Watkins Parents: How pleased are you? How optimistic?

[Anonymous]

And matters suddenly take a turn for the worse. Fasten your seatbelts . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent & Maury have 2 classes per grade, I think. LT is the same. Watkins had 5, and is artificially down to 4. Size matters.

yes -- size does matter. Peabody is turning away IB families for PK3 despite having more IB seats than any other DCPS ECE. If Watkins can better retain those families it is sized appropriately. "Artificially down to 4" makes no sense. Unless class sizes have swollen, there are less children at Watkins than previously. I don't have numbers, but it's supposedly 10% smaller than 2013 (~550)

Not really. There are 61 spots and 39 on the wait list. Those are 3 year olds. Realistically there will be about 3 classes worth of IB kids by the time they hit 1st grade. Lots of people will move, get into a charter or go private. Watkins should drop down to 3 classes and build some IB grades to encourage more IB families to give it a try.

your math makes no sense. the attrition is largely a product of dissatisfaction with IB options. If those options are more attractive the attrition should not be considered a given.

I guess we will just have to meet back here and see in a couple years. My bet is on less than half of the Peabody PK3 population this year will go to Watkins for 1st.

you'd have no way to quantify it unless you speak to actual Peabody parents, which I do. that's not scientific either but it beats your presumptions

I am IB for Peabody and speak to Peabody parents extensively as we are trying to figure out WTF we are going to do for first grade. I would say at least 70% of the time the response is "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins."

And so where do they think their little snowflakes are going to attend? Brent is no longer a viable option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's not to like about Watkins? You can get high with 30 year old dudes on the basketball courts while your kid (and five of their friends) get mugged on the fields. One stop shopping!

Do you know if the getting high on the basketball courts, and getting mugged on the filed happens before, during, or after school?

that's clearly enrichment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent & Maury have 2 classes per grade, I think. LT is the same. Watkins had 5, and is artificially down to 4. Size matters.

yes -- size does matter. Peabody is turning away IB families for PK3 despite having more IB seats than any other DCPS ECE. If Watkins can better retain those families it is sized appropriately. "Artificially down to 4" makes no sense. Unless class sizes have swollen, there are less children at Watkins than previously. I don't have numbers, but it's supposedly 10% smaller than 2013 (~550)

Not really. There are 61 spots and 39 on the wait list. Those are 3 year olds. Realistically there will be about 3 classes worth of IB kids by the time they hit 1st grade. Lots of people will move, get into a charter or go private. Watkins should drop down to 3 classes and build some IB grades to encourage more IB families to give it a try.

your math makes no sense. the attrition is largely a product of dissatisfaction with IB options. If those options are more attractive the attrition should not be considered a given.

I guess we will just have to meet back here and see in a couple years. My bet is on less than half of the Peabody PK3 population this year will go to Watkins for 1st.

you'd have no way to quantify it unless you speak to actual Peabody parents, which I do. that's not scientific either but it beats your presumptions

I am IB for Peabody and speak to Peabody parents extensively as we are trying to figure out WTF we are going to do for first grade. I would say at least 70% of the time the response is "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins."

And so where do they think their little snowflakes are going to attend? Brent is no longer a viable option.

Some are planing to move (some within the city some to the suburbs). Others are going private.

[Anonymous]

You just don't get to "go private." they are very competitive amd spots are limited. Seems like a very simplistic and naive thought process.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]You just don't get to "go private." they are very competitive amd spots are limited. Seems like a very simplistic and naive thought process. [/quote]

I don't understand this response. These people applied to private school for K entry this upcoming year instead of staying at Peabody for K, because they didn't want to end up at Watkins for 1st. It's not like they waited until the lottery results came out and then thought they would magically get into private school after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent & Maury have 2 classes per grade, I think. LT is the same. Watkins had 5, and is artificially down to 4. Size matters.

yes -- size does matter. Peabody is turning away IB families for PK3 despite having more IB seats than any other DCPS ECE. If Watkins can better retain those families it is sized appropriately. "Artificially down to 4" makes no sense. Unless class sizes have swollen, there are less children at Watkins than previously. I don't have numbers, but it's supposedly 10% smaller than 2013 (~550)

Not really. There are 61 spots and 39 on the wait list. Those are 3 year olds. Realistically there will be about 3 classes worth of IB kids by the time they hit 1st grade. Lots of people will move, get into a charter or go private. Watkins should drop down to 3 classes and build some IB grades to encourage more IB families to give it a try.

your math makes no sense. the attrition is largely a product of dissatisfaction with IB options. If those options are more attractive the attrition should not be considered a given.

