Middle Schools for Cap Hill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they actually exist?!? I am a parent of a Jefferson kid and can definitively tell you that, yes, the school has advanced math track and an advanced writing class.

If you’re going to question even basic facts that people with actual experience at the school are willing to share, then I don’t see much point in going beyond the basics.

1) It seems like people with actual experience at the school are not willing to share very much. What does that say about the school?

2) How do children get placed in these advanced tracks? Why would an administrator not be willing to explain that?

3) Sorry but some of us have learned the hard way not to believe what DCPS tells us, and to ask questions sooner rather than later. Maybe some day you'll have that kind of experience too.

I posted about my frustration at the JA open house. Point 3 makes a lot of sense to me. After 7 years in DCPS, we no longer trust easily. We ask hard questions up front. If we don't get answers, we won't bite after 4th or 5th grade. Life is too short. PP above nailed it.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they actually exist?!? I am a parent of a Jefferson kid and can definitively tell you that, yes, the school has advanced math track and an advanced writing class.

If you’re going to question even basic facts that people with actual experience at the school are willing to share, then I don’t see much point in going beyond the basics.

1) It seems like people with actual experience at the school are not willing to share very much. What does that say about the school?

2) How do children get placed in these advanced tracks? Why would an administrator not be willing to explain that?

3) Sorry but some of us have learned the hard way not to believe what DCPS tells us, and to ask questions sooner rather than later. Maybe some day you'll have that kind of experience too.

I posted about my frustration at the JA open house. Point 3 makes a lot of sense to me. After 7 years in DCPS, we no longer trust easily. We ask hard questions up front. If we don't get answers, we won't bite after 4th or 5th grade. Life is too short. PP above nailed it.

Same.

This. Sorry but attending DCPS elementary was more than enough to burn me out. And if asking a simple question like how to access the advanced classes is too hard for the school and its boosters to answer, that says a lot.

[Anonymous]

It says to me that we’re not bothering. Too risky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to close this thread? I think the two of you are basically agreeing. The anonymity of this forum makes things impossible. There WERE people on this thread earlier that were making judgmental and negative comments about schools with certain test scores, and assuming the intentions of parents who sent their kids there. There were negative comments made about the behavior of parents who send their kids to IB schools, calling them preachy and acting for political reasons. Doesn't sound like that was you, given your recent posts. Parents have the right and opportunity to send their kids wherever is best for them. We need to stop cutting each other down and bickering, and assuming or judging people for their choices, full stop.

I don't get why UMC CH parents bother with DCPS options after 5th grade. Yes, it's nice to send your kid to a walkable school with a few old friends, but beyond that, the appeal is lost on me, a CH resident since the 90s.

I made a point of visiting the 3 CH middle schools this school year, on weekdays days when students were in the buildings. I've talked to a number of high SES IB parents who send their children to each and still don't see the appeal.

These programs don't offer designated test-in "honors" (grade level) classes, other than for math and ELA at SH. The hallways and playgrounds are rowdy (at least by my standards), the student bodies can be described as diverse, and pre-Covid scores were alarming overall in each case. Most worrying, senior admins seem to quit on a regular basis.

Granted, my comments are "negative," slam me for that, but I visited the schools looking for positives.

For the record, Jefferson has advanced math (with some 6th graders taking 7th grade math, etc.), as well as an advanced writing class.

I don’t know as much about EH, but I understand that it has an IB program.

And, no, I’m not asserting that these programs are equivalent to certain suburban honors programs. I’m just responding to the statement above about honors at SH.

I posted about visiting the schools. When I attended an open house at Jefferson recently, admins refused to explain how a 6th grader qualified for 7th grade math, or for the advanced writing class either, although several parents asked about the placement system in a Q & A session.

When I asked if my 6th grader should prepare for a placement test to qualify for the 7th grade math at Jefferson, I was told no. Admins insisted that teachers made the placements, but wouldn't lay out the criteria. I left confused and unconvinced that there are advanced classes at Jefferson. What the hell? Why no transparent system for placing students in the two advanced 6th grade classes, if they actually exist.

We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they actually exist?!? I am a parent of a Jefferson kid and can definitively tell you that, yes, the school has advanced math track and an advanced writing class.

If you’re going to question even basic facts that people with actual experience at the school are willing to share, then I don’t see much point in going beyond the basics.

1) It seems like people with actual experience at the school are not willing to share very much. What does that say about the school?

2) How do children get placed in these advanced tracks? Why would an administrator not be willing to explain that?

3) Sorry but some of us have learned the hard way not to believe what DCPS tells us, and to ask questions sooner rather than later. Maybe some day you'll have that kind of experience too.

Why should I even bother to try to answer any of these questions if there is apparently an unwillingness to to believe what I do say?

What is the name of the specific “administrator” with whom you spoke?

