any popular schools that you just aren't interested in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP Wow, Creative Minds parents come across as really... "committed" is a nice way of putting it. And committed is a good thing. Except when it verges on being totally resistent to anything that isn't glowing.

You realize that this is insulting a real person right?

You can say negative things about the school, there ARE negative things about the school, there are negative things about all schools. When you talk about people at the school, anonymously, I feel the need to defend them. I find it odd that you don't see the problem with that.

You must be new to DCUM, welcome! So this conversation started as "Any popular schools you just are not interested in?" and someone (or a couple someones) said Creative Minds. Someone asked why they're not interested, and people started answering. The Principal of every school is yes, a real person. And this is the DC Public and Charter School forum, where people will talk about schools, what they love, what they don't like, and often the leadership or style or persona of the Principal is a factor or is discussed. You are free to feel the need to defend a Principal, but it's really unclear why you think Principals are somehow above or immune from discussion of their presentation or perceptions about it. It matters tremendously, especially in an open house setting, and people are simply reporting their impressions. Why do you see such a problem with that when it's entirely relevant to this discussion and on this forum?

I never understand why people use the "you must be new to DCUM" when something is questioned. After 6 years, it's getting really old.

That was giving you the benefit of the doubt. If you've been here for 6 years, it is that much more puzzling why you are so offended or find so problematic people discussing their perceptions of a Head of School's presentation in a thread about not being interested in popular charters. No matter what you know/feel/experience from a Principal, if he or she puts someone off (or puts multiple people off), that's their experience and that's why they're not applying, and this is a thread about not applying. It's understood that your experience is very different, but why do you find it so problematic that this particular Principal is being discussed in this context?

[Anonymous]

Not really interested in any of the highly regarded charters with names that sound like motivational speaking seminars or self-help books, actually. Especially not interested in the bilingual ones. Especially not interested in "curriculums" that mainly serve as signaling mechanisms to middle-class people ("expeditionary learning" anyone?) I just want a solid neighborhood school named after an obscure local figure, is that so wrong? At the same time, not that excited about sending my kid to a JKLMNOP school filled with the children of law partners and lobbyists. So basically not all that excited about DC options at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP - why not CM? Is it bc the teachers are young?

Young teachers. But more than that I did not like the head of school's answers to my questions about cultural competency.

This. And I felt like the very young teachers were enthusiastic but felt like the administration was cold and unengaged

The administration seemed surprised and cold when Spanish speaking parents came to the orientation. The parents were left to have their children translate for them. The school was in Columbia Heights so they should have been prepared for interpretation or made other accommodations.

Are you kidding me? Is Columbia Heights a part of the USA? Then I don't understand why the 'spanish speaking parents' should expect any kind of special accomodation. They moved the the US so they need to learn English and, before you accuse me of racism, I am an immigrant but do not expect anyone to speak Russian to me when I go to school orientation meetings.

Totally agree. The bolded is getting real old. Do we want to change the rest of the US into Miami where US citizens are treated like foreigners in their own country because they can't speak Spanish.

Wow! The responses - if from CM folks - is making my point. It is my family's preference that a school I send my child to can treat a diversity of students and parents with respect. I am not telling you what kind of environment you should want for your child.

You are responding to me. I am not a CM parent. Have no interest in the school. My post was about the overall atmosphere that we are getting to a place that if you cannot speak Spanish or accommodate, as you state, Spanish in the USA, something is inherently wrong. Why? If I move to Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, etc I would have to learn the language without accomodations. I don't know if you have lived in Miami, but it is difficult for a non-college educated person to obtain decent employment. In some areas, it is difficult for college edcuated kids to obtain first employment without Spanish language background. Why are they treated like second-class citizens because they cannot speak Spanish? That's what your initial post advocates for a future DC.

It's called the free market. If your client base speaks Spanish, you have to too. You Republicans are fond of the free market, but your platform isn't consistent with it on a lot of issues like immigration and women's reproductive health.

But their "client base" does not speak Spanish. It is a city-wide charter that happens to be in Columbia Heights and will move out of Columbia Heights to Petworth. So all DC residents are their client base. I could see the problem with this if ALL city wide charters had Spanish interpretation, or if you were advocating for translation in Amharic and Spanish and Vietnamese, to name a few of the languages, but this argument is ridiculous. I could see if it were Mundo Verde or DC Bilingual, which does indeed have the Spanish speaking component and actively recruits Spanish-speaking families.

At any rate, if that is what turns you off about CMI, don't apply. To each her own. Every charter is not for every person. The CMI community is welcoming and diverse in every sense of the word.

I am starting to wonder if some of this attitude towards the Head of School is because she is not the typical liberal, white fuzzy do gooder woman the DCUM majority population is used to dealing with.

Oh, relax. CMI's low-income and/or ESL numbers will scoot up rapidly enough. Between being nearest to Bruce Monroe/Park View (an ESL by default not design school) and the fact that higher SES studens will peel off rapidly as they approach MS and raise their standards - the floodgate will need to open and the neighborhood will pour in.

