School Without Walls Pk-12?

[Anonymous]

I think only people who are pissy are the SWW parents. Everyone else seems okay. And with any merger in any industry, it is a mess until all is said and done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think only people who are pissy are the SWW parents. Everyone else seems okay. And with any merger in any industry, it is a mess until all is said and done.

I certainly hope so. Lots of IB families with little kids have started to think they might be able to stick around with the coming changes, but the vindictiveness of the SWW parents is a real turn off. They really seem prepared to destroy FS if it means their school never changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think only people who are pissy are the SWW parents. Everyone else seems okay. And with any merger in any industry, it is a mess until all is said and done.

I certainly hope so. Lots of IB families with little kids have started to think they might be able to stick around with the coming changes, but the vindictiveness of the SWW parents is a real turn off. They really seem prepared to destroy FS if it means their school never changes.

I agree. I'm IB with PS3. It's seems super snotty the way folks look down on FS. Sorry, I guess? I had no idea of this mess until we were accepted today and now I'm like oooookay. Where I grew up you just went to school where you meant to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It remains a huge mess. There is growing concern for the SWW community because DCPS refuses to give any information about the plans for implementing the merger or what "merger' really means. SWW had no input into the decision to merge with FS. The only information from DCPS is that it is a "done deal". But what that means, no one knows.
SWW LSAT voted to not send any students to FS. As other posters stated, there is only room for 50-75 students (half a grade or less) so it would separate those students from the rest of the HS. SWW Principal is now in charge of both schools and will be relocating to FS. SWW is pushing to have a principal on site but right now there is no answer to that request. Newspaper articles- see other DCUM postings- indicate the Principal is hiring his wife to be the Assistant Principal at FS. SWW was told it would remain an application only school, but some feel FS would eventually be a feeder. There are endless questions about this. Like I said, a real mess- created and perpetuated by DCPS.

If there is really only room for 50 -75 more students in the building why was FS sold to us as being underenrolled? Something is not adding up...

[Anonymous]

Supposedly there are 2 or 3 classrooms for SWW. The rest is for the FS increased enrollment.

[Anonymous]

FS parents wanted to save their school from closing-any parent can understand that. It seems the FS community hoped that if it merged with SWW- the name would drive enrollment and improve performance.

SWW parents now want to protect their school- just like the FS parents did. These are 2 very different schools being merged and managed as one. SWW is not gaining anything in the merger. For starters, the principal is going to oversee an additional 11 grades. That is not a benefit to SWW.

Parents who think there are going to be lots more seats in the high school will come to find out that is not the case with the merger.

It's economics. DCPS needed to justify keeping FS open, so it merged its budget with SWW. It's not an educational decision, just a monetary one.

[Anonymous]

SWW is a great school with a great principal and program. DCPS -- and the SWW principal -- want to try to let more grades in on the excellence (though not admittance-only or exclusive).

What give SWW community the right to deprive others of benefitting from this principal's leadership if he is confident in his ability to do it?

[Anonymous]

Let him be the head of school for both if he will be located at FS. SWW wants a principal on site- someone who can make decisions. There are no other HS running without a principal on site. SWW is not a small HS. That's what SWW is advocating for- it does not have to be the current principal. Other shared principals at 2 different schools have failed miserably- like Hyde and Hardy.

[Anonymous]

Having a shared principal will fail, as will having a husband- wife principal team. No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think only people who are pissy are the SWW parents. Everyone else seems okay. And with any merger in any industry, it is a mess until all is said and done.

The FS parents are the ones who are okay with the merger. It's not just SWW parents who have concerns. Parents with kids in ES/MS who may want their kids to go to SWW HS are concerned this configuration is going to end up with FS as a feeder- despite what DCPS says. There are so few spots anyway and right now there is no preference for any applicant.

And what happens to the FS MS student who does not get into SWW- you just bump him back to his feeder HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And what happens to the FS MS student who does not get into SWW- you just bump him back to his feeder HS?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And what happens to the FS MS student who does not get into SWW- you just bump him back to his feeder HS?

Yes.

If only a handfull of FS kids that get into SWW -- I've heard a goal of 30% eventually being 'eligible' for admission to SWW, so the number admitted would be smaller -- then the feeder will be the normal path for most FS kids.

Keep in mind that the MS is currently almost entirely OOB so anybody who really counts on a spot at SWW should place their child there since the theory (if Principal change follows through) is to align the curricula..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would rather have my child attend SSW and graduate with an associates from GW for free, than to go to Wilson. Also I don't see what the big deal is about the kids going to the same school. Private schools have been doing it since the beginning of time. As for SSW losing its great reputation, FS also has a good rep in the DC area. So it is not a total loss. I entered my girls in the lottery for SSW@FS and they were excepted. I think this will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

If you had to try for a lottery spot at FS/SWW, then by all means this is a great development for you. This is now a great option for those seeking a better MS and HS option closer to Dupont Circle. SWW will change; it was probably inevitable because of its location.

[Anonymous]

SWW is not becoming the HS option for FS MS. Students will still have to test in like they do in every single other ward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think only people who are pissy are the SWW parents. Everyone else seems okay. And with any merger in any industry, it is a mess until all is said and done.

I certainly hope so. Lots of IB families with little kids have started to think they might be able to stick around with the coming changes, but the vindictiveness of the SWW parents is a real turn off. They really seem prepared to destroy FS if it means their school never changes.

The word you are looking for isn't so much "vindictive" as "superior." Yes, there is good reason to believe this will be the undoing of the school. Parents can be enthusiastic about their HS students attending classes with GW students. It's difficult to feel excitement over sharing a campus with FS students.