What are the differences between the JLKMs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about sport activities? Do these schools have organized sports, or even better non-organized sports. Being European, my fondest memories of school were of impromptu soccer games in recess. Can kids bring balls and play in recess? I know some elementaries have no outside playground (Thomson) which for me is almost worse than not teaching kids how to read. What are the schools that strike the best balance between sports/installations and academics?

I'm pretty sure they all have school teams for Basketball, Cross Country and Track and Field, most have Stoddert soccer teams, and all have playgrounds with hoops, fields, play equipment. kids play all kinds of playground games at recess.

[Anonymous]

Wondering whether all the Capitol Hill schools have all these good sports. Kids need the opportunity to play sports or at least be exposured to individual and team sports. Other extracurricular and enrichment activities are needed, too, at all schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering whether all the Capitol Hill schools have all these good sports. Kids need the opportunity to play sports or at least be exposured to individual and team sports. Other extracurricular and enrichment activities are needed, too, at all schools.

Why does it have to be sports? That is such nonsense. Any physical activity is fine- the whole “team sports are vitally important to all kids” is pure nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about sport activities? Do these schools have organized sports, or even better non-organized sports. Being European, my fondest memories of school were of impromptu soccer games in recess. Can kids bring balls and play in recess? I know some elementaries have no outside playground (Thomson) which for me is almost worse than not teaching kids how to read. What are the schools that strike the best balance between sports/installations and academics?

Ah casual impromptu pick up games- not rigid practice schedules and long drives for a pointless match between children who are just wasting their time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the near future, Jefferson Academy, Elliott/Hine, and Stuart Hobson middle schools will become stellar schools and will be competitive with strong reputations. That will lure some students from Deal. Jefferson used to have a stellar math-science program. All these schools are in walking distance from Metro Stations. And it’s OK to have minority children in abundance. Their families want successful schools and children too.



Growing up I can remember when Jefferson Junior High and Hines Junior High used to be the #1 Top middle schools to get in and Deal Junior High at the time was good but not as great as the other 2 schools. The only way to enter or get excepted was if your GPA was a 3.0 or better.

When was this? Jus asking our of curiosity. It was my understanding that Deal has been the most coveted MS for over 40 years (hence, why Carter sent his kid there in the 70s). I think the WH would have have technically been zoned for Hine...

[Anonymous]

It was in the late 80's early 90's. My aunts both were zoned for Murch both put their kids in Murch for elementary but chose private school for middle school and high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there distinct differences between Janney and Murch? Lafayette and Key? The PARCC scores are within 5-10 points at these schools, and I would assume they have to follow the same core curriculum. What are the differences?

Thanks!

The schools do follow the same core DCPS curriculum & as noted really within the same range of test scores. The main differences are going to be the school cultures and specific amenities - a mix of things influenced by neighborhood, principals and teachers - their specific goals and approaches and personalities, amenities and facilities, composition of parents and types of families, ... and chickens.

Mann is the smallest of the schools - under 400 total enrollment - newly renovated building, set just off New Mexico Ave in a close nit and smaller community. Highest housing stock cachement area of any DCPS. PTA raises to cover aides for all classes for all grades (annual requested PTA dues per family over $1000). High proportion of international families. Feeds to Hardy - patterns have been that total grade cohort sizes drops significantly in 4th & 5th grade, but they have added a full class size in past years and more going to Hardy. (next fall around 130 of the Hardy 6th grade will be from feeder schools - the total grade size had been 130 in recent years (contrasted to Deal which is about triple the size). Beloved principal. Chickens.
Key is just around 400 total enrollment - Palisades community which is lower retail, lots of green space by the river/canal and 'little town in the big city' neighborhood (you're likely to run into people from the school around the neighborhood regularly), and in the corner of NW by VA & MD with a larger set of parents not 'DC job' oriented, intense PTA, aides through 1st grade, big culture of kids/families hanging out on the playground after school, Hardy same upper grade dynamic where enrollment in 4th and 5th drops significantly - but also growing. No chickens.
Janney - more than 700 students. AU park and Tenleytown. Near metro/buses/retail. Such a strong engaged PTA that they are the constant butt of DCUM jokes as an archetype. Very large percentage of the kids stay through 5th and go to Deal as a cohort together. Chickens.
Lafayette - around 775 students. newly renovated building. NW Chevy Chase - so leafy area and with buses and higher retail concentrated area than Mann or Key but not on as much as Janney. Strong PTA and aides through 1st I think but not sure. Barnaby Woods in the cachement has strong suburban feel. School is connected to big park/rec center space. Lots of grumbling about growing class sizes and vs. the principal on DCUM lately (in part b/c attracting more families b/c of new facilities and families moving to the neighborhood and/or public vs. private. Very large percent of kids stay through 5th and go to Deal. Chicken status unknown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was in the late 80's early 90's. My aunts both were zoned for Murch both put their kids in Murch for elementary but chose private school for middle school and high school.

