What are folks doing for MS EOTP?

[Anonymous]

What if a student is well behaved, takes school seriously, but is a first-generation American, or arrived in this country as a child. That student, who may also be at-risk or economically disadvantaged, may well score a high-3 on PARCC ELA in 7th grade but be perfectly capable of succeeding and contributing to SWW or Banneker.

Would you shut them out of every application high school in the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, political leaders only care about getting themselves elected/re-elected. Witness Frazier O'Leary who campaigned all over Ward 4 promising that he really cared about Ward 4 schools - he now says he supports keeping Shepherd and Lafayette in Deal Wilson feeder pattern because he's most concerned about the million dollar property values in these neighborhoods. Ditto useless Brandon Todd. What they are actually saying is we don't give an eff about New North/McFarland or Roosevelt/Coolidge and SP and the Gold Coast are the only residents we really care about, wither Brightwood, Takoma, Manor Park, etc. We need to elect real leadership in Ward 4 to improve Ward 4 MS.

The new middle school plan A shouldn't be relying on Shepherd or Lafayette. Even if the feeder change most families will not send their kids to New North. What is 20 students from Shepherd going to do to change the new school. Be realistic. You just want Shepherd kicked out because you are not part of the feeder. You don't really believe that the "Strong cohort" you keep talking about will come from Shepherd, do you? If Shepherd is your plan A you will fail. I am all for improving the middle school around but there should be a better plan than hoping that Shepherd parents will send their kids to this untested MS. We will move if needed.

Then, move. Many IB families zoned for Shepherd don’t send their kids to Shepherd, which is why your school is not at capacity. By your flawed logic, Shepherd is doing something wrong...I haven’t used the term “strong cohort.” Some families in IB for Lafayette and Shepherd would leave, some do already. Others would over time help build New North. Just like Bancroft will likely help build a better MacFarland. Again, your classism and colorism/racism bears examination.

Classicsm, colorism, racism, bunk. I'm not white. I attended college on a full Pell Grant. What screams for examination is your holier-than-thou screed, which is bad for my neighborhood, and my city. When I move, local poor kids not only gain nothing, they lose out on the support I and other highly-educated neighborhood parents could bring to a public by-right middle school we found acceptable. Hint: I've worked as a professional fundraiser for a foundation giving away tens of million dollars a year. Poor kids gain nothing when I hit the road. Hint: I've worked as a professional fundraiser for a charitable organization raising tens of millions a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hundreds of UMC families in this city with children in acceptable public elementary schools will be faced with middle school choices with little or no appeal once lottery results come out in next month.

PPs like the "racist dog whistle" poster above can call us names to try to shame us into agreeing with them, or just shut us up.

Alternatively, the discussion can turn constructively to how school system leaders and city politicians are largely to blame for our failure to enroll in a DC public middle school, and what can be done about that in the short, medium and long term.

I'm intrigued by how freely folks are throwing around "UMC" in this thread, given how everyone on DCUM claims to be just plain middle class despite being objectively rich.

However, it is still worth engaging and asking PPs to defend the idea that only a school with a critical mass of "UMC" families can possibly be a viable choice. What about plain middle class families like mine (single mom, $140K HHI, bright and well-supported kids). Are my kids also the ones you are trying to avoid?

Yes -- if they get 2s and 3s on PARCC, if they're "too cool for school", and if they disrupt the classroom.

I'm the PP. High 5s all the way around, for what it is worth. Is that what you mean by UMC? Good at standardized tests?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if a student is well behaved, takes school seriously, but is a first-generation American, or arrived in this country as a child. That student, who may also be at-risk or economically disadvantaged, may well score a high-3 on PARCC ELA in 7th grade but be perfectly capable of succeeding and contributing to SWW or Banneker.

Would you shut them out of every application high school in the city?

No. If I could, I'd tutor them like mad, and provide them and their families with other forms of support, until they could work at or above grave level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are very few UMC students in the entire city and they are clustered in upper Ward 3 and a few other spots.

If you are only willing to attend a DC MS or HS with >25% UMC students, you have no literally choice but to go to Hardy, BASIS, Deal or Latin.

