Mundo Verde is the Best!

[Anonymous]

Do charters like MV have sports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MV has 2 teachers per class of 22 students? So a 1:11 ratio? Are both teachers lead or are some aides?

One is a lead, and one is an assistant. But, the assistants are pretty good generally, and often lead their own class the next year.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:And why is it financially feasible for Stokes and LAMB to be smaller but not MV?

Capital for the new building.

Doesn't IT have half the size and doing new building as well? It seems possible.

Not a LEED building. Have you seen the plans.

I would love to build a dream mansion with solar panels, but if it means me having boarders and renting out the basement, I'll pass.

Interesting that you think having more students to educate at a school is the equivalent of taking on boarders and renting out the basement.

IT IS taking in boarders and renting out the basement to help pay for the new building - that's why Lee is there! (And everyone is happy to have them, I was just making the point that the MV/IT comparison is not really fair).

NP (not IT or MV). Yes, but it's a separate school. It's not diluting the current school population.

[Anonymous]

Choose it if you want. Don't go if you don't. But a lot of people are happy that there will be more spots. The more access to good quality education in this city, the better.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:And why is it financially feasible for Stokes and LAMB to be smaller but not MV?

Capital for the new building.

Doesn't IT have half the size and doing new building as well? It seems possible.

Not a LEED building. Have you seen the plans.

I would love to build a dream mansion with solar panels, but if it means me having boarders and renting out the basement, I'll pass.

Interesting that you think having more students to educate at a school is the equivalent of taking on boarders and renting out the basement.

IT IS taking in boarders and renting out the basement to help pay for the new building - that's why Lee is there! (And everyone is happy to have them, I was just making the point that the MV/IT comparison is not really fair).

NP (not IT or MV). Yes, but it's a separate school. It's not diluting the current school population.

Wait, what? How can it "dilute" it's current student body? Is there something special about the kids who lotteried in earlier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school will be huge within a matter of years - 409 for next year and about 550 when they add in 4th and 5th in the next two years. 4 classes per grade from 1-5. That's a lot!

Does that mean that 1st grade is a good entry year (for those of us shut out of this year's lottery)?

[Anonymous]

I don't think so. I think most of the adds came from the new K class this year, and next year there will be more spots in PK3 and 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any current families worried that they are expanding too quickly?

I am a current MV parent and the answer is "Yes", however I have to imagine that many of the new charters that are not part of larger national networks has had similar challenges. MV is not perfect but if you lottery in, it's a reasonable educational option.

MV has some communication challenges and though they try, they fail sometimes. For example, last school year in the spring they notified all current families that the next year the PK3 and PK4 classes would be combined. This announcement came after the lottery season- meaning that if you were uncomfortable with this change, they took away your option of entering the lottery and "choice". When questioned about this, the response from administration was that this move was always in their charter then they proceeded to talk about their space being max-ed out in the current location and to accommodate the siblings of current students as well as grow another year, they had to make this combined class change. OK, which one was it- school charter or growth/limited space management?

There was also a scramble to provide parents after the fact, a research study on combined-aged pre-school classrooms. They also used LAMB as an example of the success of these classrooms. Ok- fair enough but for LAMB... those instructors are trained Montessori instructors who has spent years managing the developmental differences of a new 3 year old and a rising 5 year old. MV teachers do not have that training. They were trying to stay two steps ahead but not quite making it sometimes.

All that said- there are really good things about the school. Their ED is really good! The principal is sometimes not very responsive. The question of whether to enter MV or any of the charters for me would be about my ability to let the school grow while my kid is also growing. It will not be perfect but the kids are engaged and showing progress. Is it enough? The school is too young to really know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any current families worried that they are expanding too quickly?

I am a current MV parent and the answer is "Yes", however I have to imagine that many of the new charters that are not part of larger national networks has had similar challenges. MV is not perfect but if you lottery in, it's a reasonable educational option.

MV has some communication challenges and though they try, they fail sometimes. For example, last school year in the spring they notified all current families that the next year the PK3 and PK4 classes would be combined. This announcement came after the lottery season- meaning that if you were uncomfortable with this change, they took away your option of entering the lottery and "choice". When questioned about this, the response from administration was that this move was always in their charter then they proceeded to talk about their space being max-ed out in the current location and to accommodate the siblings of current students as well as grow another year, they had to make this combined class change. OK, which one was it- school charter or growth/limited space management?

There was also a scramble to provide parents after the fact, a research study on combined-aged pre-school classrooms. They also used LAMB as an example of the success of these classrooms. Ok- fair enough but for LAMB... those instructors are trained Montessori instructors who has spent years managing the developmental differences of a new 3 year old and a rising 5 year old. MV teachers do not have that training. They were trying to stay two steps ahead but not quite making it sometimes.

All that said- there are really good things about the school. Their ED is really good! The principal is sometimes not very responsive. The question of whether to enter MV or any of the charters for me would be about my ability to let the school grow while my kid is also growing. It will not be perfect but the kids are engaged and showing progress. Is it enough? The school is too young to really know.

What a nice unbiased opinion!!

[Anonymous]

Thank you 21:18! Very helpful. Can you or any other MV parents comment on how good/not the school is at meeting kids different needs/levels? In other words, are they able to really do differentiation? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Will there be combined PS3/PK4 classes now that theyhave more space?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you 21:18! Very helpful. Can you or any other MV parents comment on how good/not the school is at meeting kids different needs/levels? In other words, are they able to really do differentiation? Thanks!

MV parent--the school differentiates very well for my child. My child is advanced in math, slightly above grade level for English literacy and was behind for Spanish literacy (catching up now on writing/ reading now on level). My child's teachers provide advanced/challenging math instruction in addition to what is being taught in class, pushed my child to advance in English reading and writing (I see the progress and my child gets excited about moving up a level) and are actively working on Spanish writing on grade level. The school has intensives in math/science, English and Spanish literacy to address kids that are ahead and behind (K and above). The groups are fluid so my child has changed groups as needed. I also think it helps that my child is in a classroom with a good mix of advanced and on grade level kids and has a strong set of teachers.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the post. What grade is your child?

Anonymous wrote:

MV parent--the school differentiates very well for my child. My child is advanced in math, slightly above grade level for English literacy and was behind for Spanish literacy (catching up now on writing/ reading now on level). My child's teachers provide advanced/challenging math instruction in addition to what is being taught in class, pushed my child to advance in English reading and writing (I see the progress and my child gets excited about moving up a level) and are actively working on Spanish writing on grade level. The school has intensives in math/science, English and Spanish literacy to address kids that are ahead and behind (K and above). The groups are fluid so my child has changed groups as needed. I also think it helps that my child is in a classroom with a good mix of advanced and on grade level kids and has a strong set of teachers.

[Anonymous]

MV offers a secure path to a high-quality public HS. That's not something you can otherwise rely on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the post. What grade is your child?

Anonymous wrote:

MV parent--the school differentiates very well for my child. My child is advanced in math, slightly above grade level for English literacy and was behind for Spanish literacy (catching up now on writing/ reading now on level). My child's teachers provide advanced/challenging math instruction in addition to what is being taught in class, pushed my child to advance in English reading and writing (I see the progress and my child gets excited about moving up a level) and are actively working on Spanish writing on grade level. The school has intensives in math/science, English and Spanish literacy to address kids that are ahead and behind (K and above). The groups are fluid so my child has changed groups as needed. I also think it helps that my child is in a classroom with a good mix of advanced and on grade level kids and has a strong set of teachers.

1st grade