Bunker Hill or wait for another seat for 17-18, Truesdell 16-17 (Early Stages for last month)

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[Post New]05/09/2017 18:31
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mcjd79
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We toured Bunker Hill today and it seemed like a nice school. Big bright class rooms, long term teachers and a new principal that is trying and has made improvements. The Principal talked about wanting to make it a really great and improved neighborhood school but they currently lack funding for a lot of things and dont have a PTO or PTA. They do have a library, music, art, Spanish and PE weekly.

We struck out on our 1st round lottery picks which was filled charters. (Mostly waits 200 or 300+, but a few in the 100s). So, we did some more looking and added a few nearby DCPS to our 2nd lottery list. I think our highest PCS number was in the 30s. (But then we also figured it wasn't worth adding the higher wait list schools.
We have been offered a Prk3 seat at Bunker Hill. I would love any feed back possible on the school. We are also 'Early Stages' and we're just this week offered a seat at Truesdell. But given school is out soon late it doesn't really make sense to start now. (Also we had not orginally planned on getting a seat this year as it stands our child would miss the last week or so due to prior obligations. So we hate to take the seat from someone that needs it this year) Sadly this means we may not get offered a seat a Trusedell for 17-18.

Thoughts on the two schools?? Or our 2nd round DCPCS list??

1st round lottery: Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS,Creative Minds International PCS, Lee Montessori PCS , Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS (Spanish Language Program),Two Rivers PCS at 4th Street , Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS , Bridges PCS , E.L. Haynes PCS – Elementary School,Two Rivers PCS at Young , Washington Yu Ying PCS

2nd 'round' we added: Burroughs Elementary School, Raymond Education Campus, Dorothy I. Height Elementary School, Barnard Elementary School , Truesdell Education Campus, Bunker Hill Elementary School
Capitol Hill Montessori School @ Logan, DC Bilingual PCS
[Post New]05/09/2017 18:39
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Anonymous
I would take BH if I were you. It will be fine, and you can wait and see on the rest of your list.
[Post New]05/09/2017 18:44
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mcjd79
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Anonymous wrote:I would take BH if I were you. It will be fine, and you can wait and see on the rest of your list.

So, it is typical for parents to move schools if they get a 'better' offer??

I guess I am not sure how the other schools on our list with a realistic shot of getting in compare to BH?
[Post New]05/09/2017 18:49
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Anonymous
Did you meet the special ed team at BH?

Since you have an IEP/IFSP and got an Early Stages seat, you need to look at your choices from that angle.

[Post New]05/09/2017 18:50
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Anonymous
mcjd79 wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would take BH if I were you. It will be fine, and you can wait and see on the rest of your list.

So, it is typical for parents to move schools if they get a 'better' offer??

I guess I am not sure how the other schools on our list with a realistic shot of getting in compare to BH?


Yes, some people enroll in multiples schools between May 1 and the actual first day of school.
[Post New]05/09/2017 20:18
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Anonymous
Which is the better commute?
[Post New]05/09/2017 20:32
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mcjd79
Member Offline
Anonymous wrote:Did you meet the special ed team at BH?

Since you have an IEP/IFSP and got an Early Stages seat, you need to look at your choices from that angle.



They were doing testing at the time I was there. Do you happen to have any insight into the special education teachers at Bunker Hill or other DCPS on my list?
[Post New]05/09/2017 20:42
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Anonymous
mcjd79 wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Did you meet the special ed team at BH?

Since you have an IEP/IFSP and got an Early Stages seat, you need to look at your choices from that angle.



They were doing testing at the time I was there. Do you happen to have any insight into the special education teachers at Bunker Hill or other DCPS on my list?


I don't. Truesdell has about 2x as many children with IEPs as Bunker Hill. If you took the Truesdell placement, was your child going to be placed in the general education classroom f ull time with push in or pull out services, or spend some time in a specialized class?
[Post New]05/09/2017 21:27
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Anonymous
I live in Brookland. I know someone whose kid went there for PK3. Nice teachers and class experience. Communications issues w the school. No IEP as far as I know. I don't have details.

I have a kid with an IEP at a charter. You definitely need
To meet with those teams before deciding.
[Post New]05/10/2017 00:08
quote
mcjd79
Member Offline
Anonymous wrote:
mcjd79 wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Did you meet the special ed team at BH?

Since you have an IEP/IFSP and got an Early Stages seat, you need to look at your choices from that angle.



They were doing testing at the time I was there. Do you happen to have any insight into the special education teachers at Bunker Hill or other DCPS on my list?


I don't. Truesdell has about 2x as many children with IEPs as Bunker Hill. If you took the Truesdell placement, was your child going to be placed in the general education classroom f ull time with push in or pull out services, or spend some time in a specialized class?


Primarily general education class room with a couple hours of push-out and one hour push-in services each week.
[Post New]05/10/2017 08:31
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Anonymous
If you want Truesdell more, enroll with the early stages seat now. Don't worry about the past week of school.
[Post New]05/10/2017 09:19
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I live in Brookland. I know someone whose kid went there for PK3. Nice teachers and class experience. Communications issues w the school. No IEP as far as I know. I don't have details.

I have a kid with an IEP at a charter. You definitely need
To meet with those teams before deciding.


I can't comment on Bunker Hill, but I can say that I don't think you'd have communications issues with Truesdell. The principal is extremely responsive and approachable.
[Post New]05/10/2017 09:24
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:If you want Truesdell more, enroll with the early stages seat now. Don't worry about the past week of school.


+1. Choose the one you like best. There may noy be another child who wants that spot, at our school the ES stages are rarely used at all.
[Post New]05/10/2017 12:47
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Anonymous
In a heartbeat, I would take Bunker Hill because of the stable neighborhood and its academic program. One of the important things that the principal's needs to start working on is a creating a vibrant PTA. A PTA has the ability to raise additional funds for programs that are not included in the budget.
[Post New]05/10/2017 22:37
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:In a heartbeat, I would take Bunker Hill because of the stable neighborhood and its academic program. One of the important things that the principal's needs to start working on is a creating a vibrant PTA. A PTA has the ability to raise additional funds for programs that are not included in the budget.


We enrolled. Principal is hoping to get some parents to help create a PTA and encorage some growth and funding. She has been there two years, and I think she is really helping and making movement already.
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