Lafayette- the good, the great, the bad, the ugly

[Anonymous]

FAFO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent, student and teacher communities at Lafayette are wonderful. The teachers are top notch and the parents are welcoming, warm and passionate in all the right ways. It's a close knit community and that makes it really special.

There is a new principal this year - Katie Prall - and she is not well suited for the job nor does she seem to be driven by what is in the best interests of the students. That opinion is shared widely by parents and teachers. Many concerns have been raised for DCPS. She is a sub-par communicator - she doesn't provide transparency in her decision making and it's clear she has come in with that attitude that she will rule with an iron fist. Her primary constituent seems to be the DCPS administration not the children nor teachers. The teachers have had a terrible time with her - being emotionally abusive and disrespectful. It may sound like these concerns as coming from overbearing and entitled parents and teachers but they are coming from a legitimate place of concern and we are already hearing of teachers applying to other schools because of her (lack) of leadership.

This is such a shame because Lafayette is a wonderful school and community. I am hopeful we will see some change.

Never change, Lafayette parents. OP, this is the type of people you'll have to deal with.

LOL, exactly. My kids are in college and I clicked on the thread just for funsies like this. My favorite Laf parents who take the cake are the ones who raged on DCUM at Dr. B because two “beloved” teachers left—the very teachers who parents wanted Ms. Main to fire when they were co-teaching, and rankled her so hard she cried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These poor kids--now their pictures and their moms' full names are on the news and everybody knows their parents didn't think they could succeed in kindergarten. For parents who appear very invested in their kids having every advantage, this seems strange--wouldn't you want your kid to have privacy about their learning or behavioral challenges?

There’s a handful of Lafayette families who love running to the media. I don’t think they realize that it just makes them look unreasonable (and agree, wtf would you have your kids on there).

Especially since one of those kids looks like a first-grader already, in my opinion. Having that kid in K next year would really stand out! There will be kindergartners who will be 4 until over a month into the school year. These kids would start the year at 6 and may turn 7 soon after.

I don't agree with what these people have done, but I think this is not correct — the kids are turning 6 before the cutoff, in all likelihood in September or during the summer, which means they'll be 6 all year (not "7 soon after"). And, in fairness, in first grade they will be in class with kids born basically a full year before them -- that's going to happen no matter what. But you need to draw the line somewhere. As a policy, I'm not really opposed to principals having discretion here, except that obviously if people are really able to game the equitable access policy this way (for being above the prescribed age for their grade), that's a problem.

[Anonymous]

Surprised it hasn’t been mentioned that this issue is complicated by the fact that the age cutoff is different for different jurisdictions. Dcps age cutoff is Sept 30, Mcps cutoff is Sept 1, GDS cutoff is Sept 1, Sidwell is Sept 30, Beauvoir is Aug 31. So if a kid has a birthday in mid-Sept, their grade level is different based on which school they’re in. That’s not a problem if you know all along that your child will be in one particular school system, but if you’re considering private schools or even moving from MD to DC, it matters quite a bit.

Still, this is an embarrassing look for the parents for sure. But I can see how having a child with a mid-Sept birthday, when you aren’t 100% sure what school system you’ll be in, can make it pretty tough for parents to navigate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent, student and teacher communities at Lafayette are wonderful. The teachers are top notch and the parents are welcoming, warm and passionate in all the right ways. It's a close knit community and that makes it really special.

There is a new principal this year - Katie Prall - and she is not well suited for the job nor does she seem to be driven by what is in the best interests of the students. That opinion is shared widely by parents and teachers. Many concerns have been raised for DCPS. She is a sub-par communicator - she doesn't provide transparency in her decision making and it's clear she has come in with that attitude that she will rule with an iron fist. Her primary constituent seems to be the DCPS administration not the children nor teachers. The teachers have had a terrible time with her - being emotionally abusive and disrespectful. It may sound like these concerns as coming from overbearing and entitled parents and teachers but they are coming from a legitimate place of concern and we are already hearing of teachers applying to other schools because of her (lack) of leadership.

This is such a shame because Lafayette is a wonderful school and community. I am hopeful we will see some change.

Never change, Lafayette parents. OP, this is the type of people you'll have to deal with.

