Thoughts about Brent Upper School from parents of kids who have gone through 5th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a current Brent 5th grader. Overall we have been happy for many of the reasons stated above. The problem really isn’t Brent or the upper school model. It’s that DCPS lets the charters start at 5th and many families at Brent don’t want to risk being stuck with Jefferson. If Brent fed into SH, you’d see a pattern more like Ludlow Taylor, where kids choose to stay for 5th.

Based on Term 2, the current class of 6th graders at Jefferson are leading all DCPS middle schools in passing all four core classes. 8th graders are also accepted to application HS and privates like Sidwell and Burke. I hope Brent parents will see Jefferson as a possibility and not a definite no off the bat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a current Brent 5th grader. Overall we have been happy for many of the reasons stated above. The problem really isn’t Brent or the upper school model. It’s that DCPS lets the charters start at 5th and many families at Brent don’t want to risk being stuck with Jefferson. If Brent fed into SH, you’d see a pattern more like Ludlow Taylor, where kids choose to stay for 5th.

Based on Term 2, the current class of 6th graders at Jefferson are leading all DCPS middle schools in passing all four core classes. 8th graders are also accepted to application HS and privates like Sidwell and Burke. I hope Brent parents will see Jefferson as a possibility and not a definite no off the bat.

Where are you seeing this data?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a current Brent 5th grader. Overall we have been happy for many of the reasons stated above. The problem really isn’t Brent or the upper school model. It’s that DCPS lets the charters start at 5th and many families at Brent don’t want to risk being stuck with Jefferson. If Brent fed into SH, you’d see a pattern more like Ludlow Taylor, where kids choose to stay for 5th.

Based on Term 2, the current class of 6th graders at Jefferson are leading all DCPS middle schools in passing all four core classes. 8th graders are also accepted to application HS and privates like Sidwell and Burke. I hope Brent parents will see Jefferson as a possibility and not a definite no off the bat.

Where are you seeing this data?

From the school administration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a current Brent 5th grader. Overall we have been happy for many of the reasons stated above. The problem really isn’t Brent or the upper school model. It’s that DCPS lets the charters start at 5th and many families at Brent don’t want to risk being stuck with Jefferson. If Brent fed into SH, you’d see a pattern more like Ludlow Taylor, where kids choose to stay for 5th.

Based on Term 2, the current class of 6th graders at Jefferson are leading all DCPS middle schools in passing all four core classes. 8th graders are also accepted to application HS and privates like Sidwell and Burke. I hope Brent parents will see Jefferson as a possibility and not a definite no off the bat.

60% at risk is a lot and I am unsure about that data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have sent two kids through 5th grade at Brent - one pre upper school and one post. Our child never reported any repeat assignments in upper school and had a wonderful experience with all the extracurriculars and special privileges for 5th graders. US allowed my child to build friendships with the class below and teachers also created opportunities to stretch and grow - particularly on math and writing. My child who predated US had a much harder experience - with the charter dynamic - it was hard to have so many people leave and so many new faces come in - which requires more time for teachers to rebuild norms and level kids coming from multiple school academically. US really mitigates this and enables much greater community stability and ability to academically differentiate and stretch. Whoever OP is - talk to people who have been through it. There are a range of experiences and different kids have different needs - but my US student and all their close friends loved it and thrived!

We've also sent two kids through 5th grade at Brent, the second one with the Upper School arrangement. We stayed because neither cracked a Latin or BASIS. They had an OK time but the academics weren't strong and we didn't supplement nearly enough (although we used Mathnasium for both). Middle school challenge after inadequate prep at Brent was the main issue for us, for both math and language arts. They're at a parochial school in VA now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have sent two kids through 5th grade at Brent - one pre upper school and one post. Our child never reported any repeat assignments in upper school and had a wonderful experience with all the extracurriculars and special privileges for 5th graders. US allowed my child to build friendships with the class below and teachers also created opportunities to stretch and grow - particularly on math and writing. My child who predated US had a much harder experience - with the charter dynamic - it was hard to have so many people leave and so many new faces come in - which requires more time for teachers to rebuild norms and level kids coming from multiple school academically. US really mitigates this and enables much greater community stability and ability to academically differentiate and stretch. Whoever OP is - talk to people who have been through it. There are a range of experiences and different kids have different needs - but my US student and all their close friends loved it and thrived!

We've also sent two kids through 5th grade at Brent, the second one with the Upper School arrangement. We stayed because neither cracked a Latin or BASIS. They had an OK time but the academics weren't strong and we didn't supplement nearly enough (although we used Mathnasium for both). Middle school challenge after inadequate prep at Brent was the main issue for us, for both math and language arts. They're at a parochial school in VA now.

And was this in the last 2 years?

