Brent to Watkins to Hobson

[Anonymous]

Apparently a group of Brent families with kids in fourth grade are being courted to attend Stuart Hobson (via Watkins) by Hobson’s Principal Clemens.

One can‘t fault the parents looking out or their kids’ best interests, but I have a problem with the continuing DCPS dysfunction this machination represents, specifically, the undermining of Jefferson. The city just went through a massive student assignment process intended to “improve clarity, predictability, and equitable access to high quality schools.” The purported Brent-Watkins-Hobson arrangement flies in the face of this process and the policy it created. It reeks of side-deals and favoritism, and it sends the message to Brent parents and others in the Jefferson feeder pattern that Jefferson is not worth the investment.

Why would the principal of Hobson poach kids from another feeder pattern? Who would describe this as best practices? How does this improve clarity, predictability and equity? How does Jefferson become a viable Brent feeder when Clemens actively discourages / enables Brent parents from enrolling their kids in Jefferson?

Yeah, it is unlikely the Brent students recruited by Hobson would enroll in Jefferson if they didn't have the Hobson option. But the message to the larger Brent community (and other Jefferson feeders) is loud and clear, attending Jefferson is a bridge too far.

I am not clear if the Brent kids would gain spots at Watkins legitimately, or if an extra-lottery arrangement has been offered. Perhaps it is legitimate, and this situation is more about Hobson’s principal simply explaining to the families how it might work. But that is not what the word on the street is, and my reading of the data for the lottery from last year indicates that Watkins had more demand than spots for fifth grade. If there is a wink and nod going on here, it makes the situation even more problematic.

These sorts of arrangements relieve short-term pressure, but in the long run they delay the day that DCPS becomes fully a fully functional system.

[Anonymous]

She's been making this pitch to Brent and Maury for several years. As clueless as she is in many ways, she knows that IB Watkins families would be more inclined to continue in the feeder pattern if other Hill kids also go.

She makes a similar pitch to LT and JOW too - with the slightly different aim of keeping them in the feeder. She found out the hard way her first year that if feeder kids double enroll at charters and SH that filling the gap in late August brings in many troubled kids who jumped from school to to school. She saw a big spike in kids below basic and that really changed SH trajectory. That year also combined with the 5th grade moving back to Watkins so they had to get bodies in by Augusts to meet projections for funding.

[Anonymous]

The hard truth is that JEfferson IS a bridge too far. At least in its current configuration that envisions a small cohort of Brent graduates meeting a large cohort of Amidon Bowen students. Until Amidon Bowen makes significant progress in preparing its graduates there will never be Brent graduates going there.

DCPS central office doesn't care. They refuse to budge on a different feeder pattern for Brent. They refuse numerous suggestions that would untie the knot of unproductive middle schools feeder patterns. A small amount of out of the box thinking here would lead to instant buy-in through middle school and Eastern High School by large numbers of families who currently head charter private or suburbs.

Before Rhee and before Brent Neighbors, no Brent students went on to Jefferson either. They went with a wink and a nod to Hardy. Before that, Jefferson had a principal who implemented a rigid form of tracking that recruited tops students from around the city, gave them a separate advanced curriculum and fed them to Wilson High School.

This feeder pattern Brent to Jefferson has never worked and probably never will. In not surprised principals are looking for a work-around.

PP can be outraged but the "message" pp worries is being sent is inconsequential in reality.

[Anonymous]

Brent parent here. I am curiois abot the pitch to attemd SH. Nothing I have learned about the school, including test scores evidencing 40 percent non-proficiency and 6 out of 10 students being FARMs eligible, would entice me to jump through the hoop of sending DC to Watkins for 5th Grade and then onto SH. So long as BASIS and Latin can effectively accommodate the Brent cohort, this play by the Cluster will be DOA.

[Anonymous]

There are some families who are very interested in this proposal. Those parents have never mentioned Jefferson (or E-H) as an option. It would be Watkins to S-H or else going to BASIS, Latin, maybe even St Peter's.

I think it's a shame that the whole system messes up feeder patterns and DCPS 5th grades. The parents discussing this Watkins option are sensible people who just want the best for their kids.

[Anonymous]

No parent who wants the best for their child would send them to Watkins.

[Anonymous]

Talk about a bridge too far-- SH is much closer to Brent than Jefferson. that's a fact. Not only physically closer, but a safer and more pedestrian/bike friendly commute. I am a Brent parent and I would done the Watkins to SH shuffle but we got into a charter that we like. I consider those Brent parents that do the Waktins- SH shuffle braver and better neighborhood stewards than I am-- and see no problem with a principal pointing out how capitol hill parents can make the DCPS neighborhood system work for them. Ideally SH would be open to all Capitol hill kids for middle school-- since it isn't because OOB cluster kids have rights to SH over those that actually live close to the school, I salute those Brent parents that go OOB to Watkins to enable admission to SH keeping their kids in the neighborhood. Unlike wimps like me that bail go charter.

