Latin Cooper: Move to Kirov building

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last night's event seemed strange to me. It was a LOT of adults talking about pedagogy/philosophy and a teacher recruitment video while 4th graders (and a lot of younger siblings) sat through it, a panel discussion where you barely heard from parents, and then really crowded tour groups where the student guides did their best but talking so a group of 30+ can hear you in loud hallways is really challenging. That said, I liked what I heard about their model because it reminded me of the best parts of my liberal education, and I did not have a restless younger kid to wrangle.

Current Latin 1 parent of a 5th grader here--I had the same impression as you during the virtual open house last year. The buzzwords/pedagogy, etc drove me crazy. I couldn't stop rolling my eyes.

That being said...we ranked it first and got in. And our DD's experience has exceeded our expectations. I'm beyond impressed with the supports in place for kids who need it (mine) but just the overall leadership and education is a great fit for us.

[Anonymous]

Maybe dcps should just give all middle middle schools over to Latin. Then everyone can have access especially in ward 7 and 8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the appeal is that its an alternative to dcps and other charters eotp and that it pitches itself as being relatively more like a small private school.

Small school on 2nd street without good facilities, shut out from sports, and not many extracurricular offerings does not make it like a small private school. The scores for the school is also mediocre.

If this is one of the best middle/high school options EOTP then it’s sadly lacking. I’m shocked that parents are desperate enough to go there to stay in the city.

We plan on going to the DCI open house and will see how that goes. If not well, then will go private or move to the burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the appeal is that its an alternative to dcps and other charters eotp and that it pitches itself as being relatively more like a small private school.

Small school on 2nd street without good facilities, shut out from sports, and not many extracurricular offerings does not make it like a small private school. The scores for the school is also mediocre.

If this is one of the best middle/high school options EOTP then it’s sadly lacking. I’m shocked that parents are desperate enough to go there to stay in the city.

We plan on going to the DCI open house and will see how that goes. If not well, then will go private or move to the burbs.

Are you seriously this naïve about DC MS options? You should probably investigate privates, although applications season is well underway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the appeal is that its an alternative to dcps and other charters eotp and that it pitches itself as being relatively more like a small private school.

Small school on 2nd street without good facilities, shut out from sports, and not many extracurricular offerings does not make it like a small private school. The scores for the school is also mediocre.

If this is one of the best middle/high school options EOTP then it’s sadly lacking. I’m shocked that parents are desperate enough to go there to stay in the city.

We plan on going to the DCI open house and will see how that goes. If not well, then will go private or move to the burbs.

Are you seriously this naïve about DC MS options? You should probably investigate privates, although applications season is well underway.

+100. Statistically, your chances of getting into either are very small. It's not like either school is begging for your kid's presence. So best get off your high horse.

[Anonymous]

Having attended last night, I always find it shocking how entitled and antagonist parents are. This is a free option that works for many families who are lucky enough to get in. If people are so skeptical and openly disinterested then why don’t people just quietly move on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the appeal is that its an alternative to dcps and other charters eotp and that it pitches itself as being relatively more like a small private school.

Small school on 2nd street without good facilities, shut out from sports, and not many extracurricular offerings does not make it like a small private school. The scores for the school is also mediocre.

If this is one of the best middle/high school options EOTP then it’s sadly lacking. I’m shocked that parents are desperate enough to go there to stay in the city.

We plan on going to the DCI open house and will see how that goes. If not well, then will go private or move to the burbs.

Are you seriously this naïve about DC MS options? You should probably investigate privates, although applications season is well underway.

Application season is largely closed for middle and high school and 5th generally isn't an entry year. They better start looking for houses!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having attended last night, I always find it shocking how entitled and antagonist parents are. This is a free option that works for many families who are lucky enough to get in. If people are so skeptical and openly disinterested then why don’t people just quietly move on?

+100 Latin is an absolute gem for those lucky enough to get in. If it makes you feel better to tear it down, go ahead, but it's been wonderful for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having attended last night, I always find it shocking how entitled and antagonist parents are. This is a free option that works for many families who are lucky enough to get in. If people are so skeptical and openly disinterested then why don’t people just quietly move on?

+100 Latin is an absolute gem for those lucky enough to get in. If it makes you feel better to tear it down, go ahead, but it's been wonderful for our kids.

