Thinking of moving IB for Oyster-Adams

[Anonymous]

We currently live on Capitol Hill and love it and don't mind our IB school for the preschool years, but probably need a bigger house and a better long-term school trajectory. DH is interested in immersion and I don't care as much but am not adverse to it. Getting into an immersion charter seems like a long-shot. DH also thinks we should consider applying to WIS. I would rather stay with public schools at the elementary level, but we could afford private for our two kids and a pretty nice house IB for Oyster-Adams. For those of you at Oyster-Adams, what do you think of the quality of education at the elementary school level? Besides the Spanish curriculum, is the English/Math/Science, etc. curriculum as strong as you would like? Do people switch to private at middle school or do people stick with the O-A middle school and then go to Wilson? Do you like living in the neighborhood?

[Anonymous]

Why don't you just go private already?

[Anonymous]

The neighborhood is fantastic except for parking. The OA parent community is active. Not sure that math and science are strong enough in the middle school, as we left for 6th grade. Friends who stayed now have kids fluent in Mndarin as well. The middle school building is small, minimal outdoor space, so limited sports. I think there was afterschool swimming at Marie Reed though, intermittently. Looked at WIS and loved it, kids felt it was too small, especially given the difficulty in recruiting new, local, bilingual kids in upper grades.

[Anonymous]

it sounds great up until 3rd grade...then you have to hope you can still get into private school. It's all a tradeoff.

[Anonymous]

If I could afford WIS I would go there.

[Anonymous]

By "people" you mean, rich people? Is that right OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By "people" you mean, rich people? Is that right OP?

I think she means people who are IB for Oyster-Adams. Given the property prices, many can afford private.

[Anonymous]

We love it! We have one at Adams and one at Oyster. The middle school is fantastic--great community with smaller classes and very dedicated teachers. The middle school's past reputation has not caught up to its current reality--especially on DCUM (oh well ?). Our kids will complete 8th grade at Oyster, and then go to private high schools. Btw, our kids' written/spoken Spanish is near native and above grade level (Oyster tests all of its students). It hasn't been perfect, but there isn't another school in DC (including WIS) that I would chose over Oyster for PK through 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The neighborhood is fantastic except for parking. The OA parent community is active. Not sure that math and science are strong enough in the middle school, as we left for 6th grade. Friends who stayed now have kids fluent in Mndarin as well. The middle school building is small, minimal outdoor space, so limited sports. I think there was afterschool swimming at Marie Reed though, intermittently. Looked at WIS and loved it, kids felt it was too small, especially given the difficulty in recruiting new, local, bilingual kids in upper grades.

Are you saying that your friends' kids have become fluent in Mandarin by simply taking Mandarin classes at Oyster in middle school? If so, that's quite remarkable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The neighborhood is fantastic except for parking. The OA parent community is active. Not sure that math and science are strong enough in the middle school, as we left for 6th grade. Friends who stayed now have kids fluent in Mndarin as well. The middle school building is small, minimal outdoor space, so limited sports. I think there was afterschool swimming at Marie Reed though, intermittently. Looked at WIS and loved it, kids felt it was too small, especially given the difficulty in recruiting new, local, bilingual kids in upper grades.

Are you saying that your friends' kids have become fluent in Mandarin by simply taking Mandarin classes at Oyster in middle school? If so, that's quite remarkable.

Well, it's daily classes from 6th to 8th, in a school which specializes in languages. Not sure of the written part of it, I imagine that takes longer to gain competency. Kids who have deficits in English or Spanish do make-up lessons in those areas, they don't do Mandarin. Sometimes I wish we'd stayed, but decided the math was more important to our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The neighborhood is fantastic except for parking. The OA parent community is active. Not sure that math and science are strong enough in the middle school, as we left for 6th grade. Friends who stayed now have kids fluent in Mndarin as well. The middle school building is small, minimal outdoor space, so limited sports. I think there was afterschool swimming at Marie Reed though, intermittently. Looked at WIS and loved it, kids felt it was too small, especially given the difficulty in recruiting new, local, bilingual kids in upper grades.

Are you saying that your friends' kids have become fluent in Mandarin by simply taking Mandarin classes at Oyster in middle school? If so, that's quite remarkable.

Well, it's daily classes from 6th to 8th, in a school which specializes in languages. Not sure of the written part of it, I imagine that takes longer to gain competency. Kids who have deficits in English or Spanish do make-up lessons in those areas, they don't do Mandarin. Sometimes I wish we'd stayed, but decided the math was more important to our family.

Wow--that's great to hear! I'm looking forward to seeing how our children's Mandarin progresses while at Oyster. Btw, I'm confident that the middle school will offer even more math differentiation under the new principal--she has stated that it's one of her priorities. She even hired a male AP who has an educational background/speciality in math. Another great source for math prodigies at Oyster is Johns Hopkins CTY program.

[Anonymous]

Is the new OA principal making changes at the school? Have things changed under her? We are considering moving inbounds for the school for K next year.

[Anonymous]

We are new to Oyster this year. Our expectations have been exceeded on every front. The new Principal is focussed on rigor and differentiation on campus. She spends her time in the classrooms assessing instruction and rigor. Teachers work with a sense of urgency and are able to differentiate learning with extra hands in each classroom. My favorite part is how global the campus is. My children are in class with students from all over the world. This school attracts families who value education and that makes a difference in behavior and learning. We feel lucky to be apart of this thriving community. The school and it's families have welcomed us with open arms. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are new to Oyster this year. Our expectations have been exceeded on every front. The new Principal is focussed on rigor and differentiation on campus. She spends her time in the classrooms assessing instruction and rigor. Teachers work with a sense of urgency and are able to differentiate learning with extra hands in each classroom. My favorite part is how global the campus is. My children are in class with students from all over the world. This school attracts families who value education and that makes a difference in behavior and learning. We feel lucky to be apart of this thriving community. The school and it's families have welcomed us with open arms. Good luck!

Do you have any comments on changes in the MS? Are there new plans to increase the level of math-preparedness in the elementary so that by middle school more kids in the cohort are prepared for advanced math?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, no info on middle school other than what I hear from parents who are happy there. I know several who have kids going to School Without Walls for HS after finishing OA k-8 and thriving. I have a 1st/3rd grader.