I probably went to school with your cousins and went on to Deal and Wilson. I had classmates at Wilson that had gone to Jefferson, but my recollection of the time was that Deal was the "best" and then Hardy. That Hardy got such a bad rep since is so hard for me to understand (granted I left the area then came back).

[Anonymous]

I love that "chicken status" is now a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love that "chicken status" is now a thing.

It's a joke thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tier I Schools (Very involved PTA, Extremely High Fundraising, Motivated Students, High PARCC Test Scores)
===================================================================
Janney Elementary School
Lafayette Elementary School
Brent Elementary School
Murch Elementary School
Mann Elementary School
Key Elementary School
Hearst Elementary School
Ross Elementary School
Eaton Elementary School
Stoddert Elementary School

Tier II Schools (Very Involved PTA, High Fundraising, Motivated Students, Decent PARCC Test Scores)
===============================================================
Capitol Hill Montessori School
Hyde ? Addison Elementary School
Van Ness Elementary School * (No Test Scores yet)
Maury Elementary School
Oyster ? Adams Bilingual School
Shepherd Elementary School
Watkins Elementary School
Peabody Elementary School * (No Test Scores)
Ludlow -Taylor Elementary School

While slightly less relevant, JKLM still means something as they're the schools that are at 70-80% of "met expectations" on PARCC. Despite being in wealthy areas, Brent, Stoddert, Eaton, and Hearst are still at the ~60% goal of met expectations on PARCC - mostly due to lots of the kids in those areas going to private schools. That puts them more appropriately in the grouping with the second bunch, who are at the 60%ish percentage mark.

I think that second group looks more like:

Brent Elementary School
Eaton Elementary School
Hearst Elementary School
Hyde Addison Elementary School
Maury Elementary School
Oyster Adams Bilingual School
Shepherd Elementary School
Stoddert Elementary School

Out of these group, Shepherd and Oyster Adams are of particular note for high performance as they're both majority-minority, which may be particularly appealing for some.


I'd put the third group as potential - but still a ways to go/a lot to prove/no real results yet:
Capitol Hill Montessori
Marie Reed Elementary School
Watkins Elementary School
Peabody Elementary School
Thomson Elementary School
School Without Walls @ Francis-Stevens
Ludlow -Taylor Elementary School

I would put School Without Walls @ Francis-Stevens in the second group. Well managed school. Test scores increasing rapidly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the near future, Jefferson Academy, Elliott/Hine, and Stuart Hobson middle schools will become stellar schools and will be competitive with strong reputations. That will lure some students from Deal. Jefferson used to have a stellar math-science program. All these schools are in walking distance from Metro Stations. And it’s OK to have minority children in abundance. Their families want successful schools and children too.



Growing up I can remember when Jefferson Junior High and Hines Junior High used to be the #1 Top middle schools to get in and Deal Junior High at the time was good but not as great as the other 2 schools. The only way to enter or get excepted was if your GPA was a 3.0 or better.

When was this? Jus asking our of curiosity. It was my understanding that Deal has been the most coveted MS for over 40 years (hence, why Carter sent his kid there in the 70s). I think the WH would have have technically been zoned for Hine...

