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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thanks to the PPs for first-hand accounts of how things are going at Hardy. Attended an open house recently (we are in-boundary but not at a feeder school) and came away with mixed impressions. They are clearly doing some things right, but I was surprised and unhappy to hear that only 10% of current Hardy students are in "advanced" math. We're not talking prodigy-level math here, but just algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th--appropriate preparation for the advanced track at Wilson, SWW, or private schools. Ten percent seems startlingly low, but the administrators answering questions about it didn't seem concerned or appear to have a plan for raising the numbers. [/quote]

Hardy does not spoon-feed students and does not spoon feed parents. Either the student is committed and dedicated, and thus admitted to honors classes, or the school won't listen to parental complaints and lobbying for having their own kids admitted to the advanced/accelerated path. Especially for math, the teachers carefully screen for drive, curiosity and engagement. Feeder school students start with an advantage as they have on average a stronger math background. But this might not be enough. The resulting 8th grade geometry class is composed of only those kids who perfectly mastered algebra and are ready to move on. This year, as in the past two years, one cannot but appreciate the diversity of this class, which reflects the math department philosophy to accelerate talented and dedicated students no matter which school they come from. If only 8% of the 8th grade cohort are ready to bear the accelerated program, then let it be.

If you, as a parent, and your student are ready for this hands-off approach, then Hardy is the best option around (and if this is the case, you won't need an after-school program). if you are not, then save yourself three years of anxiety and look elsewhere.[/quote]

No one is asking for hand-holding or spoon-feeding. Finishing geometry in 8th grade is the level of math required for the advanced track at Wilson. If Hardy wants its graduates to succeed at the top academic levels at Wilson, it needs to prepare more of its kids accordingly. As it stands, most kids in advanced math at Wilson seem to come from Deal (according to my kid who is at Wilson), but not from Hardy or Oyster, the other Wilson feeder schools. That's a shame and a lost opportunity for those kids.

Finishing geometry in 8th is also the level required to succeed (absent other preparation and luck) on the Walls admissions test. It's the level at which most private schools and very strong suburban public schools expect many students to be. It's not a ridiculous request that a strong or improving middle school graduate >10% of children ready for this level of math in high school. That allows them to complete calculus BC and perhaps also an advanced math class or AP statistics before graduating, which in turn makes them competitive for selective colleges and strong STEM programs.

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