Is your kid in 8th grade at Washington Latin?

[Anonymous]

The highest grade at WL this year is rising 10th. This inaugural Latin class will be juniors next year.

If you wish to peek at the work the kids are doing go to the homework wikis. You can click and browse by grade: http://www.latinpcs.org/wiki/wiki.asp It looks like current tenth grade offerings include algebra II and geometry, which should put those kids who pursue it on track for pre-calculus and calculus I would guess.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone provide an honest assessment of the kind of students who populate the WL high school? Have many/any of them been through the whole program. Are they generally strong students? I understand that more kids may stay as the years go on, but what is it like right now?

Anonymous wrote:The highest grade at WL this year is rising 10th. This inaugural Latin class will be juniors next year.

If you wish to peek at the work the kids are doing go to the homework wikis. You can click and browse by grade: http://www.latinpcs.org/wiki/wiki.asp It looks like current tenth grade offerings include algebra II and geometry, which should put those kids who pursue it on track for pre-calculus and calculus I would guess.

[Anonymous]

Most have been through the program since 5th. New faces are obviously welcomed as the kids love each other, but also love getting to know someone new (it's a small school so each stands out as an individual). They are not as strong collectively as the Middle School, but there are strong students whose needs are being met (pre calc is being offered to some in 10th). The balance is AA, the balance is Middle Class, there is every other hue/culture/income/education background in the spectrum though (I am going out on a limb here, but it probably feels like walking the halls of Duke Ellington?), there are kids of GU profs and kids of bus drivers. Does this help? If you have specific concerns about how your child would 'fit in' or his/her needs be addressed I would contact Diana Smith (curriculum). You also may wish her to refer you to the President of the EC (steering committee of the PA) who is also a HS parent, and committed to the children there having a quality experience. She could answer questions from the parent end, as well as how to get involved should you so choose.

[Anonymous]

I removed the childrens' names, but it is nice to see that a Latin 5th Grader placed second (for 5th Graders) in the Grand Prize Ranking for the DC Elementary CityWide Science Fair. This is the first year that WL entered its 5th Grade into the Elementary City-Wide SF. Good job to Key and Ross as well!


DC Elementary City-Wide Science Fair

Grand Prize Winners


5th Grade

1st Place
“Best Bridge Design”
Key Elementary

2nd Place
“How does hydropower work?”
Washington Latin Public Charter School

3rd Place
“Sugar vs. Sugar Substitutes”
Ross Elementary School

[Anonymous]

My DC went to a party with WL classmates (rising 8th graders) this weekend, and I was amazed to hear that the kids were discussing where they're going for high school, and only one or two are even considering Latin as a choice for high school. This class of kids seemed like they might be the ones to take the leap, but apparently not. Too bad, really. It's a good middle school.

[Anonymous]

My DC was in a recent Latin 8th grade class. DC is no longer there, instead DC got into a really challenging high school (I don't want to say which because it would identify us). We think the new high school was impressed with DC's experience at Latin, and that helped with DC's acceptance at the new school.

We would have been happy for DC to stay at Latin, even considering the new HS. It's a trade-off. At Latin there are small classes, great foreign languages (including french, chinese, arabic, in addition to the obvious Latin), great literature, great social studies. Tons of individual teacher attention, a librarian who knew DC and would suggest books that DC might - and did - love. Teachers who formed real bonds with the kids. No football team, however, less impressive science labs (although the science teachers really, really, try), and a generally small-community feel.

DC was also willing to stay at Latin because DC had friends there, loved the teachers, and liked the classes (including Latin). The problem was that some (not all) of DC's friends decided early on to leave. A few were frank about wanting a "big" high school experience, with a football team, swimming pool, and the works. These vocal few were class leaders, as it happened. Once a few kids said they were leaving, this had an impact on the others who started to worry they would be left behind, or were maybe missing out on something they were failing to consider. A lemming effect, if you will.

What's the solution? Maybe a generous donor who can help sponsor a big campus with sports fields and fancy labs. Or a close-knit, cohesive group of kids who all decide to take the plunge. The academics are not the problem, in our experience. Also, my guess (yet to be tested) is that colleges would be really impressed with the Latin diploma - frankly, we thought DC would have better college choices applying from Latin than from DC's current HS which is really competitive.

[Anonymous]

Ha--go figure. My DC (rising 8th grader) went to a party this week and most of DC's friends were talking about staying. I guess there are all kinds of perspectives out there! It's nice to hear the PP above post about how well-prepared kids are if they do leave, and the pros of staying. Thank you PP.

[Anonymous]

Any new developments at Washington Latin? Is the high school any better?

[Anonymous]

Eighth grade is great. I just asked my kid. Quote: it's 'fun' mom, just being with all my friends and enjoying school and life.
We are open to the school to makes it's case for why to stay to high school, and we are looking at other schools as well.

[Anonymous]

I hear there are openings in 5th and 6th grade right now...

[Anonymous]

If that's true, it means that some kids who received placement did not turn up. The school will see who's next on the waiting list (and presumably whoever is next is attending a school currently and might not be inclined to switch). This is normal at most schools

[Anonymous]

I heard that they added some classrooms but not sure why they don't fill it off a waitlist

[Anonymous]

They added classrooms for the HS; they have a great shared space with a very welcoming church next door. The classrooms and use of the main hall are beautiful and give the school 'breathing room' for mounting a longer-running science fair etc. I've heard the HS teachers are first-rate and that discipline wise there is a different 'feel' in the air this year. WL is a school that has gotten better every year. The Middle School is strong and the HS continues to develop. What they do need is a facility. Anyone who is eying for the kids a few years down the road--feel free to get involved now!

[Anonymous]

I heard that 1/2 of the 5th grade faculty is new this year. Again.

[Anonymous]

Not necessarily surprising in a young, growing school. You might easily want to move some of the experienced faculty to another grade, so that the oldest kids aren't always on the leading edge for new teachers getting used to the school.