Lee Open House

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other things that make me confident (besides the founders) - the classes are smaller than I thought. Just 20 per grade and two teachers per grade. The assistant teachers are in Montesouri training, so they have a built in pipeline of future teachers. And wednesday afternoon, every wednesday afternoon, is reserved for professional development.

I also like that there will be variety of programming on those wednesday afternoons and during aftercare (which you can pop into for a small fee if you like the programming planned - imagine yoga class or music play for 4 dollars an hour when the going rate for that kind of kid stuff is 30 dollars an hour!)

Are you sure they said 20 per grade? I asked recently and was told that there were only 15 for kindergarten. Did they same something different last night?

Also, does anyone have a feel for whether the group last night were primarily for PS3? Were there many kindergarten parents there? Anyone know if any of them were declining?

You do understand that montessori is mixed age classrooms and there are no PS3 and "kindergarten" designations? These designations are only used for purposes of the lottery and admissions. Please read up on this if you are on the WL and contemplating montessori. So there are 15 spaces for K--five year olds-- spread out over three classes with five in each class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other things that make me confident (besides the founders) - the classes are smaller than I thought. Just 20 per grade and two teachers per grade. The assistant teachers are in Montesouri training, so they have a built in pipeline of future teachers. And wednesday afternoon, every wednesday afternoon, is reserved for professional development.

I also like that there will be variety of programming on those wednesday afternoons and during aftercare (which you can pop into for a small fee if you like the programming planned - imagine yoga class or music play for 4 dollars an hour when the going rate for that kind of kid stuff is 30 dollars an hour!)

Are you sure they said 20 per grade? I asked recently and was told that there were only 15 for kindergarten. Did they same something different last night?

Also, does anyone have a feel for whether the group last night were primarily for PS3? Were there many kindergarten parents there? Anyone know if any of them were declining?

You do understand that montessori is mixed age classrooms and there are no PS3 and "kindergarten" designations? These designations are only used for purposes of the lottery and admissions. Please read up on this if you are on the WL and contemplating montessori. So there are 15 spaces for K--five year olds-- spread out over three classes with five in each class.

yes I do understand that, but thanks for the condescending reply.

I am grasping at straws trying to find evidence that there might be movement on the K waitlist because we'd really like to get our child in there. I was not the person who said that there would be 20 per "grade" when she meant to say class. As my child will be K age next year it's relevant to me if other K parents were present and whether or not they are likely to go to Lee. That's a completely different issue from the number of kids in each classroom and what the age breakdown might be. Perhaps you should "read up" on how wait lists work under the DC lottery admissions system.

[Anonymous]

At the open house I attended a few months ago, they said 20/grade in the first year, 25/grade in the second year, and 30/grade thereafter, in line with what Montessori does (large class sizes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At the open house I attended a few months ago, they said 20/grade in the first year, 25/grade in the second year, and 30/grade thereafter, in line with what Montessori does (large class sizes).

Sorry, that should read 20/class, 25/class, and 30/class, not per grade.

[Anonymous]

So I hadn't thought of this before, but with one of the advantages of Montessori being that kids learn from their older peers, how will this work in a brand new school where the older peers are still learning things too?

[Anonymous]

I asked this question earlier and was told that,at least in the lower elementary class, the teachers and assistants will be the "modelers".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I hadn't thought of this before, but with one of the advantages of Montessori being that kids learn from their older peers, how will this work in a brand new school where the older peers are still learning things too?

This was one of the reasons they cited for the smaller class sizes, the smaller sizes will allow the teachers to step in to address this issue. Not ideal, but they have to start somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember early IT events in the first year location feeling like this a bit. Chaotic and loud with kids playing, nervous parents, excited (and new, yet professional) administrators. My advice for those starting at Lee: jump in with two feet and make it the community and school you need it to be.

- IT founding family

100% agree

- CM founding family

[Anonymous]

Yes, of coruse no grades (mixed classrooms) that was me that posted that; the breakdoiwn of pk4 pk3 and k was for admission and waitlist purposes. So let me say it this way. The school is smaller than I had expected, and that is a good think. Also, yes, 1st grade is just 10 if I remember right.

The subtext here is that admitted families don't know what Montesori is and so can't appreciate the spots they won, and I think that is a false subtext. I don't know as much as I should, but I knew enough to enroll my son in a private monetsorui program for this upcoming fall. Thrilled beyond belief to be a part of Lee!

[Anonymous]

To be honest this thread is pretty off putting. Not because of anything about the school but because of some of the families that are apparently attending.

Hopefully it's not reflected by the actual composition at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest this thread is pretty off putting. Not because of anything about the school but because of some of the families that are apparently attending.

Hopefully it's not reflected by the actual composition at the school.

It probably reflects the actual composition at the school. So you should probably not read it any more and not consider sending your child to Lee because of what you read on this anonymous thread written by a majority or not of the parents who may or may not be attending the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest this thread is pretty off putting. Not because of anything about the school but because of some of the families that are apparently attending.

Hopefully it's not reflected by the actual composition at the school.

ha ha. I've posted a lot in this thread. My family isn't annoying, I promise. We're pretty low -key, actually. Besides, I think there are about 5 families tops posting in here.

[Anonymous]

Dumb question: If my kid goes for K will she be in a class with 3 and 4 year olds, or 6 and 7 year olds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question: If my kid goes for K will she be in a class with 3 and 4 year olds, or 6 and 7 year olds?

3s and 4s.