Powell ES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes it difficult for black families at Powell? The understand that the school is much more Hispanic than most of DC. Is that part of it?

No. The Hispanic majority isn’t the issue. The issue is that Black kids socialized in a more urban environment don’t interact well with the “gentrifying” Black kids and the administration is ill equipped to provide a safe learning environment.

What school do you belive to be best for gentrifying black families or families of black children?

I work in an office of almost all upperclass black families in DC, everything single one of them moved to burbs when their kids started school or put them privates in DC. Upper class black families have fled DC schools way faster than white families in the last 15 years. UC black families don't want their kids lumped in with the more lower class black kids and their legit behavioral and learning issues. White families seem to just lump this all in as "diversity" and think its good for their kids, until about 4th grade.

We aren't a "black family" by its definition as one parent is another race, but both points are true. My mom sent us to an OOB school (West) and we both went to privates in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes it difficult for black families at Powell? The understand that the school is much more Hispanic than most of DC. Is that part of it?

No. The Hispanic majority isn’t the issue. The issue is that Black kids socialized in a more urban environment don’t interact well with the “gentrifying” Black kids and the administration is ill equipped to provide a safe learning environment.

What school do you belive to be best for gentrifying black families or families of black children?

I work in an office of almost all upperclass black families in DC, everything single one of them moved to burbs when their kids started school or put them privates in DC. Upper class black families have fled DC schools way faster than white families in the last 15 years. UC black families don't want their kids lumped in with the more lower class black kids and their legit behavioral and learning issues. White families seem to just lump this all in as "diversity" and think its good for their kids, until about 4th grade.

We aren't a "black family" by its definition as one parent is another race, but both points are true. My mom sent us to an OOB school (West) and we both went to privates in Montgomery County.

“UC” Black NW DC family here. Our issue at the Title 1 DCPS we left wasn’t being lumped in with the other Black students. It was the bullying, taunting, and threats of violence our kids received from the other Black children because they were different and the school did not seem to have effective ways, for instance positive discipline, to control or discipline the students. These were for grades beyond third. I think pre-third grade things are different. There were NO white students in our kids’ classroom post 3rd grade by the way, whereas pre-k through first had a number of them. We’ve also heard that Deal is great—if your kid isn’t Black—because of the social concerns and pressure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes it difficult for black families at Powell? The understand that the school is much more Hispanic than most of DC. Is that part of it?

No. The Hispanic majority isn’t the issue. The issue is that Black kids socialized in a more urban environment don’t interact well with the “gentrifying” Black kids and the administration is ill equipped to provide a safe learning environment.

What school do you belive to be best for gentrifying black families or families of black children?

I can only speak from personal experience with one school, but Shepherd has a lot of black middle class and some black UMC families, especially in the early to middle grades.

[Anonymous]

Shepherd is the only one in DCPS. Other than that is WOTP schools with small percentages of Black students attending.

[Anonymous]

What about SWS? Is the school good for black students?

[Anonymous]

Does the discussion here even really apply generally to a school like Powell? I say that because they have like 8-10 total black students in each grade, which is pretty different from most of DCPS.

[Anonymous]

There are a few schools in the Hill that have a sizeable number or middle class black families

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the discussion here even really apply generally to a school like Powell? I say that because they have like 8-10 total black students in each grade, which is pretty different from most of DCPS.

This is making me very nervous. I am applying to Powell because it is close to our home and I am very interested in dual language. I find DC really tough(er) for little black children due to the segregation and the stereotypes. Even though my kids are little, 2 and 4 and I go out of my way to make sure they are in diverse schools/activities, we generally end up segregated anyway even at the playground and I can only imagine it's because we are mostly the only black kids at our activities and that (some,most?) white parents seem uncomfortable engaging conversations with me? I honestly cannot tell for sure but it makes me very sad for my kids.
If Powell is not a comfortable place for UMC black children, I would rather sacrifice dual language for a school that is more welcoming to them.
As I was considering Bancroft because it is more diverse than many schools in the area, a good friend of mine (white European) told me, well the school is diverse but kids don't really mix much by race because her kid mostly gets playdates with other white parents and she doesn't understand why. That makes me really sad. I sure hope the so called liberals can do some self reflection on how some are inadvertently being very exclusive of black children and how it affects them in their lives. Anyway, sorry for drifting the conversation but this makes me really sad. I am a black mother, not American but have lived here in a long time. Now as a mom, I am noticing more that the white nationalists don't like (fine! at least they're honest) and that liberals only like us from afar, don't mix with my children, don't play with us. Be nice, be inclusive. Children don't understand yet the difference so it's the parents leading the way. Thanks for reading. End of rambling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the discussion here even really apply generally to a school like Powell? I say that because they have like 8-10 total black students in each grade, which is pretty different from most of DCPS.

