Get feedback from non K and 1st grade parents

they started a program there this year to address reading issues using an OG approach. Clearly the principal and teachers get why phonics is so important. That’s encouraging

Anonymous wrote:We have several friends with kids at Drew. Have heard mixed things - like most schools. In the K class of one kid, they spend up to an hour a day on the iPad and also have almost no communication from the teacher. In a different K class, the feedback is a lot more positive, so teacher seems to matter a lot - again like most schools. Another friends, kid in a higher grade, left because their IEP was not being addressed adequately.

NP: ...again, like a lot of other schools.

We have several friends with kids at Drew. Have heard mixed things - like most schools. In the K class of one kid, they spend up to an hour a day on the iPad and also have almost no communication from the teacher. In a different K class, the feedback is a lot more positive, so teacher seems to matter a lot - again like most schools. Another friends, kid in a higher grade, left because their IEP was not being addressed adequately.

I know 2 kids leaving Immersion to attend Drew next year. Both need extra help with reading, and the families were willing to drop the Spanish learning to attend to that. We are in the Abingdon zone, but they allow transfers from Abingdon to Drew and they are taking advantage of that. Small class size and terrific reading stats is what convinced them.

I was newly re-zoned for Drew and could not be happier. My kid in in kindergarten and has 4 adults in a classroom of 21 students (2 teachers co-teach and then a paraprofessional and I am honestly not sure what the fourth individual's role is, but she is in the classroom everyday). What I like about it:
- my kid started school unable to read or write—he had basic phonics skills, but zero desire to read, write, or draw. I saw immediate growth and my kid now can read books and is learning to read the right way (lots of phonics).

- My kid is one of the top academically, but still gets one on one attention and is learning a lot. They use tablet based programs for 20-30 minutes a day and a lot of small group work. It isn’t a case where they are ignoring the top to try and catch up the bottom—there is enough staff that everyone is getting lots of attention. My kid grew 30 percentile points in reading this year.

- they originally were supposed to have kids do "specials" (art/music/library/PE) for hour long sessions and realized that the kids weren't thriving in that set up, so they re-arranged the schedule to have 2 sessions a day. I love that they are willing to adapt to make things work. The teachers are so dedicated to the kids.

- The teachers are so responsive to parents. I get plenty of messages and communication about what is going on. The principal joins PTA meetings and is very thoughtful and engaging.

- My kid loves going to school. He is making friends and having a lot of fun. He has seriously never complained about going to school once and the kid complains a lot.

About the test scores--if you look at them, they are bad right now. What is happening is that there are some really, really high needs kids there . They are getting lots of support and making growth, but they are still below basic. But if your kid is not as high needs, they are going to thrive.

Neighborhood family here. We are zoned for Drew and turned down both Claremont and ATS. We are thrilled with the reading program and the teachers are phenomenal. (Kinder & 3rd grade) The other positive thing is the class size. We have been so happy to have a smaller classroom setting for both our kiddos. The negatives for us have been the school start time and I don’t think Drew has the best grade school outdoor space. Good luck OP!!!

I’ve heard mixed things but mostly positive. I think Drew is going to improve. The area is rapidly gentrifying. It will never be majority white but lots of families have moved into and are staying in Columbia Heights and Nauck/ Green Valley. In a few years I bet it’s a great schools 6 with 30 frl.

We are one family who left immersion for Drew. Couldn’t be happier.

We live in the neighborhood and opted out in part because we wanted immersion but it was also in 2014 before the changes were made. We k ow many neighbors that go there and hear nothing but positive things. The PTA just hosted a fun run this weekend that was well attended. Everyone seems happy there (we know people that left immersion to attend drew and they do not regret the decision)

Any recent feedback on Drew? We are trying to decide if the changes over the past few years will be a good fit or are many families looking at other options?