Shake Up at SSMA?

[Anonymous]

Has someone from ssmaca flagged the issue to the admin? I'm nervous to do so

[Anonymous]

I think a little perspective is in order. Yes, the administration is a shit show. But most (not all) of the parents you talk to will tell you that their kids are doing well in the class. Most of the fights we are fighting are about making the school something better than that. We previously were at Bethune. Shining Stars is a mess right now, but it's not in the same ballpark as Bethune.

The bottom line is that we will be in the lottery this year, for sure. If we don't draw something better, we aren't going to pull our kid and go spend $25K on a private school, and we aren't going to go to our neighborhood DCPS (Burroughs). We want out, it's true, but it's not an emergency. It's just exhausting to offer up every resource a school could ask for, and have those offers ignored. So instead we offer those resources to our classroom and support our teacher directly, until the school improves, we draw a great lottery school, or we move somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a little perspective is in order. Yes, the administration is a shit show. But most (not all) of the parents you talk to will tell you that their kids are doing well in the class. Most of the fights we are fighting are about making the school something better than that. We previously were at Bethune. Shining Stars is a mess right now, but it's not in the same ballpark as Bethune.

The bottom line is that we will be in the lottery this year, for sure. If we don't draw something better, we aren't going to pull our kid and go spend $25K on a private school, and we aren't going to go to our neighborhood DCPS (Burroughs). We want out, it's true, but it's not an emergency. It's just exhausting to offer up every resource a school could ask for, and have those offers ignored. So instead we offer those resources to our classroom and support our teacher directly, until the school improves, we draw a great lottery school, or we move somewhere else.

Ditto! I feel like you are reading my mind...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a little perspective is in order. Yes, the administration is a shit show. But most (not all) of the parents you talk to will tell you that their kids are doing well in the class. Most of the fights we are fighting are about making the school something better than that. We previously were at Bethune. Shining Stars is a mess right now, but it's not in the same ballpark as Bethune.

The bottom line is that we will be in the lottery this year, for sure. If we don't draw something better, we aren't going to pull our kid and go spend $25K on a private school, and we aren't going to go to our neighborhood DCPS (Burroughs). We want out, it's true, but it's not an emergency. It's just exhausting to offer up every resource a school could ask for, and have those offers ignored. So instead we offer those resources to our classroom and support our teacher directly, until the school improves, we draw a great lottery school, or we move somewhere else.

Good to hear.

The real problems begin when you start losing those beloved teachers, because their bosses are terrible. You can flood them with kindness and support but at the end of the day they have to feel it from above too. Sounds like that may or may not be happening at SSMA, and perhaps the replacement teachers have been pretty good too. On the plus side, Montessori attracts particularly dedicated teachers (in my experience) and to some extent the classroom model allows for a strong learning experience even with less high quality teachers. Up to a point (and only in lower grades).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a little perspective is in order. Yes, the administration is a shit show. But most (not all) of the parents you talk to will tell you that their kids are doing well in the class. Most of the fights we are fighting are about making the school something better than that. We previously were at Bethune. Shining Stars is a mess right now, but it's not in the same ballpark as Bethune.

The bottom line is that we will be in the lottery this year, for sure. If we don't draw something better, we aren't going to pull our kid and go spend $25K on a private school, and we aren't going to go to our neighborhood DCPS (Burroughs). We want out, it's true, but it's not an emergency. It's just exhausting to offer up every resource a school could ask for, and have those offers ignored. So instead we offer those resources to our classroom and support our teacher directly, until the school improves, we draw a great lottery school, or we move somewhere else.

Good to hear.

The real problems begin when you start losing those beloved teachers, because their bosses are terrible. You can flood them with kindness and support but at the end of the day they have to feel it from above too. Sounds like that may or may not be happening at SSMA, and perhaps the replacement teachers have been pretty good too. On the plus side, Montessori attracts particularly dedicated teachers (in my experience) and to some extent the classroom model allows for a strong learning experience even with less high quality teachers. Up to a point (and only in lower grades).

