DC Graduation Problems Extend to Wilson High School, Councilmember Says

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! This is more of the "honors for all" attitude at Wilson. Let's just focus on struggling students and the rest are on their own. Mind boggling that parents just accept this and are not demanding the Principal address the needs of all students.

I thought Wilson offered a bunch of AP classes.....

They do - more than any other school in the city. http://www.wilsonhs.org/pdf/Wilson%20Course%20Catalog%20SY%202015-16.pdf

Students can also dual-enroll at local colleges.

Please tell me more about this dual enrollment please. I did this in my home city (3,000 miles away), but I didn't know DC offered this program.

No doubt some students can take courses at Youdeecee. Wilson is arguably more rigorous.

[Anonymous]

But the rigor at Wilson depends on the teacher. Two of my kids have graduated and the last will finish in the spring, some teachers were challenging others were not.
Regardless, the class registration process is between the student & the guidance counselor, so at this point filling up a senior’s schedule only works if the student wants (& asks for) the classes. There is a sense of marking time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! This is more of the "honors for all" attitude at Wilson. Let's just focus on struggling students and the rest are on their own. Mind boggling that parents just accept this and are not demanding the Principal address the needs of all students.

I thought Wilson offered a bunch of AP classes.....

They do - more than any other school in the city. http://www.wilsonhs.org/pdf/Wilson%20Course%20Catalog%20SY%202015-16.pdf

Students can also dual-enroll at local colleges.

Please tell me more about this dual enrollment please. I did this in my home city (3,000 miles away), but I didn't know DC offered this program.

No doubt some students can take courses at Youdeecee. Wilson is arguably more rigorous.

Dual enrollment for Wilson students is available at Georgetown, Catholic Univ and, yes, UDC.

Howard limits DCPS dual enrollment to application school students.

[Anonymous]

To clarify some previous posts in this thread regarding the grading and attendance policy:
If a student only missed one period during the day, they are considered absent for the day only for "in seat attendance". This stat is used to evaluate schools and administrators, but it does not affect students' grades in their other classes. I'm a dcps hs teacher, and we have been instructed to calculate the number of unexcused absences the student has in our class period only. 5 unexcused absences in one advisory (quarter) = a reduction in the final grade for that specific class.(B would become B-, etc.) 10 unexcused absences in an advisory = grade if FA ( failure due to absences) for the term, and no option to do credit or unit recovery. I believe that students have the right to appeal the grade if there are extenuating circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To clarify some previous posts in this thread regarding the grading and attendance policy:
If a student only missed one period during the day, they are considered absent for the day only for "in seat attendance". This stat is used to evaluate schools and administrators, but it does not affect students' grades in their other classes. I'm a dcps hs teacher, and we have been instructed to calculate the number of unexcused absences the student has in our class period only. 5 unexcused absences in one advisory (quarter) = a reduction in the final grade for that specific class.(B would become B-, etc.) 10 unexcused absences in an advisory = grade if FA ( failure due to absences) for the term, and no option to do credit or unit recovery. I believe that students have the right to appeal the grade if there are extenuating circumstances.

This has always been the policy for as long as I've been at DCPS, 2008, it's just that many schools were not implementing the policy.

[Anonymous]

Nice to see Cheh take an interest in the neighborhood. Usually she is focused on National socialist programming, not Ward 3 stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

NP here. PP, you're a moron. The PPs took the courses required not only to graduate, but to prepare them for college and a career. There is no reason that --- because your odd sense of morality seems to demand it --- that they should have to do more. What should change is the notion that kids who are passing rigorous classes need to sit in those classes, or that kids who have fulfilled their high school requirements need to be in the building.

I'm another who missed most of my senior year. In my case, I was traveling almost every week for athletic or academic competitions. Track, swim team, debate, forensics, model UN, etc. I was hardly ever at school. I graduated top 2% of my class of >500 kids, received a national merit scholarship and had the balance of my tuition at a selective private university paid by a merit-based academic scholarship. I graduated undergrad with cum laud and with honors, got an MBA, started my own business and have done quite well. One of my classmates (back in the '80s) had an office job every afternoon. He'd come to school in a suit and tie, leave at lunch and miss every afternoon. Since he was also the guy who made the few primitive computers at the school run, the let the absences slide.

High school absenteeism comes in multiple flavors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

NP here. PP, you're a moron. The PPs took the courses required not only to graduate, but to prepare them for college and a career. There is no reason that --- because your odd sense of morality seems to demand it --- that they should have to do more. What should change is the notion that kids who are passing rigorous classes need to sit in those classes, or that kids who have fulfilled their high school requirements need to be in the building.

I'm another who missed most of my senior year. In my case, I was traveling almost every week for athletic or academic competitions. Track, swim team, debate, forensics, model UN, etc. I was hardly ever at school. I graduated top 2% of my class of >500 kids, received a national merit scholarship and had the balance of my tuition at a selective private university paid by a merit-based academic scholarship. I graduated undergrad with cum laud and with honors, got an MBA, started my own business and have done quite well. One of my classmates (back in the '80s) had an office job every afternoon. He'd come to school in a suit and tie, leave at lunch and miss every afternoon. Since he was also the guy who made the few primitive computers at the school run, the let the absences slide.

High school absenteeism comes in multiple flavors.

It does in general, but not at DCPS so yeah there are always the exceptions to the rule. However, students who don't have classes don't need to be in school just for the sake of it (seat time) but should be working on something to prepare them for college, career, and beyond!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

NP here. PP, you're a moron. The PPs took the courses required not only to graduate, but to prepare them for college and a career. There is no reason that --- because your odd sense of morality seems to demand it --- that they should have to do more. What should change is the notion that kids who are passing rigorous classes need to sit in those classes, or that kids who have fulfilled their high school requirements need to be in the building.