NP here. I may have been in the same Q & A session as the PP, because a bunch of people asked how placement in the advanced classes worked and whether cohorts were tracked at all and the speaker would not answer (it was a black man... Mr. Hansen or Hammon maybe?). I absolutely believe that the classes exist, but I am also extremely uncomfortable sending my kid to a school where I can't get any information on how the placement process works. What if my kid doesn't get placed in the classes? How can I appeal if there is no criteria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to close this thread? I think the two of you are basically agreeing. The anonymity of this forum makes things impossible. There WERE people on this thread earlier that were making judgmental and negative comments about schools with certain test scores, and assuming the intentions of parents who sent their kids there. There were negative comments made about the behavior of parents who send their kids to IB schools, calling them preachy and acting for political reasons. Doesn't sound like that was you, given your recent posts. Parents have the right and opportunity to send their kids wherever is best for them. We need to stop cutting each other down and bickering, and assuming or judging people for their choices, full stop.

I don't get why UMC CH parents bother with DCPS options after 5th grade. Yes, it's nice to send your kid to a walkable school with a few old friends, but beyond that, the appeal is lost on me, a CH resident since the 90s.

I made a point of visiting the 3 CH middle schools this school year, on weekdays days when students were in the buildings. I've talked to a number of high SES IB parents who send their children to each and still don't see the appeal.

These programs don't offer designated test-in "honors" (grade level) classes, other than for math and ELA at SH. The hallways and playgrounds are rowdy (at least by my standards), the student bodies can be described as diverse, and pre-Covid scores were alarming overall in each case. Most worrying, senior admins seem to quit on a regular basis.

Granted, my comments are "negative," slam me for that, but I visited the schools looking for positives.

For the record, Jefferson has advanced math (with some 6th graders taking 7th grade math, etc.), as well as an advanced writing class.

I don’t know as much about EH, but I understand that it has an IB program.

And, no, I’m not asserting that these programs are equivalent to certain suburban honors programs. I’m just responding to the statement above about honors at SH.

I posted about visiting the schools. When I attended an open house at Jefferson recently, admins refused to explain how a 6th grader qualified for 7th grade math, or for the advanced writing class either, although several parents asked about the placement system in a Q & A session.

When I asked if my 6th grader should prepare for a placement test to qualify for the 7th grade math at Jefferson, I was told no. Admins insisted that teachers made the placements, but wouldn't lay out the criteria. I left confused and unconvinced that there are advanced classes at Jefferson. What the hell? Why no transparent system for placing students in the two advanced 6th grade classes, if they actually exist.

We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

That is a great answer, exactly the kind of thing a parent might want to know. Thank you, PP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

Me again (who wrote the above). I wanted to add that this came from the principal, Greg Dohmann.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

Me again (who wrote the above). I wanted to add that this came from the principal, Greg Dohmann.

Is this policy on academic tracking/assessments written down somewhere I can find it? I went to the JA open house where parents were given no such info. We were told that there are no academic "tracks" in DCPS middle school but that "appropriate differentiation" is offered. Do I understand that my UMC white kid Brent grad would likely be placed in a range of core classes where UMC white Brent kids amalgamate not just in 6th grade, but in 7th and 8th?

The information you're giving us about academic tracks at JA doesn't jive with what I've heard about the program from Brent parents who tried it and bailed in the last couple of years, at least one in the middle of 6th grade. I've been told that their white kids were the only one in homerooms where the rest of the students were AA. Did the policy on placements/tracking change for this school year?

What happens to a kid who works below grade level in math and far above in reading and writing like mine? Admins wouldn't tell me.

Not trying to give you a hard time, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

Me again (who wrote the above). I wanted to add that this came from the principal, Greg Dohmann.

Is this policy on academic tracking/assessments written down somewhere I can find it? I went to the JA open house where parents were given no such info. We were told that there are no academic "tracks" in DCPS middle school but that "appropriate differentiation" is offered. Do I understand that my UMC white kid Brent grad would likely be placed in a range of core classes where UMC white Brent kids amalgamate not just in 6th grade, but in 7th and 8th?

The information you're giving us about academic tracks at JA doesn't jive with what I've heard about the program from Brent parents who tried it and bailed in the last couple of years, at least one in the middle of 6th grade. I've been told that their white kids were the only one in homerooms where the rest of the students were AA. Did the policy on placements/tracking change for this school year?

What happens to a kid who works below grade level in math and far above in reading and writing like mine? Admins wouldn't tell me.

Not trying to give you a hard time, PP.

Umm ... you do realize that BLACK kids at Jefferson are in the PARCC 4/5 category? The school has 5% white kids and 21% 4-5 on Math and 37% 4-5 on English. That means that they probably can have 2-3 classes kids who are on grade level/advanced in each grade. Are you suggesting that all white kids should be placed in the same class?

[Anonymous]

No, but sensitive topic though it is, my kid doesn't want to be the only white student in her middle school classes. She's made this clear.

