Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School

[Anonymous]

Meridian PCS at 13th and V, NW will open 75 new seats on Tuesday, May 19 for PK-3, PK-4, and K in MySchoolDC.org.

Earlier tonight, PCSB also approved the expansion of Meridian's International Baccalaureate Candidate Middle School in a new Columbia Heights facility at 3031 14th Street, NW. 50 new seats will be available in the new Middle School as part of the expansion.

Meridian's Lower School facility was recently profiled by the DC Historic Preservation Board here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?a=&feature=youtu.be&v=E6-Z1FJroFQ

[Anonymous]

This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, good luck with all that. We were there for a year...not impressed. Lots of TV watching in aftercare, unrealistic behavior expectations of three year olds, huge preschool class sizes. It sent me fleeing for private without looking back.

[Anonymous]

I think the potential for another IB-MYP school indeed NW is intriguing. Columbia Heights could really use some better middle school options. Will be interesting to see what becomes of it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

[Anonymous]

Meridian has entered IB candidate school status:

http://www.ibo.org/en/become-an-ib-school/timeline-and-stages/candidate-phase/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.

Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.

[Anonymous]

wow--good for them. meridian is a beautiful facility, and 14th and V is convenient for a lot of families for PK3 given that there are so few charters now in that area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wow--good for them. meridian is a beautiful facility, and 14th and V is convenient for a lot of families for PK3 given that there are so few charters now in that area.

With the middle school opening just up the hill, 75 new lower school seats in this facility are big deal for U Street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.

Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.

Point is - expanding Meridian is inconsistent with the vision Pearson expressed since it undercuts the neighboring DCPS's (Garrison, Marie Reed, Cleveland), but he probably felt like he need to placate his loudest critics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.

Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.

Point is - expanding Meridian is inconsistent with the vision Pearson expressed since it undercuts the neighboring DCPS's (Garrison, Marie Reed, Cleveland), but he probably felt like he need to placate his loudest critics.

For this to go down the way you're framing it, Pearson would have had to hatch a plan with Meridian last year to have them ask to expand in order to steal students from Garrison because he anticipated writing an article this spring that would irritate FOCUS. That's some conspiracy theory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.

Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.

Point is - expanding Meridian is inconsistent with the vision Pearson expressed since it undercuts the neighboring DCPS's (Garrison, Marie Reed, Cleveland), but he probably felt like he need to placate his loudest critics.

I think DCPS will be stronger than ever. Parents near U Street, Logan Circle, and across DC now have more choice for PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten as our neighborhood grows.

Garrison, Marie Reed, and Cleveland are all very different choices than Meridian's IB:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Baccalaureate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.

Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?

Traded?

Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.

Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.

Point is - expanding Meridian is inconsistent with the vision Pearson expressed since it undercuts the neighboring DCPS's (Garrison, Marie Reed, Cleveland), but he probably felt like he need to placate his loudest critics.

For this to go down the way you're framing it, Pearson would have had to hatch a plan with Meridian last year to have them ask to expand in order to steal students from Garrison because he anticipated writing an article this spring that would irritate FOCUS. That's some conspiracy theory.

You seem to miss how the board works. Pearson would have had countless ways to kill or delay this expanson if he wanted to (and indications are he wanted to). But he didn't. And I would posit it was to keep a board member (or two) from turning on him.

[Anonymous]

And seriously, garrison and Marie reed are way better options. We were not impressed with meridian at all!