This is making me very nervous. I am applying to Powell because it is close to our home and I am very interested in dual language. I find DC really tough(er) for little black children due to the segregation and the stereotypes. Even though my kids are little, 2 and 4 and I go out of my way to make sure they are in diverse schools/activities, we generally end up segregated anyway even at the playground and I can only imagine it's because we are mostly the only black kids at our activities and that (some,most?) white parents seem uncomfortable engaging conversations with me? I honestly cannot tell for sure but it makes me very sad for my kids.
If Powell is not a comfortable place for UMC black children, I would rather sacrifice dual language for a school that is more welcoming to them.
As I was considering Bancroft because it is more diverse than many schools in the area, a good friend of mine (white European) told me, well the school is diverse but kids don't really mix much by race because her kid mostly gets playdates with other white parents and she doesn't understand why. That makes me really sad. I sure hope the so called liberals can do some self reflection on how some are inadvertently being very exclusive of black children and how it affects them in their lives. Anyway, sorry for drifting the conversation but this makes me really sad. I am a black mother, not American but have lived here in a long time. Now as a mom, I am noticing more that the white nationalists don't like (fine! at least they're honest) and that liberals only like us from afar, don't mix with my children, don't play with us. Be nice, be inclusive. Children don't understand yet the difference so it's the parents leading the way. Thanks for reading. End of rambling.

My child has no social issues at Powell, neither do I. We have play dates with other black kids, white kids, and a few Hispanic kids. I really think it depends on how you put yourself out there. I also know or have met most of the other middle class black families and none of them have had issues with their child’s interactions with the “other” black children.

[Anonymous]

We are in the upper grades at Powell. We have play dates with Black, White, Hispanic, and other races. Please don't let one comment scare you away from a great school and a great community. Check it out for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the discussion here even really apply generally to a school like Powell? I say that because they have like 8-10 total black students in each grade, which is pretty different from most of DCPS.

This is making me very nervous. I am applying to Powell because it is close to our home and I am very interested in dual language. I find DC really tough(er) for little black children due to the segregation and the stereotypes. Even though my kids are little, 2 and 4 and I go out of my way to make sure they are in diverse schools/activities, we generally end up segregated anyway even at the playground and I can only imagine it's because we are mostly the only black kids at our activities and that (some,most?) white parents seem uncomfortable engaging conversations with me? I honestly cannot tell for sure but it makes me very sad for my kids.
If Powell is not a comfortable place for UMC black children, I would rather sacrifice dual language for a school that is more welcoming to them.
As I was considering Bancroft because it is more diverse than many schools in the area, a good friend of mine (white European) told me, well the school is diverse but kids don't really mix much by race because her kid mostly gets playdates with other white parents and she doesn't understand why. That makes me really sad. I sure hope the so called liberals can do some self reflection on how some are inadvertently being very exclusive of black children and how it affects them in their lives. Anyway, sorry for drifting the conversation but this makes me really sad. I am a black mother, not American but have lived here in a long time. Now as a mom, I am noticing more that the white nationalists don't like (fine! at least they're honest) and that liberals only like us from afar, don't mix with my children, don't play with us. Be nice, be inclusive. Children don't understand yet the difference so it's the parents leading the way. Thanks for reading. End of rambling.

Not the point of your post, but unless you’re inbound for Powell or Bancroft, you aren’t going to get in. (You only said you live close to Powell, not that you’re IB.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the discussion here even really apply generally to a school like Powell? I say that because they have like 8-10 total black students in each grade, which is pretty different from most of DCPS.

