Recent Experiences (K-5): Garrison, ITS, John Francis, Lee, John Lewis, Haynes, Seaton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not OP.

I am on the Hill with a rising K and PK3.

Just visited Lee and ITDS in the last two weeks. I came away liking Lee more - nice, well-lit classrooms, peaceful location back in a neighborhood, and seemed well-run. My kids were in Montessori daycare and seem to thrive in that model.

ITDS facilities seemed a bit grubby. Vibes weren’t as good in my opinion. Way less chance of getting into ITDS, but also seems like it would be a good option into higher grades than Lee.

This thread caused me to take a closer look at their school report cards and, at the end of the day, I’m probably swapping them so that Lee is my #6 and ITDS my #5 because of those troubling test scores and belief that Montessori is great for young children but probably can’t take you the distance the way ITDS could.

My oldest is now in 5th and we ended up at neither school, but when I toured the schools I had the exact same takeaway as you: interesting that things haven’t changed. That said, we have friends who started at both and… none of them are still at Lee (and weren’t before this year, it wasn’t Latin/BASIS attrition). On the flip side, we still know multiple families happy enough at ITDS (though they did try for Latin/BASIS and one is planning on SH next year).

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, we've been very happy at Lewis (child started in PK3) and plan to stay through at least 4th. I would say a handful of kids leave every year, mostly because they move or lottery into schools WOTP that feed into Deal or Hardy.

We plan to do the lottery for 5th grade but also hope that more Lewis families go to MacFarland. We know a few families who have 6th graders at MacFarland and are happy and I look forward to touring the school and learning more about it when we are closer to middle school.

For those folks who are super concerned with screen time, I wonder if you could say more about your concerns? For example, DCPS doesn't have IAs starting in 1st grade. Without screens, it would be extremely difficult for teachers to do small groups. Of course, it would be great if there were 2-3 teachers in every class so screens weren't as necessary, but as a center rotation I think it's totally fine. I will say that I think it's important that students aren't ONLY on screens during center rotations (e.g., there should be independent work stations, writing stations, etc) but I understand that screen time can be beneficial so students can work on things more individualized for them.

For folks with screen time concerns, would love to hear more about what you've seen that you DON'T like and/or what you wish was different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, we've been very happy at Lewis (child started in PK3) and plan to stay through at least 4th. I would say a handful of kids leave every year, mostly because they move or lottery into schools WOTP that feed into Deal or Hardy.

We plan to do the lottery for 5th grade but also hope that more Lewis families go to MacFarland. We know a few families who have 6th graders at MacFarland and are happy and I look forward to touring the school and learning more about it when we are closer to middle school.

For those folks who are super concerned with screen time, I wonder if you could say more about your concerns? For example, DCPS doesn't have IAs starting in 1st grade. Without screens, it would be extremely difficult for teachers to do small groups. Of course, it would be great if there were 2-3 teachers in every class so screens weren't as necessary, but as a center rotation I think it's totally fine. I will say that I think it's important that students aren't ONLY on screens during center rotations (e.g., there should be independent work stations, writing stations, etc) but I understand that screen time can be beneficial so students can work on things more individualized for them.

For folks with screen time concerns, would love to hear more about what you've seen that you DON'T like and/or what you wish was different.

My kids have experienced a school with lots of screen use and a school with much less screen use, both DCPS.

At the first school, screens were used exclusively used for math differentiation -- things like ST Math and maybe Zearn. At the second school, the math coach provides challenging math work for kids who are ready, on paper. they also use iReady to let the kids work at their own pace, maybe 30 minutes a day. As far as I can tell, this is the only screen time in their day.

At the first school, the kids spent a lot of downtime on Clever, doing things like reading e-books. At the second school, this type of screen use never happens. They have "choice time" that is all hands-on (art, games, physical book reading, etc)

At the first school, the teachers would have screen "brain breaks" with random stuff like watching people jump around. Second school this never happens. I think they find other ways to get the kids to relax.

First school played lots of movies on off days (like before big breaks). Second school never happens.

Maybe relatedly, the second school also has a lot more hands-on project work.

Maybe I'm a luddite, but I do feel like the students seem more regulated and calm without the hours of staring at a screen. And the test scores at the second school are dramatically better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, we've been very happy at Lewis (child started in PK3) and plan to stay through at least 4th. I would say a handful of kids leave every year, mostly because they move or lottery into schools WOTP that feed into Deal or Hardy.