I guess we will just have to meet back here and see in a couple years. My bet is on less than half of the Peabody PK3 population this year will go to Watkins for 1st.

you'd have no way to quantify it unless you speak to actual Peabody parents, which I do. that's not scientific either but it beats your presumptions

I am IB for Peabody and speak to Peabody parents extensively as we are trying to figure out WTF we are going to do for first grade. I would say at least 70% of the time the response is "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins."

What year is your kid in at Peabody, PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible to find out how many OOB students are in the current first grade class at Watkins? That would be one way of seeing if people from Peabody are going to Watkins, right?

not necessarily. Peabody expands and gains by right IB at K, so those numbers do not reflect the bridge from PK to elementary

I'm confused. Why wouldn't the number of K kids at Peabody going to first at Watkins reflect the bridge of IB kids going from Peabody to Watkins?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's not to like about Watkins? You can get high with 30 year old dudes on the basketball courts while your kid (and five of their friends) get mugged on the fields. One stop shopping!

Stop exaggerating. I take my 4 year old to Watkins playground and fields all the time and have never experienced either of these things. You sound like you've never even gone there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent & Maury have 2 classes per grade, I think. LT is the same. Watkins had 5, and is artificially down to 4. Size matters.

yes -- size does matter. Peabody is turning away IB families for PK3 despite having more IB seats than any other DCPS ECE. If Watkins can better retain those families it is sized appropriately. "Artificially down to 4" makes no sense. Unless class sizes have swollen, there are less children at Watkins than previously. I don't have numbers, but it's supposedly 10% smaller than 2013 (~550)

Not really. There are 61 spots and 39 on the wait list. Those are 3 year olds. Realistically there will be about 3 classes worth of IB kids by the time they hit 1st grade. Lots of people will move, get into a charter or go private. Watkins should drop down to 3 classes and build some IB grades to encourage more IB families to give it a try.

your math makes no sense. the attrition is largely a product of dissatisfaction with IB options. If those options are more attractive the attrition should not be considered a given.

I guess we will just have to meet back here and see in a couple years. My bet is on less than half of the Peabody PK3 population this year will go to Watkins for 1st.

you'd have no way to quantify it unless you speak to actual Peabody parents, which I do. that's not scientific either but it beats your presumptions

I am IB for Peabody and speak to Peabody parents extensively as we are trying to figure out WTF we are going to do for first grade. I would say at least 70% of the time the response is "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins."

are you a Peabody parent or a new mommy fretting over "the schools"

I wonder the same. My kid will be entering PK4. All the parents I have spoken to have said they are willing to try Watkins out. I have yet to hear a "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins," but perhaps I'm talking to a different set of IB Peabody parents.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You just don't get to "go private." they are very competitive amd spots are limited. Seems like a very simplistic and naive thought process. [/quote]

I don't understand this response. These people applied to private school for K entry this upcoming year instead of staying at Peabody for K, because they didn't want to end up at Watkins for 1st. It's not like they waited until the lottery results came out and then thought they would magically get into private school after that. [/quote]

Did everyone you know who applied to private school get into private school? I think that was what PP was getting at. I'd like to know the answer, because my impression was that private school might be as hard to get into charters, with the limited number of spots and the number of people who want them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent & Maury have 2 classes per grade, I think. LT is the same. Watkins had 5, and is artificially down to 4. Size matters.

yes -- size does matter. Peabody is turning away IB families for PK3 despite having more IB seats than any other DCPS ECE. If Watkins can better retain those families it is sized appropriately. "Artificially down to 4" makes no sense. Unless class sizes have swollen, there are less children at Watkins than previously. I don't have numbers, but it's supposedly 10% smaller than 2013 (~550)

Not really. There are 61 spots and 39 on the wait list. Those are 3 year olds. Realistically there will be about 3 classes worth of IB kids by the time they hit 1st grade. Lots of people will move, get into a charter or go private. Watkins should drop down to 3 classes and build some IB grades to encourage more IB families to give it a try.

your math makes no sense. the attrition is largely a product of dissatisfaction with IB options. If those options are more attractive the attrition should not be considered a given.

