El Haynes vs. Powell: Are we crazy to...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, try to ignore all the vitriol you're getting -- you're not alone in considering demographics in choosing the best school environment for your kid. This forum loves to anonymously and baselessly throw the racism assertion around.

I feel like we faced a similar decision to you three years ago when our oldest was in PK3 at a DCPS close to our house and we got into Cap City. We just couldn't pass up the chance at a decent K-12 solution for our kids. EL Haynes is one of the most well-established charters in the city. As such, most of its families are content and so it doesn't have a lot of new slots for folks to argue the virtues of on DCUM.

I know the dual language aspect is appealing and am not really in a position to advise on how real that benefit will end up being for you, although for our family I never really considered it to be a compelling reason to choose my child's entire school experience.

Also keep in mind that once you're in a charter, you're free to move elsewhere at any point if you decide you need a better middle school than ELH ends up offering. For example, Crestwood and 16th Street Heights are grandfathered into Deal for any kid who reaches middle school age by 2022.

Cap City has a mediocre high school just like Haynes.

Oh hen she should definitely do Powell. Oh wait...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, try to ignore all the vitriol you're getting -- you're not alone in considering demographics in choosing the best school environment for your kid. This forum loves to anonymously and baselessly throw the racism assertion around.

I feel like we faced a similar decision to you three years ago when our oldest was in PK3 at a DCPS close to our house and we got into Cap City. We just couldn't pass up the chance at a decent K-12 solution for our kids. EL Haynes is one of the most well-established charters in the city. As such, most of its families are content and so it doesn't have a lot of new slots for folks to argue the virtues of on DCUM.

I know the dual language aspect is appealing and am not really in a position to advise on how real that benefit will end up being for you, although for our family I never really considered it to be a compelling reason to choose my child's entire school experience.

Also keep in mind that once you're in a charter, you're free to move elsewhere at any point if you decide you need a better middle school than ELH ends up offering. For example, Crestwood and 16th Street Heights are grandfathered into Deal for any kid who reaches middle school age by 2022.

How do you figure? OP is stating that a near 90% Hispanic is a pro for Powell, but a great balance of 1/3 Hispanic 1/3 Black is a Con for Haynes! On paper, the Haynes diversity should be the one that's a pro. More than 1/3 Hispanic at Haynes is more than enough to allow her half Hispanic child have kids to relate to. Scores are similar, so it's not like the 40% black kids are going to damage her kid's education. There is no way you can make that statement ok. I was hoping OP made a mistake and meant to have the demo a pro for Haynes and con for Powell but clearly she meant it the way she wrote it.

I agree. That's why the OP deserves her two not-so-great school options. She can also move to Bethesda and get less house for the money. Oh, there will also be way fewer Hispanic kids in her children's classes in Bethesda. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cap City has a mediocre high school just like Haynes.

As compared to...? BCC? TJ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cap City has a mediocre high school just like Haynes.

As compared to...? BCC? TJ?

As compared to any good high school--take your pick. Poor test scores are poor test scores anywhere. Read the link that was provided above. A school where the co-valedictorian failed every AP test she took is NOT a good school. I'd pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would choose the K-12 option every time, but that's just me and my terrible luck with the lottery. I'd rather be done with it now.

The upper grades at El Haynes are hardly something to get excited about. Just because they have middle and high school certainly doesn';t mean that either are any good, there is no diversity either. Stick with Powell and hope you get into a charter for middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would choose the K-12 option every time, but that's just me and my terrible luck with the lottery. I'd rather be done with it now.

The upper grades at El Haynes are hardly something to get excited about. Just because they have middle and high school certainly doesn';t mean that either are any good, there is no diversity either. Stick with Powell and hope you get into a charter for middle.

See, I'd rather take Haynes and still try my luck at the other charter lotteries for middle later. That way, if the child didnn't get in, I still have a fall back (Haynes) which I would still prefer over Columbia Heights Ed Campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A school where the co-valedictorian failed every AP test she took is NOT a good school. I'd pass.

And the DCPS or Charter high schools that have AP classes and students passing them are? (not trolling - honest question)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school where the co-valedictorian failed every AP test she took is NOT a good school. I'd pass.

And the DCPS or Charter high schools that have AP classes and students passing them are? (not trolling - honest question)

Wilson, School Without Walls, Banneker. Those I know for sure. But I suspect there are others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school where the co-valedictorian failed every AP test she took is NOT a good school. I'd pass.

And the DCPS or Charter high schools that have AP classes and students passing them are? (not trolling - honest question)

My rising 9th grader at Basis took one AP test this spring, and passed with a 5 (World History).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would choose the K-12 option every time, but that's just me and my terrible luck with the lottery. I'd rather be done with it now.

The upper grades at El Haynes are hardly something to get excited about. Just because they have middle and high school certainly doesn';t mean that either are any good, there is no diversity either. Stick with Powell and hope you get into a charter for middle.

