Reply to Why is Washington Latin MS now a Tier 2 school?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm a Washington Latin middle school parent and I know it sounds irrational,but I blame myself a bit for the drop.  I suspect previous parents may have been stricter with their kids than current parents.  Maybe I'm thinking that because at least I can do something about the problem if I have some responsibility in it.  If it's all the school's fault, what can I possibly do to improve things?  I'm not an expert in running a school.  instead, I am using this information to really check myself as a parent.  I think I've allowed far too much freedom with letting my kid watch Minecraft videos on YouTube.  I suppose I could be helped in this if the school assigned more homework, but really, I am the parent and it is ultimately my responsibility to raise my kid, not the school's.

I had always thought that homework was a waste of time for kids, but considering this drop, I'm really not so sure anymore. Perhaps additional differentiation would help-- but OTOH, this lack of differentiation isn't new to Washington Latin and in the past, advanced kids still did well.

I can't imagine that it is the new school building?  Maybe with such nice facilities, the school community is resting on its laurels-- figuring our great kids will stay great without putting in the work?

I wish I knew the answer . . .  it's a wake up call.[/quote]

I am not a Washington Latin parent, but believe me you are not alone on the massive guilt about on line activity - is minecraft social because he is skyping and/or playing with his friends, he is also doing some programming....? We drew a hard line on TV but this is something I have been thinking about more and more as I read the DCI threads

The reason I want someone with kids already there to ask the question ("do my dirty work" as the other poster so nicely put it) is because since you all already have a vested interest I think they will take you more seriously.  If you have a list serve, use it, and just ask them to explain why advanced kids seem to be falling behind, why the trajectory is going in the wrong direction.

You are right that you are only a parent, but it is something the school is doing wrong, or not doing right, and I'm sure they are bothered by losing the Tier I status but the writing was on the wall last year.  Just knowing that they are on it and are trying to fix it (not resting on their laurels) would be reassuring - maybe they do need differentiation now because the population has changed so much in the last 4 years?  They need to figure out why this is happening and reverse the trend.  They have developed an amazing school I am sure they are capable of solving this, but it is important.

The thing is if you type in the other Tier I schools, and you type in Deal to that focus thing, you see a HUGE difference.  Type in Basis as well.  They did not do so well on growth either, but they are new.  I think it is worth it for the sake of your advanced kids to explore it - from 2006/7-2010 they were going up, and in the last 4 years they have been going down.  I don't think the DC CAS is the be all and end all I just think the other schools managed to pull it off, and Latin MS was pulling it off for a long time.  They are a great school and they will be able to figure it out, but it might help them if they knew that parents are aware of the full implications of the reason behind the drop from Tier I to Tier 2 - I started this thread, and I originally thought it was because the charter school scoring was unfair, that schools that start to do really well can't improve that much anymore, which was pretty much the answer that people on this thread originally gave.  So we have all learned a lot here I think.  And I think they should know that you know - if that makes sense.

PS Feeling guilty about whatever you allow or don't as a parent is a perpetual state.......... Good luck!
Hope to join you all in two years.

I wish I knew the answer . . .  it's a wake up call.[/quote][/quote]

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