Any thoughts on the Wash Post/Bill Turque article on Hardy MS on the schools insider website??

[Anonymous]

The rumors may be premature, and I also believe Hardy will survive in the long run and get stronger (no thanks to Rhee's f'ing up the community, it will likely heal). Just visited with friends whose child is going into 6th (OOB) and when we discussed where we hope to get our rising 6th graders I said we're looking at Hardy and this long-time DC parent (not from Hardy boundary) laughed and said, "...that school is so messed up now it's out of the question". Believe me, that's the talk for previously viable families from all over DC and it has merit.

[Anonymous]

What specifically are the problems now? Concrete examples would be appreciated. If most of the teachers, staff and families/PTA, etc. remain in place, how could the change in principal have so dramatically changed the school for the worst?
Is the probelm that the school no longer "screens" the troubled out-of-boundary kids with its "arts application." Honest question, trying to get to the heart of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: There are no "magnent" schools per se in DCPS.

Is this really true? Aren't Ellington, Walls, McKinley Tech, Phelps, and Banneker all magnet high schools (i.e., they have an application process rather than a lottery and no "boundaries" per se)? Perhaps you mean there are no magnet middle schools? Honest question, my kid is not near middle school age yet so I'm reading with interest.

[Anonymous]

Ellington, Walls McKinley, etc. are "selective citywide schools". No one in DC calls them magnet schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ellington, Walls McKinley, etc. are "selective citywide schools". No one in DC calls them magnet schools.

same thing

[Anonymous]

What school is without its share of tumult? Sure, Hardy has its drama, but that goes with the territory. The good old days weren't always that good, and tomorrow's not as bad as it seems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ellington, Walls McKinley, etc. are "selective citywide schools". No one in DC calls them magnet schools.

That may be the official term but I and the families I know have always called them magnet schools. Hardy was called by some a "hybrid" school because it was a regular school for in-boundaries and there was an application process for out-of-boundaries. But I never heard the term "hybrid" when my daughter attended a few years back. I only heard it during the debate over the removal of Mr. Pope.

[Anonymous]

Schools commonly described as "magnet" usually have a high-performing student body. Using that definition, only Walls and Banneker could be described as "magnets." Have you looked at Phelps and McKinley's test scores? No way are those magnets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools commonly described as "magnet" usually have a high-performing student body. Using that definition, only Walls and Banneker could be described as "magnets." Have you looked at Phelps and McKinley's test scores? No way are those magnets.

Maybe they are compared to the city-wide average?

[Anonymous]

From googling "define: magnet school"

# n education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities (usually school boards) as school zones that feed into certain schools.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnet_school

# A public school with specialized courses
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/magnet_school

# Schools with specialized curricula designed to attract students throughout a school district or geographic area by instructing within an area of aptitude, talent, and interest.
eoc.sc.gov/glossaryofterms/

# means a public elementary school, public secondary school, public elementary education center, or public secondary education center that offers a special curriculum capable of attracting substantial numbers of students of different racial backgrounds.
law.justia.com/us/cfr/title34/34-1.2.2.1.12.1.178.4.html

[Anonymous]

It's not about high performance. It's just about how the school is structured.

[Anonymous]

So, whether you would have called Hardy a magnet school for the arts or not before the recent administrative change in leadership, how would you describe Hardy's curriculum now? Is there still an arts focus, or has the curriculum been changed to be more in line with regular DCPS curriculum for ES?

[Anonymous]

Once again, Michelle Rhee's imprint is not at all demonstrated at the local DC school level, but the more time that passes on her "reign" proves the issues we all thought would be "fixed" weren't even a second thought compared to the national conservative stage for Rhee. This was one huge failure and Hardy/Magnet Schools and all this muck was big conversation prior to her confirmation, then she just ran with the national crap. Gray better live up to his promises, and Kaya H is nothing very promising. Parents, begin to regroup and assert. Especially if Nathan Saunders becomes the new WTU head, time to turn the pages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once again, Michelle Rhee's imprint is not at all demonstrated at the local DC school level, but the more time that passes on her "reign" proves the issues we all thought would be "fixed" weren't even a second thought compared to the national conservative stage for Rhee. This was one huge failure and Hardy/Magnet Schools and all this muck was big conversation prior to her confirmation, then she just ran with the national crap. Gray better live up to his promises, and Kaya H is nothing very promising. Parents, begin to regroup and assert. Especially if Nathan Saunders becomes the new WTU head, time to turn the pages.

Uh, can I get a translation here?

[Anonymous]

Timothy Williams thought Nerenberg was the best thing since apple pie. He recommended her for the job. He is another example of a dinosaur getting paid thousands for nothing. He does have a nice fur coat.