[Anonymous]

Where will all of the Stuart-Hobson kids from MD go when that Brent-Watkins opens up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Talk about a bridge too far-- SH is much closer to Brent than Jefferson. that's a fact. Not only physically closer, but a safer and more pedestrian/bike friendly commute. I am a Brent parent and I would done the Watkins to SH shuffle but we got into a charter that we like. I consider those Brent parents that do the Waktins- SH shuffle braver and better neighborhood stewards than I am-- and see no problem with a principal pointing out how capitol hill parents can make the DCPS neighborhood system work for them. Ideally SH would be open to all Capitol hill kids for middle school-- since it isn't because OOB cluster kids have rights to SH over those that actually live close to the school, I salute those Brent parents that go OOB to Watkins to enable admission to SH keeping their kids in the neighborhood. Unlike wimps like me that bail go charter.

I think people need to remember that many Brent students are actually IB for Watkins, but got into Brent as OOB students. So she's technically not "poaching" all of them...just seeing if they would like to return to their IB feeder pattern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No parent who wants the best for their child would send them to Watkins.

This is a mean-spirited comment. There are many involved and invested parents at Watkins who do want the best for the child, and whose children are doing well there. Why would you post such a thing? If the school is not right for you, don't send your children there.

[Anonymous]

Jefferson would be a viable option for Brent families if it had more white kids and the IB program continues to improve there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here. I am curiois abot the pitch to attemd SH. Nothing I have learned about the school, including test scores evidencing 40 percent non-proficiency and 6 out of 10 students being FARMs eligible, would entice me to jump through the hoop of sending DC to Watkins for 5th Grade and then onto SH. So long as BASIS and Latin can effectively accommodate the Brent cohort, this play by the Cluster will be DOA.

Sounds like you're a little out of the loop. Not a problem, as I'm sure others will cherish the spot you're not going to take up through that shady scheme. Still, and not to talk you out of it but rather for those who are taking a closer look, Stuart-Hobson has a number of things going for it that neither Basis nor Latin can match: location, robust honors program in all cores subjects, individualized schedules with numerous electives that allow for specializations in fine arts, liberal arts, and STEM, free extended school until 4 or 6, versatile sports program, lasting (and newly expanding) museum partnerships, and, last but not least, the highest rate of kids getting into application high schools.

[Anonymous]

The general tone here re: SH pretty much sums up why we can't seem to get together a proper feed from Brent to SH. And it goes back YEARS.

SH PTA gives the signal that Brent students aren't welcome ( I.e we are already full, you all are too white, you are playing shady games and are nasty )

Then, Brent parents say "that's ok, SH isn't good enough yet anyway. Or cool...but we have some other options that could be good."

And then SH PTA screams in full indignation "what??? You don't want SH? We ARE good enough. Aren't we good enough for you snobs?"

It's not an easy relationship. And in a way, no wonder DCPS doesn't touch it. But really the two groups need some neutral and non-judgemental leadership to work it out. Charles Allen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here. I am curiois abot the pitch to attemd SH. Nothing I have learned about the school, including test scores evidencing 40 percent non-proficiency and 6 out of 10 students being FARMs eligible, would entice me to jump through the hoop of sending DC to Watkins for 5th Grade and then onto SH. So long as BASIS and Latin can effectively accommodate the Brent cohort, this play by the Cluster will be DOA.

Sounds like you're a little out of the loop. Not a problem, as I'm sure others will cherish the spot you're not going to take up through that shady scheme. Still, and not to talk you out of it but rather for those who are taking a closer look, Stuart-Hobson has a number of things going for it that neither Basis nor Latin can match: location, robust honors program in all cores subjects, individualized schedules with numerous electives that allow for specializations in fine arts, liberal arts, and STEM, free extended school until 4 or 6, versatile sports program, lasting (and newly expanding) museum partnerships, and, last but not least, the highest rate of kids getting into application high schools.

Is this because no one will go to Eastern? Higher rate than all the other non-Wilson feeding middle schools, like EH Kramer and Sousa? Not much to brag about there. Higher even than students coming from Latin or BASIS (though not many currently leave from Latin and BASIS isn't fully ripe yet)?

[Anonymous]

The word is out on Latin & BASIS, I don't think Brent rising 4th are at all guaranteed a lottery win for these schools, especially Latin. Placing Watkins as a third choice for a rising 5th grader makes sense to me. One doesn't have to take the slot, can still stay at Brent for 5th and try lotteries again for 6th. Very low probability of admission to Latin for 6th (few slots, siblings take them). Hardy opens up as a 6th grade possibility.