New to DCPS/charters, but a simple question

[Anonymous]

I have noticed than the schools were hoping to attend (enrolled at one, high on the waitlist for two others) have little up to date public information available. Out of date websites, no calendar for the upcoming year posted yet. Info on aftercare (enrollment forms, who will be providing it, when it will start, how much it will cost) not yet finalized. This includes one charter school, which has weekly half days. All I know at this time is that the school is trying to arrange some sort of on site care for kids on those half days. I heard other parents say that most after care programs don't start until a week or two after school starts. WTF? Is this a common problem with DC schools (charter and not)? How do families with two working parents deal with this? Just plan to leave work early every day for two weeks until aftercare is available?

[Anonymous]

Very common. We are arranging plans with friendsome at the school, babysitters, etc. Its normal, sad to say.

[Anonymous]

What schools, OP? We can help.

DCPS calendars are online and their aftercare info should be as well.

[Anonymous]

SSMA. Thank you for the help.

[Anonymous]

If you are high on the waitlist at most Charters, please call the school and ask.

[Anonymous]

Try to hold back the WTFs and be patient. You're going to need a lot more patience and thicker skin.

[Anonymous]

I think you'll see updates in the next few weeks. July is about the only time anyone's on vacation at a charter school.

[Anonymous]

And fwiw, yes, aftercare not starting for a few weeks is normal. Even our NYC school, which was so much nicer than anything in DC took a few weeks for aftercare to begin. And that's a city that actually is organized enough to provide transportation for its students.

Aftercare starts after school starts because they have to have the kids enroll for it.

[Anonymous]

Lee aftercare starts on the first day of school if anyone is wondering about that school. I know because I'm high on the list and asked . But they phase in the kids, so your start date could be in mid-September

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And fwiw, yes, aftercare not starting for a few weeks is normal. Even our NYC school, which was so much nicer than anything in DC took a few weeks for aftercare to begin. And that's a city that actually is organized enough to provide transportation for its students.

Aftercare starts after school starts because they have to have the kids enroll for it.

Agree that DC should have buses for those who can't use metro, due to age or location. I have never heard a good argument against buses in DC. The city buses manage just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And fwiw, yes, aftercare not starting for a few weeks is normal. Even our NYC school, which was so much nicer than anything in DC took a few weeks for aftercare to begin. And that's a city that actually is organized enough to provide transportation for its students.

Aftercare starts after school starts because they have to have the kids enroll for it.

Agree that DC should have buses for those who can't use metro, due to age or location. I have never heard a good argument against buses in DC. The city buses manage just fine.

You must be new to DC, so welcome.

The charter school movement started here in DC as a grassroots movement by as few parents back in the 90s. As it is now, there was a lot of battles between the neighborhood schools and the "chartered" schools that opened back then. This was before the "Bill on the Hill" and we were on our own. No facilities finding and no buses. The city still views us a seperate but equal. Ironic, but if you were here trying to educate a child in the 90s - worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And fwiw, yes, aftercare not starting for a few weeks is normal. Even our NYC school, which was so much nicer than anything in DC took a few weeks for aftercare to begin. And that's a city that actually is organized enough to provide transportation for its students.

Aftercare starts after school starts because they have to have the kids enroll for it.

Agree that DC should have buses for those who can't use metro, due to age or location. I have never heard a good argument against buses in DC. The city buses manage just fine.

That's why you're supposed to get a DC One card and use the city busses.

[Anonymous]

The city buses don't have adequate transportation options to the schools. There's at least one area of the city that has five or six charters clustered together and almost no bus service. Even with the public transit options available, commuting by public transit makes some students have 2 hour plus commutes to their schools (DCPS OR Charter). That already stops access for a large number of students whose parents don't have the time or the means to take them on epic multi-bus and metro trips across the city.

Every other city in the country, pretty much, is capable of organizing bus service. The surrounding burbs are capable of organizing bus service.

This is not a charter school only issue. This is a city-wide issue, and should be at the forefront of anyone who actually believes in more than lip service to the idea that charters are there to provide equal opportunities to all students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And fwiw, yes, aftercare not starting for a few weeks is normal. Even our NYC school, which was so much nicer than anything in DC took a few weeks for aftercare to begin. And that's a city that actually is organized enough to provide transportation for its students.

Aftercare starts after school starts because they have to have the kids enroll for it.

Agree that DC should have buses for those who can't use metro, due to age or location. I have never heard a good argument against buses in DC. The city buses manage just fine.

You must be new to DC, so welcome.

The charter school movement started here in DC as a grassroots movement by as few parents back in the 90s. As it is now, there was a lot of battles between the neighborhood schools and the "chartered" schools that opened back then. This was before the "Bill on the Hill" and we were on our own. No facilities finding and no buses. The city still views us a seperate but equal. Ironic, but if you were here trying to educate a child in the 90s - worth it.

Not everyone that has an idea that you disagree with is "new to DC".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And fwiw, yes, aftercare not starting for a few weeks is normal. Even our NYC school, which was so much nicer than anything in DC took a few weeks for aftercare to begin. And that's a city that actually is organized enough to provide transportation for its students.

Aftercare starts after school starts because they have to have the kids enroll for it.

Agree that DC should have buses for those who can't use metro, due to age or location. I have never heard a good argument against buses in DC. The city buses manage just fine.

That's why you're supposed to get a DC One card and use the city busses.

Not all schools are well-serviced by city buses and a child can safely ride unsupervised during elementary school on a school bus.

How is a single parent supposed to avail themselves of "school choice" without citywide school buses?