Specifically on-topic contributors to the Drew boundary issue only please -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

It's too bad so few people get what you enjoyed. Preschool montessori is by lottery, so to get in you have to be either lucky, low income, or willing to take the application to be admitted under the 2/3rds set aside. And for elementary montessori, no one outside of the preschool program has been admitted in 2 years, maybe 3. So it's really not a choice, it's luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

It's too bad so few people get what you enjoyed. Preschool montessori is by lottery, so to get in you have to be either lucky, low income, or willing to take the application to be admitted under the 2/3rds set aside. And for elementary montessori, no one outside of the preschool program has been admitted in 2 years, maybe 3. So it's really not a choice, it's luck.

^game the admission to be admitted under the set aside; e.g., fib about ones income

[Anonymous]

Great answer to a question that wasn’t asked. No o e is putting venom on your choices but it sounds like you have some guilt. The conversation is about Drew neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

It's too bad so few people get what you enjoyed. Preschool montessori is by lottery, so to get in you have to be either lucky, low income, or willing to take the application to be admitted under the 2/3rds set aside. And for elementary montessori, no one outside of the preschool program has been admitted in 2 years, maybe 3. So it's really not a choice, it's luck.

Yup a lucky choice. Sorry you were not lucky enough to choose out of your neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Does all that diversity continue into the graded program? Can't wait to see the stats on free standing Montessori when it moves into Henry. It's going to be eye opening. Maybe then we can finally have a conversation about whether to keep it past K. Maybe they won't need a home after Henry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be helpful to know more about the plans for Drew next year. The choice of principal seems positive, based on the growth of Hoffman-Boston, but overall, being redistricted to Drew is being treated as a punishment, not as something that could be positive.

Assuming the Montessori teachers are moving to Henry, what is the plan for hiring new staff? Is the expectation that teachers will be transferred from the sending schools?

Is the plan to keep a STEAM focus at Drew? How is that being implemented?

How do they plan to integrate 400 new students into the school- are they keeping the existing traditions, or do they plan to develop new traditions?

It looks like Drew has Odyssey of the Mind and Model UN teams- will those continue when Montessori moves?

Give people reasons to be excited about Drew. Otherwise, we're assuming it will be test prep, tutoring and Saturday school, like Carlin Springs, given the 80% predicted FARMS rate.

Montessori teachers were for Montessori classes only. Of course they shared some of specials. As MOntessori moves out (400+ seats) they have to move in that amount of kids. Drew Montessori already separated this year with different office (they used the same before), separate PTA , UN MOdel and Oddysey of Mind were started by Montessori teachers/parents so that will move out and Drew Model will have to figure out, but they working together this year to transfer all thoe skills. And of course, with 400+ new student they will have to hire new teachers or move teachers from other schools. My kids went to HB when we had that principal and she was amazing and all about STEM so I'm guessing that will continue. They have an amazing band and chorus. Drew teachers and community are amazing!!! We will miss Drew and the community when we move to PH next fall. And that school will become one that you would wish you moved to. Just saying!!!

Not to be a wet blanket, but what will make Drew different from other high farms schools like Randolph and carlin springs? Those schools struggle because an 80% farms rate has consequences. They've also had the same rate for at least 20 years and there's no reason to believe Drew won't as well.

They're not going with the boundary they first proposed. We don't know what the fr/l rate will be yet.

Ok, for the sake of argument, let's say the first proposal isn't among those that will be voted on. Let's say it gets down to 60. What makes Drew different from a Barrett or a Barcroft?

I know UMC families who love Barcroft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does all that diversity continue into the graded program? Can't wait to see the stats on free standing Montessori when it moves into Henry. It's going to be eye opening. Maybe then we can finally have a conversation about whether to keep it past K. Maybe they won't need a home after Henry.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does all that diversity continue into the graded program? Can't wait to see the stats on free standing Montessori when it moves into Henry. It's going to be eye opening. Maybe then we can finally have a conversation about whether to keep it past K. Maybe they won't need a home after Henry.

