Reply to McKinley Tech-- anyone have a student there?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]McKinley Tech HS has a buzz about it. My son, who is in middle school and very interested in STEM options, came home from school the other day saying he really, really needed to go there. So we started looking into it and asking around and have found only very positive info. Turns out a good family friend of ours (who also had kids at Walls) has a child there and is very pleased. That friend says that while McKinley Tech is equally challenging as Walls, there is more guidance and close supervision of assignments and deadlines at McKinley tech. Students are less left to just get things done on their own, which I think can really be a great asset. It's also centrally located, which is nice.

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I would just add for kids interested in STEM options that BASIS DC is a STEM school in disguise - it is a lottery charter, only accepts 5th and 6th graders, but we have two STEM kids there and they are challenged and happy, and it will go through 12th (oldest class is in 10th now).  We lost kids to Walls but none to McKinley Tech that I know of.  New school, some bumps in the road but getting better every year.  A ton of work but a smaller school and sounds like it may be easier to get into than McKinley - they had open spaces in 6th this year.  Part of a chain from AZ, 2nd highest DC CAS scores last year for MS after Deal, so getting a bunch of pretty well prepared students.  6th-8th the kids all take Bio, Chem and Physics each year.  Plus Logic in 7th and Econ in 8th, and advanced science starts in 8th.

They test for math before school starts (some 8th graders in AP Calc AB, larger group of 5th graders going in that direction (about 14 in Algebra I this year)), best way to get your kid in with the hardcore STEM kids is to get them ready for Algebra I in 5th or Algebra II in 6th if you can.  You have to do it yourself - or Khan Academy on line (free) can probably teach your kid enough to do the placement test. Also has some kids who may not get to Calculus until 12th, not all STEM.  Also real diversity - some zoned for Deal, some home schooled, some from private and we are a Title I school as well (&gt;40% FARMS).  Post said 30% white - not sure, but maybe.  Just wanted to offer it up because there don't seem to be that many schools like McKinley Tech - my husband knew BASIS was STEM, put our first kid in when it opened, but a lot still don't seem to because it doesn't really say it.  Anyway, not trying to hijack just sounds like as always there is a supply/demand issue, and for STEM kids it is great - but your kid also has to be prepared to work hard, even in 5th. 30 math problems each night, etc....  As I said, our kids are happy even with the workload.[/quote]

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