Confused about MV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So others may Eat (SOME) is on the next block and buses the homeless in to feed them.

If having homeless dudes bother you, go to another school.

Thanks the the replies all. So the schools top 3 were "too busy"
to welcome new families and answer questions--and current families are okay being treated that way?


OP here and I don't live too far from MV, so no issues with homeless. Aggressive panhandling and harassment such as I experienced today , however crossed a line.

I, too, attended yesterday's Open House tour. I was VERY disappointed. I had high expectations of the school and after that tour, it really fell short of my expectations. The tour guide was not very insightful. She didn't seem to be prepared to answer obvious questions. She was "winging it" and doing a poor job of it.

I was not pleased to here that after all of the construction & renovation, there would be no viable playground. Therefore, they'd round up 22-24 kids, per class, and walk them through a very traffic heavy area with 2 teachers to nearby playgrounds. The neighborhood doesn't seem to be safe enough to have preschoolers walking through on a daily basis just for recess. I work on North Capitol street (about 5 minutes from the MV location) and our organization is always being made aware of murders, muggings, bicyclist assaults and thefts that seem to happen weekly, if not daily.

I also came across a few student working outside of their classrooms and asked them why there were not in their class doing their work to which they replied it was too loud in the class to concentrate so the teacher asked to finish their assignments in the corridor. Those classrooms were JAM PACKED with kids.

I was at the tour a did not see any classrooms that were JAMMED PACKED... You must have been homeschooled because 20-24 kids in a classroom (especially one of that size) is not JAMMED PACKED. You must have never visited schools with smaller classroom space like Stokes.

I wasn't home-schooled (although I guess that was your attempt at trying to be facetious) The classrooms are small and to have 22-24 kids in them seemed to be alot. Given those 2 observations, they were JAM PACKED in my opinion. (not JAMMED -FYI)

My kids both go to MV and the classrooms are beautiful in my opinion and definitely not what I would consider packed. Many public (non-charters) that have to accommodate all kids in bounds have between 30 - 36 kids and only 1 teacher (yes these are real living examples, I'm not making this up and this was the case when I was in school many years back too). My kids typically have between 2 - 4 teachers in the classroom at any given time, there is room for circle discussions and collaborative desks, bright windows, and it's a cheerful atmosphere.

While we have our challenges here and there, no one school is going to be able to completely satisfy everyone, which is the whole point of charters! You should choose a charter because it's mission and vision is something you believe in and you are happy with how they are carrying that out - in the end it makes for a stronger school with collaborative happy parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So others may Eat (SOME) is on the next block and buses the homeless in to feed them.

If having homeless dudes bother you, go to another school.

Thanks the the replies all. So the schools top 3 were "too busy"
to welcome new families and answer questions--and current families are okay being treated that way?


OP here and I don't live too far from MV, so no issues with homeless. Aggressive panhandling and harassment such as I experienced today , however crossed a line.

I, too, attended yesterday's Open House tour. I was VERY disappointed. I had high expectations of the school and after that tour, it really fell short of my expectations. The tour guide was not very insightful. She didn't seem to be prepared to answer obvious questions. She was "winging it" and doing a poor job of it.

I was not pleased to here that after all of the construction & renovation, there would be no viable playground. Therefore, they'd round up 22-24 kids, per class, and walk them through a very traffic heavy area with 2 teachers to nearby playgrounds. The neighborhood doesn't seem to be safe enough to have preschoolers walking through on a daily basis just for recess. I work on North Capitol street (about 5 minutes from the MV location) and our organization is always being made aware of murders, muggings, bicyclist assaults and thefts that seem to happen weekly, if not daily.

I also came across a few student working outside of their classrooms and asked them why there were not in their class doing their work to which they replied it was too loud in the class to concentrate so the teacher asked to finish their assignments in the corridor. Those classrooms were JAM PACKED with kids.

I was at the tour a did not see any classrooms that were JAMMED PACKED... You must have been homeschooled because 20-24 kids in a classroom (especially one of that size) is not JAMMED PACKED. You must have never visited schools with smaller classroom space like Stokes.

I wasn't home-schooled (although I guess that was your attempt at trying to be facetious) The classrooms are small and to have 22-24 kids in them seemed to be alot. Given those 2 observations, they were JAM PACKED in my opinion. (not JAMMED -FYI)

My kids both go to MV and the classrooms are beautiful in my opinion and definitely not what I would consider packed. Many public (non-charters) that have to accommodate all kids in bounds have between 30 - 36 kids and only 1 teacher (yes these are real living examples, I'm not making this up and this was the case when I was in school many years back too). My kids typically have between 2 - 4 teachers in the classroom at any given time, there is room for circle discussions and collaborative desks, bright windows, and it's a cheerful atmosphere.

While we have our challenges here and there, no one school is going to be able to completely satisfy everyone, which is the whole point of charters! You should choose a charter because it's mission and vision is something you believe in and you are happy with how they are carrying that out - in the end it makes for a stronger school with collaborative happy parents.

NP. What DCPS have 30-36 per class? Name one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So others may Eat (SOME) is on the next block and buses the homeless in to feed them.

If having homeless dudes bother you, go to another school.

Thanks the the replies all. So the schools top 3 were "too busy"
to welcome new families and answer questions--and current families are okay being treated that way?


OP here and I don't live too far from MV, so no issues with homeless. Aggressive panhandling and harassment such as I experienced today , however crossed a line.

