Feedback on Bridges PCS?

[Anonymous]

Ugh, now I regret having ranked Bridges so high on my list for PK3...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current parent at Bridges PCS here

Let me just start by saying that this year has been the worst year ever with staff and turnover rates. The news of Ms. Neris leaving really hit home for me, and by far has left me scared of what will be of Bridges after April 1st. I am super lucky to have such an honest teacher who gives me the scoop on what's really going on. Ms. Neris is leaving because Bridges treats her like she is dirt! She loves the school, but the appreciation for its staff and teachers is one of the reasons why everyone is leaving, has left, or will not be coming back next year. As one of the previous post mentioned, pay rates at charter schools are way less than your typical DCPS salary, but staff are well aware of their salaries before signing up for the job. I am deeply saddened by the news of Ms. Neris' departure as she is the glue that holds that school together and is truly the backbone of that place. She is a ray of sunshine the moment you enter the building and if anyone at the school is effective on communication, it would have to be her!

I know other parents are really upset by this, is there anything we can do or say to make her stay? I truly cannot fathom the idea of Bridges without her! My childs teacher has also shared with me that most teachers and teacher assistants are leaving due to the lack of support offered by administration. Being an inclusive school, they are overloaded with students who are emotionally disturbed, but not offered the support that is needed. Handling 18 students is already hard enough, but handling half of the class with some sort of special need and zero support can overwhelm anyone!

This is my second year at Bridges and I have been extremely satisfied with my child's teacher, but I am not are if that can balance out all the negativity that is going on. I really hope that this meeting tomorrow is effective and informative. Hope to see other parents join and express their concerns about everything!

I don't think there is anything to do to keep Ms. Neris or any of the teachers. Olivia sets the tone for the school and, frankly, I'm surprised that staff and teaches have stayed as long as they do. I don't think anything will change unless Olivia leaves, and I don't think that will ever happen.

Yeah, I think this is correct unfortunately. I feel bad for the new principal. It doesn't seem like real decision-making power was ever in her hands. At the end of the day, Olivia calls the shots. A few years ago teachers started doing home visits as part of a grant received from Flamboyan. At other schools teachers were compensated for their time. Not at Bridges. Why? Because Olivia believes teachers should want to reach out to parents and shouldn't be paid for doing something they should already be doing. Just one example of why teacher morale can get so low.

[Anonymous]

I just wish we'd had some of this feedback before sending our DC this year. We actually got into some of our higher ranked schools off the waiting list, but prior to this year, the feedback about Bridges was so uniformly glowing we thought we couldn't go wrong. Instead, we've ended up with a disorganized, overwhelmed teacher and in a classroom with so many kids with intensive needs that I think our kid gets very little attention or support. I get that the teachers have their hands full--several kids in the class aren't even potty trained--but they do so much to emphasize meeting each kid where they are, and that simply hasn't been the case for our kid.

[Anonymous]

I'm close to a teacher there who admitted this year has been a mess. I left them off my list at her encouragement.

[Anonymous]

Ms. Neris is so disgusted with Bridges that she is leaving without security of another job. She sees it all and knows the truth which Kristine did NOT offer up to parents today at the meeting. She led parents to believe that teachers have left due to commuting issues or better jobs. Lies. All lies. She asked teachers to be on a panel to data they feel heard ands supported by her. Most flat out refused to be on it and ones who did operate in their own bubble.
Bridges may meet needs of gifted kiddos, but their new charter starting next school year is to meet the needs of children with the greatest needs which is sickening because they can't and don't meet the needs of the special needs children they have now. It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ms. Neris is so disgusted with Bridges that she is leaving without security of another job. She sees it all and knows the truth which Kristine did NOT offer up to parents today at the meeting. She led parents to believe that teachers have left due to commuting issues or better jobs. Lies. All lies. She asked teachers to be on a panel to data they feel heard ands supported by her. Most flat out refused to be on it and ones who did operate in their own bubble.
Bridges may meet needs of gifted kiddos, but their new charter starting next school year is to meet the needs of children with the greatest needs which is sickening because they can't and don't meet the needs of the special needs children they have now. It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

Were you at this morning's meeting? If so, can you tell us what the discussion was about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ms. Neris is so disgusted with Bridges that she is leaving without security of another job. She sees it all and knows the truth which Kristine did NOT offer up to parents today at the meeting. She led parents to believe that teachers have left due to commuting issues or better jobs. Lies. All lies. She asked teachers to be on a panel to data they feel heard ands supported by her. Most flat out refused to be on it and ones who did operate in their own bubble.
Bridges may meet needs of gifted kiddos, but their new charter starting next school year is to meet the needs of children with the greatest needs which is sickening because they can't and don't meet the needs of the special needs children they have now. It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

I'm confused, I thought she had another job and that is why she was leaving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm close to a teacher there who admitted this year has been a mess. I left them off my list at her encouragement.