We are a SSMA family that is leaving regardless, but we got one of the replacement teachers who is absolutely horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a little perspective is in order. Yes, the administration is a shit show. But most (not all) of the parents you talk to will tell you that their kids are doing well in the class. Most of the fights we are fighting are about making the school something better than that. We previously were at Bethune. Shining Stars is a mess right now, but it's not in the same ballpark as Bethune.

The bottom line is that we will be in the lottery this year, for sure. If we don't draw something better, we aren't going to pull our kid and go spend $25K on a private school, and we aren't going to go to our neighborhood DCPS (Burroughs). We want out, it's true, but it's not an emergency. It's just exhausting to offer up every resource a school could ask for, and have those offers ignored. So instead we offer those resources to our classroom and support our teacher directly, until the school improves, we draw a great lottery school, or we move somewhere else.

If your kid hits Upper Elem, you'll have a very different perspective. That's when school becomes very real and has consequences. You think nearly an entire parent community board leaves for nothing? A lot of time, energy, and effort were put in because kids were being negatively affected. Some of those parents were actually educators that volunteered to assist with curriculum development and standardization as well as classroom management techniques. All are critical as the kids get older. SSMA is really not even doing Montessori in Upper Elem. At DCPS parents have some power, not at charters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid hits Upper Elem, you'll have a very different perspective. That's when school becomes very real and has consequences. You think nearly an entire parent community board leaves for nothing? A lot of time, energy, and effort were put in because kids were being negatively affected. Some of those parents were actually educators that volunteered to assist with curriculum development and standardization as well as classroom management techniques. All are critical as the kids get older. SSMA is really not even doing Montessori in Upper Elem. At DCPS parents have some power, not at charters.

I completely agree. We were at SSMA for four years. We were content for 3.5 of those years. When it did fall apart and we landed at a DCPS, we were absolutely floored by how well it was run. The kids are more happy. We are more happy. Things that we just came to accept, upon looking back, were just completely unacceptable. No AC, recess on the parking lot, an after care program where they were literally having children put their face against the wall as punishment. We viewed them as problems that WE could fix. None of these things can be fixed without the administration's help and approval. When they threatened to decertify the Community Association, a lot of families suddenly realized that there was nothing they could do. When you leave SSMA, and you will, you realize how much you missed out on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid hits Upper Elem, you'll have a very different perspective. That's when school becomes very real and has consequences. You think nearly an entire parent community board leaves for nothing? A lot of time, energy, and effort were put in because kids were being negatively affected. Some of those parents were actually educators that volunteered to assist with curriculum development and standardization as well as classroom management techniques. All are critical as the kids get older. SSMA is really not even doing Montessori in Upper Elem. At DCPS parents have some power, not at charters.

I completely agree. We were at SSMA for four years. We were content for 3.5 of those years. When it did fall apart and we landed at a DCPS, we were absolutely floored by how well it was run. The kids are more happy. We are more happy. Things that we just came to accept, upon looking back, were just completely unacceptable. No AC, recess on the parking lot, an after care program where they were literally having children put their face against the wall as punishment. We viewed them as problems that WE could fix. None of these things can be fixed without the administration's help and approval. When they threatened to decertify the Community Association, a lot of families suddenly realized that there was nothing they could do. When you leave SSMA, and you will, you realize how much you missed out on.

We passed up SSMA for Langley two years ago and feel sooo lucky that we did. I knew there were issues but had no idea how bad things would get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I completely agree. We were at SSMA for four years. We were content for 3.5 of those years. When it did fall apart and we landed at a DCPS, we were absolutely floored by how well it was run. The kids are more happy. We are more happy. Things that we just came to accept, upon looking back, were just completely unacceptable. No AC, recess on the parking lot, an after care program where they were literally having children put their face against the wall as punishment. We viewed them as problems that WE could fix. None of these things can be fixed without the administration's help and approval. When they threatened to decertify the Community Association, a lot of families suddenly realized that there was nothing they could do. When you leave SSMA, and you will, you realize how much you missed out on.