I, too, attended yesterday's Open House tour. I was VERY disappointed. I had high expectations of the school and after that tour, it really fell short of my expectations. The tour guide was not very insightful. She didn't seem to be prepared to answer obvious questions. She was "winging it" and doing a poor job of it.

I was not pleased to here that after all of the construction & renovation, there would be no viable playground. Therefore, they'd round up 22-24 kids, per class, and walk them through a very traffic heavy area with 2 teachers to nearby playgrounds. The neighborhood doesn't seem to be safe enough to have preschoolers walking through on a daily basis just for recess. I work on North Capitol street (about 5 minutes from the MV location) and our organization is always being made aware of murders, muggings, bicyclist assaults and thefts that seem to happen weekly, if not daily.

I also came across a few student working outside of their classrooms and asked them why there were not in their class doing their work to which they replied it was too loud in the class to concentrate so the teacher asked to finish their assignments in the corridor. Those classrooms were JAM PACKED with kids.

I live in the neighborhood and see MV students with their teachers walking to nearby playgrounds. I have to say that the kids are safe. They are paired in twos and walk with one teacher in the front of the group and the other holding up the rear. I understand your concerns with safety, but I always note how orderly these groups of kids are.

Thank you for posting this. I also saw the same (children walking in pairs, very attentive teachers) BUT crossing North Capitol (a very busy, major street) worries me. All it takes is one irresponsible driver to run a light or jump a curb and they will be changing that policy. There are a HUGE amount of accidents on that street and its heavily trafficked due to road construction. I see it as an accident waiting to happen. The fact that all the "nearby " public parks are quite a walk from the MV location. They arent across the street, as I have seen in other charter schools that dont have one on their campuses.

Not sure what you talking about? I am a third neighbor who sees the kids walking to the playground regularly. They go west on P st to 1st NW, north two blocks to Florida and 1st NW. They have to cross P street and 1st Street but aren't anywhere near North Capitol, and both those roads are fairly slowmoving, and each of them they cross appropriately at a crossing with a light. They walk along Florida to get to the entrance, but do not cross it. It's not "quite a walk" by any stretch of the imagination.

Are they also taking kids across N Capitol to another park? I walk past the school and around the school every.single.day and I've only ever seen MV kids (in their distinctive colorful MV shirts) walking calmly in pairs to the Florida ave playground. (They are fairly raucous once at the playground, but travel to and from is calm and well disciplined).

I was looking from out of the window of the new building of MV during the tour, when I saw children (wearing MV tees) and their teachers walking toward N. Capitol. They were at the light waiting when my tour moved. I presume they were going to a park. The tour guide mentioned that there were of a total of 3 parks that are frequented. Perhaps, there is one across N. Capitol as well.

Harry Thomas Rec Center is just across North Capitol. I've never asked, but I'm sure they go there as well. It's just as close as the Florida Ave playground (and nicer).

It's actually quite a bit further away. I've never seen them there. Can any MV parents confirm if they go to that playground?

[Anonymous]

yes, please point out what school has 30-36 kids per class. A new class would need to be added after 25 kids.

[Anonymous]

The kids at MV visit the Florida park playground which is about 3/4 blocks away.

I beleive they walk up 1st street to get there.

[Anonymous]

They do not go to Harry Reid now, but they may in limited circumstances in the future.

[Anonymous]

Harry Thomas. My bad.

[Anonymous]

I think the classrooms are quite large actually. I wonder what she would have thought of the first space we were in!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the classrooms are quite large actually. I wonder what she would have thought of the first space we were in!

Current classrooms or future ECE ones?

[Anonymous]

I am a MV parent and have never heard of my kids crossing N Capitol. I think the administration is working to be more responsive to parents desires for creative use of onsite space for play, but MV Pk kids are not hanging out on N Capitol.

Also, MV classrooms are decently large. YY classrooms are much smaller, but, granted YY has fewer kids per class. Peabody has about the same number of kids per class and their classrooms are probably slightly larger than MV.

[Anonymous]

I for the life of me don't understand why MV did not organize their new space to have a viable playground that all kids can use regularly. Makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

DC law requires them to make a parking area out of the big area to the rear of the school. We are an incoming family who attended the garden build day and learned this. This would have been an ideal option for a play structure.

Variances were considered and rejected as they tried ways in which to construct a playground on site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I for the life of me don't understand why MV did not organize their new space to have a viable playground that all kids can use regularly. Makes no sense.

It would be nice to have a playground but why make a sacrifice to have one if they can walk to one in the community they are a part of?

[Anonymous]

Here's the deal. If you are not okay with how the open house went and what you saw at the school, don't send your kid there. The reason they don't put their top administrators in the meeting is because they don't need to. There are hundreds of people who would take your spot. If you don't see how lucky you are to even have it, you don't deserve it. Many of us are out in the cold, and we don't have half-way decent neighborhood schools. Are the highly regarded charter schools perfect or comparable to MOCO facilities? No. Some of us believe that our kids can get a decent education in them. If you don't believe that, just don't even try. You won't become magically happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the deal. If you are not okay with how the open house went and what you saw at the school, don't send your kid there. The reason they don't put their top administrators in the meeting is because they don't need to. There are hundreds of people who would take your spot. If you don't see how lucky you are to even have it, you don't deserve it. Many of us are out in the cold, and we don't have half-way decent neighborhood schools. Are the highly regarded charter schools perfect or comparable to MOCO facilities? No. Some of us believe that our kids can get a decent education in them. If you don't believe that, just don't even try. You won't become magically happy.

+1