I had the same experience therefore did not apply for Bridges! Staff are not allowed to truly voice their opinion. Maybe someone should ask the staff and not the leaders what's really going on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

I don't think this accurately reflects their approach to special ed - if it did, kids would be getting more - not less - hours, including those with minor needs, rather than the push some parents have experienced this year to decrease services to kids. Not all kids, obviously, but some. But if they wanted to game the system, the way to do it would be to increase the kid's level of need (via IEP hours) without seeking out kids with greater needs - that is, load on services on kids who have minimal needs, to get the monetary gain from DC (since yes, money follows services), without the corresponding "burden" of actual needs at that level. Just noting. Not commenting on anything else in the thread or it's accuracy. But what they're doing is not the way to game the system.

[Anonymous]

In DC each child is given funding based on a coded level of 1-4. Bridges is now seeking out the children with the greatest needs- highest level- largest amount of money to follow. If they changed a lot of IEPs to increase services, they a) have to front the money for the aides or the hours, etc, and b) it would become obvious that they seem to be adding lots of hours to lots of IEPs. AND adding services does not necessarily change the level, so Bridges is out more money but does not get more in return. They are gaming the system by not allowing students to DECREASE their needs. Several of us with children in self-contained classrooms have gotten push-back and then some about moving our children out. On both campuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

I don't think this accurately reflects their approach to special ed - if it did, kids would be getting more - not less - hours, including those with minor needs, rather than the push some parents have experienced this year to decrease services to kids. Not all kids, obviously, but some. But if they wanted to game the system, the way to do it would be to increase the kid's level of need (via IEP hours) without seeking out kids with greater needs - that is, load on services on kids who have minimal needs, to get the monetary gain from DC (since yes, money follows services), without the corresponding "burden" of actual needs at that level. Just noting. Not commenting on anything else in the thread or it's accuracy. But what they're doing is not the way to game the system.

In DC each child is given funding based on a coded level of 1-4. Bridges is now seeking out the children with the greatest needs- highest level- largest amount of money to follow. If they changed a lot of IEPs to increase services, they a) have to front the money for the aides or the hours, etc, and b) it would become obvious that they seem to be adding lots of hours to lots of IEPs. AND adding services does not necessarily change the level, so Bridges is out more money but does not get more in return. They are gaming the system by not allowing students to DECREASE their needs. Several of us with children in self-contained classrooms have gotten push-back and then some about moving our children out. On both campuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ms. Neris is so disgusted with Bridges that she is leaving without security of another job. She sees it all and knows the truth which Kristine did NOT offer up to parents today at the meeting. She led parents to believe that teachers have left due to commuting issues or better jobs. Lies. All lies. She asked teachers to be on a panel to data they feel heard ands supported by her. Most flat out refused to be on it and ones who did operate in their own bubble.
Bridges may meet needs of gifted kiddos, but their new charter starting next school year is to meet the needs of children with the greatest needs which is sickening because they can't and don't meet the needs of the special needs children they have now. It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

I'm confused, I thought she had another job and that is why she was leaving?

That's the story KR is spinning- she does NOT have another job, she is just that unhappy. Angela who quit, as well, does have another job lined up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm close to a teacher there who admitted this year has been a mess. I left them off my list at her encouragement.

I had the same experience therefore did not apply for Bridges! Staff are not allowed to truly voice their opinion. Maybe someone should ask the staff and not the leaders what's really going on!

I only ask the staff (that I trust) what is going on. Administration never tells the truth over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a money game to them- in DC, each child is assigned money (to the school) based on their need level. I sound cynical, but I'm not conjecturing.

I don't think this accurately reflects their approach to special ed - if it did, kids would be getting more - not less - hours, including those with minor needs, rather than the push some parents have experienced this year to decrease services to kids. Not all kids, obviously, but some. But if they wanted to game the system, the way to do it would be to increase the kid's level of need (via IEP hours) without seeking out kids with greater needs - that is, load on services on kids who have minimal needs, to get the monetary gain from DC (since yes, money follows services), without the corresponding "burden" of actual needs at that level. Just noting. Not commenting on anything else in the thread or it's accuracy. But what they're doing is not the way to game the system.

In DC each child is given funding based on a coded level of 1-4. Bridges is now seeking out the children with the greatest needs- highest level- largest amount of money to follow. If they changed a lot of IEPs to increase services, they a) have to front the money for the aides or the hours, etc, and b) it would become obvious that they seem to be adding lots of hours to lots of IEPs. AND adding services does not necessarily change the level, so Bridges is out more money but does not get more in return. They are gaming the system by not allowing students to DECREASE their needs. Several of us with children in self-contained classrooms have gotten push-back and then some about moving our children out. On both campuses.

This is a serious allegation. I hope you are putting your concerns in writing to OSSE and / or the U.S. Department of Education who have oversight over IDEA and implementation of special education programs.

Even if you are leaving the school it is worth reporting.

[Anonymous]

This is a serious allegation. I hope you are putting your concerns in writing to OSSE and / or the U.S. Department of Education who have oversight over IDEA and implementation of special education programs.

Even if you are leaving the school it is worth reporting.



I know at least one of the parents has.