While it's great that you are happy at the DCPS you're in now, I think it's naive to think that all DCPS options are better than SSMA. Having been to one of the neighborhood DCPS schools for the first couple months of PK3 before getting into SSMA (and knowing people that have been "stuck" there in subsequent years), I can tell you that even with the ongoing issues, I'm still much happier my kid is at SSMA than back at that DCPS. And not everyone has the ability to head to a more desirable DCPS further away from where they live.

We are entering the lottery this year, but in the end it's still a lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I completely agree. We were at SSMA for four years. We were content for 3.5 of those years. When it did fall apart and we landed at a DCPS, we were absolutely floored by how well it was run. The kids are more happy. We are more happy. Things that we just came to accept, upon looking back, were just completely unacceptable. No AC, recess on the parking lot, an after care program where they were literally having children put their face against the wall as punishment. We viewed them as problems that WE could fix. None of these things can be fixed without the administration's help and approval. When they threatened to decertify the Community Association, a lot of families suddenly realized that there was nothing they could do. When you leave SSMA, and you will, you realize how much you missed out on.

While it's great that you are happy at the DCPS you're in now, I think it's naive to think that all DCPS options are better than SSMA. Having been to one of the neighborhood DCPS schools for the first couple months of PK3 before getting into SSMA (and knowing people that have been "stuck" there in subsequent years), I can tell you that even with the ongoing issues, I'm still much happier my kid is at SSMA than back at that DCPS. And not everyone has the ability to head to a more desirable DCPS further away from where they live.

We are entering the lottery this year, but in the end it's still a lottery.

+1
Which DCPS did you move on to? I am sure some DCPS have these same issues and worse. Some of the stories I've heard from friends would put hair on your chest.

[Anonymous]

I'd prefer not to out myself entirely, but I'll say this: 1) We did not play the lottery, as we weren't planning on leaving and 2) We are not going to our neighborhood school. Believe it or not, there are good DCPS schools that have capacity.

That being said, you're of course correct, that all DCPS schools aren't going to be better than SSMA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd prefer not to out myself entirely, but I'll say this: 1) We did not play the lottery, as we weren't planning on leaving and 2) We are not going to our neighborhood school. Believe it or not, there are good DCPS schools that have capacity.

That being said, you're of course correct, that all DCPS schools aren't going to be better than SSMA.

We miss you! Even if you don’t miss us

[Anonymous]

I heard a bunch of longtime SSMA families moved over to Garrison Elementary in Shaw. The PP is probably there. I think it’s DCPS? Would anyone who made that switch be willing to share their experience? Why did so many SSMA families go there? Is it Montessori? I’m a current SSMA parent desperate for some options for next year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I heard a bunch of longtime SSMA families moved over to Garrison Elementary in Shaw. The PP is probably there. I think it’s DCPS? Would anyone who made that switch be willing to share their experience? Why did so many SSMA families go there? Is it Montessori? I’m a current SSMA parent desperate for some options for next year!

I don't know if that's true, but it's a neighborhood school with good metro access, a nice new renovation, and a new-ish principal who is doing well. Like all Cardozo feeders you probably wouldn't stay through 5th, but it sounds like people feel that way about SSMA too.

Personally, I'd put Garrison, Seaton, and Langley over SSMA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I heard a bunch of longtime SSMA families moved over to Garrison Elementary in Shaw. The PP is probably there. I think it’s DCPS? Would anyone who made that switch be willing to share their experience? Why did so many SSMA families go there? Is it Montessori? I’m a current SSMA parent desperate for some options for next year!

We know at least two families (if not more) who left SSMA for Garrison. I don't believe it's Montessori. They all seem really happy there. Unfortunately the distance / commute just doesn't work for us to make it a feasible option.