Opinions about Bancroft

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bancroft's general membership PTA meeting is in English and Spanish. The PTA board meetings are held in English because most participants are native English speakers, but occasionally someone will translate for an attendee who only speaks Spanish.

So why would meeting notices be sent only in Spanish (according to a PP)?

[Anonymous]

That is a valid concern....why would notices only be sent in Spanish? If that is true tht is a complete disregard for many parents IMO.

[Anonymous]

At Bancroft, every letter or note that goes into backpacks is in Spanish and English. (The school relies mainly on backpack flyers to communicate because many parents don't have email or use the Internet.) Sometimes the school also uses robocalls or email. Apparently this parent somehow ended up on the Spanish list by accident. She (?) said she replied to the email, but usually you can't reply to a listserv--the address won't work.

The most obvious thing to do would have been to stop in the front office and ask about the PTA meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't they all accept a gigantic pay-hike in the new contract? Was there supposed to be nothing in exchange?

I wondered about that too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't they all accept a gigantic pay-hike in the new contract? Was there supposed to be nothing in exchange?

I wondered about that too.

Oh, right - making $70,000 a year in a city where a one bedroom apartment costs about $2,000 means it's impossible to be over-worked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't they all accept a gigantic pay-hike in the new contract? Was there supposed to be nothing in exchange?

I wondered about that too.

Oh, right - making $70,000 a year in a city where a one bedroom apartment costs about $2,000 means it's impossible to be over-worked.

I call Shenanigans. I've made less than $70K and lived in very nice apartments, including some of the nicer neighborhoods in DC. No, it did not cost $2K. Still doesn't.

Try again.

[Anonymous]

I live a few blocks away from Bancroft and I walk the area quite often. Overall, its seems like an OK school. It frightens me however to see the children at recess. The rough housing and pushing on that soccer field is quite eye opening. I literally saw a kid get pushed to the ground and kicked by others. This happens quite frequently with little adult supervision. Hopefully supervision in the building is alot better as compared to recesss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Original Poster here:

When people say the school is o.k. that scares me.

I am not impressed with admin. This will come out snobby but I feel they do not want to deal with educated middle class parents. They are much happier with low income immigrants who will not ask questions or make demands for rigor and professionalism. The letters that are sent home actually demonstrate poor writing skills. Yes, I know this is petty but if they were at a private school they would triple check any communication before it was sent. I find it insulting and scary that a school leader would have such sloppy writing. They do not reply to communication in a professional/prompt manner. No one ever seems to know what is going on. I can talk to four different people about something and they all tell me something different. It is just a general vibe I get from the place.

There is more but I don't want to identify people because that is not fair to them. I feel comfortable in saying the above about admin because if they want to put themselves in that position they need to be open to criticism.

In general, I am not happy. I feel like there are a few select Mt. Pleasant parents who try to convince themselves and everyone else that it is a good school. Most likely because their housing values are dependent upon it. The test scores are horrible. I am very sad that this school isn't working out.

I just wanted to hear other opinions. I have hope that maybe I am just being too critical and reading too much into things. I want to hear someone tell me to relax and that it is a good school at least. Not just o.k. However, I feel like my gut feeling is correct.

Sorry, I just have very high standards for any school.

There it is! That nonsense about principals not wanting to deal with educated middle class families.

Puhleeze! Bancroft's ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL has degrees from YALE and Columbia. She's also well-traveled.

The principal is nothing to shake a stick at either.

So why would these IMPRESSIVELY EDUCATED middle-upper class ladies (both making at least $100,000 per year) be intimidated by middle class parents with college degrees?

Maybe they're a bit put off by those ignorant (meaning those who really do not understand best practices in education and/or school leadership) parents who "question or make demands for rigor and professionalism". After all, if you were a doctor and one of the principals came into your office "questioning" or "demanding rigor or professionalism", I'm sure you'd be put off too. Your Yale degree or experience as a school principal does not give you insight into what I'm supposed to be doing as a doctor.

[Anonymous]

The mere fact that you are bringing up YALE and COLUMBIA makes me think the OP may be right. Who cares what school the asst principal attended????? Or perhaps this is the asst principal posting that ridiculous message.

[Anonymous]

DC time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The mere fact that you are bringing up YALE and COLUMBIA makes me think the OP may be right. Who cares what school the asst principal attended????? Or perhaps this is the asst principal posting that ridiculous message.

What difference does it make?

The fact that OP suggests the principals are intimidated by educated, middle class parents. That's what.

What a bunch of HOGWASH in light of the fact that those principals are both EXTREMELY educated and middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There it is! That nonsense about principals not wanting to deal with educated middle class families.

Puhleeze! Bancroft's ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL has degrees from YALE and Columbia. She's also well-traveled.

The principal is nothing to shake a stick at either.

So why would these IMPRESSIVELY EDUCATED middle-upper class ladies (both making at least $100,000 per year) be intimidated by middle class parents with college degrees?

Maybe they're a bit put off by those ignorant (meaning those who really do not understand best practices in education and/or school leadership) parents who "question or make demands for rigor and professionalism". After all, if you were a doctor and one of the principals came into your office "questioning" or "demanding rigor or professionalism", I'm sure you'd be put off too. Your Yale degree or experience as a school principal does not give you insight into what I'm supposed to be doing as a doctor.

If school administrators cannot communicate with parents using proper grammar, or intentionally avoid engaging with certain parents, they aren't doing their jobs correctly. Whether they have degrees from Yale, Howard, or the University of Phoenix doesn't really matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good friend interviewed for a teaching position there and was offered the job...several times, but she turned it down because she did not like the vibe of the school. There are some Mt. Pleasant families that attend but most that I know have opted for charters like Inspired Learning, CapCity, etc. We live in Petworth and sometimes go there on weekends to use the playgrounds and there are rarely other families there--just groups of guys playing soccer, which tells me something. I think a sign of a healthy, community school is when families hang out there.

Let me see if I'm getting this right. You have no personal experience with the school. You know someone who says they turned down a teaching job because of a "vibe", as opposed to concerns about let's say, curriculum or FARM level? You don't even live in ward 1 but you can judge based on "sometimes" seeing guys play soccer in a space designed for soccer? News flash. If you live in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood and you DON'T see guys (as in residents or family) playing soccer, then there is something wrong.

By the way, many of the guys you apparently find objectionable in some way also have kids at Inspired Teaching and other charters. Stay on your side of 16th if you're that freaked out.

Bite me sweetheart. I lived in Mt. Pleasant for 16 years and still own property on Park Road. So both sides of 16th are of interest me.
Were you there during the riots? i was. How long have you been there? I'm very tuned into MtP and have been tracking Bancroft for quite a bit longer than you have, I'm quite sure. Quite. Anyway, you get these testy boosters all over the city who are desperate to promote their mediocre school so they try to snow their professional, college educated neighbors into thinking its a great, or improving or promising or whatever school. And i get it because attracting children from families with higher incomes is one proven path to getting a critical mass of successful students. It's a tough nut. Anyway, I researched and toured and talked to parents but decided not to send my son there.

You Rock, PP !