation college bound, kids not showing up ready to learn b/c of home life, poverty, hunger, etc. SAT/ACT scores are so important schools are considering weighing them less or phasing them out

Walls scores look better but not by much - 1274 vs 1111. This could certainly vary class to class. Considering the resources a lot of the kids have at Walls, I'd expect better. This seems like a DCPS issue.

From our research trove....Public info..Imagine that..

Walls - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee0f425c4f3ed4b48c52995/t/5f6e77b64ca040062e6e4d34/1601075126675/SWW+School+Profile+2020-2021.pdf

Banneker (as posted previously) - https://www.benjaminbanneker.org/ourpages/auto/2015/3/22/49894145/Banneker%20School%20Profile%2021-22_.pdf?rnd=1635171254717

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I ask what are the alternatives in DCPS? What are the SAT scores at Walls?

I doubt most of the posters have kids anywhere near high school age. If they did, basic research would be done vs gossipy BS posts. We are in the midst of high school visits and research so we are researching as much as we can. The HBCU comments are simply hilarious. Spend a few minutes at HU, Morgan, or Bowie St. and you'd a least have point of reference.

Walls and Banneker serve very different populations. The Walls administration doesn't have to deal with the issues that a Title I school like Banneker deals with. Thus, the actual starting points are different for kids. These are facts not excuses. I'd expect better scores from Banneker but I do understand some of the challenges-1st generation college bound, kids not showing up ready to learn b/c of home life, poverty, hunger, etc. SAT/ACT scores are so important schools are considering weighing them less or phasing them out

Walls scores look better but not by much - 1274 vs 1111. This could certainly vary class to class. Considering the resources a lot of the kids have at Walls, I'd expect better. This seems like a DCPS issue.

From our research trove....Public info..Imagine that..

Walls - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee0f425c4f3ed4b48c52995/t/5f6e77b64ca040062e6e4d34/1601075126675/SWW+School+Profile+2020-2021.pdf

Banneker (as posted previously) - https://www.benjaminbanneker.org/ourpages/auto/2015/3/22/49894145/Banneker%20School%20Profile%2021-22_.pdf?rnd=1635171254717

I posted above saying freshman do not all start in Algebra 1. I said this because I have a freshman at Banneker who is taking a higher level of math.