LOL, exactly. My kids are in college and I clicked on the thread just for funsies like this. My favorite Laf parents who take the cake are the ones who raged on DCUM at Dr. B because two “beloved” teachers left—the very teachers who parents wanted Ms. Main to fire when they were co-teaching, and rankled her so hard she cried.

My favorite Lafayette parents are the ones who demanded DCPS buy them an entire building to relieve overcrowding at a school that had been renovated like three years earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised it hasn’t been mentioned that this issue is complicated by the fact that the age cutoff is different for different jurisdictions. Dcps age cutoff is Sept 30, Mcps cutoff is Sept 1, GDS cutoff is Sept 1, Sidwell is Sept 30, Beauvoir is Aug 31. So if a kid has a birthday in mid-Sept, their grade level is different based on which school they’re in. That’s not a problem if you know all along that your child will be in one particular school system, but if you’re considering private schools or even moving from MD to DC, it matters quite a bit.

Still, this is an embarrassing look for the parents for sure. But I can see how having a child with a mid-Sept birthday, when you aren’t 100% sure what school system you’ll be in, can make it pretty tough for parents to navigate.

I don't see any indication that these families don't live in DC (or didn't live in DC when they opted out of kindergarten).

[Anonymous]

Hi OP - I recommend that you meet actual Lafayette parents in person and not anonymous people on DCUM that may or may not actually be parents at the school. You'll find us at the school playground or Broad Branch Market after school or on weekends. Most of us are not unhinged and have a reasonable view of the benefits and drawbacks of the school (there are certainly a number in each of those categories, but if I didn't think the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, I wouldn't be sending my kids there).

[Anonymous]

I am a very happy Lafayette parent and my (neurotypical/generally smart) third grader is thriving. I also have a huge social life thanks to the school and my family is more rooted and connected to our community then any other place we’ve ever lived. Between actual school events or social things, it’s play dates all weekend and parent invites at least once or twice a week. I love feeling like we’re on a college campus or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent, student and teacher communities at Lafayette are wonderful. The teachers are top notch and the parents are welcoming, warm and passionate in all the right ways. It's a close knit community and that makes it really special.

There is a new principal this year - Katie Prall - and she is not well suited for the job nor does she seem to be driven by what is in the best interests of the students. That opinion is shared widely by parents and teachers. Many concerns have been raised for DCPS. She is a sub-par communicator - she doesn't provide transparency in her decision making and it's clear she has come in with that attitude that she will rule with an iron fist. Her primary constituent seems to be the DCPS administration not the children nor teachers. The teachers have had a terrible time with her - being emotionally abusive and disrespectful. It may sound like these concerns as coming from overbearing and entitled parents and teachers but they are coming from a legitimate place of concern and we are already hearing of teachers applying to other schools because of her (lack) of leadership.

This is such a shame because Lafayette is a wonderful school and community. I am hopeful we will see some change.

Never change, Lafayette parents. OP, this is the type of people you'll have to deal with.

LOL, exactly. My kids are in college and I clicked on the thread just for funsies like this. My favorite Laf parents who take the cake are the ones who raged on DCUM at Dr. B because two “beloved” teachers left—the very teachers who parents wanted Ms. Main to fire when they were co-teaching, and rankled her so hard she cried.

My favorite Lafayette parents are the ones who demanded DCPS buy them an entire building to relieve overcrowding at a school that had been renovated like three years earlier.

I am all for dunking on Lafayette parents, but DC is and should be responsible for addressing overcrowding at schools. Our relatively recently renovated school is also overcrowded, because they didn't pony up to make it as big as they should have when they renovated. It's insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a very happy Lafayette parent and my (neurotypical/generally smart) third grader is thriving. I also have a huge social life thanks to the school and my family is more rooted and connected to our community then any other place we’ve ever lived. Between actual school events or social things, it’s play dates all weekend and parent invites at least once or twice a week. I love feeling like we’re on a college campus or something.

I am a parent at another NW DC school (Key) and this is nice to hear. Key doesn't have that vibe, if I am being honest. I think it's because so many neighborhood kids go to private (like literally the neighborhood feels empty this week bc of private school spring break). I actually love Key but this has not been our experience with the parent community...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a very happy Lafayette parent and my (neurotypical/generally smart) third grader is thriving. I also have a huge social life thanks to the school and my family is more rooted and connected to our community then any other place we’ve ever lived. Between actual school events or social things, it’s play dates all weekend and parent invites at least once or twice a week. I love feeling like we’re on a college campus or something.