What is the minimum amount that qualifies a family as high SES or UMC? Is it as little as $200k or $250k or much more? Or is it a mentality? This blog references High SES and UMC a lot. Can you own an expensive house with a big mortgage and car and be house poor? Would a government GS 14 or 15 fit this or is it more like a lawyer or tech guru making $500k? Just curious to understand why some sound a little snooty and pretentious. Upper Middle Class seems like more than $300k. Want to be able to better follow discussions.

Good question! what does a family has to make to be UMC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are very few UMC students in the entire city and they are clustered in upper Ward 3 and a few other spots.

If you are only willing to attend a DC MS or HS with >25% UMC students, you have no literally choice but to go to Hardy, BASIS, Deal or Latin.

What is the minimum amount that qualifies a family as high SES or UMC? Is it as little as $200k or $250k or much more? Or is it a mentality? This blog references High SES and UMC a lot. Can you own an expensive house with a big mortgage and car and be house poor? Would a government GS 14 or 15 fit this or is it more like a lawyer or tech guru making $500k? Just curious to understand why some sound a little snooty and pretentious. Upper Middle Class seems like more than $300k. Want to be able to better follow discussions.

Good question! what does a family has to make to be UMC?

See post at 13:00

[Anonymous]

Shepherd Park families think New North is already open, OMG their lack of knowledge re: Ward 4 is shocking. Yikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, political leaders only care about getting themselves elected/re-elected. Witness Frazier O'Leary who campaigned all over Ward 4 promising that he really cared about Ward 4 schools - he now says he supports keeping Shepherd and Lafayette in Deal Wilson feeder pattern because he's most concerned about the million dollar property values in these neighborhoods. Ditto useless Brandon Todd. What they are actually saying is we don't give an eff about New North/McFarland or Roosevelt/Coolidge and SP and the Gold Coast are the only residents we really care about, wither Brightwood, Takoma, Manor Park, etc. We need to elect real leadership in Ward 4 to improve Ward 4 MS.

The new middle school plan A shouldn't be relying on Shepherd or Lafayette. Even if the feeder change most families will not send their kids to New North. What is 20 students from Shepherd going to do to change the new school. Be realistic. You just want Shepherd kicked out because you are not part of the feeder. You don't really believe that the "Strong cohort" you keep talking about will come from Shepherd, do you? If Shepherd is your plan A you will fail. I am all for improving the middle school around but there should be a better plan than hoping that Shepherd parents will send their kids to this untested MS. We will move if needed.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, political leaders only care about getting themselves elected/re-elected. Witness Frazier O'Leary who campaigned all over Ward 4 promising that he really cared about Ward 4 schools - he now says he supports keeping Shepherd and Lafayette in Deal Wilson feeder pattern because he's most concerned about the million dollar property values in these neighborhoods. Ditto useless Brandon Todd. What they are actually saying is we don't give an eff about New North/McFarland or Roosevelt/Coolidge and SP and the Gold Coast are the only residents we really care about, wither Brightwood, Takoma, Manor Park, etc. We need to elect real leadership in Ward 4 to improve Ward 4 MS.

The new middle school plan A shouldn't be relying on Shepherd or Lafayette. Even if the feeder change most families will not send their kids to New North. What is 20 students from Shepherd going to do to change the new school. Be realistic. You just want Shepherd kicked out because you are not part of the feeder. You don't really believe that the "Strong cohort" you keep talking about will come from Shepherd, do you? If Shepherd is your plan A you will fail. I am all for improving the middle school around but there should be a better plan than hoping that Shepherd parents will send their kids to this untested MS. We will move if needed.

Then, move. Many IB families zoned for Shepherd don’t send their kids to Shepherd, which is why your school is not at capacity. By your flawed logic, Shepherd is doing something wrong...I haven’t used the term “strong cohort.” Some families in IB for Lafayette and Shepherd would leave, some do already. Others would over time help build New North. Just like Bancroft will likely help build a better MacFarland. Again, your classism and colorism/racism bears examination.

Classicsm, colorism, racism, bunk. I'm not white. I attended college on a full Pell Grant. What screams for examination is your holier-than-thou screed, which is bad for my neighborhood, and my city. When I move, local poor kids not only gain nothing, they lose out on the support I and other highly-educated neighborhood parents could bring to a public by-right middle school we found acceptable. Hint: I've worked as a professional fundraiser for a foundation giving away tens of million dollars a year. Poor kids gain nothing when I hit the road. Hint: I've worked as a professional fundraiser for a charitable organization raising tens of millions a year.

