Coming back to DCPS from Private

[Anonymous]

A couple of years ago my husband and I made a choice to remove our children from the neighborhood school as we felt the academics were sliding and it appeared the PTA was useless in advocating on behalf of the parents. Over the last 2 months I have spoken to at least 7 neighbors of mine who are speaking highly of the school and expressed the efforts parents are making through fundraising to bring additional academic enrichment such as STEM to the school (paid for by the PTA). To top things off I received an email inviting me to their upcoming Spring Auction in which they are looking to bring the community back to the school. I have taken my time to do additional research and I find myself impressed with the school and am strongly considering saving my hard earned $ and enrolling my children back in the school.

I am glad change is happening under new leadership and involvement with the parents and chancellor's office.

[Anonymous]

Is this Hearst?

[Anonymous]

Come on back to Shepherd. We are probably one of your neighbors, and our child is in her second year, after turning down private. We are very happy.

[Anonymous]

I fail to see how a window dressing STEM class once a week really is a substantive change in a school's academics. It seems like you are looking for a reason to like the school better and send your kids back -- which is fine -- but it seems unlikely that the academic core would have changed that much due to a little extra fundraising.

[Anonymous]

I was thinking Hearst too. But probably fits a bunch of DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago my husband and I made a choice to remove our children from the neighborhood school as we felt the academics were sliding and it appeared the PTA was useless in advocating on behalf of the parents. Over the last 2 months I have spoken to at least 7 neighbors of mine who are speaking highly of the school and expressed the efforts parents are making through fundraising to bring additional academic enrichment such as STEM to the school (paid for by the PTA). To top things off I received an email inviting me to their upcoming Spring Auction in which they are looking to bring the community back to the school. I have taken my time to do additional research and I find myself impressed with the school and am strongly considering saving my hard earned $ and enrolling my children back in the school.

I am glad change is happening under new leadership and involvement with the parents and chancellor's office.

Hi Kaya's office, nice plug. Keep it coming.

[Anonymous]

We went from private back to DCPS. Some things were a shock... well not a shock exactly, just sort of frustrating. Mostly just organization, communication, lunch food quality, and some boring teachers.

But we save a CRAPLOAD of money and I think DD is learning some good life skills. Things are not perfect, you make do. You make friends with people with whom at first you seem not to have anything in common. You learn how to tough things out a bit. I've realized that private was great for a while but it's just not real life.

We're really glad we made the transition and have had some fabulous experiences with the DCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Come on back to Shepherd. We are probably one of your neighbors, and our child is in her second year, after turning down private. We are very happy.

Yep, it is Shepherd! How did you know? No, this is not Chancellor Henderson office. God forbid someone give DCPS a compliment. Such negative folks loom this blog.

[Anonymous]

Why would any sane person do that?

[Anonymous]

The Chancellor is an idiot.

[Anonymous]

What kills me is people have such a problem with the mayor and chancellor however they keep their child enrolled in DCPS. It's easy to complain but what are your doing to be part of a solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kills me is people have such a problem with the mayor and chancellor however they keep their child enrolled in DCPS. It's easy to complain but what are your doing to be part of a solution.

Work with your principal. Because the principal has much more impact than the mayor or chancellor on day to day operations. That's not insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kills me is people have such a problem with the mayor and chancellor however they keep their child enrolled in DCPS. It's easy to complain but what are your doing to be part of a solution.

I've lived in DC since 97. Chancellors come and go, and none of them effect major turnarounds. Look in the newspapers; are there any major cities who have had their school systems turned around by some organizational and academic genius? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kills me is people have such a problem with the mayor and chancellor however they keep their child enrolled in DCPS. It's easy to complain but what are your doing to be part of a solution.

Work with your principal. Because the principal has much more impact than the mayor or chancellor on day to day operations. That's not insane.

That's just precious. Who are these principals who invite parents in to redesign curriculum gaps, disciplinary problems, and classroom sizes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kills me is people have such a problem with the mayor and chancellor however they keep their child enrolled in DCPS. It's easy to complain but what are your doing to be part of a solution.

Work with your principal. Because the principal has much more impact than the mayor or chancellor on day to day operations. That's not insane.

That's just precious. Who are these principals who invite parents in to redesign curriculum gaps, disciplinary problems, and classroom sizes?

Discipline: principal has far more control than mayor/chanc

Class sizes: if your school has any OOB then principal has control

Curriculum: principal has limited control on paper but in practice who you hire (teachers) and how you train and direct them has a large influence. Plus good principals plug gaps with extra curriculars.