do some schools shy away from high test scores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a difference between a parent anonymously discussing their kid's scores and a school administrator revealing specifics about the school and class that the children are in. Whether you think it's appropriate or not, based on what I know of Davidson, I don't think they would. If Feynman doesn't know that, they ought to.

I agree. I also am disturbed about a school administrator posting anonymous positive comments designed to attract applicants on a board meant for parents. This is especially true for a place like Feynman, where the two school administrators are also the founders and primary operators, and so have a direct financial stake in attracting applications. It smacks of deceitful advertising. I know the school had some paid PR person posting puff comments here last year, but at least she had the decency to reveal her association with the school.

What school's administrators have no financial stake, direct or indirect in attracting applications? None that I know of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7:02, wholly aside from the fact that you're behaving like a total ass, and have been long-obsessed with bashing Feynman School every time it appears on DCUM, I like the fact that the founders are heavily involved and have a stake in the school's success.

Are you with Nysmith by any chance and concerned that your best and brightest Maryland applicants now have a viable option close by?

+1

Hit the nail on the head!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a difference between a parent anonymously discussing their kid's scores and a school administrator revealing specifics about the school and class that the children are in. Whether you think it's appropriate or not, based on what I know of Davidson, I don't think they would. If Feynman doesn't know that, they ought to.

I agree. I also am disturbed about a school administrator posting anonymous positive comments designed to attract applicants on a board meant for parents. This is especially true for a place like Feynman, where the two school administrators are also the founders and primary operators, and so have a direct financial stake in attracting applications. It smacks of deceitful advertising. I know the school had some paid PR person posting puff comments here last year, but at least she had the decency to reveal her association with the school.

While I don't agree with your opinion I am intrigued that you are so familiar with the school and administration. How are you so familiar? What private school are you affiliated with?

The school is a non-profit. The founders are also parents of children who attend the school.

Are you a Feynman parent, or a Feynman admin posting anonymously again? Or are you one of the founders claiming to be merely a parent?

As for me, I have absolutely no connection with Feynman. I am not a disgruntled former employee, or a spurned applicant. My kids are at another private school that is not a market competitor of Feynman in terms of grade coverage or geography. So no, I do not have any basis for bias.

I post because I am sick and tired of reading the puffery from Feynman founders, and the obvious sock puppeting. This has occurred in many threads over many months. If you're going to try to talk up your school on DCUM, at least have the decency to identify your connection to the school.

[Anonymous]

Feynman parent here...

If you think there is sock puppeting in any thread you should report it. Jeff doesnt tolerate it and is always willing to address it. Otherwise you are just speculating and you are in fact wrong about that.

As far as puffery is concerned I don't see how Feynman posts are outrageous. If you are aggravated by our desire to get the word out about our new school and new location I'm just not sure what to say. You need to understand that it is imperative to our success to be sure to get our name and mission out into the community. I would just request that despite your aggravation you try to exercise some tolerance.

The entire DCUM forum is anonymous. The users of this site are savvy enough to understand that EVERYONE who posts including both you and me may have motivations beyond what is written in a particular thread whether it's a bias without basis as you have indicated or a desire to be sure a school I love succeeds.

[Anonymous]

As for me, I have absolutely no connection with Feynman. I am not a disgruntled former employee, or a spurned applicant. My kids are at another private school that is not a market competitor of Feynman in terms of grade coverage or geography. So no, I do not have any basis for bias.

You are clearly too ashamed to identify yourself, but could you at least tell us which school your kids attend, so people who have absolutely no connection to the school can come on here and insult the school's administration and parents? TIA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Feynman School the average WPPSI is approximately 140

Source for this claim?

I review the applications.

You're part of the school administration posting on DCUM about the school and the scores of particular students?

I need to post on DCUM occasionally to correct false information posted about our school. Anonymous posters on this forum have misrepresented our tuition and admissions policies. I'm sure other schools' officials post from time to time for similar reasons. FWIW, I'm not singling out DCUM--last year The Gazette published an article about our school in which I was misquoted. The Gazette reporter also did not bother to actually visit the school. Not that I expected a puff piece, but the article contained egregious errors, including stating that we require "a series of tests" for kindergarten admissions, which we never have done. (We do require the WPPSI with K applications, hardly unusual.)

