GDS Incoming 9th Grade to be much smaller

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The school and ANC have an official agreement in place. Kinda crummy that the school was ignoring it. Will tuition need to increase substantially to compensate for lower enrollment numbers?

The school was NOT ignoring it. It was based on an estimate of annual attrition that turned out to be wrong when fewer families left the school than in the past.

yes attrition and yield model were wrong last two years (as they were almost at every private school and many colleges). And the prior CFO forgot to report to the ANC the numbers. He left last summer and the error in not reporting was discovered. And then the ANC went to DEFCON-5 and got very nasty w/ GDS at that now comical meeting where the ANC embarrassed themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is insane. GDS is already the most sought-after top independent in DC.

That’s definitely not the case for me. No on-campus lunch for high schoolers, and a 10 college application cap was a deal breaker. It’s a hard pass on GDS for my family. Y’all can fight over those seats if you like…

The kids love being able to go off campus for lunch. And those who don't have 1-2 food trucks nearby. Also you should see the level of doordash orders that kids group up to get. The lunch thing is a non-issue for kids. Yet some parents have this idea that a cafeteria is vital to education.

I have plenty of other issues w/ GDS as a long time parent (declining college office competence, lots of administrator double talk, grade deflation in some core classes, and lack of space for any opinions counter to the GDS bubble - all things that are worse now than even 3 years ago) but lunch aint one

It may not be an issue for YOUR child, but it was an issue for MY child. It’s the main reason she decided not to apply to GDS for 9th grade. She said she didn’t want to be forced to bring lunch or go off campus everyday.

On another note, GDS’ tuition is way too high to not include lunch. Plus, capping college applications at 10/per student is even more insane in this test optional, post-quarantine environment. What is the rationale for that stupid policy?!? It clearly didn’t benefit students this year

Totally agree w/ you on the 10 cap. It's a huge problem. Should be adjusted up to 15. Has been stuck at 10 for 5+ years despite applications doubling at every university in that time.

[Anonymous]

and that is why much of the class is unhappy with their results.
they are blaming it on that plus a few other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The school and ANC have an official agreement in place. Kinda crummy that the school was ignoring it. Will tuition need to increase substantially to compensate for lower enrollment numbers?

The school was NOT ignoring it. It was based on an estimate of annual attrition that turned out to be wrong when fewer families left the school than in the past.

yes attrition and yield model were wrong last two years (as they were almost at every private school and many colleges). And the prior CFO forgot to report to the ANC the numbers. He left last summer and the error in not reporting was discovered. And then the ANC went to DEFCON-5 and got very nasty w/ GDS at that now comical meeting where the ANC embarrassed themselves.

GDS is either incompetent or willful negligent…most likely both. All the other schools face these same issues and agreements but are able to live by the spirit and letter of their agreements. GDS need to clean house starting with the HoS and working your way down to the parents who refuse to abide by the term and conditions(including parking and drop off) of the school contract.

Getting your yield right is a basic competency of a private school. If you get it wrong a few years in a row you should get fired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The school and ANC have an official agreement in place. Kinda crummy that the school was ignoring it. Will tuition need to increase substantially to compensate for lower enrollment numbers?

The school was NOT ignoring it. It was based on an estimate of annual attrition that turned out to be wrong when fewer families left the school than in the past.

yes attrition and yield model were wrong last two years (as they were almost at every private school and many colleges). And the prior CFO forgot to report to the ANC the numbers. He left last summer and the error in not reporting was discovered. And then the ANC went to DEFCON-5 and got very nasty w/ GDS at that now comical meeting where the ANC embarrassed themselves.

GDS is either incompetent or willful negligent…most likely both. All the other schools face these same issues and agreements but are able to live by the spirit and letter of their agreements. GDS need to clean house starting with the HoS and working your way down to the parents who refuse to abide by the term and conditions(including parking and drop off) of the school contract.

Getting your yield right is a basic competency of a private school. If you get it wrong a few years in a row you should get fired.

The last few Covid years have been anomalous in many areas, predicting yield at a private school being one.