Another Lafayette parent here and 100% echo this sentiment. 90% of the parents at our school are rolling our eyes at the parents barking loudly about redshirting. My kids have thrived here, I absolutely love the community and love that the neighborhood rallies around the school. There are over 900 students --- so statistically, we will always have a handful of crazy parents that have unfortunately too much pull with the media ... (and unfortunately seem to be the ones that troll DCUM). I would recommend this school over and over again.

[Anonymous]

The school is top-notch. The resource teachers are excellent and provide small-group support to students who need it. I adore the choir and music teachers, and the Peace teacher is wonderful as well. Every lead teacher has been terrific with both my son and daughter, as was Dr. B. and Principal Prall. Both principals led with vision and strength, but Lafayette's well-established parents chose to fight both women to get their way.

We are an OOB White family, and we're grateful for our place here. However, my daughter has yearned to be friends with the "popular" 4th-grade girls, and I wish she hadn't. These girls can be mean-spirited; they compete on wealth and material goods and often put each other down. This has been ongoing since December, with teachers and staff reaching out to parents. Instead of parents taking a constructive approach, many go into defense mode, defending their daughters’ innocence and not supporting the school in encouraging their children to be respectful and kind. It's both appalling and sad.

The troubling part is that all of these girls have iPhones, and I have the text messages sent to my daughter to prove just how hurtful they’ve been.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parent, student and teacher communities at Lafayette are wonderful. The teachers are top notch and the parents are welcoming, warm and passionate in all the right ways. It's a close knit community and that makes it really special.

There is a new principal this year - Katie Prall - and she is not well suited for the job nor does she seem to be driven by what is in the best interests of the students. That opinion is shared widely by parents and teachers. Many concerns have been raised for DCPS. She is a sub-par communicator - she doesn't provide transparency in her decision making and it's clear she has come in with that attitude that she will rule with an iron fist. Her primary constituent seems to be the DCPS administration not the children nor teachers. The teachers have had a terrible time with her - being emotionally abusive and disrespectful. It may sound like these concerns as coming from overbearing and entitled parents and teachers but they are coming from a legitimate place of concern and we are already hearing of teachers applying to other schools because of her (lack) of leadership.

This is such a shame because Lafayette is a wonderful school and community. I am hopeful we will see some change.

Never change, Lafayette parents. OP, this is the type of people you'll have to deal with.

LOL, exactly. My kids are in college and I clicked on the thread just for funsies like this. My favorite Laf parents who take the cake are the ones who raged on DCUM at Dr. B because two “beloved” teachers left—the very teachers who parents wanted Ms. Main to fire when they were co-teaching, and rankled her so hard she cried.

My favorite Lafayette parents are the ones who demanded DCPS buy them an entire building to relieve overcrowding at a school that had been renovated like three years earlier.

I am all for dunking on Lafayette parents, but DC is and should be responsible for addressing overcrowding at schools. Our relatively recently renovated school is also overcrowded, because they didn't pony up to make it as big as they should have when they renovated. It's insane.

Lafayette is not overcrowded, per DCPS statistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a very happy Lafayette parent and my (neurotypical/generally smart) third grader is thriving. I also have a huge social life thanks to the school and my family is more rooted and connected to our community then any other place we’ve ever lived. Between actual school events or social things, it’s play dates all weekend and parent invites at least once or twice a week. I love feeling like we’re on a college campus or something.

I am a parent at another NW DC school (Key) and this is nice to hear. Key doesn't have that vibe, if I am being honest. I think it's because so many neighborhood kids go to private (like literally the neighborhood feels empty this week bc of private school spring break). I actually love Key but this has not been our experience with the parent community...

It might not have been your experience at Lafayette either. The parent community is nice in general, but there are some parents in every grade who have the above experience and many parents in every grade who do not. My family is in the do not category - it's been fine and we are happy at the school.

[Anonymous]

Lafayette is a great school and the teachers are amazing. I think the new principal is very poorly qualified and I know first-hand that many students and parents have struggled with her (not the demanding unhinged parents a poster loves to scream about every time someone has a complaint about Lafayette