It will still be a nice little school and increased diversity is a simple fact of demographic destiny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really interested in any of the highly regarded charters with names that sound like motivational speaking seminars or self-help books, actually. Especially not interested in the bilingual ones. Especially not interested in "curriculums" that mainly serve as signaling mechanisms to middle-class people ("expeditionary learning" anyone?) I just want a solid neighborhood school named after an obscure local figure, is that so wrong? At the same time, not that excited about sending my kid to a JKLMNOP school filled with the children of law partners and lobbyists. So basically not all that excited about DC options at all.

Then move. You don't fit in and you won't be missed. Neither will your children, so do them a favor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

[b]

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

[b]

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

Music lessons and private sports should have been included as a lot of families cannot afford such luxuries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

[B]Music lessons and private sports should have been included as a lot of families cannot afford such luxuries.

Um, dial back the outrage and class warfare please. Even private school parents pay extra for music and sports and clubs, etc. Those are not acceptable outlays of taxpayer funds at a public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really interested in any of the highly regarded charters with names that sound like motivational speaking seminars or self-help books, actually. Especially not interested in the bilingual ones. Especially not interested in "curriculums" that mainly serve as signaling mechanisms to middle-class people ("expeditionary learning" anyone?) I just want a solid neighborhood school named after an obscure local figure, is that so wrong? At the same time, not that excited about sending my kid to a JKLMNOP school filled with the children of law partners and lobbyists. So basically not all that excited about DC options at all.

Lol love this post

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

[B]Music lessons and private sports should have been included as a lot of families cannot afford such luxuries.

Um, dial back the outrage and class warfare please. Even private school parents pay extra for music and sports and clubs, etc. Those are not acceptable outlays of taxpayer funds at a public school.

But YY is not a private school is it. I know that many parents act like it's a private school receiving public funds, but it is not private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

[B]Music lessons and private sports should have been included as a lot of families cannot afford such luxuries.

Um, dial back the outrage and class warfare please. Even private school parents pay extra for music and sports and clubs, etc. Those are not acceptable outlays of taxpayer funds at a public school.

But YY is not a private school is it. I know that many parents act like it's a private school receiving public funds, but it is not private.

Right - it's a public school. So parents who want music lessons and sports teams and clubs and whatever else, presumably pay for that on their own dime. If they want to get together with other parents and arrange to pay for that stuff outside of school - what's the problem? I hope you realize parents at other schools - not just YY - do this too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

[B]Music lessons and private sports should have been included as a lot of families cannot afford such luxuries.

Um, dial back the outrage and class warfare please. Even private school parents pay extra for music and sports and clubs, etc. Those are not acceptable outlays of taxpayer funds at a public school.

But YY is not a private school is it. I know that many parents act like it's a private school receiving public funds, but it is not private.

Right - it's a public school. So parents who want music lessons and sports teams and clubs and whatever else, presumably pay for that on their own dime. If they want to get together with other parents and arrange to pay for that stuff outside of school - what's the problem? I hope you realize parents at other schools - not just YY - do this too.

But to only want parents who can afford these extra affluent perks speak volumes about you or the poster who said that's the only families she wanted at YY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any immersion program where the principal and other top administrators don't speak the language and the school doesn't know how to handle bilingual children (so there are only a handful). Not sheepish about it. Everybody doesn't love YY, OP.

And heritage mom is back!

And she's as tired as ever, but she does serve a purpose. With a WL in the hundreds for a handful of seats I know I would rather (and I'm sure LAMB and 2R and MV are in the same boat) we had a mechanism to could sort out the uncommitted, the wafflers, the band-wagon jumpers, etc. - all in advance.

I'd personally rather that the only families who apply to YY are those who are excited about Mandarin, and willing to set up [b]Mandarin playgroups and tutoring sessions, and maybe even music lessons and private sports.

Basically you are only interested in families with disposable income, all others go to your low performing neighborhood schools, YY doesn't want you.

[B]Music lessons and private sports should have been included as a lot of families cannot afford such luxuries.

Um, dial back the outrage and class warfare please. Even private school parents pay extra for music and sports and clubs, etc. Those are not acceptable outlays of taxpayer funds at a public school.

But YY is not a private school is it. I know that many parents act like it's a private school receiving public funds, but it is not private.

That was indeed a troublingly elitist and exclusive comment. I hope that view is the minority at YY and not the majority?

Right - it's a public school. So parents who want music lessons and sports teams and clubs and whatever else, presumably pay for that on their own dime. If they want to get together with other parents and arrange to pay for that stuff outside of school - what's the problem? I hope you realize parents at other schools - not just YY - do this too.

But to only want parents who can afford these extra affluent perks speak volumes about you or the poster who said that's the only families she wanted at YY.

[Anonymous]

YY had 14 spaces for new students in pk3 and pk4 for this fall and took 13 new families (one set of twins)... so save your outrage from some anon poster who posts "troublingly elitist and exclusive comment".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really interested in any of the highly regarded charters with names that sound like motivational speaking seminars or self-help books, actually. Especially not interested in the bilingual ones. Especially not interested in "curriculums" that mainly serve as signaling mechanisms to middle-class people ("expeditionary learning" anyone?) I just want a solid neighborhood school named after an obscure local figure, is that so wrong? At the same time, not that excited about sending my kid to a JKLMNOP school filled with the children of law partners and lobbyists. So basically not all that excited about DC options at all.

Lol love this post

Yes, plus one re: the comment about curriculum qua signaling mechanism. That is so true.