DCI Information Session 11/6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought before DCI even opened it was advertising the technology push, i.e. no paper and using chromebooks for everything. It seems like they have been upfront about that.

I agree, I think they have been upfront about it. But as a parent that's been following the PR around DCI closely since our kids have been at feeders from the beginning, I will totally admit that I didn't understand what that meant until now. And I am gravely concerned. Just because you talk about chromebooks and "paperless", I'll be honest, it never occurred to me that that meant ALL LEARNING will be on computers. I am totally and completely not ok with that, for all sorts of reasons from the impacts on attention and retention of info when learning that way, to that much exposure to radiation (call me crazy, but you know and I know the info is only starting to come in about how much radiation and what the impacts are especially on children), and the absurd about of access to the internet it sounds like students have.

None of these things were clear to me, and I'll own that I didn't get it, but that doesn't change how incredibly concerning I find all of it. I have a huge concern with it and it scares me that I am not as done with DC school lotteries as I thought I was.

So since you have time before your child enters DCI, what are you going to do to engage DCI and change it for the better? If nothing, please leave the feeder so that my kid can get in, because I'd be willing to get involved.

This is a great question. I Will most likely do 2 things to start with: Go to the next DCI info I can make (whenever I can get out of work) and ask these questions directly; and also ask our principal who from our school is on the development team for DCI and speak to them about this. I have voraciously been following all info I can get about DCI, so if this is news to me, I'm guessing it'll be news to most of the parents I know who are excited about DCI. Not everyone will be turned off by this, but I bet all the parents who already lament the pervasiveness of devices will be just as serious about advocating for change or not sending their kids as we are.

But no, even if DCI is not open to hearing these concerns and we have to play the lottery again or move, we're not going anywhere until middle because we love our feeder. But if every year there's an exodus of tech - wary parents out of the feeder pattern, that's that many more lottery seats for you and others who want in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a current parent I have to say DCI delivered exactly what they promised. A great curriculum through technology. My kid loves being able to type and the organized setup of google classroom.

What we were not prepared for was the access issues we've encountered. For example Google classroom is not a locked down app, so the kids have access to the internet at all times. DCI has implemented strict filters but kids have ways of finding the latest YouTube unblockers. Games are accessible during class time but the kids are supposed to have enough self control to stay on task.
Homework is a challenge as many kids waste time toggling between homework and Mindcraft or G- chat. It requires A LOT more parental supervision.

Where I got completely blindsided was during Orientation when the principal told kids during break they were free to use their devices to chat, play games, txt parents. I personally find it odd to walk into a school and see kids glued to screens-not just the school issued Chromebooks but the personal devices the kids are allowed to have.

The school is trying to make the case that technology will help our kids compete globally. They cite 21st century skills. I believe DCI is missing the point. Most of those skills are not technology based. Important is developing face to face interactions and collaboration.

From what I've seen the administration is not interested in any research which questions their model. They also don't seem interested in having any discussion with current parents on this. At least that was my feeling from the one and only meeting the school held to show parents the technology DCI is using. Answers to parents concerns ranged from vague to non-committal at best.

If you go to an open house ask specifics. We regret not asking these:
Do children have access to non educational material during classtimes? Does DCI provided any dedicated tech free times? What is the cell phone policy?

DCI is a new school and we expected to have bumps along the way. We just hope the administration will find some balance with their use of technology.

I was the one who posted about what the mom at DCI told me. Her sentiments are exactly what was expressed in this post. She mentioned exactly what the poster wrote regarding the administration's response. Makes me wonder if this is my mom friend or another DCI parent.

[Anonymous]

For parents entering the lottery, I think it is a big mistake to have DCI feeder rights as a big factor that influences your decision to lottery for a DCI feeder school, no matter what changes DCI makes or does not make. At the end of the day, if your child is entering PK3-3rd grade, you need to be concerned with what is a good fit NOW. DCI is new and could change so much and your child could change so much that down the road it could turn out to be a bad fit. It surprises me that no one is ever concerned about how big DCI will eventually be. I know we all hate this lottery process and there is the desire to just be done, but the education landscape changes so quickly from year to year that you should be careful in weighing all the factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For parents entering the lottery, I think it is a big mistake to have DCI feeder rights as a big factor that influences your decision to lottery for a DCI feeder school, no matter what changes DCI makes or does not make. At the end of the day, if your child is entering PK3-3rd grade, you need to be concerned with what is a good fit NOW. DCI is new and could change so much and your child could change so much that down the road it could turn out to be a bad fit. It surprises me that no one is ever concerned about how big DCI will eventually be. I know we all hate this lottery process and there is the desire to just be done, but the education landscape changes so quickly from year to year that you should be careful in weighing all the factors.

