Reply to School Without Walls Pk-12?

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "School Without Walls Pk-12?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If a parent thinks admission into FS elementary means automatic entry in to Walls HS then they did not do their due diligence and research all the details of this still unfolding merger.  The correct information is easy to find.  All you have to do is Google it.  I did.  It's even outlined clearly on the DCPS website.  (I know, because we are now zoned for the middle school and I looked it up).

I do see where a number of parents will now take a chance on enrolling their kids at Stevens because of the relationship with Walls.  The right administration can make a huge difference and if the principal (as he noted) is going to align some of the programs with the high school and allow advanced middle school students to take high school level courses then that's sounds great to me. [b] If Stevens begins to pull in more middle income parents due to the Walls name, then the school will turn a corner and become one of the more sought after schools in the District.[/b]

So what if it doesn't feed directly into Walls.  If the kids get a great education at Stevens then they should have as good a chance--if not better--than any other DC kid at getting into Walls.  Some of these parents are banking on "better" chance which is reasonable to me.

BTW, even though we're zoned for the middle, I'm not necessarily planning to send my 4th grader there.  But I am open to it.  I'm just going to wait and see how things unfold since I have another year.[/quote]

NEWSFLASH....ANY school that serves a predominately Free and Reduced lunch population will "turn a corner" when the SES of it's student population is higher/increases through an infusion of middle to high SES students/families .  IT'S NOT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT TO GIVE ACCOLADES FOR!  There is an undeniable correlation between a student's family situations and income and academic performance.  When I see a school that is knocking it out of the park WITH POOR AND TROUBLED KIDS THAT WOULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER SCHOOLS that's when i'll be impressed.[/quote]

I'm the PP here.  I agree that a truly successful school is one that works miracles with poor and troubled kids (eg. DC Prep).  That being said, Francis Stevens will turn a corner because it will now--more than likely--attract higher SES families (as you stated).  Right now, I don't believe DCPS really has the "freedom" to do what needs to be done to raise the academic level of poor and troubled kids.  DCPS teachers and administrators would probably not have the option to use some of the techniques that are being used at DC Prep.  Moreover, most higher SES families in DC would not be on board with the type of regimentation and drilling that is  being done at DC Prep to achieve the miracles you're witnessing in those test scores (regimentation which for some of those children means the difference between life and death). [/quote]

Of course if middle class kids are expected to do it the parents will complain[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics