Deal is tremendously overcrowded - something is to give

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One Idea That Never Dies For UMC DCPS

1. Concentrate all UMC (preferably white) students at Deal/Wilson.
2. Lobby against affordable housing on Deal/Wilson cachement.
3. Lobby against OOB students in Deal/Wilson cachement.
4. Lobby against expanded transportation in Deal/Wilson cachement by clutching pearls re: “buses destroying foundations of our homes.”
5. Lobby, salivating, for sueing residency cheaters, preferably brown.
6. Lobby, salivating, for sueing boundry cheaters, preferably brown.
7. Blame parents in EOTP/across the river schools for bad parenting, poverty.
8. Rinse and repeat.

Re 6, my impression is that many (most?) boundary cheaters are rich white people living either outside Wilson’s boundary (cheating to get in to Wilson) or, for those with middle school students, within ward 3 in the Hardy boundary, and cheating to send their kids to Deal. Surprising numbers of parents will openly brag about how much they’re saving by not using private school. Method = using an office or relative’s address or renting a cheap apartment just for the address. I’m not lobbying against this or salivating, but I think these people are unethical and raising their kids to be cheaters and liars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at Deal.

The school isn’t overcrowded. The building is unsafe due to the mapping and layout of the school. Too many classrooms are too far from one another. Too many students of different grades and too many varieties of of classrooms are too far for each student to travel to. Consequently, kids are prone to socialize more, arrive late to class, and that leads to unsafe conditions. Whoever was involved in this planning should field these questions.

My kid is at Deal and has long complained about the distances and the scramble to get to class on time.

But I'm scratching my head about how that leads to unsafe conditions or what is wrong with kids socializing?

FWIW I distinctly remember having to scramble in both MS and HS to get between classes on time and 30 years later am hard pressed to think of what was unsafe about that?

I think for the vast majority of kids is really is not a problem. But for some ... If your kid is the type to be targeted for physical bullying, the longer it takes to get out of the hallways, the more likely you are to run into your nemesis bully. My child found some very circuitous routes to avoid specific people and had a lot of tardies in one class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at Deal.

The school isn’t overcrowded. The building is unsafe due to the mapping and layout of the school. Too many classrooms are too far from one another. Too many students of different grades and too many varieties of of classrooms are too far for each student to travel to. Consequently, kids are prone to socialize more, arrive late to class, and that leads to unsafe conditions. Whoever was involved in this planning should field these questions.

My kid is at Deal and has long complained about the distances and the scramble to get to class on time.

But I'm scratching my head about how that leads to unsafe conditions or what is wrong with kids socializing?

FWIW I distinctly remember having to scramble in both MS and HS to get between classes on time and 30 years later am hard pressed to think of what was unsafe about that?

Uniformly what I have heard from kids new to Deal is how stressful it is trying to get to and from class on time without getting in trouble for running. I went to a high school that had a ridiculously poor, impractical layout designed in the 60's. My school addressed the problem by adjusting the schedule. There were still people monitoring the Halls and the outside cooridors between the various buildings (yes, we had maultiple buildings we had to travel between in an area with long winters, lots of snow, and cold temps). We didn't have a problem with fighting, kids made it to class, and even had a moment to have a nice exchange with a friend. Deal should look at its schedule to address this issue. The kids don't need the stress and from what the kids report, the school is focusing on crowd control versus the stress on the kids.

Have you all forgotten what it’s like to be in MS?! My son complains but he really knows he shouldn’t be socializing and get to class! This really isn’t a problem!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at Deal.

The school isn’t overcrowded. The building is unsafe due to the mapping and layout of the school. Too many classrooms are too far from one another. Too many students of different grades and too many varieties of of classrooms are too far for each student to travel to. Consequently, kids are prone to socialize more, arrive late to class, and that leads to unsafe conditions. Whoever was involved in this planning should field these questions.

My kid is at Deal and has long complained about the distances and the scramble to get to class on time.

But I'm scratching my head about how that leads to unsafe conditions or what is wrong with kids socializing?

FWIW I distinctly remember having to scramble in both MS and HS to get between classes on time and 30 years later am hard pressed to think of what was unsafe about that?

Uniformly what I have heard from kids new to Deal is how stressful it is trying to get to and from class on time without getting in trouble for running. I went to a high school that had a ridiculously poor, impractical layout designed in the 60's. My school addressed the problem by adjusting the schedule. There were still people monitoring the Halls and the outside cooridors between the various buildings (yes, we had maultiple buildings we had to travel between in an area with long winters, lots of snow, and cold temps). We didn't have a problem with fighting, kids made it to class, and even had a moment to have a nice exchange with a friend. Deal should look at its schedule to address this issue. The kids don't need the stress and from what the kids report, the school is focusing on crowd control versus the stress on the kids.

Have you all forgotten what it’s like to be in MS?! My son complains but he really knows he shouldn’t be socializing and get to class! This really isn’t a problem!!

Depends on the kid, children who already have behavior, anxiety, or social and emotional issues suffer those who are resilient, self-motivated and/or high achieving don't! Ask you child, not about him but about others behavior in hallway and bullying?

[Anonymous]

There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

Go to stairwells, basement, 3rd floor and any other places not a lot of administrators i.e. not the main level! After lunch and recess!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

I've been there and it is chaotic but hardly terrifying. Or unusual for a middle or high school. Seriously.