I will also post about the school when relevant to the thread, particularly when the thread discusses seeking a school for a young advanced learner. We just opened our doors in fall 2010 and many local parents may not know about us as an option. Also, some parents who heard about us last year may not have given us serious consideration because the Darnestown location was inconvenient for them. We're trying to get the word out re: our new Bethesda location.

As for the scores, which are only one factor in our admissions decisions, this thread is basically about WPPSI scores and so I found it entirely appropriate to post the approximate average score of our current students and to emphasize that even highly gifted learners testing above 150 are well-served at Feynman. I have seen other threads discussing average SAT scores, even comparing them amongst specific schools. Scores are always a touchy subject, but especially given the topic of the thread, and the fact that no students were named, I think you're overreacting here.

Feynman administrator: you should know that Davidson has extremely stringent privacy rules and outing DYS on this site is completely inappropriate. I'm sure the parents of these kids' classmates will know who you are talking about if, in fact, what you say is true. Revealing kids' IQs is also unprofessional.

Feynman parent here...

Our admin did not disclose personal information about the DYS so your accusations are not warranted. Moreover, I have no idea which student is the DYS. Don't forget that our school is filled with advanced learners so there is not one student that would stand out as the only one who would qualify as you have assumed. Actually Feynman School is listed as an educational resource by the Davidson Institute so it's not surprising to me that there is one in the class and there likely will be more in the future.

Have you ever looked at the Davidson website? There is a message board for parents to discuss anything related to giftedness. There is also an entire forum dedicated to testing and assessment where IQ scores are posted and discussed in detail every day. As long as names or other personal information are not included it is perfectly fine.

This is a wonderful school and the founders are very professional and ethical. They care deeply about their mission to educate these children. I am very grateful for the school.

I think it's helpful to note that the Davidson message board you mention is, indeed, public and open, but the fact that there are parents in cyberspace discussing their kids anonymously is a completely different matter than a school supporter boasting about the DYS status of school attendants. I would be extremely unhappy with any school that made use of my child in that way. If I choose to post on DCUM or Davidson and say that my child, with very specific attributes, is happy at School X, that's my prerogative, but don't employ my child's specific profile for marketing purposes.

Also, in terms of Feynman being listed as a resource by Davidson, so are any number of wide-ranging resources that have been suggested by viewers of the website, including, even, the Captain Underpants series. Here's what the website says about any resource listed: "The appearance of any information in the Davidson Institute's Database does not imply an endorsement by, or any affiliation with, the Davidson Institute. All information presented is for informational purposes only and is solely the opinion of and the responsibility of the author. Although reasonable effort is made to present accurate information, the Davidson Institute makes no guarantees of any kind, including as to accuracy or completeness. Use of such information is at the sole risk of the reader."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Feynman School the average WPPSI is approximately 140

Source for this claim?

I review the applications.

You're part of the school administration posting on DCUM about the school and the scores of particular students?

I need to post on DCUM occasionally to correct false information posted about our school. Anonymous posters on this forum have misrepresented our tuition and admissions policies. I'm sure other schools' officials post from time to time for similar reasons. FWIW, I'm not singling out DCUM--last year The Gazette published an article about our school in which I was misquoted. The Gazette reporter also did not bother to actually visit the school. Not that I expected a puff piece, but the article contained egregious errors, including stating that we require "a series of tests" for kindergarten admissions, which we never have done. (We do require the WPPSI with K applications, hardly unusual.)

I will also post about the school when relevant to the thread, particularly when the thread discusses seeking a school for a young advanced learner. We just opened our doors in fall 2010 and many local parents may not know about us as an option. Also, some parents who heard about us last year may not have given us serious consideration because the Darnestown location was inconvenient for them. We're trying to get the word out re: our new Bethesda location.