However, “I forgot” is a child’s excuse. GDS made a promise and agreed to consequences if they broke that promise. They broke it. These are the consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The cap was part of the zoning order with the permit application when the GDS high school, and later the full school, moved into the neighborhood. The cap is the cap and it is there for safety reasons, ie fire marshall/building codes etc - so if GDS was in violation, it isn't necessarily for neighborhood traffic that is an issue, but rather how many people (staff, faculty, students) are in the space physically.

And if I were a member of the GDS community, I would be concerned that the school wasn't managing this properly.

The ANC is not the bad guy here.

The ANC isn't the bad guy because enforcing a neighborhood agreement is reasonable, but it's not for fire safety reasons. The agreement contemplates the cap increasing over time, which wouldn't be possible if it was truly related to safety (and the anc has nothing to do with fire safety).

As someone who lives at 41st and Ellicott, it would great if GDS parents stopped dropping off on our corner. They pull up, idle to say goodbye or whatever and meanwhile cars are to pass and then yup there’s another GDS car. And yes, it’s GDS parents. The cars have the magnets and the kids get out and walk west on Ellicott.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The cap was part of the zoning order with the permit application when the GDS high school, and later the full school, moved into the neighborhood. The cap is the cap and it is there for safety reasons, ie fire marshall/building codes etc - so if GDS was in violation, it isn't necessarily for neighborhood traffic that is an issue, but rather how many people (staff, faculty, students) are in the space physically.

And if I were a member of the GDS community, I would be concerned that the school wasn't managing this properly.

The ANC is not the bad guy here.

The ANC isn't the bad guy because enforcing a neighborhood agreement is reasonable, but it's not for fire safety reasons. The agreement contemplates the cap increasing over time, which wouldn't be possible if it was truly related to safety (and the anc has nothing to do with fire safety).

As someone who lives at 41st and Ellicott, it would great if GDS parents stopped dropping off on our corner. They pull up, idle to say goodbye or whatever and meanwhile cars are to pass and then yup there’s another GDS car. And yes, it’s GDS parents. The cars have the magnets and the kids get out and walk west on Ellicott.

Yup and get over it. We drop our kids off. We go to work. We pay taxes. We even live in these neighborhoods. Stop being such a tatle tale. Does it really bother you that much or are you just jealous your kid has to walk to Jackson Reed and get a public education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is insane. GDS is already the most sought-after top independent in DC.

That’s definitely not the case for me. No on-campus lunch for high schoolers, and a 10 college application cap was a deal breaker. It’s a hard pass on GDS for my family. Y’all can fight over those seats if you like…

For most GDS students, the 10-college/univ cap is beside the point. They have their choice of great schools, often multiple Ivies.

You can only apply to 10 schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The cap was part of the zoning order with the permit application when the GDS high school, and later the full school, moved into the neighborhood. The cap is the cap and it is there for safety reasons, ie fire marshall/building codes etc - so if GDS was in violation, it isn't necessarily for neighborhood traffic that is an issue, but rather how many people (staff, faculty, students) are in the space physically.

And if I were a member of the GDS community, I would be concerned that the school wasn't managing this properly.

The ANC is not the bad guy here.

The ANC isn't the bad guy because enforcing a neighborhood agreement is reasonable, but it's not for fire safety reasons. The agreement contemplates the cap increasing over time, which wouldn't be possible if it was truly related to safety (and the anc has nothing to do with fire safety).

As someone who lives at 41st and Ellicott, it would great if GDS parents stopped dropping off on our corner. They pull up, idle to say goodbye or whatever and meanwhile cars are to pass and then yup there’s another GDS car. And yes, it’s GDS parents. The cars have the magnets and the kids get out and walk west on Ellicott.

Yup and get over it. We drop our kids off. We go to work. We pay taxes. We even live in these neighborhoods. Stop being such a tatle tale. Does it really bother you that much or are you just jealous your kid has to walk to Jackson Reed and get a public education.

The jealousy argument again. Always such a good GDS look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought that was already known—not conjecture, but confirmed by the school at least a couple months ago.

