Creative Minds K-3?

[Anonymous]

My child has been "assaulted" at CMI and I have to say my initial reaction was "Expel the kid that did it!" However, CMI chose an approach whereby they sought to address the underlying reasons for the child's behavior while at the same time dealing with the immediate situation. It is the "whole child approach". Looking back on things now I think that if I were the parent of the kid who did the assaulting I would be grateful for CMI's approach as the child has improved behaviorally over time. As the parent of the kid who was hit, my kid is okay and wasn't scarred for life. I think CMI admin is engaged in a difficult balancing act and only time will tell what the correct approach is. My view now is that this is a economically and culturally diverse public school. If you don't want to deal with some elements it is best to go private or a WOTP DCPS with less diversity (JKLMM) where there are undoubtedly fewer challenges. Also CMI has a higher special ed percentage than other comparable schools and a higher number of "quirky" kids that affects the dynamics.

[Anonymous]

We are one of the 1st grade families moving. Very sad to leave the school as my daughters time at CMI has been wonderful. As with any school, there are things CMI can work on. But if you are lucky to get a spot, take it. The community is wonderful we will miss everyone so much.

[Anonymous]

You obviously do not know the demographics - which are a driving force for why so many high SES families want to be there. CMI's population is 22% economically disadvantaged, 5.5% English language learners and 11% at-risk. Anyone who knows anything about these categories knows there is a lot of overlap between them. CMI is not a title I school - it does not have a significant low-income population. And, the school is 46% white. This does not even come close to mirroring the population of public school kids in D.C. But, I know that for some, having a tiny number of low-income or people of color translates into a diverse community even though that is not accurate. As for the special education population, this is higher than SOME charters - most notably immersion/bilingual programs. And, I bet if we scratch the surface, that special ed population is primRily at the lowest level and not really the high-level special needs population that is found in many other schools.

[Anonymous]

Indeed I do know the demographics and CMI is certainly diverse in comparison to a JKLMM school. My point is that it is a diverse public school--not a non-diverse WOTP DCPS or an independent private where admin can pick and choose who they want. So parents need to understand that CMI is a PUBLIC school, open to all, with students from all wards and backgrounds. There are bound to be the challenges that CMI had regarding behavior. As for the special ed population, CMI has 29% special ed and the only other school I know that gets close to thisnnumber is Bridges, which is focused on the special ed population to some extent. An IEP that is even low level still means that there are some challenges. A kid with ADHD and a specific learning disability in math maybeesukt in a low level IEP but that individual could be a challenge fort he overall grade.

[Anonymous]

It is very telling that the only schools that you compare CMI to in order to offer proof of its diversity are JKLMM. That aside, I agree with you that CMI parents need to stop acting like CMI is a private school. But, I place a good deal of blame for this on the school leaders because when CMI first opened its doors, its rhetoric was all about how it was a public school offering the best that private schools have to offer. So, CMI put this message out there.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it was CMI admin that put out this rhetoric. I think that some parents, me included, visited the school and, based on the early years concluded that it was basically getting a private school experience for free. Time has shown that this is not the case. It offers what privates offer with a lot of exceptions: Common Core, lots of standards based testing, and a diverse something challenging population. I would, however, still choose it over any public. If we leave CMI it will be for a private school.

[Anonymous]

As a CMI parent, I do agree that many of the special ed numbers are because little Larla is acting out so maybe it's not the gluten free diet but "sensory processing" whatever.

Most of these kids are just spoiled brats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a CMI parent, I do agree that many of the special ed numbers are because little Larla is acting out so maybe it's not the gluten free diet but "sensory processing" whatever.

Most of these kids are just spoiled brats.

Seriously?! I wish my kid was a spoiled brat. Guess that autism diagnosis is due to bad parenting. Too bad I'm wasting basically $600 every week on therapies.

[Anonymous]

CMI put that rhetoric out in their first year or two of operation. It was in their mission and all their promo materials. They have cleaned it up since then. I found it appalling then and I find it appalling now that some CMI families still want to push that.

[Anonymous]

Look, CMI was basically started by a couple of parents in a living room. This wasn't BASIS or KIPP starting with a marketing plan and glossy brochures, it was a group of 5 or 6 people with an idea...talking. And now it's a school with a waitlist over 1000+

I don't think many of you grasp how hard it is taking an idea and turning it into a school. Sure, maybe those first 2 years we could have done a better job of marketing. But honestly...the school was just getting off the ground and those founding parents and the admin team were doing the best they could.