See, I'd rather take Haynes and still try my luck at the other charter lotteries for middle later. That way, if the child didnn't get in, I still have a fall back (Haynes) which I would still prefer over Columbia Heights Ed Campus.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 2 kids in Powell Elementary and we are enjoying the dual language Spanish immersion program. Yet we just got slots for 1st grade in EL Haynes, and now we're deep into decision stress. We are temped to stay in Powell, as its what we know, but EL Haynes has a great reputation, though Greta Schools ranks them about the same.

a. Are we crazy to pass up EL Haynes and stay in Powell?
b. Here are our pros and cons for both schools. Are we missing something?

Powell Pros
1. learning Spanish fluently
2. great school community
3. 82% Hispanic

Powell Cons
1. not convinced higher grades are doing that well
2. new principal
3. Title 1 school

El Haynes Pros
1. have k-12 - done with lottery
2. results were great, now are ok
3. our neighbors kids are there

EL Haynes Cons
1. no 2nd language instruction
2. moving to 3rd school in 4 years
3. school 40% AA, only 36% Hispanic
What is the year-round EL Haynes school calendar like with odd weeks off?

Both schools are close to our house, both have aftercare, and both are remodeling/newish so those are neutral.

Thanks in advance for you help.

How did you know the principal was leaving before she announced? She announced after the lottery closed.

[Anonymous]

Powell mom here with a student in the upper grades. I can tell you first hand that my kids has thrived. I love Powell, and the only reason we would leave is if we left the area.

To the OP, I say leave. Please. Do us all a favor and just leave. You didn't do the lottery because Docal was leaving because it was not announced until after the second lottery closed. You probably wanted Powell in the first place because it was an "it" school and the President showed up. Powell is a typical DCPS school and the way that we will continue to thrive is by having parents who are committed to making and keeping our school community great, not by having parents who play the lottery all the time and are looking to move on to the latest and greatest. You clearly have no commitment, you clearly don't care about changing your kids around whenever you feel like it, so just go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Powell mom here with a student in the upper grades. I can tell you first hand that my kids has thrived. I love Powell, and the only reason we would leave is if we left the area.

To the OP, I say leave. Please. Do us all a favor and just leave. You didn't do the lottery because Docal was leaving because it was not announced until after the second lottery closed. You probably wanted Powell in the first place because it was an "it" school and the President showed up. Powell is a typical DCPS school and the way that we will continue to thrive is by having parents who are committed to making and keeping our school community great, not by having parents who play the lottery all the time and are looking to move on to the latest and greatest. You clearly have no commitment, you clearly don't care about changing your kids around whenever you feel like it, so just go.

Oh please, she has no commitment because she even played the lottery? Dear, I bet more than half of every school (EOTP and charter) plays lottery each year for various reasons. Some for fun, some to line up middle school. Don't question someone's commitment because they even played the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Powell mom here with a student in the upper grades. I can tell you first hand that my kids has thrived. I love Powell, and the only reason we would leave is if we left the area.

To the OP, I say leave. Please. Do us all a favor and just leave. You didn't do the lottery because Docal was leaving because it was not announced until after the second lottery closed. You probably wanted Powell in the first place because it was an "it" school and the President showed up. Powell is a typical DCPS school and the way that we will continue to thrive is by having parents who are committed to making and keeping our school community great, not by having parents who play the lottery all the time and are looking to move on to the latest and greatest. You clearly have no commitment, you clearly don't care about changing your kids around whenever you feel like it, so just go.

Oh please, she has no commitment because she even played the lottery? Dear, I bet more than half of every school (EOTP and charter) plays lottery each year for various reasons. Some for fun, some to line up middle school. Don't question someone's commitment because they even played the lottery.

I can question the person's commitment all I want. How can you truly be committed if you constantly have one foot out the door ready to go? And it's not just playing the lottery, it's the "ho, hum, should I stay or should I go..." How is that commitment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Powell mom here with a student in the upper grades. I can tell you first hand that my kids has thrived. I love Powell, and the only reason we would leave is if we left the area.

To the OP, I say leave. Please. Do us all a favor and just leave. You didn't do the lottery because Docal was leaving because it was not announced until after the second lottery closed. You probably wanted Powell in the first place because it was an "it" school and the President showed up. Powell is a typical DCPS school and the way that we will continue to thrive is by having parents who are committed to making and keeping our school community great, not by having parents who play the lottery all the time and are looking to move on to the latest and greatest. You clearly have no commitment, you clearly don't care about changing your kids around whenever you feel like it, so just go.

Oh please, she has no commitment because she even played the lottery? Dear, I bet more than half of every school (EOTP and charter) plays lottery each year for various reasons. Some for fun, some to line up middle school. Don't question someone's commitment because they even played the lottery.

I can question the person's commitment all I want. How can you truly be committed if you constantly have one foot out the door ready to go? And it's not just playing the lottery, it's the "ho, hum, should I stay or should I go..." How is that commitment?

You sound like a real handful. Look Im all for being committed to my local school but at the end of the day a good parent is first and foremost committed to their own kid. holy cow, I know a parent like you who is a real antaonisitc booster at our IB school and most of us think its a bad fit for her kid but she can never ever turn her back on the school even at the expense of her kid!