Amy Carter went to Hardy. Back when it was in the old building on Foxhall Road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was in the late 80's early 90's. My aunts both were zoned for Murch both put their kids in Murch for elementary but chose private school for middle school and high school.

I probably went to school with your cousins and went on to Deal and Wilson. I had classmates at Wilson that had gone to Jefferson, but my recollection of the time was that Deal was the "best" and then Hardy. That Hardy got such a bad rep since is so hard for me to understand (granted I left the area then came back).

Hardy moved into the old Gordon Junior High circa 1996. About ten years later it moved to the Hamilton Education Campus over by Gallaudet for a couple years while it was renovated. Those two moves pretty much killed it as a neighborhood school. At that time it was easy to get into Deal OOB and Latin had just opened at Ward Circle and the neighborhood kids just stopped going to Hardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there distinct differences between Janney and Murch? Lafayette and Key? The PARCC scores are within 5-10 points at these schools, and I would assume they have to follow the same core curriculum. What are the differences?

Thanks!

The schools do follow the same core DCPS curriculum & as noted really within the same range of test scores. The main differences are going to be the school cultures and specific amenities - a mix of things influenced by neighborhood, principals and teachers - their specific goals and approaches and personalities, amenities and facilities, composition of parents and types of families, ... and chickens.

Mann is the smallest of the schools - under 400 total enrollment - newly renovated building, set just off New Mexico Ave in a close nit and smaller community. Highest housing stock cachement area of any DCPS. PTA raises to cover aides for all classes for all grades (annual requested PTA dues per family over $1000). High proportion of international families. Feeds to Hardy - patterns have been that total grade cohort sizes drops significantly in 4th & 5th grade, but they have added a full class size in past years and more going to Hardy. (next fall around 130 of the Hardy 6th grade will be from feeder schools - the total grade size had been 130 in recent years (contrasted to Deal which is about triple the size). Beloved principal. Chickens.
Key is just around 400 total enrollment - Palisades community which is lower retail, lots of green space by the river/canal and 'little town in the big city' neighborhood (you're likely to run into people from the school around the neighborhood regularly), and in the corner of NW by VA & MD with a larger set of parents not 'DC job' oriented, intense PTA, aides through 1st grade, big culture of kids/families hanging out on the playground after school, Hardy same upper grade dynamic where enrollment in 4th and 5th drops significantly - but also growing. No chickens.
Janney - more than 700 students. AU park and Tenleytown. Near metro/buses/retail. Such a strong engaged PTA that they are the constant butt of DCUM jokes as an archetype. Very large percentage of the kids stay through 5th and go to Deal as a cohort together. Chickens.
Lafayette - around 775 students. newly renovated building. NW Chevy Chase - so leafy area and with buses and higher retail concentrated area than Mann or Key but not on as much as Janney. Strong PTA and aides through 1st I think but not sure. Barnaby Woods in the cachement has strong suburban feel. School is connected to big park/rec center space. Lots of grumbling about growing class sizes and vs. the principal on DCUM lately (in part b/c attracting more families b/c of new facilities and families moving to the neighborhood and/or public vs. private. Very large percent of kids stay through 5th and go to Deal. Chicken status unknown.

Thank you for that laugh! I can attest that Lafayette has no chickens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tier I Schools (Very involved PTA, Extremely High Fundraising, Motivated Students, High PARCC Test Scores)
===================================================================
Janney Elementary School
Lafayette Elementary School
Brent Elementary School
Murch Elementary School
Mann Elementary School
Key Elementary School
Hearst Elementary School
Ross Elementary School
Eaton Elementary School
Stoddert Elementary School

Tier II Schools (Very Involved PTA, High Fundraising, Motivated Students, Decent PARCC Test Scores)
===============================================================
Capitol Hill Montessori School
Hyde ? Addison Elementary School
Van Ness Elementary School * (No Test Scores yet)
Maury Elementary School
Oyster ? Adams Bilingual School
Shepherd Elementary School
Watkins Elementary School
Peabody Elementary School * (No Test Scores)
Ludlow -Taylor Elementary School

No SWS? Higher performer on PARCC and fundraising $s than a number of your "Tier I" list