Breakthrough Montessori: And so it begins...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have no fear, people, Breakthrough will become HRCS and an upper middle class enclave in no time.

I don't think the prospect of "upper middle class enclave" is good, I actually find this post quite appalling... If you are so worried about low income families (which Lee for instance has quite a lot), then you are very welcome to go ahead and find some posh private school that they cannot afford, and I really do hope you will do so

Being ironic. Look at the HRCS and what they've become (in terms of demographics) vs. how they sold themselves to the charter board.

Parents will sort and self-select their way into schools where they'll be peers with other parents. That's just how the system works (and the cynical among would say how it's designed to work).

And it tends to be schools that get a lot of attention on DCUM that go through this trend. Sure there are start up troubles, but once word gets out to all the middle class families looking for some -- any -- escape from their own awful neighborhood DCPS, then it becomes the next hot school with exclusive waitlists...and shortly after that a HRCS.

I think geographic location and outreach matter a LOT. I'd like to see the DC charter board start requiring geographic AND programmatic diversity in new charters. Why should Ward 7 and 8 only have "no excuses" charters, and the progressive charters be located in places with little public transportation? I'd also like to see the DC charter board take an active role in assessing outreach to all DC neighborhoods and populations.

That said, I do think that the charters provide more of an opportunity for high quality schools and diversity than do neighborhood schools at this point, unless DCPS gets it together to start improving middle school options in places where elementary schools are more integrated.

Every new charter already has to outline its plans for marketing and outreach in their proposal -- and there is monitoring of their efforts.

Part of the rationale behind MySchoolDC, the Common Lottery is to improve information about all schools to all audiences.

I think I recall hearing there was a new expeditionary learning charter going through the approval process that wants to locate in Ward 7 or 8. Can't find its name now though.

Is that the one Lee's head is on the board of? Lee is invested in progrssive education for all - there is no cynical attempt to create an enclave of high SES at Lee. You can see where their heart lies when you see the principal and head of school interact with the kids. They believe in their charter mission. I think 20-30% is pretty sustainable for the school - we won't end up in the 4% like other hrch. And our racial diverity is pretty amazing. And I woudkl say we are at least 40% mses (middle ses) rather that hses though that is harder to track.

No charter has just 4% economically disadvantaged students -- YY has the least at 9.5%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have no fear, people, Breakthrough will become HRCS and an upper middle class enclave in no time.

I don't think the prospect of "upper middle class enclave" is good, I actually find this post quite appalling... If you are so worried about low income families (which Lee for instance has quite a lot), then you are very welcome to go ahead and find some posh private school that they cannot afford, and I really do hope you will do so

Being ironic. Look at the HRCS and what they've become (in terms of demographics) vs. how they sold themselves to the charter board.

Parents will sort and self-select their way into schools where they'll be peers with other parents. That's just how the system works (and the cynical among would say how it's designed to work).

And it tends to be schools that get a lot of attention on DCUM that go through this trend. Sure there are start up troubles, but once word gets out to all the middle class families looking for some -- any -- escape from their own awful neighborhood DCPS, then it becomes the next hot school with exclusive waitlists...and shortly after that a HRCS.

I think geographic location and outreach matter a LOT. I'd like to see the DC charter board start requiring geographic AND programmatic diversity in new charters. Why should Ward 7 and 8 only have "no excuses" charters, and the progressive charters be located in places with little public transportation? I'd also like to see the DC charter board take an active role in assessing outreach to all DC neighborhoods and populations.

That said, I do think that the charters provide more of an opportunity for high quality schools and diversity than do neighborhood schools at this point, unless DCPS gets it together to start improving middle school options in places where elementary schools are more integrated.

Every new charter already has to outline its plans for marketing and outreach in their proposal -- and there is monitoring of their efforts.

Part of the rationale behind MySchoolDC, the Common Lottery is to improve information about all schools to all audiences.

I think I recall hearing there was a new expeditionary learning charter going through the approval process that wants to locate in Ward 7 or 8. Can't find its name now though.

