Any MV families considering a move to Bancroft to avoid horrendous commute next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about kid-trailer bicycling? Are there bike lanes nearby, or is the N Capitol sidewalk wide enough? I'm thinking from the Petworth area.

OMG, but there's no route back to Petworth that doesn't involve a killer uphill slog. And I wouldn't do it with a trailer after dark.

[Anonymous]

@8:16 (from 3/3 before the thread got off track), the "70% on track" refers to the number of kids reading at grade level and performing 2nd grade math at the appropriate level for their grade. Bancroft does assessments in each marking period and then meets with the parents as a group to show them how their kids are doing compared to the rest of the class. They then run through age appropriate games that we can play with our kids to better focus their reading and math skills. So by the end of 2nd grade, all kids need to be reading at level N for English, and 70% of the kids in the class are on track to get there, or at least to come pretty darn close. 20% of my kid's class is aleady well above that level. This is probably not all that impressive from a WOTP perspective, but from my experience at another EOTP school, this is pretty good, particularly since most of the class is ELL. Where they are struggling a bit is with the Spanish reading. In my son's class, only about 5 students are on track to meet their Spanish reading goals, but I think that is fairly normal for a bilingual school. I've heard (anectodally) from friends at other bilingual schools that their kids' reading skills in the target language are behind those in English for their grade level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:@8:16 (from 3/3 before the thread got off track), the "70% on track" refers to the number of kids reading at grade level and performing 2nd grade math at the appropriate level for their grade. Bancroft does assessments in each marking period and then meets with the parents as a group to show them how their kids are doing compared to the rest of the class. They then run through age appropriate games that we can play with our kids to better focus their reading and math skills. So by the end of 2nd grade, all kids need to be reading at level N for English, and 70% of the kids in the class are on track to get there, or at least to come pretty darn close. 20% of my kid's class is aleady well above that level. This is probably not all that impressive from a WOTP perspective, but from my experience at another EOTP school, this is pretty good, particularly since most of the class is ELL. Where they are struggling a bit is with the Spanish reading. In my son's class, only about 5 students are on track to meet their Spanish reading goals, but I think that is fairly normal for a bilingual school. I've heard (anectodally) from friends at other bilingual schools that their kids' reading skills in the target language are behind those in English for their grade level.

Do you mean, only about 5 students out of the native English speakers? Or are you including the native Spanish speakers? If the former, makes sense, nothing to worry about. If the latter, sounds like a problem!

[Anonymous]

This is the entire class. And, again, it would be good to hear from parents of older kids at other bilingual schools with respect to how their kids are doing in the target language (which of course isn't measured on the standardized tests). My impression from my friend whose son is at a well-regarded Chinese charter is that everyone in the 3rd grade classroom is still reading the equivalent of "cat" and "dog" in Chinese, whereas her son (who is actually reading fluently) is the exception rather than the rule. I know of a 5th grader who transferred to Bancroft from a well-regarded bilngual charter who was reading at the Kindergarten level in Spanish (the spoken language was fluent; written was not) when they got to Bancroft. They jumped several levels during their year at Bancroft and are now in advanced Spanish classes in their middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the entire class. And, again, it would be good to hear from parents of older kids at other bilingual schools with respect to how their kids are doing in the target language (which of course isn't measured on the standardized tests). My impression from my friend whose son is at a well-regarded Chinese charter is that everyone in the 3rd grade classroom is still reading the equivalent of "cat" and "dog" in Chinese, whereas her son (who is actually reading fluently) is the exception rather than the rule. I know of a 5th grader who transferred to Bancroft from a well-regarded bilngual charter who was reading at the Kindergarten level in Spanish (the spoken language was fluent; written was not) when they got to Bancroft. They jumped several levels during their year at Bancroft and are now in advanced Spanish classes in their middle school.

