Shell-shocked student - on to Deal?

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that Deal has clubs for everything, and lots of sports, band, chorus, drama, etc. Similar to the private schools we are considering. Does Latin also have the extracurricular programs and specials? Not trying to dig at either MS, but just wondering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Latin is superior to Deal (due to the smaller size and more rigorous curriculum) but Rhee can't take credit for that. Latin actually grew on her watch. As for Hardy, it's just reinforced its also-ran status. Private makes a lot of sense once you get to middle school.

Cue the anti-Deal poster. It is funny, I never see pro-Deal posters claim superiority to WL.

Me neither. Similarly, I never see pro-Stuart Hobson or pro-Noyes or pro-Takoma posters claiming superiority.

Maybe it's because they can't? Latin has a challenging curriculum. Everyone else doesn't. If you care about challenging academics, it looks like your choices are Latin or private.

(BTW, my DS is in 1st, and I'm not a booster.)

My kid's in MCPS, but I have friends with kids at both Latin and Deal. I've had a chance to talk to other parents, compare homework, etc. . . . , and was frankly underwhelmed with Latin. The Latin student had more homework than the other two, true, but of less quality -- lots of pointless busy work.

You've compared your friends' kids homework? Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that Deal has clubs for everything, and lots of sports, band, chorus, drama, etc. Similar to the private schools we are considering. Does Latin also have the extracurricular programs and specials? Not trying to dig at either MS, but just wondering.

Latin has extracurricular sports and specials, but not clubs for everything. What they do, they do pretty well. The school plays are really fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You've compared your friends' kids homework? Seriously?

I'm not PP. I have done this casually - if the assignments are lying on the kitchen table. I've also asked friend whose kids are at privates - "What is Chris's homework like? What is he learning in math?"

[Anonymous]

I ask friends about their HW as well. It is really interesting! Try it!

[Anonymous]

I have compared homework as well. I think Latin holds up well against privates and the DCPS my son would have attended had we not moved him. I also ask my son's friends about what they are learning to guage enthusiasm and retention, which I think are more important.

[Anonymous]

Latin has a heavy of volume of homework, but the weak content (lots of busy work, mindless repetition) reflects the shortcomings of it's well-meaning, but very inexperienced staff.

Latin is an ok choice if you can't get into Deal and you can't afford private. To suggest that Latin somehow compares to local privates or high-peforming suburban public schools is silly though.

[Anonymous]

15:15, didn't you get the memo that we are bashing Deal so that other people won't apply OOB giving us a better shot to get in?!

[Anonymous]

We are in-boundary for deal and our kid attends Latin. Like quite a few families in AU and North Cleveland Park that are in-bounds for Deal. Deal is a great second choice for us PP. That does not mean worse choice, but nor is Latin a school of second resort for those who can't get into private or deal- that's anecdotal, not factual. Some of us have chosen it over deal for various reasons- busy work not among them ( btw Latin does have some busy work- it also has some challenging/exciting teachers and curriculum. Does Deal have absolutely no busy work ( or other warts or flaws)? Just curious as we are in boundary and will be open to it- and Latin- as our other kids come up.

[Anonymous]

A current Deal parent of a 6th grader here. It is a good school but my son found it (so far ) absolutely overwhelming. It is both the size, the amount of homework, and the kind of organizational skills he simply does not have. At some point in the fall he was pretty depressed, then thing got better. He is a bright kid and gets good grades but the amount of time and effort it takes is simply not appropriate (in my opinion) for an 11-year-old. That being said, teachers have been very responsive to our concerns and have been in dialogue with us about how to make things better for him. Also, our friends' child in a MOCO 6th grade has had an identical experience, so this is not limited to DCPS. I am sure a small private school would give him better opportunities for blossoming and bringing out his best qualities, but that s not an option for us.

On a more positive side, socially it has been a lot better than we expected--he made a lot of friends and seems happy with this side of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A current Deal parent of a 6th grader here. It is a good school but my son found it (so far ) absolutely overwhelming. It is both the size, the amount of homework, and the kind of organizational skills he simply does not have. At some point in the fall he was pretty depressed, then thing got better. He is a bright kid and gets good grades but the amount of time and effort it takes is simply not appropriate (in my opinion) for an 11-year-old. That being said, teachers have been very responsive to our concerns and have been in dialogue with us about how to make things better for him. Also, our friends' child in a MOCO 6th grade has had an identical experience, so this is not limited to DCPS. I am sure a small private school would give him better opportunities for blossoming and bringing out his best qualities, but that s not an option for us.

On a more positive side, socially it has been a lot better than we expected--he made a lot of friends and seems happy with this side of things.

We are in-bounds for Deal and have heard this over and over again. I have been working with my daughter - she's in 5th - to prepare for this and the teachers at our school have received the message that they need to do a better job of preparing kids for the onslaught of homework and the personal responsibility that goes along with it. I can see how this would be hard for many students (and parents). Good to hear that the teachers at Deal are responsive.

[Anonymous]

This was the case with a friend's child at Hardy in 6th grade, as well. Overwhelming. I posted about it on an earlier thread on Hardy several months ago. She's doing well this year, and surprise, is on medication for ADD, so with a daily dose of Vyvanse she can handle it.

I just think it's too much to ask 11 year olds to handle, quite frankly. Makes me want to find a nice quiet private school that's off the grid.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:We have visited Deal, as how our child. Child has also gone on a shadow day - that's part of what sparked the concern about the size of Deal, where even the "small groups" are more than twice the size of her charter school class and 25% larger than the elementary school grade where she's now being ignored.

Could someone please tell me how to arrange a shadow day?

[Anonymous]

You should probably call the school regarding a shadow visit. The final open house is this Saturday, the 8th, I think from 9 - 12.

[Anonymous]

For Deal, students at each feeder elementary school have a designated day when all 5th graders come to visit for a day. Students who are not at feeder schools can come with a parent and spend all or part of the day on the open house days (already held in November and December). Arrangements can usually be made for students coming from other schools to spend a day, but a parent must attend with them. Call the Deal counseling office. www.alicedeal.org

Also, there is an open house this Saturday, Jan 8, 9a-noon, with a presentation at 10a. Some teachers will be on hand and students will lead tours of the building.

My child was concerned about the size of Deal after the feeder school buddy day, but after orientation right before school started, she had no concerns. The buddy days are 9-10 months before school starts and there's a lot of change/maturation for many kids during that period.

For many kids I've seen, the transition to middle school (whether in 7th or 6th grade) can be a bit overwhelming at first, but by about January/February, things seem to come together.