News flash. Colorism exists in AA community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, political leaders only care about getting themselves elected/re-elected. Witness Frazier O'Leary who campaigned all over Ward 4 promising that he really cared about Ward 4 schools - he now says he supports keeping Shepherd and Lafayette in Deal Wilson feeder pattern because he's most concerned about the million dollar property values in these neighborhoods. Ditto useless Brandon Todd. What they are actually saying is we don't give an eff about New North/McFarland or Roosevelt/Coolidge and SP and the Gold Coast are the only residents we really care about, wither Brightwood, Takoma, Manor Park, etc. We need to elect real leadership in Ward 4 to improve Ward 4 MS.

Frazier O'Leary talks out both sides of his mouth. Did Brandon Todd provide conflicting statements regarding advocating for Shepherd to stay in the Deal/Wilson boundary too? I missed it if he did, so please share.

Ward 4 has multiple feeder patterns. Of course families IB for Shepherd (like me) want to stay in the Deal/Wilson boundary as opposed to changing the boundary to an unproven middle school and unacceptable to most UMC high school. I'm sorry that other parts of Ward 4 got kicked out, but it's not fair for other Ward 4 parents to try to drag us into this less favorable (and not even viable to many) option just to boost their own feeder patterns.

Also, preserving the constituents' home values is something that our elected leaders SHOULD care about.

I hope our elected Ward 4 leaders focus efforts both on fighting for Shepherd to stay IB for Deal and Wilson and also building up other Ward 4 schools. For the record, Deal and Wilson are Ward 4 schools because they serve Ward 4 residents, regardless of what Ward they physically reside in. Same as Garrison Elementary serves Wards 1 and 2, but is located in Ward 1. It's still a Ward 2 school as well as a Ward 1 school.

Brandon Todd also talks out of both sides of his mouth, he has said to other Ward 4 families that the boundaries are up in 2022 and he was open to looking at this issue - now to SP, he is saying I don't support the boundary change. He will hopefully be held accountable by Ward 4 voters (assuming he doesn't get indicted).

And, nope, SP's property values are no more important than the rest of Ward 4. Our property values not routed for Deal/Wilson go up every year - and are well over 700k. These property values are tied to Ward 4 schools getting better, obviously. The better question is why you think your property values and children are more important then the rest of the students in the Ward you live in. Rest assured, that they are not. Property is fungible. Metro lines get built. Schools closes. Walter Reed is redeveloped as housing. You assume a risk when you buy any house anywhere. You are not royalty, and the Deal/Wilson is not a divine right of kings. For the record, Deal and Wilson are not Ward 4 schools, just because they serve OOB kids or Shepherd.Lafayette currently. Many other schools in the District serve OOB kids - that doesn't magically transform that school to a Ward 4 school - that's crazy. As much as Shepherd Park/Lafayette parents accuse Ward 3 of racism - they should look inward at their own classicism and colorism/racism. Membership in Jack and Jill doesn't make you more important than anybody else who wants a good school for their children.

Nobody said that "SP's property values are more important than the rest of Ward 4", however any elected official should care about what his constituents care about, that being a good school or their house property value. You wanting to get SES kicked out of a feeder (Btw the feeder is the only reason why the school improved and have the cohort you so want!) for your own selfish reason is not more valuable than SP park residents trying to keep the feeder they are currently in.

You also talk about SP "own classicism and colorism/racism", why can't you send your kid to New North or Coolidge as it is now? isn't it because you think your kid is better than that?? why wouldn't SP residents also want something that is better for them? You sound very jealous and entitled!