As for the scores, which are only one factor in our admissions decisions, this thread is basically about WPPSI scores and so I found it entirely appropriate to post the approximate average score of our current students and to emphasize that even highly gifted learners testing above 150 are well-served at Feynman. I have seen other threads discussing average SAT scores, even comparing them amongst specific schools. Scores are always a touchy subject, but especially given the topic of the thread, and the fact that no students were named, I think you're overreacting here.

Feynman administrator: you should know that Davidson has extremely stringent privacy rules and outing DYS on this site is completely inappropriate. I'm sure the parents of these kids' classmates will know who you are talking about if, in fact, what you say is true. Revealing kids' IQs is also unprofessional.

Feynman parent here...

Our admin did not disclose personal information about the DYS so your accusations are not warranted. Moreover, I have no idea which student is the DYS. Don't forget that our school is filled with advanced learners so there is not one student that would stand out as the only one who would qualify as you have assumed. Actually Feynman School is listed as an educational resource by the Davidson Institute so it's not surprising to me that there is one in the class and there likely will be more in the future.

Have you ever looked at the Davidson website? There is a message board for parents to discuss anything related to giftedness. There is also an entire forum dedicated to testing and assessment where IQ scores are posted and discussed in detail every day. As long as names or other personal information are not included it is perfectly fine.

This is a wonderful school and the founders are very professional and ethical. They care deeply about their mission to educate these children. I am very grateful for the school.

I think it's helpful to note that the Davidson message board you mention is, indeed, public and open, but the fact that there are parents in cyberspace discussing their kids anonymously is a completely different matter than a school supporter boasting about the DYS status of school attendants. I would be extremely unhappy with any school that made use of my child in that way. If I choose to post on DCUM or Davidson and say that my child, with very specific attributes, is happy at School X, that's my prerogative, but don't employ my child's specific profile for marketing purposes.

Also, in terms of Feynman being listed as a resource by Davidson, so are any number of wide-ranging resources that have been suggested by viewers of the website, including, even, the Captain Underpants series. Here's what the website says about any resource listed: "The appearance of any information in the Davidson Institute's Database does not imply an endorsement by, or any affiliation with, the Davidson Institute. All information presented is for informational purposes only and is solely the opinion of and the responsibility of the author. Although reasonable effort is made to present accurate information, the Davidson Institute makes no guarantees of any kind, including as to accuracy or completeness. Use of such information is at the sole risk of the reader."

Get a life...that's a legal disclaimer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Get a life...that's a legal disclaimer.

Thanks for the tip. The point was that the Feynman poster was trying to make some link between Feynman and Davidson that is not warranted.

Anonymous wrote:Actually Feynman School is listed as an educational resource by the Davidson Institute so it's not surprising to me that there is one in the class and there likely will be more in the future.

[Anonymous]

12:22 - At a GDS open house, a school administrator told me that they have some DYSs enrolled in the lower school as well. Why do you find this offensive? Schools that enroll really bright students are likely to have a few students whose families avail themselves of Davidson's offerings. The programs are free and merit-based. As a prospective GDS applicant, I was impressed that the GDS official was familiar with DYS as an enrichment opportunity. Our DC is not a DYS but we are considering applying to the program. How is Feynman (or GDS) in this regard any different from schools that congratulate National Merit Scholarship finalists, or make known their Ivy acceptances to independent school guides? So long as the information presented is factual, I appreciate learning more about the peer group a school offers. If you worked for one of these schools, would you really keep this kind of information a secret? Just sayin'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:22 - At a GDS open house, a school administrator told me that they have some DYSs enrolled in the lower school as well. Why do you find this offensive? Schools that enroll really bright students are likely to have a few students whose families avail themselves of Davidson's offerings. The programs are free and merit-based. As a prospective GDS applicant, I was impressed that the GDS official was familiar with DYS as an enrichment opportunity. Our DC is not a DYS but we are considering applying to the program. How is Feynman (or GDS) in this regard any different from schools that congratulate National Merit Scholarship finalists, or make known their Ivy acceptances to independent school guides? So long as the information presented is factual, I appreciate learning more about the peer group a school offers. If you worked for one of these schools, would you really keep this kind of information a secret? Just sayin'.