+1.

Or maybe, we will have a high school Montessory too We did manage to move to our own school, didn't we? Accept it or not, Public Montessori is a good thing for Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does all that diversity continue into the graded program? Can't wait to see the stats on free standing Montessori when it moves into Henry. It's going to be eye opening. Maybe then we can finally have a conversation about whether to keep it past K. Maybe they won't need a home after Henry.

+1.

Or maybe, we will have a high school Montessory too We did manage to move to our own school, didn't we? Accept it or not, Public Montessori is a good thing for Arlington.

Interesting idea. The 800 seats being added to the career center can be a Montessori high school. Then you’ll have a free private school education K-12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does all that diversity continue into the graded program? Can't wait to see the stats on free standing Montessori when it moves into Henry. It's going to be eye opening. Maybe then we can finally have a conversation about whether to keep it past K. Maybe they won't need a home after Henry.

+1.

Or maybe, we will have a high school Montessory too We did manage to move to our own school, didn't we? Accept it or not, Public Montessori is a good thing for Arlington.

Interesting idea. The 800 seats being added to the career center can be a Montessori high school. Then you’ll have a free private school education K-12.

Yeah, but we omly need 300-400 seats. That would be awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

It's too bad so few people get what you enjoyed. Preschool montessori is by lottery, so to get in you have to be either lucky, low income, or willing to take the application to be admitted under the 2/3rds set aside. And for elementary montessori, no one outside of the preschool program has been admitted in 2 years, maybe 3. So it's really not a choice, it's luck.

Yup a lucky choice. Sorry you were not lucky enough to choose out of your neighborhood school.

I didn't choice out. Simply pointing out the fact that already, option schools are oversubscribed and not growing as a percentage of the overall student body. That will get worse and lead to the perception that these schools with unique instructional models and reasonable farms rates are just a lucky crap shoot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

It's too bad so few people get what you enjoyed. Preschool montessori is by lottery, so to get in you have to be either lucky, low income, or willing to take the application to be admitted under the 2/3rds set aside. And for elementary montessori, no one outside of the preschool program has been admitted in 2 years, maybe 3. So it's really not a choice, it's luck.

Yup a lucky choice. Sorry you were not lucky enough to choose out of your neighborhood school.

I didn't choice out. Simply pointing out the fact that already, option schools are oversubscribed and not growing as a percentage of the overall student body. That will get worse and lead to the perception that these schools with unique instructional models and reasonable farms rates are just a lucky crap shoot.

Reasoanable FARM rates? Do you hear yourself? They were hosted at Drrew and Hoffman-Boston. Last I know, neither of them had reasoanable FARM rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be helpful to know more about the plans for Drew next year. The choice of principal seems positive, based on the growth of Hoffman-Boston, but overall, being redistricted to Drew is being treated as a punishment, not as something that could be positive.

Assuming the Montessori teachers are moving to Henry, what is the plan for hiring new staff? Is the expectation that teachers will be transferred from the sending schools?

Is the plan to keep a STEAM focus at Drew? How is that being implemented?

How do they plan to integrate 400 new students into the school- are they keeping the existing traditions, or do they plan to develop new traditions?

It looks like Drew has Odyssey of the Mind and Model UN teams- will those continue when Montessori moves?

Give people reasons to be excited about Drew. Otherwise, we're assuming it will be test prep, tutoring and Saturday school, like Carlin Springs, given the 80% predicted FARMS rate.

Montessori teachers were for Montessori classes only. Of course they shared some of specials. As MOntessori moves out (400+ seats) they have to move in that amount of kids. Drew Montessori already separated this year with different office (they used the same before), separate PTA , UN MOdel and Oddysey of Mind were started by Montessori teachers/parents so that will move out and Drew Model will have to figure out, but they working together this year to transfer all thoe skills. And of course, with 400+ new student they will have to hire new teachers or move teachers from other schools. My kids went to HB when we had that principal and she was amazing and all about STEM so I'm guessing that will continue. They have an amazing band and chorus. Drew teachers and community are amazing!!! We will miss Drew and the community when we move to PH next fall. And that school will become one that you would wish you moved to. Just saying!!!