I guess we will just have to meet back here and see in a couple years. My bet is on less than half of the Peabody PK3 population this year will go to Watkins for 1st.

you'd have no way to quantify it unless you speak to actual Peabody parents, which I do. that's not scientific either but it beats your presumptions

I am IB for Peabody and speak to Peabody parents extensively as we are trying to figure out WTF we are going to do for first grade. I would say at least 70% of the time the response is "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins."

are you a Peabody parent or a new mommy fretting over "the schools"

I wonder the same. My kid will be entering PK4. All the parents I have spoken to have said they are willing to try Watkins out. I have yet to hear a "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins," but perhaps I'm talking to a different set of IB Peabody parents.

Ditto. I've never heard anyone say this. Nervous, knows it will be some work, but I've also heard parents are willing to try.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You just don't get to "go private." they are very competitive amd spots are limited. Seems like a very simplistic and naive thought process. [/quote]

I don't understand this response. These people applied to private school for K entry this upcoming year instead of staying at Peabody for K, because they didn't want to end up at Watkins for 1st. It's not like they waited until the lottery results came out and then thought they would magically get into private school after that. [/quote]

Did everyone you know who applied to private school get into private school? I think that was what PP was getting at. I'd like to know the answer, because my impression was that private school might be as hard to get into charters, with the limited number of spots and the number of people who want them.[/quote]

Yes, but not all of the schools were Big 3 or Capitol Hill Day (e.g. Friends in College Park or St. Peter's).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent & Maury have 2 classes per grade, I think. LT is the same. Watkins had 5, and is artificially down to 4. Size matters.

yes -- size does matter. Peabody is turning away IB families for PK3 despite having more IB seats than any other DCPS ECE. If Watkins can better retain those families it is sized appropriately. "Artificially down to 4" makes no sense. Unless class sizes have swollen, there are less children at Watkins than previously. I don't have numbers, but it's supposedly 10% smaller than 2013 (~550)

Not really. There are 61 spots and 39 on the wait list. Those are 3 year olds. Realistically there will be about 3 classes worth of IB kids by the time they hit 1st grade. Lots of people will move, get into a charter or go private. Watkins should drop down to 3 classes and build some IB grades to encourage more IB families to give it a try.

your math makes no sense. the attrition is largely a product of dissatisfaction with IB options. If those options are more attractive the attrition should not be considered a given.

I guess we will just have to meet back here and see in a couple years. My bet is on less than half of the Peabody PK3 population this year will go to Watkins for 1st.

you'd have no way to quantify it unless you speak to actual Peabody parents, which I do. that's not scientific either but it beats your presumptions

I am IB for Peabody and speak to Peabody parents extensively as we are trying to figure out WTF we are going to do for first grade. I would say at least 70% of the time the response is "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins."

are you a Peabody parent or a new mommy fretting over "the schools"

I wonder the same. My kid will be entering PK4. All the parents I have spoken to have said they are willing to try Watkins out. I have yet to hear a "there is no way in hell my kid is going to Watkins," but perhaps I'm talking to a different set of IB Peabody parents.

Ditto. I've never heard anyone say this. Nervous, knows it will be some work, but I've also heard parents are willing to try.

+1. I think a lot of people are recognizing that the only way Watkins can change is if parents bind together and give it a shot. Brent didn't magically turn around by itself. If you think about it, Watkins should be able to change around fairly quickly if IB parents do stick together. If Peabody and Watkins weren't in two different buildings, it would already have happened. There are so many little kids in the Cluster boundary these days, I think it must happen. There are an awful lot of kids who otherwise will need to find charter spots, go private, or move -- and it isn't easy to do any of those things.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You just don't get to "go private." they are very competitive amd spots are limited. Seems like a very simplistic and naive thought process. [/quote]

I don't understand this response. These people applied to private school for K entry this upcoming year instead of staying at Peabody for K, because they didn't want to end up at Watkins for 1st. It's not like they waited until the lottery results came out and then thought they would magically get into private school after that. [/quote]

Did everyone you know who applied to private school get into private school? I think that was what PP was getting at. I'd like to know the answer, because my impression was that private school might be as hard to get into charters, with the limited number of spots and the number of people who want them.[/quote]

Yes, but not all of the schools were Big 3 or Capitol Hill Day (e.g. Friends in College Park or St. Peter's). [/quote]

PP, you didn't tell us what year your kid is in at Peabody?