Waitlist calls?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I applied to LAMB to increase my chances of getting my child in a montessori program. LAMB had their own lottery separate from the dc school lottery.

If that is the case and you are truly interested in montessori, you need to investigate LAMB's montessori program and how true to montessori they are. The school is not AMI accredited, and they have a mix of AMI and AMS certified teachers. I asked an administrator at the DC school fair about AMS vs AMI montessori and what their theory was and she had no idea what I was talking about. The parent representative also had no clue what I was talking about. In the montessori world in D.C., LAMB is "montessori-light". This may be okay for you or it may not be. LAMB feeds to DCI, which some view as a plus (even though the school is not yet open and who knows what it will be like eight years from now when your DC would be eligible to attend). Some say CHM is disorganized and I have seen posts on this forum about a lack of school supplies. Shining Stars, Lee, and CHM all seem to be on the same page re: commitment to AMI montessori--LAMB, not so much.

(I have no dog in this fight--DC did private montessori and my pk3 DC will also be entering private montessori in September).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applied to LAMB to increase my chances of getting my child in a montessori program. LAMB had their own lottery separate from the dc school lottery.

If that is the case and you are truly interested in montessori, you need to investigate LAMB's montessori program and how true to montessori they are. The school is not AMI accredited, and they have a mix of AMI and AMS certified teachers. I asked an administrator at the DC school fair about AMS vs AMI montessori and what their theory was and she had no idea what I was talking about. The parent representative also had no clue what I was talking about. In the montessori world in D.C., LAMB is "montessori-light". This may be okay for you or it may not be. LAMB feeds to DCI, which some view as a plus (even though the school is not yet open and who knows what it will be like eight years from now when your DC would be eligible to attend). Some say CHM is disorganized and I have seen posts on this forum about a lack of school supplies. Shining Stars, Lee, and CHM all seem to be on the same page re: commitment to AMI montessori--LAMB, not so much.

(I have no dog in this fight--DC did private montessori and my pk3 DC will also be entering private montessori in September).

NP here. I agree with this. If you are interested int he Montessori much more than the dual language, I would go with CHM@L, if the commute worked. I know a few families there who are very happy. In addition, that school is Montessori through 8th grade. If you are more interested in the dual language aspect, then I would go with LAMB. That feeds to DCI, so you will be able to continue the dual language after elementary school, though you give up the Montessori.

Both seem like great options--congrats. Wish I had a shot at either school. (My waitlist numbers at both are depressingly high!)

Good luck! Let us know what you decide!

[Anonymous]

Ok I will thanks for all the advice. Now it's my time to think things through and choose in the best interest for my son.

[Anonymous]

PPs are right, LAMB is not an AMI school. They are much more closely aligned to the AMS methodology and proud of it. AMS schools recognize that the world has changed in the last 100+ years. AMS schools are not afraid of technology, brain research, special education, diverse learning styles of children, etc...

On the other threads, read what the PPs say about how the children at Shining Stars are criticized for exploring with the materials in ways that are "non-Montessori." AMS schools don't spout that nonsense. Montessori said observe the child/follow the child/trust the child/don't interrupt the child/don't substitute your will for the way of the child. These AMI schools are missing the forest for the trees.

[Anonymous]

Called eaton today and their wl for pk4 has only moved 2 spots.

[Anonymous]

Go with LAMB. It is more likely that you can make the switch to CHML next year if you find the Montessori at LAMB to be too light for your taste. Unfortunately it is not likely that you would be able to move in the opposite direction. I would also offer that LAMB provides for a better elementary track beyond the primary years. Unfortunately I have not heard many positive reviews of the elementary program at CHML. It seems as if quite a few families peel off after primary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PPs are right, LAMB is not an AMI school. They are much more closely aligned to the AMS methodology and proud of it. AMS schools recognize that the world has changed in the last 100+ years. AMS schools are not afraid of technology, brain research, special education, diverse learning styles of children, etc...

On the other threads, read what the PPs say about how the children at Shining Stars are criticized for exploring with the materials in ways that are "non-Montessori." AMS schools don't spout that nonsense. Montessori said observe the child/follow the child/trust the child/don't interrupt the child/don't substitute your will for the way of the child. These AMI schools are missing the forest for the trees.

What an exaggeration - this is how rumors start. There was ONE parent who said that. And that hasn't been my experience, or the experience of other parents I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go with LAMB. It is more likely that you can make the switch to CHML next year if you find the Montessori at LAMB to be too light for your taste. Unfortunately it is not likely that you would be able to move in the opposite direction. I would also offer that LAMB provides for a better elementary track beyond the primary years. Unfortunately I have not heard many positive reviews of the elementary program at CHML. It seems as if quite a few families peel off after primary.

I agree. I don't have a child at either school so have no dog in this fight but I have heard a lot of complaints about CHML from neighbors and friends, and nothing bad about LAMB ever. For me this would be a really easy one.

[Anonymous]

Just got a spot at Hearst for pk4. We were in the top five on the wait list.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone gotten a call yet from Capital City PCS, lower school? We are #1 on the wait list for PK3, kind of surprised we haven't heard anything yet.

[Anonymous]

To the Cap City poster- it sounds like their wait list is moving slowly. I emailed last week and found that the wait list had only moved one spot for K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just got a spot at Hearst for pk4. We were in the top five on the wait list.

Congrats!!! How did you find out? Did they call or email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go with LAMB. It is more likely that you can make the switch to CHML next year if you find the Montessori at LAMB to be too light for your taste. Unfortunately it is not likely that you would be able to move in the opposite direction. I would also offer that LAMB provides for a better elementary track beyond the primary years. Unfortunately I have not heard many positive reviews of the elementary program at CHML. It seems as if quite a few families peel off after primary.

I agree. I don't have a child at either school so have no dog in this fight but I have heard a lot of complaints about CHML from neighbors and friends, and nothing bad about LAMB ever. For me this would be a really easy one.

LAMB parent here. Very happy with the school and very impressed with the Montessori approach. Of course I'm no expert. There seems to be a lot of hate for Montessori, so I guess the 'Montessori Light' suggestion may not be a bad thing. At any rate, I've been impressed. I wonder how the purist schools are dealing with the standardized testing debacle that is completely contradictory to the Montessori model. LAMB is doing fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:anybody have any idea with what is going on with the rest of the sws wait list? We have a decent number for PS3.

Not to discourage you but last year we were #5 on the waitlist for ps3 and never got a call.

As far as I understand, every student who was offered a spot for PS3 has accepted. So the odds of further movement seem pretty slim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:anybody have any idea with what is going on with the rest of the sws wait list? We have a decent number for PS3.

Not to discourage you but last year we were #5 on the waitlist for ps3 and never got a call.

Not to make you feel worse, but the word on the street is that all but one of the families at SWS accepted their spots, and the one that declined was pk4. Sorry.