SWW@Francis Stevens MS

[Anonymous]

Any current middle school parents at SWW@FS care to share their experience? Curious about your thoughts on the program.

[Anonymous]

I’m also interested. In particular, how is the experience for high academic achievers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also interested. In particular, how is the experience for high academic achievers?

For those kids, they can go to Banneker now, because they still won't be getting into Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m also interested. In particular, how is the experience for high academic achievers?

For those kids, they can go to Banneker now, because they still won't be getting into Walls.

Huh? I’m asking about the experience at SWW@Francis Stevens. I’m not OP, but my question/interest is specific to the middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m also interested. In particular, how is the experience for high academic achievers?

For those kids, they can go to Banneker now, because they still won't be getting into Walls.

Huh? I’m asking about the experience at SWW@Francis Stevens. I’m not OP, but my question/interest is specific to the middle school.

I think the PP was snarkily saying there aren't many high performers at SWW@FS. A bit unfair if you look at last year's PARCC scores. It is, however, a tiny PK3-8 school (about 50 per grade), not what most of us think of as a MS.

There were ~40% in each grade who score 4+; fewer than 5% who score 5s in each grade.

[Anonymous]

So there were 20 kids in each grade who got a 4+ on PARCC?

You'd have more high achievers for your kids to be in class with at Jefferson Academy, and probably several other schools with shorter waitlists than SWW.

Some people like the idea of their middle schoolers only having 50 kids per grade and being in the same building as little kids (could especially be good for siblings). But I imagine for many kids high school is then a very big change. I know in middle school I liked having lockers and changing classrooms and classmates for different subjects and having sports teams, which I would guess is harder at SWW than at bigger middle schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So there were 20 kids in each grade who got a 4+ on PARCC?

You'd have more high achievers for your kids to be in class with at Jefferson Academy, and probably several other schools with shorter waitlists than SWW.

Some people like the idea of their middle schoolers only having 50 kids per grade and being in the same building as little kids (could especially be good for siblings). But I imagine for many kids high school is then a very big change. I know in middle school I liked having lockers and changing classrooms and classmates for different subjects and having sports teams, which I would guess is harder at SWW than at bigger middle schools.

I don't think we know if OP is IB or OOB for @FS; it's also really tough to lottery into @FS for the MS grades regardless.

You can look at grade by grade PARCC results yourself.

ELA https://osse.dc.gov/page/2017-18-parcc-results-and-resources
Math https://osse.dc.gov/page/2017-18-parcc-results-and-resources

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So there were 20 kids in each grade who got a 4+ on PARCC?

You'd have more high achievers for your kids to be in class with at Jefferson Academy, and probably several other schools with shorter waitlists than SWW.

Some people like the idea of their middle schoolers only having 50 kids per grade and being in the same building as little kids (could especially be good for siblings). But I imagine for many kids high school is then a very big change. I know in middle school I liked having lockers and changing classrooms and classmates for different subjects and having sports teams, which I would guess is harder at SWW than at bigger middle schools.

I don't think we know if OP is IB or OOB for @FS; it's also really tough to lottery into @FS for the MS grades regardless.

You can look at grade by grade PARCC results yourself.

ELA https://osse.dc.gov/page/2017-18-parcc-results-and-resources
Math https://osse.dc.gov/page/2017-18-parcc-results-and-resources

next year is going to be very difficult to get in out of bounds for middle. They are crowded and the 2 feeder elementary schools are heading there more and more. they are doing a summer renovation to make room. So doubt there will be any out of bounds spots for middle school.

[Anonymous]

Parent of 6th grader here. There are no OOB spots for MS this year. The academic program is strong and aligned with the entry requirements for SWW. We are not concerned about the smaller school size. Indeed we like it. But it does limit the range of extra curriculars offered.

[Anonymous]

I’m not OP, but I expressed an interest in learning more about the school. (DCPS is standing up an inclusion HFA program at Francis Stevens, so my child — who’s presently in the HFA program at SWS — has been offered a spot outside of the lottery.)

My child is twice-exceptional (and especially gifted in math) so I care a lot about academics, not just special need services.

FYI: I’m not asking about next year, but am piggy-backing off of someone else’s post to inquire for future years.

I presently don’t know any inbound families. (We’re inbound for Stuart Hobson. We’re also considering Charters.)