[Anonymous]

Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

I mean, having a model where a 4th/5th grade class is 80% 4th graders is never going to work out well for the 5th graders... It's basically 4th grade again for the sub-50% of 5th graders who don't escape to greener pastures. It's actually not terrible for advanced 4th graders as long as they leave before 5th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

Because it's a heavy workload for the teachers to teach across two or more grade levels. Say you have some 4th graders who are below grade level, and some 5th graders who are above grade level. In addition to the kids who are on grade level. Keeping them all appropriately engaged is harder. And the behavioral norms tend younger because the class is majority 4th graders. So it's not as good social preparation for middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

I mean, having a model where a 4th/5th grade class is 80% 4th graders is never going to work out well for the 5th graders... It's basically 4th grade again for the sub-50% of 5th graders who don't escape to greener pastures. It's actually not terrible for advanced 4th graders as long as they leave before 5th.

Interesting, my understanding was 5th grade was mostly at risk students.
DCPS is also forcing Brent to open more 2-5 grade classrooms so perhaps the principal will split the grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

I mean, having a model where a 4th/5th grade class is 80% 4th graders is never going to work out well for the 5th graders... It's basically 4th grade again for the sub-50% of 5th graders who don't escape to greener pastures. It's actually not terrible for advanced 4th graders as long as they leave before 5th.

Interesting, my understanding was 5th grade was mostly at risk students.
DCPS is also forcing Brent to open more 2-5 grade classrooms so perhaps the principal will split the grades.

Brent barely has enough at risk kids in the whole school for the 5th grade to be majority at risk. I mean, that's obviously me being facetious, but its not like Brent is taking 5th graders in the lottery, so at risk kids can't just materialize then. Given that the school is 8% at risk, that's only 34 kids in the whole school based on current numbers... So a single grade has maybe 7-8 of them max? Even if they all stay for 5th, that's 1/3rd or less of the 24 remaining 5th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

I mean, having a model where a 4th/5th grade class is 80% 4th graders is never going to work out well for the 5th graders... It's basically 4th grade again for the sub-50% of 5th graders who don't escape to greener pastures. It's actually not terrible for advanced 4th graders as long as they leave before 5th.

Interesting, my understanding was 5th grade was mostly at risk students.
DCPS is also forcing Brent to open more 2-5 grade classrooms so perhaps the principal will split the grades.

Brent barely has enough at risk kids in the whole school for the 5th grade to be majority at risk. I mean, that's obviously me being facetious, but its not like Brent is taking 5th graders in the lottery, so at risk kids can't just materialize then. Given that the school is 8% at risk, that's only 34 kids in the whole school based on current numbers... So a single grade has maybe 7-8 of them max? Even if they all stay for 5th, that's 1/3rd or less of the 24 remaining 5th graders.

I didn’t look at the numbers, so you’re right to be a tad facetious.

I assume something will have to happen in the future if they are opening more classrooms in the upper grades. I’m confused what metrics Dcps is using that makes them think there will be more students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

I mean, having a model where a 4th/5th grade class is 80% 4th graders is never going to work out well for the 5th graders... It's basically 4th grade again for the sub-50% of 5th graders who don't escape to greener pastures. It's actually not terrible for advanced 4th graders as long as they leave before 5th.

A family we know that did the two years of upper school had their kid assigned the same books for 4th and 5th grade. They’ve since addressed that by rotating books so you won’t read the same back-to-back, but as a Brent family with a high performer and no other gripes, I truly wish they’d drop this format.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. My youngest was challenged under the upper school model even less than the older sib was the year Brent reopened at the end of the pandemic. It was a worse experience socially as well, but not a disaster. After being at Brent from the first year of the current principal, we're not fans of hers, while recognizing that she has her good points.

Can I get your thoughts on why you think the upper school struggles?

My child is going to PK3 next SY (yes, I am aware of the swing space). They’re a ways away from 3rd but I am still curious.

The principal didn’t particularly wow me on the tour but staff did.

I mean, having a model where a 4th/5th grade class is 80% 4th graders is never going to work out well for the 5th graders... It's basically 4th grade again for the sub-50% of 5th graders who don't escape to greener pastures. It's actually not terrible for advanced 4th graders as long as they leave before 5th.

Interesting, my understanding was 5th grade was mostly at risk students.
DCPS is also forcing Brent to open more 2-5 grade classrooms so perhaps the principal will split the grades.

Brent barely has enough at risk kids in the whole school for the 5th grade to be majority at risk. I mean, that's obviously me being facetious, but its not like Brent is taking 5th graders in the lottery, so at risk kids can't just materialize then. Given that the school is 8% at risk, that's only 34 kids in the whole school based on current numbers... So a single grade has maybe 7-8 of them max? Even if they all stay for 5th, that's 1/3rd or less of the 24 remaining 5th graders.

From SY24-25 CAPE data, there were only 13 economically disadvantaged students across all the testing grades (3-5). Looking at audited enrollment for that year, it comes out to 35% of students in 3-5 grade, 41% of at risk students in 3-5 grade. So it's a bit skewed toward the older grades, but not by much.