We plan to do the lottery for 5th grade but also hope that more Lewis families go to MacFarland. We know a few families who have 6th graders at MacFarland and are happy and I look forward to touring the school and learning more about it when we are closer to middle school.

For those folks who are super concerned with screen time, I wonder if you could say more about your concerns? For example, DCPS doesn't have IAs starting in 1st grade. Without screens, it would be extremely difficult for teachers to do small groups. Of course, it would be great if there were 2-3 teachers in every class so screens weren't as necessary, but as a center rotation I think it's totally fine. I will say that I think it's important that students aren't ONLY on screens during center rotations (e.g., there should be independent work stations, writing stations, etc) but I understand that screen time can be beneficial so students can work on things more individualized for them.

For folks with screen time concerns, would love to hear more about what you've seen that you DON'T like and/or what you wish was different.

My kids have experienced a school with lots of screen use and a school with much less screen use, both DCPS.


As this is an anonymous forum.. are you able to name the schools?

At the first school, screens were used exclusively used for math differentiation -- things like ST Math and maybe Zearn. At the second school, the math coach provides challenging math work for kids who are ready, on paper. they also use iReady to let the kids work at their own pace, maybe 30 minutes a day. As far as I can tell, this is the only screen time in their day.

At the first school, the kids spent a lot of downtime on Clever, doing things like reading e-books. At the second school, this type of screen use never happens. They have "choice time" that is all hands-on (art, games, physical book reading, etc)

At the first school, the teachers would have screen "brain breaks" with random stuff like watching people jump around. Second school this never happens. I think they find other ways to get the kids to relax.

First school played lots of movies on off days (like before big breaks). Second school never happens.

Maybe relatedly, the second school also has a lot more hands-on project work.

Maybe I'm a luddite, but I do feel like the students seem more regulated and calm without the hours of staring at a screen. And the test scores at the second school are dramatically better.

[Anonymous]

Please share the low screen dcps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please share the low screen dcps!

The don’t exist. You need to go to a charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please share the low screen dcps!

I would also like to see the no screen schools posted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please share the low screen dcps!

Ross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, we've been very happy at Lewis (child started in PK3) and plan to stay through at least 4th. I would say a handful of kids leave every year, mostly because they move or lottery into schools WOTP that feed into Deal or Hardy.

We plan to do the lottery for 5th grade but also hope that more Lewis families go to MacFarland. We know a few families who have 6th graders at MacFarland and are happy and I look forward to touring the school and learning more about it when we are closer to middle school.

For those folks who are super concerned with screen time, I wonder if you could say more about your concerns? For example, DCPS doesn't have IAs starting in 1st grade. Without screens, it would be extremely difficult for teachers to do small groups. Of course, it would be great if there were 2-3 teachers in every class so screens weren't as necessary, but as a center rotation I think it's totally fine. I will say that I think it's important that students aren't ONLY on screens during center rotations (e.g., there should be independent work stations, writing stations, etc) but I understand that screen time can be beneficial so students can work on things more individualized for them.

For folks with screen time concerns, would love to hear more about what you've seen that you DON'T like and/or what you wish was different.

My kids have experienced a school with lots of screen use and a school with much less screen use, both DCPS.


As this is an anonymous forum.. are you able to name the schools?

At the first school, screens were used exclusively used for math differentiation -- things like ST Math and maybe Zearn. At the second school, the math coach provides challenging math work for kids who are ready, on paper. they also use iReady to let the kids work at their own pace, maybe 30 minutes a day. As far as I can tell, this is the only screen time in their day.

At the first school, the kids spent a lot of downtime on Clever, doing things like reading e-books. At the second school, this type of screen use never happens. They have "choice time" that is all hands-on (art, games, physical book reading, etc)

At the first school, the teachers would have screen "brain breaks" with random stuff like watching people jump around. Second school this never happens. I think they find other ways to get the kids to relax.

First school played lots of movies on off days (like before big breaks). Second school never happens.

Maybe relatedly, the second school also has a lot more hands-on project work.

Maybe I'm a luddite, but I do feel like the students seem more regulated and calm without the hours of staring at a screen. And the test scores at the second school are dramatically better.

This shows how little parents know about edtech. Clever is a portal, not a program itself.

[Anonymous]

DCPS relies way too heavily on screens. I agree that if you want no or low screens, look at charters.

[Anonymous]

Are any of the schools open asked about low screen?

[Anonymous]

Superiorwitt wrote:Francis may end up one of the best schools in the city at some point.. I think they are trending upwards and their leadership seems aligned. There isnt much that they dont seem to do well from what ive seen.