This is making me very nervous. I am applying to Powell because it is close to our home and I am very interested in dual language. I find DC really tough(er) for little black children due to the segregation and the stereotypes. Even though my kids are little, 2 and 4 and I go out of my way to make sure they are in diverse schools/activities, we generally end up segregated anyway even at the playground and I can only imagine it's because we are mostly the only black kids at our activities and that (some,most?) white parents seem uncomfortable engaging conversations with me? I honestly cannot tell for sure but it makes me very sad for my kids.
If Powell is not a comfortable place for UMC black children, I would rather sacrifice dual language for a school that is more welcoming to them.
As I was considering Bancroft because it is more diverse than many schools in the area, a good friend of mine (white European) told me, well the school is diverse but kids don't really mix much by race because her kid mostly gets playdates with other white parents and she doesn't understand why. That makes me really sad. I sure hope the so called liberals can do some self reflection on how some are inadvertently being very exclusive of black children and how it affects them in their lives. Anyway, sorry for drifting the conversation but this makes me really sad. I am a black mother, not American but have lived here in a long time. Now as a mom, I am noticing more that the white nationalists don't like (fine! at least they're honest) and that liberals only like us from afar, don't mix with my children, don't play with us. Be nice, be inclusive. Children don't understand yet the difference so it's the parents leading the way. Thanks for reading. End of rambling.

My child has no social issues at Powell, neither do I. We have play dates with other black kids, white kids, and a few Hispanic kids. I really think it depends on how you put yourself out there. I also know or have met most of the other middle class black families and none of them have had issues with their child’s interactions with the “other” black children.

That is good to know thanks! I just want my kids to have positive and uplifting experiences in their childhood and when people post these types of experiences, it makes me very sad that my children might experience the same. How I put myself out there shouldn't really matter on how people treat my kids. I am an overall polite and welcoming person but I noticed some of these things, not to the extent of what was described by the PPs so it makes me more sensitive to it. Again, my kids are too young for drop off playdates and I organize playdates with their classmates and attend all kiddy bday parties and such

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the discussion here even really apply generally to a school like Powell? I say that because they have like 8-10 total black students in each grade, which is pretty different from most of DCPS.

This is making me very nervous. I am applying to Powell because it is close to our home and I am very interested in dual language. I find DC really tough(er) for little black children due to the segregation and the stereotypes. Even though my kids are little, 2 and 4 and I go out of my way to make sure they are in diverse schools/activities, we generally end up segregated anyway even at the playground and I can only imagine it's because we are mostly the only black kids at our activities and that (some,most?) white parents seem uncomfortable engaging conversations with me? I honestly cannot tell for sure but it makes me very sad for my kids.
If Powell is not a comfortable place for UMC black children, I would rather sacrifice dual language for a school that is more welcoming to them.
As I was considering Bancroft because it is more diverse than many schools in the area, a good friend of mine (white European) told me, well the school is diverse but kids don't really mix much by race because her kid mostly gets playdates with other white parents and she doesn't understand why. That makes me really sad. I sure hope the so called liberals can do some self reflection on how some are inadvertently being very exclusive of black children and how it affects them in their lives. Anyway, sorry for drifting the conversation but this makes me really sad. I am a black mother, not American but have lived here in a long time. Now as a mom, I am noticing more that the white nationalists don't like (fine! at least they're honest) and that liberals only like us from afar, don't mix with my children, don't play with us. Be nice, be inclusive. Children don't understand yet the difference so it's the parents leading the way. Thanks for reading. End of rambling.

Not the point of your post, but unless you’re inbound for Powell or Bancroft, you aren’t going to get in. (You only said you live close to Powell, not that you’re IB.)

We are inbound for Powell and will probably move IB to Bancroft when our youngest is 5 and guaranteed a spot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in the upper grades at Powell. We have play dates with Black, White, Hispanic, and other races. Please don't let one comment scare you away from a great school and a great community. Check it out for yourself.

Thank you for your response! I am planning on attending the open house. It is nice to hear this. I am a very open minded person and honestly love to interacts with people from all ethnicities and I am raising my children to be inclusive.

[Anonymous]

Sorry about bumping this thread...

Met the Principal at the carnival this weekend and she seemed pretty inviting which is a bit different from a neighbors perspective.

I believe she indicated shes' been there for 3 years now. Does she have a long term contract? If so, how is she remaining in that position with those PARCC scores?