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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is this the Wilson’s principal’s way of trying to subtly discourage white families who are on the fence from enrolling?
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It’s obvious yes it is.  That is why the PTO has to step up.  It’s ridiculous it has come to this.[/quote]

PPs' slimy race baiting aside, it's pretty understandable that the principal of a school that's bursting at the seams doesn't have events to try to recruit even more students.  Having more kids decide to attend the school -- particularly kids who might chose instead to attend an application school or private -- doesn't particularly help the school accomplish it's mission as a comprehensive public high school.

On another note, the school pretty routinely fails at fairly basic administrative stuff.  Most people know that scheduling classes is an annual disaster, but even easier stuff is hard.  The summer before DS was going into freshman year, I had some pretty basic questions about credits from middle school and about athletic forms.  I asked 10 different people at various times in the office (DS was doing sports at the school over the summer so I was there daily), and I got 5 "I don't know" answers and 5 totally wrong answers.   I left voicemails for the people that I was told could answer my questions and also sent emails, and I never got any response whatsoever.

I'm not sure to what extent this is incompetence and to what extent staff are overwhelmed dealing with much more pressing needs than my wealthy upper NW kid's issues, but I do think that some people at the school see parents like me as a PITA.  This is probably partially because so many parents (particularly parents of incoming freshmen) come into the office ready to be angry and they get pretty hostile almost immediately.  I understand this to some extent -- it's frustrating to be told "I don't know" by an adult working in the office when asking a basic question, but from experience I can tell new parents that positivity and patience work much better.

On a positive note, many things are getting better.  At least I no longer get texts telling me my kid is truant when he's sitting in history class. 
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I don’t agree with you. [b]Trying to push wealthy white parents into private[/b] by refusing to share info about the school is not a smart strategy. DCPS needs all the high income parents it can get. DC families of all kinds should be encouraged to join their public school even if it is overcrowded. Over time, that is the only way positive change will come. DC needs to redraw the Wilson boundaries to limit enrollment. Having a rogue principal refuse to allow open houses or shadow days is an inefficient, ineffective and unfeeling way of reducing the student population 
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Why do you imagine that DCPS generally and Wilson specifically "needs all the high income parents it can get"?  Why does the school "need" those parents?  It's a comprehensive high school whose mission is to serve the kids who come through the front door.  Why is it that you feel an overcrowded school should be bending over backwards to socially engineer more white and wealthy school population?  If your kid attends, the school will educate them.  It's not the school's job to hold your hand or make you feel good about your choice.

Also, the notion that the principal is "rogue" for not allowing shadow days is nuts.  Cahill didn't allow shadow days.  From looking at the BCC "prospective students" page it doesn't seem that they allow shadow days.  The fact that the principal doesn't do what YOU want doesn't make her "rogue."  [/quote]

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