Seaton would be highly sought after if not for their high school feeder. They are moving to a swing space for a few years starting in the fall.

From these areas, curious why Takoma ele, Height, Whittier, Barnard arent considered as well?

Takoma is a long drive from Capitol Hill, and likely not on the way to work for the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, we've been very happy at Lewis (child started in PK3) and plan to stay through at least 4th. I would say a handful of kids leave every year, mostly because they move or lottery into schools WOTP that feed into Deal or Hardy.

We plan to do the lottery for 5th grade but also hope that more Lewis families go to MacFarland. We know a few families who have 6th graders at MacFarland and are happy and I look forward to touring the school and learning more about it when we are closer to middle school.

For those folks who are super concerned with screen time, I wonder if you could say more about your concerns? For example, DCPS doesn't have IAs starting in 1st grade. Without screens, it would be extremely difficult for teachers to do small groups. Of course, it would be great if there were 2-3 teachers in every class so screens weren't as necessary, but as a center rotation I think it's totally fine. I will say that I think it's important that students aren't ONLY on screens during center rotations (e.g., there should be independent work stations, writing stations, etc) but I understand that screen time can be beneficial so students can work on things more individualized for them.

For folks with screen time concerns, would love to hear more about what you've seen that you DON'T like and/or what you wish was different.

I'm the OP here. Thanks so much for your thoughts on Lewis.

I'm not an absolutist on screens. I can see their value - for example, my kids did a unit on Insects in PK and watched a bunch of videos on bugs. I mean, that's really the best way to watch, for example, praying mantis behavior. My kindergartener also does iReady right now, and I don't object to 30 minutes of self paced math/reading a day on an iPad. Another poster mentioned using computer games to drill math facts at ITDS - that seems really smart to me. We're not Amish - if there's a good use for a screen, use a screen.

What I object to is HUGE quantities of time on screens (more than an hour or so in K-1, more than 2 hours in 2-5, roughly?), a default to all learning being on screens, and a lack of writing with a pen or pencil which study after study after study shows is linked to better learning, better retention, more student engagement, etc. You also need to have time away from a screen for your brain, for your emotions, for your learning to settle in. I object strongly to screens being used as a pacifier. Yup, they'll be quiet and calm if you hand them a screen. This is BAD not good. Kids aren't supposed to be quiet and calm all day.

Additionally, particularly young kids need to move their bodies - I hate screens as a replacement for indoor recess. There should really never been any screens for specials IMHO - Spanish, PE, Music, Art, Library, etc - these should all be active for kids and there is no reason (beyond like, a movie the one week there's a sub) that they should be using screens for these classes for elementary schoolers.

I will say that at least for my tour of John Lewis, they really seemed to be using screens the way you describe - lots of small groups (the principal said they aim to spend half their classroom time in small groups, which sounds great and was very much the case on our tour) and there'd be one group with one teacher, one with another, one doing something more engaging (writing, drawing, using manipulatives, whatever) and then one group on iPads. That seems totally reasonable to me.

Seeing every single kid in every single room I looked at (hint: I look at all the rooms as we walk, not just the ones we're going to visit) on screens at Thomson, was incredibly jarring and not at all what I'm looking for in a school.

And before someone jumps down my throat about parents using screens as pacifiers all the time, that is not us. We allow screens on airplanes and when our kids are sick, and then we watch a movie as a family about once a month, and that's IT. Screens are not a part of my kids' day to day lives at home (they're 4 and 6) and part of the reason we have been so limited about it at home is that we're not comfortable with the amount they're getting at school, it's just too much.

[Anonymous]

I think at DCPS staffing levels and budgets, you can have lots of small group and use screens to do it, or less screens and less small group work. It would be nice if the kids could do small groups independently but behavior is often so poor that it doesn't work out.

[Anonymous]

Superiorwitt wrote:Francis may end up one of the best schools in the city at some point.. I think they are trending upwards and their leadership seems aligned. There isnt much that they dont seem to do well from what ive seen.

Seaton would be highly sought after if not for their high school feeder. They are moving to a swing space for a few years starting in the fall.

From these areas, curious why Takoma ele, Height, Whittier, Barnard arent considered as well?

OP here.

As I said, I'm in Columbia Heights - Tacoma and Whittier are too long of a commute.

I was unimpressed with both Height and Barnard at EdFest, so we ended up crossing them off our list. If someone wants to make a case for them, go right ahead.