WP Article on LAMB's failure to re-open

[Anonymous]

I am wondering if this epic breakdown in communication is being seen at other public charters in DC.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/lamb-charter-school-dc-closed-covid/2020/10/24/a9061dba-0d5b-11eb-8074-0e943a91bf08_story.html?fbclid=IwAR0wXZmGNTsDhMYPKdfGBvEJZ_Sow26h8Ric7gxE_ixUqo7TwKp-i5OcdQM

[Anonymous]

Great article. Glad the voice of parents wanting to return is being heard.

[Anonymous]

At charters like LAMB (with long waitlists), do they have to bother with what parents think? If a bunch of parents pull their kids, what difference does it make for them? I'm guessing none at all.

[Anonymous]

This article is a really skewed perspective- at every parent meeting, there has been an overwhelming majority of parents supportive of the school’s decision, and there have been a small handful (like 5) really vocal parents who want the school to re-open (two of whom are quoted in the article). I say this as a parent who is desperate for school to reopen, and disappointed in the decision, but also trust the school and want to go back only when it’s safe to do so.

The school communicated poorly, no question. They shouldn’t have made it seem like reopening in October was likely, when they shared at the end of September. But I don’t think is as big of a deal that the article is making it out to be. Especially when the reporter only talked with two disgruntled parents and didn’t mention the reopening status of any other charters, and barely mentioned DCPS’ current mess with reopening plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At charters like LAMB (with long waitlists), do they have to bother with what parents think? If a bunch of parents pull their kids, what difference does it make for them? I'm guessing none at all.

I think it does matter- reenrollment rates are public, after all.

[Anonymous]

Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This article is a really skewed perspective- at every parent meeting, there has been an overwhelming majority of parents supportive of the school’s decision, and there have been a small handful (like 5) really vocal parents who want the school to re-open (two of whom are quoted in the article). I say this as a parent who is desperate for school to reopen, and disappointed in the decision, but also trust the school and want to go back only when it’s safe to do so.

I'm also a parent and have not seen this, despite attending all parent meetings. Also, the school's oddly worded (and obviously biased) survey of parents did not suggest...well...much of anything, since it was such a bad survey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

yes, they deserve credit for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

Does anyone know what those kids are doing when there are no virtual classes taking place? Is there additional enrichment or is this kid jail?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

yes, they deserve credit for that.

Would actually like to know more about how this is going. My kid is also PK and I've been worried about the CARES rooms because even if the room supervisors aren't "teaching", I worry my kid won't get the actual care she needs in them. At her age she needs a lot of hands on attention. Not 1:1 obviously but she's not just going to sit at a desk and do DL all day.

Would be nice to hear how LAMB and other charters doing this (I think Stokes has done it as well) are handling it, especially for the younger grades. Which staff are supervising? Have there been problems? How do parents feel about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

Does anyone know what those kids are doing when there are no virtual classes taking place? Is there additional enrichment or is this kid jail?

They do what the kids at home do - asynchronous stuff, recess-ish, lunch, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

Does anyone know what those kids are doing when there are no virtual classes taking place? Is there additional enrichment or is this kid jail?

“kid jail”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing though --

"Mabel Hernandez, a mother of twins in prekindergarten, said she knows staff is working hard, but Montessori and bilingual education doesn’t translate well online. The school has allowed around 40 children who come from low-income families or are at high risk for academic failure to do their virtual learning at school, under the supervision of staff."

--so this the CARES plan, in place. They are addressing some of the needs through this.

Does anyone know what those kids are doing when there are no virtual classes taking place? Is there additional enrichment or is this kid jail?

“kid jail”?

This PP has been using that term a lot lately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At charters like LAMB (with long waitlists), do they have to bother with what parents think? If a bunch of parents pull their kids, what difference does it make for them? I'm guessing none at all.

I think it does matter- reenrollment rates are public, after all.

So they would decline in the Tier ranking, I guess? That's the extent of the repercussions?

[Anonymous]

Yu Ying basically did the same thing LAMB did. While claiming to "follow the science," the decision to close, per the mass email parents received, was based on teachers' feelings. Yu Ying was set to open in October, then November. Now it's January. Parents have no power but to hope teachers "feel safe" in January.