I read the lottery threads a lot this year and last, and I really don't see parents talking about wanting a DCI school no matter what, even if the feeder is not a good fit for their kids. So, not really sure what is driving you to write this.

Many parents, our family for sure, are incredibly excited about DCI "on paper", i.e. what has been put out as the vision for DCI. But before being excited about DCI, we were excited about a few (not all 5) of the feeders, and would still be excited about them even if DCI didn't exist. So we're in on wanting one of 3 feeders no matter what else happens. But where do you see/hear parents talking as if they'd suffer through a "bad fit" for their kids for elementary, just to get into DCI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At the end of the day, if your child is entering PK3-3rd grade, you need to be concerned with what is a good fit NOW. DCI is new and could change so much and your child could change so much that down the road it could turn out to be a bad fit. It surprises me that no one is ever concerned about how big DCI will eventually be. I know we all hate this lottery process and there is the desire to just be done, but the education landscape changes so quickly from year to year that you should be careful in weighing all the factors.

Amen. It would be great to have a "one and done" PK-12 school, but that's not realistic in a city with expanding, non-neighborhood school options. More importantly, you have no idea what a 3 year old will be like in 3rd grade, let alone 6th or 10th. Save yourself the angst and focus on what programs are appropriate for your child and doable for your family in the next 2-4 years. You don't have to shop every year if you don't want to and your child will not be locked out forever from a "good" school. It may not be your ideal school, but there is no such thing as a perfect school.

Take it from someone who's BTDT for neighborhood DCPS, charter, and private for more than one child in special education. Don't expect to find the perfect match. Even if you think you do, life may throw some curveballs at your carefully crafted lottery strategy or housing choice.

GL

[Anonymous]

BTW DCI offers coding as an elective, Design as a mandatory class, and has after-school tech clubs as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the end of the day, if your child is entering PK3-3rd grade, you need to be concerned with what is a good fit NOW. DCI is new and could change so much and your child could change so much that down the road it could turn out to be a bad fit. It surprises me that no one is ever concerned about how big DCI will eventually be. I know we all hate this lottery process and there is the desire to just be done, but the education landscape changes so quickly from year to year that you should be careful in weighing all the factors.

Amen. It would be great to have a "one and done" PK-12 school, but that's not realistic in a city with expanding, non-neighborhood school options. More importantly, you have no idea what a 3 year old will be like in 3rd grade, let alone 6th or 10th. Save yourself the angst and focus on what programs are appropriate for your child and doable for your family in the next 2-4 years. You don't have to shop every year if you don't want to and your child will not be locked out forever from a "good" school. It may not be your ideal school, but there is no such thing as a perfect school.

Take it from someone who's BTDT for neighborhood DCPS, charter, and private for more than one child in special education. Don't expect to find the perfect match. Even if you think you do, life may throw some curveballs at your carefully crafted lottery strategy or housing choice.

GL

I still don't understand who you both are responding to. No one is talking as if they are "settling" for a not-good-fit elementary, just to be in a K-12 feeder pattern. I only see/read people who are disappointed that what they were excited about for 6-12 is not looking a lot lot less exciting. Which is not the same as "I'm going to this feeder that I actually can't stand, but it'll be worth it to save ourselves the lottery nightmare again". Who are you responding to when you warn us not to have angst about 6th or 10th grade and focus on now? Who isn't focusing on now?

[Anonymous]

No text books at DCI? Huh? That is ridiculous on all levels!

[Anonymous]

Text books are a pain in the a** and a pain in the back. Having all books online is a huge selling point to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Text books are a pain in the a** and a pain in the back. Having all books online is a huge selling point to me.

Are you able to print pages from the online textbooks? I ask this because I hate reading long emails or work material from the computer screen.

[Anonymous]

Yes- you can print from online textbooks. I use them with my students all the time (unrelated school). Some publishers have their books set up in ways that make it easy to print a chapter in its entirety, others put sections in weird webpage formats that make it more of a paper-eater to print, but I've never seen any that can't be printed.

[Anonymous]

But I assume you can;t print out materials you need to read during class. are kids allowed to bring in paper version that they printed out at home

[Anonymous]

(Unrelated teacher here again). The vast majority of kids don't want to read it on paper. Some will even read it on their phones instead. That confuses me, but I'm not 16 years old anymore so what do I know