Is that the one Lee's head is on the board of? Lee is invested in progrssive education for all - there is no cynical attempt to create an enclave of high SES at Lee. You can see where their heart lies when you see the principal and head of school interact with the kids. They believe in their charter mission. I think 20-30% is pretty sustainable for the school - we won't end up in the 4% like other hrch. And our racial diverity is pretty amazing. And I woudkl say we are at least 40% mses (middle ses) rather that hses though that is harder to track.

Lee parent here. No one has asked my salary. I don't get what you are basing your assumptions on. I have no idea what other families income is and whether it is high or middle ses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure we made someone happy today because we declined enrollment there because of the lack of an outdoor area for the children to play. They're supposed to be getting a permit to walk 3 blocks or so for recess everyday. No thanks. I'm sure it works for some but not for us.

Our kid has been doing this while attending Bridges (in the same location) for two years, and it works out fine.

[Anonymous]

Getting back to the original question. Does anyone know why the ED left? In addition, did anyone else leave? Have they even hired any teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting back to the original question. Does anyone know why the ED left? In addition, did anyone else leave? Have they even hired any teachers?

Bump

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I for one would not even consider sending my child to a school that has mostly "upper middle class" kids. School is for learning how to navigate real life, not the distorted version that those families see. I would however out up with several of those, alongside several of very poor ones and so with the rest.. This is why it makes sense to mix people so that nobody gets drawn away.. If "upper middle class" or richer people find this uncomfortable, please go ahead and send your kids to really expensive private schools that nobody else can afford, and leave the rest of us enjoy the real life

I don't need my kids' classmates to be all upper middle class, but I'd like to send them to school with the kids of parents who can write a coherent sentence.

English is not my first language, and I speak four languages. I bet you speak just one...

No, I'm actually not a native speaker either, and I'm fluent in three languages. Less than you, but enough.

You're a jerk (speaking for the rest of us).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Getting back to the original question. Does anyone know why the ED left? In addition, did anyone else leave? Have they even hired any teachers?

Bump

Yes, as of the enrollment deadline they had hired all their teachers--all of whom had masters degrees (or so I was told by an administrator). They were still looking for a few teacher's assistants, but they are requiring Montessori certifications for this position, which limits the normal pool of applicants.

[Anonymous]

Waitlist moved in the right direction

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Waitlist moved in the right direction

Is the waitlist moving a lot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Waitlist moved in the right direction

Is the waitlist moving a lot?

Got an offer today. We were originally in the high teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I for one would not even consider sending my child to a school that has mostly "upper middle class" kids. School is for learning how to navigate real life, not the distorted version that those families see. I would however out up with several of those, alongside several of very poor ones and so with the rest.. This is why it makes sense to mix people so that nobody gets drawn away.. If "upper middle class" or richer people find this uncomfortable, please go ahead and send your kids to really expensive private schools that nobody else can afford, and leave the rest of us enjoy the real life

I don't need my kids' classmates to be all upper middle class, but I'd like to send them to school with the kids of parents who can write a coherent sentence.

You both sound like jerks.

[Anonymous]

Those with offers, are you taking them? Thoughts on this school, since there is no real track record and sounds like a gamble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those with offers, are you taking them? Thoughts on this school, since there is no real track record and sounds like a gamble.

We are accepting. (One with an offer today.)

It's a risk, but a good commute and Montessori were our two most important criteria. We're willing to take a risk, and we've been quite impressed so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those with offers, are you taking them? Thoughts on this school, since there is no real track record and sounds like a gamble.

We are accepting. (One with an offer today.)

It's a risk, but a good commute and Montessori were our two most important criteria. We're willing to take a risk, and we've been quite impressed so far.

PK3 or PK4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those with offers, are you taking them? Thoughts on this school, since there is no real track record and sounds like a gamble.

We are accepting. (One with an offer today.)

It's a risk, but a good commute and Montessori were our two most important criteria. We're willing to take a risk, and we've been quite impressed so far.

PK3 or PK4?

PK3