Key vs. Hearst?

[Anonymous]

Transplant_1 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regarding the principal at Hearst, part of the issue is that Hearst remained closed long after most DC schools managed to reopen during Covid. In correspondence she seemed to blame this on DCPS policies but other school managed to reopen in the Spring of 2021, whereas hearst only offered a few in person classes to a select group. Since then, it seems others schools have fully reopened and engaged parents inside the building whereas Hearst continues to have strange policies in place. Hearst families who were around before covid seem to have warmer feelings toward the school, but for those of us who joined in covid years have a hard time understanding this small school culture everyone talks about. I think the teachers are mostly great and we have been generally happy but I am eager for new leadership, better communication and more consistent policies.

I don't find the characterizations of what happened in COVID to be true. I found Hearst to do as good of a job than other area schools. Each seemed to do slightly differently. Rather I appreciated how thoughtfully it was done.

As for the current school policies that you find don't allow for parent engagement inside the building, what are they?

I think the elephant in the room is that the “select group” of kids who were initially allowed back for in person learning were primarily OOB kids. So it was a pretty divisive time at the school that got fairly heated as time. The principal is an unapologetic social justice warrior and I think most parents there are as well. But as the months dragged on and the learning loses began to stack up (while the nearby neighborhood school kids were back for months) it led many IB parents to begin to get understandably desperate. I don’t think these wounds have truly healed so new leadership is probably a good thing.

[Transplant_1]

I'm not quite sure of the dividing line, but correct more of McL Gardens is zoned for Eaton than for Hearst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Transplant_1 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regarding the principal at Hearst, part of the issue is that Hearst remained closed long after most DC schools managed to reopen during Covid. In correspondence she seemed to blame this on DCPS policies but other school managed to reopen in the Spring of 2021, whereas hearst only offered a few in person classes to a select group. Since then, it seems others schools have fully reopened and engaged parents inside the building whereas Hearst continues to have strange policies in place. Hearst families who were around before covid seem to have warmer feelings toward the school, but for those of us who joined in covid years have a hard time understanding this small school culture everyone talks about. I think the teachers are mostly great and we have been generally happy but I am eager for new leadership, better communication and more consistent policies.

I don't find the characterizations of what happened in COVID to be true. I found Hearst to do as good of a job than other area schools. Each seemed to do slightly differently. Rather I appreciated how thoughtfully it was done.

As for the current school policies that you find don't allow for parent engagement inside the building, what are they?

I think the elephant in the room is that the “select group” of kids who were initially allowed back for in person learning were primarily OOB kids. So it was a pretty divisive time at the school that got fairly heated as time. The principal is an unapologetic social justice warrior and I think most parents there are as well. But as the months dragged on and the learning loses began to stack up (while the nearby neighborhood school kids were back for months) it led many IB parents to begin to get understandably desperate. I don’t think these wounds have truly healed so new leadership is probably a good thing.

Always nice to hear from you again Martha.

[Transplant_1]

As a Hearst parent appreciating a good conversation about schools, I find this reply snarky, unneccessary, and not helping with information exchange.

[Anonymous]

Transplant_1 wrote:As a Hearst parent appreciating a good conversation about schools, I find this reply snarky, unneccessary, and not helping with information exchange.

And calling the principal and parents SJWs was part of a good conversation?

[Transplant_1]

I’m hesitant to take the bait, but what is SJW?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Key is super clique-y parents, full of super preppy Palisades-ers who are all about $ and status, the school has its charms as a neighborhood school, but if you're not in the neighborhood you loose that aspect by a lot (including how you're treated). the principal is a do-nothing bafoon. The super over the top PTA parents rule the school. Many of the teachers are great, but hit or miss. Also do consider you'd be in the Hardy-MacArthur vs. Deal-JR track. Key only has about 10-15 kids in the current classes at Hardy.

This is not unique to Key. All upper NW schools are this way. Families stretch their budgets to buy tiny crappy houses in these parts of town because they prioritize education above all else. So they are not super thrilled when OOB kids show up and crowd classrooms.

This is hilariously untrue.

I think the money/status is untrue, but the I think there is a natural cliquishness that comes from locals who often walk to school, go to the same restaurants, gyms, cookouts, etc and people from other parts of town. Honestly we don't even know the parents of the OOB kids or see the OOB kids much out of the school context. Our kids walk home and play with each other in the alleys and yards and parks after school. We close down our streets for block parties. I play pick up sports with some of the other parents. The OOB parents are really only seen though the windshields of their cars. I feel bad for them, they spend like 2 hours each every day driving their kids to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Key is super clique-y parents, full of super preppy Palisades-ers who are all about $ and status, the school has its charms as a neighborhood school, but if you're not in the neighborhood you loose that aspect by a lot (including how you're treated). the principal is a do-nothing bafoon. The super over the top PTA parents rule the school. Many of the teachers are great, but hit or miss. Also do consider you'd be in the Hardy-MacArthur vs. Deal-JR track. Key only has about 10-15 kids in the current classes at Hardy.

This is not unique to Key. All upper NW schools are this way. Families stretch their budgets to buy tiny crappy houses in these parts of town because they prioritize education above all else. So they are not super thrilled when OOB kids show up and crowd classrooms.

This is hilariously untrue.

I think the money/status is untrue, but the I think there is a natural cliquishness that comes from locals who often walk to school, go to the same restaurants, gyms, cookouts, etc and people from other parts of town. Honestly we don't even know the parents of the OOB kids or see the OOB kids much out of the school context. Our kids walk home and play with each other in the alleys and yards and parks after school. We close down our streets for block parties. I play pick up sports with some of the other parents. The OOB parents are really only seen though the windshields of their cars. I feel bad for them, they spend like 2 hours each every day driving their kids to school.

Unsure why you think OOB kids/parents are driving far. Lottery from Glover Park here. It is just a preference for some if they have the opportunity. The Social Justice Warrior comments are leaning slightly racist, probably want to keep that to yourself Karen.

[Transplant_1]

I also know OOB parents who are very linked into the Hearst parent community, on text chains for playdates, volunteering to coach rec soccer, etc. So it's up to each parent. Also, many of them have their own rich neighborhood community of friends.