Shining Stars New Location!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

some parents want a Montessori education, not just a good school. Lots of parents in good school districts PAY for Montessori or immersion or other progressive approaches to education. I moved to ward 5 a year or so ago, but I was zoned for eaton, and I would have chosen ss in a second over Eaton because I want Montessori for my kid.

I live in Ward 5 too. Would you drive all the way over to the new SS location just for Montessori?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

That's exactly point.

How is it "exactly point"? Ward 3 is but one ward in the city. There are plenty of families and kids who live in other wards who will NOT find SS desirable. I'm one of them.

Her point is that Ward 3 is a high SES area, and it will be the only Montessori and PK3 option in that whole area, so the profile of the school will change, making it a HRCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

some parents want a Montessori education, not just a good school. Lots of parents in good school districts PAY for Montessori or immersion or other progressive approaches to education. I moved to ward 5 a year or so ago, but I was zoned for eaton, and I would have chosen ss in a second over Eaton because I want Montessori for my kid.

I live in Ward 5 too. Would you drive all the way over to the new SS location just for Montessori?

I'm in Lee. But I work in Arlington, so if I didn't have Lee, perhaps, because I could call it "on the way."

[Anonymous]

This is a real coup for the school and shows that the administration is getting solid. They got a new, great location in less than 3 weeks. Amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

That's exactly point.

How is it "exactly point"? Ward 3 is but one ward in the city. There are plenty of families and kids who live in other wards who will NOT find SS desirable. I'm one of them.

Her point is that Ward 3 is a high SES area, and it will be the only Montessori and PK3 option in that whole area, so the profile of the school will change, making it a HRCS.

But the Ward 3 parents still have to lottery in, just like everywhere else, and to be honest, most parts of the city (NW and NE at least) have considerable numbers of high SES parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a real coup for the school and shows that the administration is getting solid. They got a new, great location in less than 3 weeks. Amazing.

not so sure. I don't think they wanted an expensive rent in the NW (for good reason), but your post shows the narrative changing on this school. It will continue to change. I am starting to get skeptical about charters - seems buzz may be more than substance. We'll see, I guess. Begin at a charter in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's already starting....

Just saying "Ward 3" and suddenly SSMA is the best charter school of all.

Tada...it's just magic.

Congrats SSMA, you've entered the world of HRCS.

That's nuts! Ward 3 already has highly regarded DCPS options. There are many kids in other parts of the city. I fail to understand why having a Ward 3 address will make it more desirable to anybody but ward 3 residents. There is no way in hell that I'd drive over there from ward 5.

That's exactly point.

How is it "exactly point"? Ward 3 is but one ward in the city. There are plenty of families and kids who live in other wards who will NOT find SS desirable. I'm one of them.

Her point is that Ward 3 is a high SES area, and it will be the only Montessori and PK3 option in that whole area, so the profile of the school will change, making it a HRCS.

But the Ward 3 parents still have to lottery in, just like everywhere else, and to be honest, most parts of the city (NW and NE at least) have considerable numbers of high SES parents.

true. So what will change is perception more than anything else. We applied to ss this year because I knew someone there who loves it but didn't last year because we thought it focused on at risk kids (to be fair we didn't lottery much of anywhere last year because we were very happy with our private childcare). This perception will go away making it's high ses lottery applicants shoot up.

[Anonymous]

It's a long ride, but the 32 and 36 buses go from Naylor Road, Hillcrest, Southern Ave, etc. Or folks can metro and switch to the bus.

I imagine there are some Georgetown staffers (of all income levels) who are pretty psyched. There's a GUTS bus that goes from a block from the new SSMA location right to campus.

[Anonymous]

Well, all those Ward 3 families that will now find it so desirable had better add themselves to the waitlist quick! There is no waitlist for most grades.

[Anonymous]

On the shuttle discussion, Bethune still does have free shuttle buses delivering kids from best their original home in ward 7 to Brookland, I believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the shuttle discussion, Bethune still does have free shuttle buses delivering kids from best their original home in ward 7 to Brookland, I believe.

Not sure if they still do, but they used to run more than a shuttle. A yellow school bus with Bethune PCS painted on it used to pick up and drop off my neighbors kids every day in Shaw. They picked the kids up door to door.

[Anonymous]

Bethune picked kids up at Brookland Manor (apt complex just south of RI). I think the charters that do it do so to make sure they get kids in the door. A couple years ago Bethune was practically begging us to come for PS. 2011.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone enrolled in Lee Montessori want to trade for a spot at Shining Stars now?

Same here!

PP here. I mean, enrolled at Lee and want to get into SSMA now!

I wish there was some way to make this switch a reality. Is there? I live relatively close to Lee so the new SSMA location is a stretch. I guess you can add yourself to the SSMA waitlist and see what happens, then if you get a spot Lee's list could move!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, all those Ward 3 families that will now find it so desirable had better add themselves to the waitlist quick! There is no waitlist for most grades.

from charter non grata to belle of the ball. in one day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone enrolled in Lee Montessori want to trade for a spot at Shining Stars now?

Same here!

PP here. I mean, enrolled at Lee and want to get into SSMA now!

I wish there was some way to make this switch a reality. Is there? I live relatively close to Lee so the new SSMA location is a stretch. I guess you can add yourself to the SSMA waitlist and see what happens, then if you get a spot Lee's list could move!

Are you serious? I thought Lee was showing all signs of having top class admin. You'd switch to a completely disorganized school just based solely on the fact that they allegedly have a building in a part of town with a lot of wealthy families?