Perfect response, thank you! The pp you're responding to is so jealous that she just doesn't want Shepherd to have anything that she doesn't have. No one said anything about OOB kids changing which ward is included in the boundary either. But yes, Deal and Wilson are Ward 3 AND 4 schools because Shepherd Park, Colonial Village, and North Portal Estates are IN BOUNDARY for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, political leaders only care about getting themselves elected/re-elected. Witness Frazier O'Leary who campaigned all over Ward 4 promising that he really cared about Ward 4 schools - he now says he supports keeping Shepherd and Lafayette in Deal Wilson feeder pattern because he's most concerned about the million dollar property values in these neighborhoods. Ditto useless Brandon Todd. What they are actually saying is we don't give an eff about New North/McFarland or Roosevelt/Coolidge and SP and the Gold Coast are the only residents we really care about, wither Brightwood, Takoma, Manor Park, etc. We need to elect real leadership in Ward 4 to improve Ward 4 MS.

The new middle school plan A shouldn't be relying on Shepherd or Lafayette. Even if the feeder change most families will not send their kids to New North. What is 20 students from Shepherd going to do to change the new school. Be realistic. You just want Shepherd kicked out because you are not part of the feeder. You don't really believe that the "Strong cohort" you keep talking about will come from Shepherd, do you? If Shepherd is your plan A you will fail. I am all for improving the middle school around but there should be a better plan than hoping that Shepherd parents will send their kids to this untested MS. We will move if needed.

Then, move. Many IB families zoned for Shepherd don’t send their kids to Shepherd, which is why your school is not at capacity. By your flawed logic, Shepherd is doing something wrong...I haven’t used the term “strong cohort.” Some families in IB for Lafayette and Shepherd would leave, some do already. Others would over time help build New North. Just like Bancroft will likely help build a better MacFarland. Again, your classism and colorism/racism bears examination.

Classicsm, colorism, racism, bunk. I'm not white. I attended college on a full Pell Grant. What screams for examination is your holier-than-thou screed, which is bad for my neighborhood, and my city. When I move, local poor kids not only gain nothing, they lose out on the support I and other highly-educated neighborhood parents could bring to a public by-right middle school we found acceptable. Hint: I've worked as a professional fundraiser for a foundation giving away tens of million dollars a year. Poor kids gain nothing when I hit the road. Hint: I've worked as a professional fundraiser for a charitable organization raising tens of millions a year.

News flash. Colorism exists in AA community.

DP here. Yes, colorism exists in the AA community, but that's not what this is about. This is about Shepherd families wanting to stay in boundary for the better schools, Deal and Wilson. If we lose our current in boundary middle and high schools, then many of us UMC will move for better schools or choose private or charter elementary, middle, and high schools. That would be a loss to the poor kids who also use these schools that we support with our money and time. Then Shepherd would become a school mostly for poor kids, which isn't good for anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, political leaders only care about getting themselves elected/re-elected. Witness Frazier O'Leary who campaigned all over Ward 4 promising that he really cared about Ward 4 schools - he now says he supports keeping Shepherd and Lafayette in Deal Wilson feeder pattern because he's most concerned about the million dollar property values in these neighborhoods. Ditto useless Brandon Todd. What they are actually saying is we don't give an eff about New North/McFarland or Roosevelt/Coolidge and SP and the Gold Coast are the only residents we really care about, wither Brightwood, Takoma, Manor Park, etc. We need to elect real leadership in Ward 4 to improve Ward 4 MS.

Frazier O'Leary talks out both sides of his mouth. Did Brandon Todd provide conflicting statements regarding advocating for Shepherd to stay in the Deal/Wilson boundary too? I missed it if he did, so please share.

Ward 4 has multiple feeder patterns. Of course families IB for Shepherd (like me) want to stay in the Deal/Wilson boundary as opposed to changing the boundary to an unproven middle school and unacceptable to most UMC high school. I'm sorry that other parts of Ward 4 got kicked out, but it's not fair for other Ward 4 parents to try to drag us into this less favorable (and not even viable to many) option just to boost their own feeder patterns.

Also, preserving the constituents' home values is something that our elected leaders SHOULD care about.

I hope our elected Ward 4 leaders focus efforts both on fighting for Shepherd to stay IB for Deal and Wilson and also building up other Ward 4 schools. For the record, Deal and Wilson are Ward 4 schools because they serve Ward 4 residents, regardless of what Ward they physically reside in. Same as Garrison Elementary serves Wards 1 and 2, but is located in Ward 1. It's still a Ward 2 school as well as a Ward 1 school.