What I'm reading in these comments doesn't seem entitled or antagonistic. it tells me that Latin isn't doing as good a job as they hope in communicating about their mission to prospective families. I'm one of the PP who said the format of the open house was a total bust but that the approach of the school seems like a good one. Maybe they don't worry about it too much because of their long wait lists but some of this feedback could be helpful to them.

and, without a lot of visibility into the other properties considered for their second campus, it does feel bizarre to have the second site so close to the first when they endeavor to be accessible to the whole city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the appeal is that its an alternative to dcps and other charters eotp and that it pitches itself as being relatively more like a small private school.

Small school on 2nd street without good facilities, shut out from sports, and not many extracurricular offerings does not make it like a small private school. The scores for the school is also mediocre.

If this is one of the best middle/high school options EOTP then it’s sadly lacking. I’m shocked that parents are desperate enough to go there to stay in the city.

We plan on going to the DCI open house and will see how that goes. If not well, then will go private or move to the burbs.

Are you seriously this naïve about DC MS options? You should probably investigate privates, although applications season is well underway.

+1. PP seems so clueless I wonder if her child will get in anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having attended last night, I always find it shocking how entitled and antagonist parents are. This is a free option that works for many families who are lucky enough to get in. If people are so skeptical and openly disinterested then why don’t people just quietly move on?

+100 Latin is an absolute gem for those lucky enough to get in. If it makes you feel better to tear it down, go ahead, but it's been wonderful for our kids.

What I'm reading in these comments doesn't seem entitled or antagonistic. it tells me that Latin isn't doing as good a job as they hope in communicating about their mission to prospective families. I'm one of the PP who said the format of the open house was a total bust but that the approach of the school seems like a good one. Maybe they don't worry about it too much because of their long wait lists but some of this feedback could be helpful to them.

and, without a lot of visibility into the other properties considered for their second campus, it does feel bizarre to have the second site so close to the first when they endeavor to be accessible to the whole city.

It's this. Latin knows it will be number 1 on almost everyone's wait list anyway so they don't have to do much at these open houses.

[Anonymous]

The comments above is exactly why schools in DC and school options will never get better.

Latin is not a great school overall (academics, facilitates, sports, clubs, extracurriculars). Sure it’s better than the terrible ones in DCPS for middle but to claim that it’s good enough for what our kids deserve, it just is not.

Reality is you are settling for an inferior product compared to what many other families in the burbs have. If you want to stay in the city and not go private or move, OK.

The bar is so incredibly low in the city

[Anonymous]

I don’t disagree but who wants to live in the burbs, particularly as an empty nester. Parents who can supplement to the tune of thousands of dollars a year in tutors, break enrichment camps, some homeschooling on the side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t disagree but who wants to live in the burbs, particularly as an empty nester. Parents who can supplement to the tune of thousands of dollars a year in tutors, break enrichment camps, some homeschooling on the side.

You realize that some people move to the burbs for their kids education, rent out their house, and then back to the city once the kid is in college. BTW in state college tuition in VA and MD is a much better deal than Tag if you even get any money from it.

Also it’s a real drag to try to supplement or homeschool when kids are in school all day, have outside sports, then homework. There are limited hours in the day. Guess you could spend the weekend trying to supplement/homeschool and play catch up. But really sounds terrible for the kid and unless your kid is an outlier probably won’t enjoy it and might even come to resent it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having attended last night, I always find it shocking how entitled and antagonist parents are. This is a free option that works for many families who are lucky enough to get in. If people are so skeptical and openly disinterested then why don’t people just quietly move on?

+100 Latin is an absolute gem for those lucky enough to get in. If it makes you feel better to tear it down, go ahead, but it's been wonderful for our kids.

What I'm reading in these comments doesn't seem entitled or antagonistic. it tells me that Latin isn't doing as good a job as they hope in communicating about their mission to prospective families. I'm one of the PP who said the format of the open house was a total bust but that the approach of the school seems like a good one. Maybe they don't worry about it too much because of their long wait lists but some of this feedback could be helpful to them.

and, without a lot of visibility into the other properties considered for their second campus, it does feel bizarre to have the second site so close to the first when they endeavor to be accessible to the whole city.

It's this. Latin knows it will be number 1 on almost everyone's wait list anyway so they don't have to do much at these open houses.

They don't have to do all that much, period. No extra curriculars for 5th graders at Latin Cooper? No music, no performing arts, no real art at all, no real sports and none planned.