Feynman parent here...

Thank you 13:21. I appreciate your post.

To 12:22 - My child and the other children are very happy and thriving at Feynman. You realize the Feynman parents who post on these boards are just trying to get our name out there so that the school is a success, right? We want the school to be around for the long haul because we care about our children and we've found a school that is right for them. Surely you can appreciate that and maybe think about that before spending any more time trying to drum up more allegations to present to the forum.

[Anonymous]

13:21 -- I am not 12:22, but I'll answer your question. It's different because (1) what the GDS admin said was to a limited audience of one person, whereas the Feynman admin's comment was broadcast to an anonymous message board with thousands of readers, and (2) what the GDS admin said ("some DYSs enrolled in the lower school") is a lot more vague and unidentifiable than what the Feynman admin posted ("two kindergarten students have tested into Davidson with scores significantly above 150"). If I were the parent of one of those two K students, and I learned that a Feynman admin was posting that sort of info about my child on DCUM, I'd be pretty pissed.

The Feynman supporter (and perhaps the Feynman admin who posts here anonymously) seem to think there is some sort of vendetta against the school. I don't think that's true at all. Plenty of people, including me, have made plenty of positive comments about the school's stated goal of providing good education to certain students. But when the Feynman admin (1) posted identifying details about two students, and (2) touted the school without disclosing a financial affiliation, he committed a serious mistake. IMO the Feynman supporter is compounding that mistake by attacking the people who identified these missteps. It's just making the school look bad all around.

My sincere suggestion is that the Feynman admin should just identify himself and post an apology. When Feynman's paid PR person was posting on DCUM last year, she took pains to make clear her affiliation to the school. When she accidentally posted anonymously, she admitted error and apologized: "I thought I was logged on when I just posted. This reply (above) is mine. I've been transparent all along and want to keep it that way." There's little shame in admitting you made a mistake. What's shameful is refusing to acknowledge a clear error in judgment.

[Anonymous]

13:37 -- I am glad you've found a school you like, and I am glad you want to tell people about it. It's perfectly reasonable for parents to post positive items about their schools. And if some parents go overboard, even that boosterism is relatively excusable. (I'm not talking here about you specifically, but all over-exuberant boosters on DCUM.) My criticism is not aimed at true parents posting, but rather at what the Feynman admin posting. To the extent I have a quarrel with any Feynman parent, it's because some Feynman parent (maybe not you?) is going into victim/attack mode over a problem that the Feynman admin himself should fix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12:22 - At a GDS open house, a school administrator told me that they have some DYSs enrolled in the lower school as well. Why do you find this offensive? Schools that enroll really bright students are likely to have a few students whose families avail themselves of Davidson's offerings. The programs are free and merit-based. As a prospective GDS applicant, I was impressed that the GDS official was familiar with DYS as an enrichment opportunity. Our DC is not a DYS but we are considering applying to the program. How is Feynman (or GDS) in this regard any different from schools that congratulate National Merit Scholarship finalists, or make known their Ivy acceptances to independent school guides? So long as the information presented is factual, I appreciate learning more about the peer group a school offers. If you worked for one of these schools, would you really keep this kind of information a secret? Just sayin'.

Feynman parent here...

Thank you 13:21. I appreciate your post.

To 12:22 - My child and the other children are very happy and thriving at Feynman. You realize the Feynman parents who post on these boards are just trying to get our name out there so that the school is a success, right? We want the school to be around for the long haul because we care about our children and we've found a school that is right for them. Surely you can appreciate that and maybe think about that before spending any more time trying to drum up more allegations to present to the forum.

12:22 here. I've got no dog in the fight between private schools, and I'm not "drumming up allegations" about your school, I'm responding to specific statements by someone representing the Feynman school. I understand that discussions of giftedness are polarizing, and therefore it must be particularly difficult to represent schools catering to gifted children specifically. I also think that, for that reason, schools attempting to do so have to be careful about maintaining student privacy when publicizing the profile of the student body.