Not to be a wet blanket, but what will make Drew different from other high farms schools like Randolph and carlin springs? Those schools struggle because an 80% farms rate has consequences. They've also had the same rate for at least 20 years and there's no reason to believe Drew won't as well.

They're not going with the boundary they first proposed. We don't know what the fr/l rate will be yet.

Ok, for the sake of argument, let's say the first proposal isn't among those that will be voted on. Let's say it gets down to 60. What makes Drew different from a Barrett or a Barcroft?

I know UMC families who love Barcroft.

I hear the same, particularly now that the new principal is in place, and I don't hear very many complaints about Barrett, despite its higher poverty level. Both of these schools have a small but significant cohort of MC kids. Barcroft had some very particular issues for a couple of years which caused a number of families to either leave or to not give it a try in the first place. I think many of those issues have been ironed out or progress is being made. I've got a few friends with kids there now, and they are very happy, unlike the friends whose kids were there 4-5 years ago and had very little positive to say. In short, I don't know that it will be different demographically from current Barrett or Barcroft, but that's not necessarily a terrible thing, if the right leadership is in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also spare me, all the Montessori parents claiming you’ll miss Drew and how amazing it is are not helping. You choiced out, your kid didn’t and doesn’t attend the neighborhood program.

Yup, the beauty of having choices. Also when you start public Montessory at APS at 3 yo, 2/3 of kids are picked from low income families (another beauty of public Montessori, giving options to low income that can not afford it otherwise) , only 1/3 of these kids pay full tuition. So, yes we loved the diversity, and we didn't chooce out (is choiced a word?) to escape diversity. I loved listenening to my kid talking about Mongolia and showing in map because that's where their friend was from, or Tajikistan (probably you don't know where that is but my 4 yo could point it in the map). It was a choice that worked for our kids and us. We did 3 years at HB when it was rated under 3, and we have been at Drew for 3 years as well. They got bussed around instead for 1 hour. Our neighborhood school was higher rated and could might as well attended that one, we also could walk to that one. They will be further when they move to PH as well but hey whatever works. We have lots of friends in neighborhood although we don't go to same schools. So, yeah don't just spit venom on other people's choices.

It's too bad so few people get what you enjoyed. Preschool montessori is by lottery, so to get in you have to be either lucky, low income, or willing to take the application to be admitted under the 2/3rds set aside. And for elementary montessori, no one outside of the preschool program has been admitted in 2 years, maybe 3. So it's really not a choice, it's luck.

Yup a lucky choice. Sorry you were not lucky enough to choose out of your neighborhood school.

I didn't choice out. Simply pointing out the fact that already, option schools are oversubscribed and not growing as a percentage of the overall student body. That will get worse and lead to the perception that these schools with unique instructional models and reasonable farms rates are just a lucky crap shoot.

Reasoanable FARM rates? Do you hear yourself? They were hosted at Drrew and Hoffman-Boston. Last I know, neither of them had reasoanable FARM rate.

You seem a little out of the loop.

HB hosted no option program. They hosted Nauck students who chose to go there instead of the Drew graded program. Under the proposal, those kids will return to Drew and it's a big reason HB will lose title I status next year.

It was established earlier in this thread or another that the proposal data allows one to estimate the farms rate for montessori alone- look it up - it's about 25%. Actual option school farms rates range from 26% at ATS to 54% at Campbell. Key is the next highest at 41%. So yeah, in a SA context these are very reasonable farms rates. Especially when you consider that Barcroft, Drew, Randolph, and carlin springs range from 59 to 83, with three of those schools at 75% or higher.