Phelps High School

[Anonymous]

Hello. Anyone have a child attend Phelps? If so, when and what are your thoughts and impressions about the program? TIA

[Anonymous]

I know someone who works there and he is great. I think it is a wonderful thing to have this kind of school.

[Anonymous]

It seems like a really small school. I know nothing about the academics, but my kid's basketball team beat them by like 60 points. It was uncomfortable. I wish DCPS could figure out more competitive athletics for some of these schools (Phelps, Walls....).

[Anonymous]

I don't have a child there but I have been to the school during school hours several years ago- it is really small but students seemed engaged and the building was nice. It doesn't have as good of a reputation as McKinley which is also a tech school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a child there but I have been to the school during school hours several years ago- it is really small but students seemed engaged and the building was nice. It doesn't have as good of a reputation as McKinley which is also a tech school.

I think Phelps is a voc ed school, while McKinley is a math/science academic school.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a kid there, but have spent some time there. I think the school is great. I wish more people knew about it.

[Anonymous]

If I could have figured out a way to get my DS there, I would have sent him. Lots of African kids, lots of kids really wanting to go into science. Small. Scores are not that good, but kids and teachers very motivated. It has a really nice building. I knew the previous principal - I don't know about this one. It has voc ed, but it also has a good engineering and architecture program and the college acceptances run the range of top public universities to smaller mid-levels privates. The X2 bus goes there from Minnesota Ave Metro and S41 from Rhode Island Ave.

[Anonymous]

As a vocational school it’s probably fine. But how is an application school for math and engineering considered good when 50% of the students score two or less on PARCC in math? Maybe if just offered apprenticeships for trades that would be good.

[Anonymous]

New principal is decent but school is just too small to function well. Engineering and IT teachers are not impressive. DCPS does a horrible job of supporting the CTE trade programs so they are a shadow of similar programs in MD and VA. School has potential but has been set up to fail unfortunately

[Anonymous]

Maybe Spingarn should be opened and consolidate Phelps and Spingarn for a larger school and school-within-school programs. Ensure strong trades programs that “This Old House” show advocates; home improvement, carpentry, electrical services, landscaping.

[Anonymous]

I have no answer. I had no idea this school existed. I am glad to hear bout it. I wish dcps would encourage trade school as much as they do college prep. It there are so many in high demand trade profession! Idk if it is stereotyping, fear of being labeled they are tracking kids or what. But dcps honors for all college bound talk just doesn't make any sense. Not everyone is cut out for college or wants to go. I assumed we would have to move to MD or VA or go private to find a trade program high school. Glad to hear of this.

[Anonymous]

Did this school used to be up north in Ward 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did this school used to be up north in Ward 4?

No. Phelps Has always been at the location. It was very popular in the 70s and 80s for kids interested in the trades. At some point it went out of favor at DCPS. DC advocated college for all. All the trade high schools disappeared and I am not sure when Phelps was reinstated.

To the poster who said it was set up to fail, what do you have this impression? I attended an open house and was told that the kids can earn the Cisco network certifications in IT. Thank you for any inflow can share.