We know that she wouldn't be the only white kid in her classes at charters where we may get off WLs. We don't know if this would be the case at JA.

She does well on ELA (easily scores 5s) but is average, or a little below, in math (tries hard but isn't good at math).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

Me again (who wrote the above). I wanted to add that this came from the principal, Greg Dohmann.

Is this policy on academic tracking/assessments written down somewhere I can find it? I went to the JA open house where parents were given no such info. We were told that there are no academic "tracks" in DCPS middle school but that "appropriate differentiation" is offered. Do I understand that my UMC white kid Brent grad would likely be placed in a range of core classes where UMC white Brent kids amalgamate not just in 6th grade, but in 7th and 8th?

The information you're giving us about academic tracks at JA doesn't jive with what I've heard about the program from Brent parents who tried it and bailed in the last couple of years, at least one in the middle of 6th grade. I've been told that their white kids were the only one in homerooms where the rest of the students were AA. Did the policy on placements/tracking change for this school year?

What happens to a kid who works below grade level in math and far above in reading and writing like mine? Admins wouldn't tell me.

Not trying to give you a hard time, PP.

Umm ... you do realize that BLACK kids at Jefferson are in the PARCC 4/5 category? The school has 5% white kids and 21% 4-5 on Math and 37% 4-5 on English. That means that they probably can have 2-3 classes kids who are on grade level/advanced in each grade. Are you suggesting that all white kids should be placed in the same class?

So grade level and advanced are the same thing for the advanced classes at JA? No true advanced classes? Didn't you just say 6th graders can take 7th grade math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, but sensitive topic though it is, my kid doesn't want to be the only white student in her middle school classes. She's made this clear.

We know that she wouldn't be the only white kid in her classes at charters where we may get off WLs. We don't know if this would be the case at JA.

She does well on ELA (easily scores 5s) but is average, or a little below, in math (tries hard but isn't good at math).

So this is a totally different question from academic quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We must have attended different open houses because I got clear answers about how placement happens. In addition to the JA teachers speaking to my current 5th grader's teachers and evaluating his classroom work and test scores, there is also a pre-school orientation week where - in addition to social activities so kids get to know each other - there are assessments for math, writing and reading. Both of these are combined to place students on a track that is appropriate for them academically. There are also points during the school year where students can be placed in more advanced classes based on how they are doing academically in their different classes. This all sounded like a thorough plan that will evaluate each student and meet them where they are. Also the current parents who spoke at the open house agreed that each of their students was placed at an appropriate level, either at the start of the year or later on when they showed they were working at a higher level.

Me again (who wrote the above). I wanted to add that this came from the principal, Greg Dohmann.

Is this policy on academic tracking/assessments written down somewhere I can find it? I went to the JA open house where parents were given no such info. We were told that there are no academic "tracks" in DCPS middle school but that "appropriate differentiation" is offered. Do I understand that my UMC white kid Brent grad would likely be placed in a range of core classes where UMC white Brent kids amalgamate not just in 6th grade, but in 7th and 8th?

The information you're giving us about academic tracks at JA doesn't jive with what I've heard about the program from Brent parents who tried it and bailed in the last couple of years, at least one in the middle of 6th grade. I've been told that their white kids were the only one in homerooms where the rest of the students were AA. Did the policy on placements/tracking change for this school year?

What happens to a kid who works below grade level in math and far above in reading and writing like mine? Admins wouldn't tell me.

Not trying to give you a hard time, PP.

Umm ... you do realize that BLACK kids at Jefferson are in the PARCC 4/5 category? The school has 5% white kids and 21% 4-5 on Math and 37% 4-5 on English. That means that they probably can have 2-3 classes kids who are on grade level/advanced in each grade. Are you suggesting that all white kids should be placed in the same class?

So grade level and advanced are the same thing for the advanced classes at JA? No true advanced classes? Didn't you just say 6th graders can take 7th grade math?

I'm a DP - I have no knowledge of JA policies, just did the math about the correlation between race and PARCC scores to dispel the notion that ONLY white kids are on grade level or advanced there. I'm not sure any school in DC puts all "PARCC 5s" together in English. Hopefully kids with the aptitude are able to jump ahead to next year's math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, but sensitive topic though it is, my kid doesn't want to be the only white student in her middle school classes. She's made this clear.

We know that she wouldn't be the only white kid in her classes at charters where we may get off WLs. We don't know if this would be the case at JA.

She does well on ELA (easily scores 5s) but is average, or a little below, in math (tries hard but isn't good at math).

My kids being the only white kid in a classroom is one of the reasons why l would want to send him to a MS. I think it’s a very important experience to have, to understand what being a “visible minority” is like. That goes in my plus column tbh.

[Anonymous]

one of the issues with equity here is whether any of these black kids you talk about actually live in Wards 7 or 8. Somebody cites black kids getting 4s and 5s - but are they Ward 2 and 6 kids? Should these schools only be for west of the River families?