Brandon Todd also talks out of both sides of his mouth, he has said to other Ward 4 families that the boundaries are up in 2022 and he was open to looking at this issue - now to SP, he is saying I don't support the boundary change. He will hopefully be held accountable by Ward 4 voters (assuming he doesn't get indicted).

And, nope, SP's property values are no more important than the rest of Ward 4. Our property values not routed for Deal/Wilson go up every year - and are well over 700k. These property values are tied to Ward 4 schools getting better, obviously. The better question is why you think your property values and children are more important then the rest of the students in the Ward you live in. Rest assured, that they are not. Property is fungible. Metro lines get built. Schools closes. Walter Reed is redeveloped as housing. You assume a risk when you buy any house anywhere. You are not royalty, and the Deal/Wilson is not a divine right of kings. For the record, Deal and Wilson are not Ward 4 schools, just because they serve OOB kids or Shepherd.Lafayette currently. Many other schools in the District serve OOB kids - that doesn't magically transform that school to a Ward 4 school - that's crazy. As much as Shepherd Park/Lafayette parents accuse Ward 3 of racism - they should look inward at their own classicism and colorism/racism. Membership in Jack and Jill doesn't make you more important than anybody else who wants a good school for their children.

Nobody said that "SP's property values are more important than the rest of Ward 4", however any elected official should care about what his constituents care about, that being a good school or their house property value. You wanting to get SES kicked out of a feeder (Btw the feeder is the only reason why the school improved and have the cohort you so want!) for your own selfish reason is not more valuable than SP park residents trying to keep the feeder they are currently in.

You also talk about SP "own classicism and colorism/racism", why can't you send your kid to New North or Coolidge as it is now? isn't it because you think your kid is better than that?? why wouldn't SP residents also want something that is better for them? You sound very jealous and entitled!

Perfect response, thank you! The pp you're responding to is so jealous that she just doesn't want Shepherd to have anything that she doesn't have. No one said anything about OOB kids changing which ward is included in the boundary either. But yes, Deal and Wilson are Ward 3 AND 4 schools because Shepherd Park, Colonial Village, and North Portal Estates are IN BOUNDARY for them.

The idea that anyone in Shepherd Park would call anyone outside Shepherd Park "entitled" is hilarious. I don't think anybody is "jealous" of Shepherd. We want good schools in our neighborhoods, too. I think what people are saying - and there seem to be multiple people saying it - is that it doesn't make any sense for Shepherd or Lafayette, or Bancroft to be routed to Deal/Wilson we have spent millions building two new middle schools in Ward 4. It also probably makes sense to end OOB rights for Deal/Wilson, particularly since most of the people attending OOB are from Ward 4. As someone pointed out, New North is not open yet. We certainly could send our kids there. But, no Deal and Wilson are not Ward 4 schools - and it doesn't matter if Shepherd/Lafayette are currently routed there. Even Ward boundaries change - and since Shepherd Park seems pretty divested from Ward 4, maybe they should be in Ward 1 - and go to CHEC.

[Anonymous]

Based on the test scores and such why are folks hoping for Haynes over New North?? I think I like Haynes for the most part and it is on our short list but it doesn't test well. They also seem to have a lot of behavioral issues.. At least that is what some staff and parents shared at the open house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, when we moved in there were tons of kids on my block (predominantly AA families) and NONE of them sent their kids to Bruce Monroe, Powell or MacFarland. They all went private or got a lottery spot at an OOB DCPS (which was presumably easier to do 10+ years ago).
DCPS doesn't just have an uphill courting battle with "newer" UMC families (which shouldn't be read for "white" because that is just not accurate), they've HAD an ongoing problem with getting buy-in from the neighborhood with MacFarland for years.

+100. Nearly all of our long time African American (30/40-60s years) neighbors went to private school during part of all of there education in DC. Very few of those not over 60-70 went through dcps from k-12 and we live in solid middle class African-American neighborhood. Of those most senior neighbors that attended dcps they sent their kids or grandkids to private or charters if at all possible.
Definitely not a new high income white issue.. Dcps has been failing to keep AA families with recourse for a long time.

[Anonymous]

How did this turn into a Shepherd Park thread?

That's one, teeny, tiny EOTP neighborhood.