This seems horrible to me, and I am at another immersion school. I haven't seen the data for my school, but all the children seem to be reading pretty well in Spanish by the first grade. I think Chinese is a different story, so I wouldn't even dare to compare, but that is an absolutely shocking percentage to me about a spanish immersion school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:@8:16 (from 3/3 before the thread got off track), the "70% on track" refers to the number of kids reading at grade level and performing 2nd grade math at the appropriate level for their grade. Bancroft does assessments in each marking period and then meets with the parents as a group to show them how their kids are doing compared to the rest of the class. They then run through age appropriate games that we can play with our kids to better focus their reading and math skills. So by the end of 2nd grade, all kids need to be reading at level N for English, and 70% of the kids in the class are on track to get there, or at least to come pretty darn close. 20% of my kid's class is aleady well above that level. This is probably not all that impressive from a WOTP perspective, but from my experience at another EOTP school, this is pretty good, particularly since most of the class is ELL. Where they are struggling a bit is with the Spanish reading. In my son's class, only about 5 students are on track to meet their Spanish reading goals, but I think that is fairly normal for a bilingual school. I've heard (anectodally) from friends at other bilingual schools that their kids' reading skills in the target language are behind those in English for their grade level.

I will believe this when I see the CAS results this year.

[Anonymous]

Soooo..... now that the applications are in and the deadline passed, let's revisit the original question in this thread:

What did Mount Pleasant families (and CoHi families) do?

We ranked Bancroft above Mundo Verde.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Soooo..... now that the applications are in and the deadline passed, let's revisit the original question in this thread:

What did Mount Pleasant families (and CoHi families) do?

We ranked Bancroft above Mundo Verde.

I ranked them both below Sidwell Friends

- Crime Mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soooo..... now that the applications are in and the deadline passed, let's revisit the original question in this thread:

What did Mount Pleasant families (and CoHi families) do?

We ranked Bancroft above Mundo Verde.

I ranked them both below Sidwell Friends

- Crime Mom

Ha ha, this is kinda funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Soooo..... now that the applications are in and the deadline passed, let's revisit the original question in this thread:

What did Mount Pleasant families (and CoHi families) do?

We ranked Bancroft above Mundo Verde.

Are you answering the original question, or a new question? Are you a current MV family? I know of no one who is and who has done this, and I would love to know if this actually happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soooo..... now that the applications are in and the deadline passed, let's revisit the original question in this thread:

What did Mount Pleasant families (and CoHi families) do?

We ranked Bancroft above Mundo Verde.

I ranked them both below Sidwell Friends

- Crime Mom

Ha ha, this is kinda funny.

Yup, especially since the acceptance letters for Sidwell already are out. If she got into Sidwell, she wouldn't still be on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soooo..... now that the applications are in and the deadline passed, let's revisit the original question in this thread:

What did Mount Pleasant families (and CoHi families) do?

We ranked Bancroft above Mundo Verde.

Are you answering the original question, or a new question? Are you a current MV family? I know of no one who is and who has done this, and I would love to know if this actually happened.

Sorry, you're right - the original question was MV families switching to Bancroft. No, that's not us. I'd be surprised if that happened much. It seems that people tend to stick with charters even when they move. Not just MV but others too. Charters bouncing from place to place seems to be part of the game in DC.

I am just curious about parents in the Mt P/CoHi neighborhood and what the interest is in Bancroft vs Mundo Verde or other bilingual programs like DC bilingual, Powell.

In previous years when MV was in the 'hood I think a lot of people chose it above Bancroft (in the combined lottery and, before with separate applications, they would choose MV if they got in). I am wondering if this has changed now with MV moving away and maybe people preferring to stay local.

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

For those considering Bancroft -- there are 19 Bancroft 6th graders on the honor roll at Deal this year. That's out of probably fewer than 40 Bancroft graduates who went to Deal. This school produces smart, high-achieving kids.

[Anonymous]

I think many MV families who live in MtP and CoHi will try the new location for a year. After they realize the nightmare that drop off and pick up and parking for special events will be at the new site, they may consider a change for the following years, especially if it seems DCI is losing steam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think many MV families who live in MtP and CoHi will try the new location for a year. After they realize the nightmare that drop off and pick up and parking for special events will be at the new site, they may consider a change for the following years, especially if it seems DCI is losing steam.

I wonder if some CoHi parents will prefer to stick it out at MV given their alternatives.