I'm another who missed most of my senior year. In my case, I was traveling almost every week for athletic or academic competitions. Track, swim team, debate, forensics, model UN, etc. I was hardly ever at school. I graduated top 2% of my class of >500 kids, received a national merit scholarship and had the balance of my tuition at a selective private university paid by a merit-based academic scholarship. I graduated undergrad with cum laud and with honors, got an MBA, started my own business and have done quite well. One of my classmates (back in the '80s) had an office job every afternoon. He'd come to school in a suit and tie, leave at lunch and miss every afternoon. Since he was also the guy who made the few primitive computers at the school run, the let the absences slide.

High school absenteeism comes in multiple flavors.

You're right. I forgot that a lot of people here are okay with being average and not going above and beyond. My mistake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

NP here. PP, you're a moron. The PPs took the courses required not only to graduate, but to prepare them for college and a career. There is no reason that --- because your odd sense of morality seems to demand it --- that they should have to do more. What should change is the notion that kids who are passing rigorous classes need to sit in those classes, or that kids who have fulfilled their high school requirements need to be in the building.

I'm another who missed most of my senior year. In my case, I was traveling almost every week for athletic or academic competitions. Track, swim team, debate, forensics, model UN, etc. I was hardly ever at school. I graduated top 2% of my class of >500 kids, received a national merit scholarship and had the balance of my tuition at a selective private university paid by a merit-based academic scholarship. I graduated undergrad with cum laud and with honors, got an MBA, started my own business and have done quite well. One of my classmates (back in the '80s) had an office job every afternoon. He'd come to school in a suit and tie, leave at lunch and miss every afternoon. Since he was also the guy who made the few primitive computers at the school run, the let the absences slide.

High school absenteeism comes in multiple flavors.

You're right. I forgot that a lot of people here are okay with being average and not going above and beyond. My mistake

There are exceptions to every rule but I am a high school teacher with 20 years experience teaching what is generally considered a challenging course and MOST students I've taught need to be in class to be successful in the course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So then why are students only taking one or two classes senior year? I think the graduation requirement should be that they have a full schedule (including work release)

Another idiot heard from. Work release is for prison. High school isn't prison.

If the kid has fulfilled the requirements, then they shouldn't need to be at school. Full stop. You don't need to know or worry about what students who have completed the requirements do on their own time. It's none of your business.

Or maybe we can all work this way. When you've done what your boss assigned you for the day, I'll follow you around making up extra tasks just to make sure you put in a full day. Sound good?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former Wilson student. During my senior yr, I know I missed over 70 days. Despite missing those days, I graduated, attended the University of Maryland and now have a rewarding career. Just because students miss class, doesn't mean they can't grasp the concepts. Students can watch online content to learn and receive support in other places. School is just a building where learning is "expected" to occur. Tons of learning happens outside of the classroom and online now. Also, alot of the senior courses are unnecessary classes. In my case, I only needed to take an English class to graduate, however my counselor gave me other classes that I could BS through and pass easily without attending regularly.

Just my thoughts

If that’s the case, then there’s obviously something wrong with the high school. Either you weren’t taking classes that were sufficiently challenging and interesting enough to compel your attendance or those classes weren’t offered. If they weren’t offered, that’s a problem that should be fixed. If you weren’t taking the most interesting and rigorous courseload, well, that’s on you and you shouldn’t have been granted a diploma for taking up space and taxpayer money to do nothing your senior year of high school.

NP here. PP, you're a moron. The PPs took the courses required not only to graduate, but to prepare them for college and a career. There is no reason that --- because your odd sense of morality seems to demand it --- that they should have to do more. What should change is the notion that kids who are passing rigorous classes need to sit in those classes, or that kids who have fulfilled their high school requirements need to be in the building.

I'm another who missed most of my senior year. In my case, I was traveling almost every week for athletic or academic competitions. Track, swim team, debate, forensics, model UN, etc. I was hardly ever at school. I graduated top 2% of my class of >500 kids, received a national merit scholarship and had the balance of my tuition at a selective private university paid by a merit-based academic scholarship. I graduated undergrad with cum laud and with honors, got an MBA, started my own business and have done quite well. One of my classmates (back in the '80s) had an office job every afternoon. He'd come to school in a suit and tie, leave at lunch and miss every afternoon. Since he was also the guy who made the few primitive computers at the school run, the let the absences slide.

High school absenteeism comes in multiple flavors.

You're right. I forgot that a lot of people here are okay with being average and not going above and beyond. My mistake

Ah - so I would have been less "average" if I had been sitting in class instead of traveling around the country excelling in debate tournaments, model UN competitions, track meets and swim meets. Got it. Clearly, unlike me, YOU are a genius.

[Anonymous]

Lol and this is the crown jewel of DC schools. F-in joke

If Wilson is the best We can get that isn’t good enough

[Anonymous]

Keep up the excuses and defense Wilson parents!

You look ridiculous. You throw students under the bus until it's YOUR KID and your kids school and then it's excuse after excuse.

I laugh that you send your kid to Wilson, put down every other high school, act like it's the crown jewel of DC and in reality, it's just average!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep up the excuses and defense Wilson parents!

You look ridiculous. You throw students under the bus until it's YOUR KID and your kids school and then it's excuse after excuse.

I laugh that you send your kid to Wilson, put down every other high school, act like it's the crown jewel of DC and in reality, it's just average!

It truly is ridiculous. People in top schools in MD and VA actually attend school and take classes their senior year.