Banneker or SWW from Deal

[Anonymous]

Did your child go to Banneker or SWW from Deal? Do they like it? What was the transition like? TIA!

[Anonymous]

Going to have DS apply to both this year. Wanted new feedback.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the "from Deal" is critical. It's to know whether either school is a better fit. For better and for worse, based on our experience, SWW is a bit more like college, figure it out with the prof/teacher, just get your work done, "request your education", go with the flow. Banneker (I hear!) provides more structure (more regimented?), tons of work (maybe more than SWW?) on a regular basis. It's IB, certainly involves a lot of writing. Now, might IB make for a particularly good Deal-Banneker transition? I'm not sure. I still think it's a matter of fit with the student. Our older child is a great fit with SWW but wouldn't have been with Banneker. The younger one may be the reverse.

[Anonymous]

Since Deal is IB, Banneker should in theory be a good fit to continue the IB model.
Do they offer AP classes too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since Deal is IB, Banneker should in theory be a good fit to continue the IB model.
Do they offer AP classes too?

Yes. Banneker has both AP and IB.

[Anonymous]

I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

[Anonymous]

^^ I meant transition from Deal is not relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since Deal is IB, Banneker should in theory be a good fit to continue the IB model.
Do they offer AP classes too?

Yes, Banneker has both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Is it heavily girls?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Is it heavily girls?

In 2015-16 Banneker was 74% girls, and the senior class that year was half the size of the freshman class.

SWW has significant attrition too - about 20% from 9th to 12th. In 15-16 its student body was 61% girls and 39% boys.

You can find that information, and the number of students per grade for all DC schools, at learndc.org

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Is it heavily girls?

In 2015-16 Banneker was 74% girls, and the senior class that year was half the size of the freshman class.

SWW has significant attrition too - about 20% from 9th to 12th. In 15-16 its student body was 61% girls and 39% boys.

You can find that information, and the number of students per grade for all DC schools, at learndc.org

Does it bother the remaining boys? Are the dynamics strange for boys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Is it heavily girls?

In 2015-16 Banneker was 74% girls, and the senior class that year was half the size of the freshman class.

SWW has significant attrition too - about 20% from 9th to 12th. In 15-16 its student body was 61% girls and 39% boys.

You can find that information, and the number of students per grade for all DC schools, at learndc.org

Does it bother the remaining boys? Are the dynamics strange for boys?

Don't get me started on this. My son came from a charter, which was a problem. He wasn't ready. He started at Banneker and I loved it!!!! He loved the girls. Too much.

Seriously though, the issue with the girls is that they are much more mature than most of the boys. I think that's why they lose so many. It's tough on them. That said, it's a wonderful school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Thank you for your honest feedback PP. Educator here, this makes me a little sad. I'm happy Banneker prepares children for college. However, having sent my own child off to college you realize that the work never really ends, and the way we societally are robbing children of a little of the latitude and fun of adolescence makes me sad. However, this pressure is coming from the colleges themselves. As much as they bemoan helicoptering and risk averse kids coming to them, they are the ones who have such rigid admissions that children who experiment and enjoy more in HS can't make it through their doors. So tired of 'grind schools', but I understand why they exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Is it heavily girls?

In 2015-16 Banneker was 74% girls, and the senior class that year was half the size of the freshman class.

SWW has significant attrition too - about 20% from 9th to 12th. In 15-16 its student body was 61% girls and 39% boys.

You can find that information, and the number of students per grade for all DC schools, at learndc.org

Does it bother the remaining boys? Are the dynamics strange for boys?

I'm the OP quoted in this series. Didn't bother my son at all. He liked the plethora of girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, the transition from Wilson is not relevant. You need to take a close look at the schools and decide if either are a good fit for your kid. My kid went to Banneker so i can speak a little on that school. Extremely heavy workload, focus is on academics only - sports and other non academic extracurriculars and things like school fun/pride are not important nor a focus for the school administration, their focus is to make sure that when your child goes to college they find the work and the workload easier than what they had at Banneker - basically they are overly prepared and do not have any adjustment issues freshman year. And it's true, that does happen, you can ask a Banneker grad. Keep in mind, Banneker will put you out if you can not keep up, the number of kids that come in freshman year versus the number that make it to graduation is a bit concerning - there's not a lot of support for anyone that struggles to keep up. You kid has to be very self motivated and academically focused without oversight. Much harder for boys, the number of boys compared to girls is very small. I think both Wilson and Banneker are good schools for the right kid. If not a good fit it will not work out well.

Thank you for your honest feedback PP. Educator here, this makes me a little sad. I'm happy Banneker prepares children for college. However, having sent my own child off to college you realize that the work never really ends, and the way we societally are robbing children of a little of the latitude and fun of adolescence makes me sad. However, this pressure is coming from the colleges themselves. As much as they bemoan helicoptering and risk averse kids coming to them, they are the ones who have such rigid admissions that children who experiment and enjoy more in HS can't make it through their doors. So tired of 'grind schools', but I understand why they exist.

You're welcome. And that part is the one gripe I have with the school. Well that and also that they get these really good scholars and then if they struggle too much they just get put out - no support or efforts to keep kids there. It's a great school for the right kid, I don't mean to sound overly negative. It has it's pros and cons like any other.