First timer: Feedback on draft list?

[Anonymous]

Hey,

I know there are a lot of these postings, but I would really appreciate feedback on this list and any suggestions for additions. My son basically has a guaranteed spot for PK-3 at his current day care (one of the private sector options that qualifies), so I only want to leave the school if he gets in somewhere that I would want to keep him in for K and beyond. He also has a speech delay and some gross motor delays (waiting on MRI results for official diagnosis) and will likely have an IEP. He is not cognitively delayed and is making good progress with therapy, but having integrated services and teachers who are used to IEPs is a priority. For similar reasons, I am not super interested in dual language programs as our focus is getting him up to peer level with his native language. I am very interested in an experiential learning model. I am not totally sold on Montessori, but hear enough good things that I am trying to keep an open mind. I had a relatively structured, traditional school upbringing and think it served me well, so I am fine with a more academic focus as long as it is

We live in NE and Noyes is our IB, but we commute to Columbia Heights for day care (where our second child due in July will attend next fall), and work downtown. Based on our commute, these are the neighborhoods we are looking at or would be feasible to travel to: Brookland, Edgewood, Eckington, NOMA, Shaw, Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, . Petworth, Logan Circle, Downtown, Capital Hill, and H St. NE.

This is my draft list with draft priority placement, but I definitely welcome any feedback or suggestions. TIA!!

1. EL Haynes
2. 2 Rivers - 4th St.
3. Inspired Teaching
4. Creative Minds
5. 2 Rivers - Young
6. Lee Montessori
7. School w/i a School
8. Breakthrough Montessori
9. Shining Stars Montessori
10. Langdon Montessori
11. Langley
12. DC Prep - Edgewood

[Anonymous]

Meant to finish this sentence:

I had a relatively structured, traditional school upbringing and think it served me well, so I am fine with a more academic focus as long as it is developmentally appropriate.*

[Anonymous]

Call early stages. Try to get an IEP now. Then your child will get priority placement in the most appropriate DCPS neighborhood school (it almost certainly be in a regular class butyou may get one with a full time SLP, rather than part time). An early stages placement may be t your IB but it may not — and your child can even get a seat the day they turn 3 if you want.

You can also enter the lottery and try for charters. But at a minimum you will walk in the door with an IEP and your child would have support sooner than they would probably get it otherwise.

My DC who had a language disorder was in Montessori. In retrospect it wasn’t the best — just not as language rich an experience. The SN services and support were awesome. This can be very classroom specific.

[Anonymous]

Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Call early stages. Try to get an IEP now. Then your child will get priority placement in the most appropriate DCPS neighborhood school (it almost certainly be in a regular class butyou may get one with a full time SLP, rather than part time). An early stages placement may be t your IB but it may not — and your child can even get a seat the day they turn 3 if you want.

You can also enter the lottery and try for charters. But at a minimum you will walk in the door with an IEP and your child would have support sooner than they would probably get it otherwise.

My DC who had a language disorder was in Montessori. In retrospect it wasn’t the best — just not as language rich an experience. The SN services and support were awesome. This can be very classroom specific.

Thanks. He has an IFSP right now. We are scheduled for our one year follow up in a few weeks to reevaluate eligibility, but I don't think he can get his IEP until the summer (I believe our assessment is supposed to take place in June) when he is closer to turning 3 as he will transition out of the Strong Start program right before he hits pre-school. He is in a very strong program for kids with any type of service needs (Easter Seals) and is guaranteed a spot for PK-3 and 4 there, so I only want to move him if we get a spot in a program that we want to stay in beyond pre-school. While I hear Noyes (our IB school) is improving, I wouldn't move him from Easter Seals to go to Noyes since we already know the therapists and staff well, like the program, and his younger sibling will be going there anyway. If chances of getting good lottery slots didn't decrease after Pre-K 3, I wouldn't even bother with the lottery until K, but alas..I can't take the risk at this point.

Appreciate the feedback on Montessori. I had a similar fear as your experience, but I do like the idea of having older peer models in one class. I think that has helped a lot in the past 4 months or so in day care (having the almost 3 peer models).

[Anonymous]

I don't think chances of a good seat decrease that much. Inspired Teaching makes a ton of offers for K. I agree you should lottery in case you get a great number, but all is not lost if you don't until K or 1st.

[Anonymous]

have you visited Bridges? And how important is it to you to have a school with lots of outdoor time so he can build his motor skills (and is it ok if the kids walk to a nearby park vs. having a playground right at the school)?

If you're willing to do SWS and Two Rivers, I'd check out JO Wilson. The PK inclusion team at JO Wilson seems strong and I was happy with the older grades there, minus a school psychologist who no longer shows up on the roster. I don't know how likely it is that you'd get in OOB but once the IEP is set maybe you can get an Early Stages Placement?

If you don't mind a more disciplined/academic school environment and DC Prep is on your list, have you visited any KIPP schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

[Anonymous]

OP - have you checked the new STAR reports?

They will tell you what percentage of students at a school have SN, and also things like attendance and re-enrollment just for that population.