My kid is an introvert who hates being late and who frequently finds things to whine about but I had to ask him to learn that he has to hustle sometimes between classes. He also told me it is no big deal.

This is an odd tangent to this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

This was my Montgomery County, MD middle school in the late 90s. It's even bigger now. It was fine. But my main point is, this is an issue all over the area, not just in DCPS/at Deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

I've been there and it is chaotic but hardly terrifying. Or unusual for a middle or high school. Seriously.

My kid is an introvert who hates being late and who frequently finds things to whine about but I had to ask him to learn that he has to hustle sometimes between classes. He also told me it is no big deal.

This is an odd tangent to this thread.

Mmmmm your kid is okay, so you dismiss others experience. Clearly not all children go to the same classes or same parts of the building or have same issues as this is not about "hustling" as you say. You have not been or seen what I've seen. Not a strange tangent, basically something has to give ...can't keep absorbing more and more students in a building not designed or staffed for that amount!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

I've been there and it is chaotic but hardly terrifying. Or unusual for a middle or high school. Seriously.

My kid is an introvert who hates being late and who frequently finds things to whine about but I had to ask him to learn that he has to hustle sometimes between classes. He also told me it is no big deal.

This is an odd tangent to this thread.

Mmmmm your kid is okay, so you dismiss others experience. Clearly not all children go to the same classes or same parts of the building or have same issues as this is not about "hustling" as you say. You have not been or seen what I've seen. Not a strange tangent, basically something has to give ...can't keep absorbing more and more students in a building not designed or staffed for that amount!

NP here. Honest question: What is it about then? We're IB for Deal with a rising 6th grader and I really want to understand this. Is it about bullying? Assault? What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

I've been there and it is chaotic but hardly terrifying. Or unusual for a middle or high school. Seriously.

My kid is an introvert who hates being late and who frequently finds things to whine about but I had to ask him to learn that he has to hustle sometimes between classes. He also told me it is no big deal.

This is an odd tangent to this thread.

Mmmmm your kid is okay, so you dismiss others experience. Clearly not all children go to the same classes or same parts of the building or have same issues as this is not about "hustling" as you say. You have not been or seen what I've seen. Not a strange tangent, basically something has to give ...can't keep absorbing more and more students in a building not designed or staffed for that amount!

Overcrowding, which leads to other things ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

I've been there and it is chaotic but hardly terrifying. Or unusual for a middle or high school. Seriously.

My kid is an introvert who hates being late and who frequently finds things to whine about but I had to ask him to learn that he has to hustle sometimes between classes. He also told me it is no big deal.

This is an odd tangent to this thread.

Mmmmm your kid is okay, so you dismiss others experience. Clearly not all children go to the same classes or same parts of the building or have same issues as this is not about "hustling" as you say. You have not been or seen what I've seen. Not a strange tangent, basically something has to give ...can't keep absorbing more and more students in a building not designed or staffed for that amount!

DP. Ok helicopter mom. Your child should not be in a mainstream school if s/he can’t manage this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In response to the post about a city not housing its working poor/class. This is non-sequitur as DC has fictitious borders more so than most cities. Anywhere else most of close in MD and VA would be part of “the city”. Pushing the working class to PG or Silver Spring counts as living in DC except for the cachet of the DC address. Being poor has consequences and not getting the best accommodations or being able to provide everything you want for your child is part of that.

Man, I hope you get mugged by some of the poor people that you hate so much

You rich WOTP people are disgusting

I would say let them live in your neighborhood but I suspect you already do. I am sorry you didn’t place in the race of life but I doubt anyone is going to give you their medal and certainly don’t think anyone else wants to run it repeatedly until you don’t suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are over 1500 kids enrolled. The breaks between classes are 4 minutes. 12 years olds have to navigate the halls and get to the other side of the school. If you have a student at Deal, go to the office one day and experience a class change. It’s terrifying. Seriously.

I've been there and it is chaotic but hardly terrifying. Or unusual for a middle or high school. Seriously.

My kid is an introvert who hates being late and who frequently finds things to whine about but I had to ask him to learn that he has to hustle sometimes between classes. He also told me it is no big deal.

This is an odd tangent to this thread.

Mmmmm your kid is okay, so you dismiss others experience. Clearly not all children go to the same classes or same parts of the building or have same issues as this is not about "hustling" as you say. You have not been or seen what I've seen. Not a strange tangent, basically something has to give ...can't keep absorbing more and more students in a building not designed or staffed for that amount!

So then enlighten me because I've talked to my child at Deal and he shrugs it off - how is it terrifying to change classes at Deal?

Is it terrifying that someone might be late? If so that person might need anxiety medication.

Is it terrifying because the halls are crowded? If so maybe that person is claustrophobic and should not be at a large public school.

Is it terrifying because of some social phobias? If so maybe that person should not be at a large public school.

Is it terrifying because it is too far to walk? If so maybe that person needs some exercise.

All of the things I can think of that might make changing classes "terrifying" are conditions common to most public middle and high schools and things that almost no one I know would describe as terrifying.

Alternately if you want to drop the hyperbole and simply characterize it as crowded and chaotic we can end this nonsensical tangent that covers something I doubt very many Deal parents are concerned about.

[Anonymous]

Its terrifying to an old person but for kids it is fine. Seriously people...stop projecting and go get a life.