DCI academics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC Bilingual (Spanish) is also part of the consortium that feeds into DCI.

I knew I was forgetting someone! Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is a very average student and he is bored. When I raised a brow about what he is learning and the lack of homework he said, "Doesn't every kid dream of school being this easy?"

My son had this reaction too. When I commented on the lack of homework this year as compared to last, his response was "it will be a good school year as it will be "easy".

[Anonymous]

We heard "horror" stories of the homework load and backed off on sports for the fall in anticipation. It seems that wasn't necessary. But if the PP who talked about the adjustment period being over soon is correct we might see some changes soon. I have also heard that kids are coming and going in classes quite a lot.

[Anonymous]

yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

Why on earth wouldn't they do this over the summer? Seems nearly a month of school has been lost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much of the immersion language does the students get on a typical day if they are coming from a feeder?

2-3 classes in 6th grade. 3 seems to be when a specials teacher is fluent in their language (e.g. the PE teacher conducts class in Mandarin for the children who came from YY; drama is in Spanish for the kids who came from a spanish immersion feeder.)

FWIW my DC says PE is conducted in English since kids from all feeder schools take it together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

I don't know about this--my DD was placed in a lower math class, is totally disappointed at how easy it is, says teacher is always shocked at how far ahead she is, yet there's been no word about moving up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

I don't know about this--my DD was placed in a lower math class, is totally disappointed at how easy it is, says teacher is always shocked at how far ahead she is, yet there's been no word about moving up.

PP - If I were you, call the school to schedule a meeting and nicely (but firmly) request a move. The squeaky wheel approach seems to be warranted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

Why on earth wouldn't they do this over the summer? Seems nearly a month of school has been lost.

Who would do this over the summer? Are you proposing year-long school? I'm all for it. Please provide the funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

I don't know about this--my DD was placed in a lower math class, is totally disappointed at how easy it is, says teacher is always shocked at how far ahead she is, yet there's been no word about moving up.

PP - If I were you, call the school to schedule a meeting and nicely (but firmly) request a move. The squeaky wheel approach seems to be warranted.

Thanks for this PP, just what I was starting to think. I thought it might change but I know the school has a lot of students to keep track of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

Why on earth wouldn't they do this over the summer? Seems nearly a month of school has been lost.

Who would do this over the summer? Are you proposing year-long school? I'm all for it. Please provide the funding.

Other charters do this, without being open year round. For example, Basis asks incoming families that have completed the enrollment process to come in and take a math placement test (several days available in late spring, after school or Saturdays while school is still open). Additional testing days are offered in the 2 weeks before school opens when administrators are on site preparing for the school year. No additional funding required and less shuffle into late September.

[Anonymous]

they take the NWEA and STAMP tests, which are not tests a school gives over the summer. Many other schools administer the very same tests. The NWEA, at least, is nationally normed and is taken 3x per year: September, January and May.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much of the immersion language does the students get on a typical day if they are coming from a feeder?

2-3 classes in 6th grade. 3 seems to be when a specials teacher is fluent in their language (e.g. the PE teacher conducts class in Mandarin for the children who came from YY; drama is in Spanish for the kids who came from a spanish immersion feeder.)

FWIW my DC says PE is conducted in English since kids from all feeder schools take it together.

Your DC is wrong. The upper level Chinese kids take PE in Chinese. Spanish does theater in Spanish and French does drama/art in French.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

Why on earth wouldn't they do this over the summer? Seems nearly a month of school has been lost.

Because they don't know who is coming for sure, don't have staff to administer assessments over the summer (it's not a year-around school), and learning is not lost. It also gives teachers a chance to get to know kids and prevent improper recommendations from feeders or kids who don't test well but can actually do the work. God, you're high test!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes. the school does its own assessments at the beginning of the year for math, english, and language, so there are changes to the kids' schedules who need placement changes (6th graders and new students mostly). this is also why you're seeing less homework right now.
once classes are stabilized it starts coming on. my 7th grader (who was there last year) has had about 1 hour of homework per night plus reading, and homework over the weekend thus far this year.

I don't know about this--my DD was placed in a lower math class, is totally disappointed at how easy it is, says teacher is always shocked at how far ahead she is, yet there's been no word about moving up.

Yes, dear, we're sure your precious snowflake is gifted. And DCUM is such a good place to vent your spleen and do something about this instead of talking to the school