+1. It is already known and it was confirmed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The cap was part of the zoning order with the permit application when the GDS high school, and later the full school, moved into the neighborhood. The cap is the cap and it is there for safety reasons, ie fire marshall/building codes etc - so if GDS was in violation, it isn't necessarily for neighborhood traffic that is an issue, but rather how many people (staff, faculty, students) are in the space physically.

And if I were a member of the GDS community, I would be concerned that the school wasn't managing this properly.

The ANC is not the bad guy here.

The ANC isn't the bad guy because enforcing a neighborhood agreement is reasonable, but it's not for fire safety reasons. The agreement contemplates the cap increasing over time, which wouldn't be possible if it was truly related to safety (and the anc has nothing to do with fire safety).

As someone who lives at 41st and Ellicott, it would great if GDS parents stopped dropping off on our corner. They pull up, idle to say goodbye or whatever and meanwhile cars are to pass and then yup there’s another GDS car. And yes, it’s GDS parents. The cars have the magnets and the kids get out and walk west on Ellicott.

Drop off on that side of Wisconsin is explicitly allowed under the agreement with the ANC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The cap was part of the zoning order with the permit application when the GDS high school, and later the full school, moved into the neighborhood. The cap is the cap and it is there for safety reasons, ie fire marshall/building codes etc - so if GDS was in violation, it isn't necessarily for neighborhood traffic that is an issue, but rather how many people (staff, faculty, students) are in the space physically.

And if I were a member of the GDS community, I would be concerned that the school wasn't managing this properly.

The ANC is not the bad guy here.

The ANC isn't the bad guy because enforcing a neighborhood agreement is reasonable, but it's not for fire safety reasons. The agreement contemplates the cap increasing over time, which wouldn't be possible if it was truly related to safety (and the anc has nothing to do with fire safety).

As someone who lives at 41st and Ellicott, it would great if GDS parents stopped dropping off on our corner. They pull up, idle to say goodbye or whatever and meanwhile cars are to pass and then yup there’s another GDS car. And yes, it’s GDS parents. The cars have the magnets and the kids get out and walk west on Ellicott.

Drop off on that side of Wisconsin is explicitly allowed under the agreement with the ANC.

Families are dropping off on 41st St. which is not allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does the ANC derive the authority to ask for/enforce this cap?

The cap was part of the zoning order with the permit application when the GDS high school, and later the full school, moved into the neighborhood. The cap is the cap and it is there for safety reasons, ie fire marshall/building codes etc - so if GDS was in violation, it isn't necessarily for neighborhood traffic that is an issue, but rather how many people (staff, faculty, students) are in the space physically.

And if I were a member of the GDS community, I would be concerned that the school wasn't managing this properly.

The ANC is not the bad guy here.

The ANC isn't the bad guy because enforcing a neighborhood agreement is reasonable, but it's not for fire safety reasons. The agreement contemplates the cap increasing over time, which wouldn't be possible if it was truly related to safety (and the anc has nothing to do with fire safety).

As someone who lives at 41st and Ellicott, it would great if GDS parents stopped dropping off on our corner. They pull up, idle to say goodbye or whatever and meanwhile cars are to pass and then yup there’s another GDS car. And yes, it’s GDS parents. The cars have the magnets and the kids get out and walk west on Ellicott.

Drop off on that side of Wisconsin is explicitly allowed under the agreement with the ANC.

Families are dropping off on 41st St. which is not allowed.

I think it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is insane. GDS is already the most sought-after top independent in DC.

That’s definitely not the case for me. No on-campus lunch for high schoolers, and a 10 college application cap was a deal breaker. It’s a hard pass on GDS for my family. Y’all can fight over those seats if you like…

For most GDS students, the 10-college/univ cap is beside the point. They have their choice of great schools, often multiple Ivies.

You can only apply to 10 schools?

Yes, but apparently this fact isn’t widely known. I’ve spoken to a few parents of GDS middle schoolers who were unaware of this policy—surprising!

[Anonymous]

what can kids only apply to 10 schools at gds?