You want to be at a school that has BTDT to a certain degree, not a new school or one where there are inexperienced teachers who may not have a lot of experience with students who learn differently or need different supports (aside from whatever services your child may receive a couple times a week from an OT or SLP).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:have you visited Bridges? And how important is it to you to have a school with lots of outdoor time so he can build his motor skills (and is it ok if the kids walk to a nearby park vs. having a playground right at the school)?

If you're willing to do SWS and Two Rivers, I'd check out JO Wilson. The PK inclusion team at JO Wilson seems strong and I was happy with the older grades there, minus a school psychologist who no longer shows up on the roster. I don't know how likely it is that you'd get in OOB but once the IEP is set maybe you can get an Early Stages Placement?

If you don't mind a more disciplined/academic school environment and DC Prep is on your list, have you visited any KIPP schools?

Bridges is on my list to check out. I just wasn’t sure what the commute would be like as I never go to ft totten. Outdoor time is definitely a priority, but I don’t care if they have to go to a nearby park or rec center so long as it is safe.

I didn’t think I had any chance at JO Wilson with no preferences, so I wasn’t actively considering it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

I think Langley could be a good pick. I went to the Open House last month and was surprised at how much I liked it. These stars are based on only one year of test scores and an arbitrary weighting system.

Langley has a biggish special needs program and as such gets a dedicated program manager, who I met, and also has full-time speech and OT staff. If the OP wants to keep PK3 as an option even with a bad lottery number, it is probably the right pick for #12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

I think Langley could be a good pick. I went to the Open House last month and was surprised at how much I liked it. These stars are based on only one year of test scores and an arbitrary weighting system.

Langley has a biggish special needs program and as such gets a dedicated program manager, who I met, and also has full-time speech and OT staff. If the OP wants to keep PK3 as an option even with a bad lottery number, it is probably the right pick for #12.

The weighting is not "arbitrary" -- it is based on federal criteria and the district's priorities. Further, it's applied equally to every school, in the same way, and uses growth and proficiency, which has been tracked for several years by DCPS. Langley's PARCC scores have gone down the last 3 years, especially math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you like EL Haynes best and are you aware of their different calendar?

SSMA just fired their principal and it is a hot mess. I'd skip it if you aren't that into Montessori anyway.

You will not get Langdon Montessori out of boundary.

What do you see in Langley?

For Haynes, my coworker has both of her kids there and her oldest had similar service needs as our son. She loves it, and I value her opinion. I also like the experiential model as I really appreciated an interdisciplinary program I did in college, which is similar. The arts integration is also appealing. I also like that it goes through high school if we want the option and the extended year appeals to me for less summer creep chances and for more consistent therapy schedules.

I honestly don’t know much about Langley beyond I hear parents talking about it on the boards and it is relatively convenient. I know the least about it on the list, though

I would recommend doing more research on Langley -- they have very low scores (and just received 1 out of 5 stars according to the new ratings). There are many DCPS schools in the neighborhoods you listed that have at least 3/5 stars.

I think Langley could be a good pick. I went to the Open House last month and was surprised at how much I liked it. These stars are based on only one year of test scores and an arbitrary weighting system.

Langley has a biggish special needs program and as such gets a dedicated program manager, who I met, and also has full-time speech and OT staff. If the OP wants to keep PK3 as an option even with a bad lottery number, it is probably the right pick for #12.

The weighting is not "arbitrary" -- it is based on federal criteria and the district's priorities. Further, it's applied equally to every school, in the same way, and uses growth and proficiency, which has been tracked for several years by DCPS. Langley's PARCC scores have gone down the last 3 years, especially math.

The federal criteria are arbitrary. Also, a lot of DCPS schools don't have a statistically significant testing population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:have you visited Bridges? And how important is it to you to have a school with lots of outdoor time so he can build his motor skills (and is it ok if the kids walk to a nearby park vs. having a playground right at the school)?

If you're willing to do SWS and Two Rivers, I'd check out JO Wilson. The PK inclusion team at JO Wilson seems strong and I was happy with the older grades there, minus a school psychologist who no longer shows up on the roster. I don't know how likely it is that you'd get in OOB but once the IEP is set maybe you can get an Early Stages Placement?

If you don't mind a more disciplined/academic school environment and DC Prep is on your list, have you visited any KIPP schools?

Bridges is on my list to check out. I just wasn’t sure what the commute would be like as I never go to ft totten. Outdoor time is definitely a priority, but I don’t care if they have to go to a nearby park or rec center so long as it is safe.

I didn’t think I had any chance at JO Wilson with no preferences, so I wasn’t actively considering it.

You need to get more informed about the IEP process. The IEP is your preference. First of all - a kid can enter a DCPS with an IEP at 3 regardless of when the birthday is. So if your child turns 3 in October, they can start in October. THey'll just do an extra year in early childhood to catch up age-wise.

JO Wilson has an excellent inclusion classroom with a teacher who has 15 years experience, so it's def worth checking out. Make the early stages people give you ALL the options. Also - while some of your schools are good ones overall, they're not necessarily good for kids w/ disabilities. (Been there, done that -- kid crashed and burned at an excellent school -- excellence was in general ed only, it turned out).