Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine being so privileged that among your top concerns is building a new playground??? Out of curiosity I looked at the report card (https://dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/media/file/DC%20Report%20Card_Sela%20PCS.pdf), first of all this is a Ward 4 school that has a lot of upper-middle-class white and (probably???) Jewish families. They are 22% at risk, which is really LOW for a DC Charter School. They have a 4/5 star rating! And their enrollment is actually growing, even if by small amounts. This might as well have been signed as "Concerned Karen's who want to speak to your manager" LOL

Why don't you fill us in on the academic data here.
https://schoolreportcard.dc.gov/lea/174/school/197/report

There's some very weird data in this report card. More than 50% of ECE students and nearly a third of other students were chronically absent? There is a bizarre gap in male/female ELA achievement which is not at all representative of DC wide data. The growth data is awful (3.5 points out of 50?!?).

This lottery data doesn't exactly say "thriving".

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine being so privileged that among your top concerns is building a new playground??? Out of curiosity I looked at the report card (https://dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/media/file/DC%20Report%20Card_Sela%20PCS.pdf), first of all this is a Ward 4 school that has a lot of upper-middle-class white and (probably???) Jewish families. They are 22% at risk, which is really LOW for a DC Charter School. They have a 4/5 star rating! And their enrollment is actually growing, even if by small amounts. This might as well have been signed as "Concerned Karen's who want to speak to your manager" LOL

Why don't you fill us in on the academic data here.
https://schoolreportcard.dc.gov/lea/174/school/197/report

Can you imagine being so privileged that among your top concerns is building a new playground??? Out of curiosity I looked at the report card (https://dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/media/file/DC%20Report%20Card_Sela%20PCS.pdf), first of all this is a Ward 4 school that has a lot of upper-middle-class white and (probably???) Jewish families. They are 22% at risk, which is really LOW for a DC Charter School. They have a 4/5 star rating! And their enrollment is actually growing, even if by small amounts. This might as well have been signed as "Concerned Karen's who want to speak to your manager" LOL

Anonymous wrote:I wish you well in your efforts. I'm not sure if airing your dirty laundry here is really in the best interest of the school, but you must be desperate to try it. I'm sorry to hear that things have gotten so dire.

Certainly isn't going to help declining enrollment...

Money, OP, is the root of the problem.

You cannot expect overwhelmed teachers and staff working more than their job description, to focus on things like cultural this and cultural that. You cannot expect a revolving door of poorly paid SN staff who are not supported by their admin (due to admin being overwhelmed) to in turn, properly support the kids. And of course, there's no money for a playground. If you suspect financial malfeasance... I suppose there's a contact for that?

If I were you, I'd leave for a part of MoCo, MD, or Fairfax, VA, with good public schools. Not all schools in FCPS and MCPS are created equal, but the ones in wealthy clusters are great. Rent if you have to. The added bonus is that your kids will have access to in-state tuition at UMD (if MCPS), or UVA and W&M (if FCPS). If you stay in DC, you're on the hook for out-of-state tuition everywhere. Given the price of college these days, that's not a negligible difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't seem like a serious or thoughtful effort. If the school is in big financial trouble, say that. If you're talking about data points that are available for other schools, tell me how it compares to similar schools, because I suspect some of these are just difficult, widespread problems, but some may not be. If there are things you think the school can do better to retain teachers or improve performance or fix the playground, say that and tell us what the leadership has said in response to you, don't just tell me you want someone else in charge.

It reads like they don't totally grasp the financial situation underlying a lot of the trouble.

But of course finances are downstream from enrollment and leadership changes can impact enrollment.

I'm open to the argument that there are serious financial challenges and there are things leadership could do to improve enrollment that they've been resistant to. But this is not that argument.

It's not an argument, it's right there in the FAR.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't seem like a serious or thoughtful effort. If the school is in big financial trouble, say that. If you're talking about data points that are available for other schools, tell me how it compares to similar schools, because I suspect some of these are just difficult, widespread problems, but some may not be. If there are things you think the school can do better to retain teachers or improve performance or fix the playground, say that and tell us what the leadership has said in response to you, don't just tell me you want someone else in charge.

It reads like they don't totally grasp the financial situation underlying a lot of the trouble.

But of course finances are downstream from enrollment and leadership changes can impact enrollment.

I'm open to the argument that there are serious financial challenges and there are things leadership could do to improve enrollment that they've been resistant to. But this is not that argument.

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't seem like a serious or thoughtful effort. If the school is in big financial trouble, say that. If you're talking about data points that are available for other schools, tell me how it compares to similar schools, because I suspect some of these are just difficult, widespread problems, but some may not be. If there are things you think the school can do better to retain teachers or improve performance or fix the playground, say that and tell us what the leadership has said in response to you, don't just tell me you want someone else in charge.

It reads like they don't totally grasp the financial situation underlying a lot of the trouble.

But of course finances are downstream from enrollment and leadership changes can impact enrollment.

This doesn't seem like a serious or thoughtful effort. If the school is in big financial trouble, say that. If you're talking about data points that are available for other schools, tell me how it compares to similar schools, because I suspect some of these are just difficult, widespread problems, but some may not be. If there are things you think the school can do better to retain teachers or improve performance or fix the playground, say that and tell us what the leadership has said in response to you, don't just tell me you want someone else in charge.

Anyone who makes an effort can see the distress. It's right there in the School Report Card, the enrollment data, and the FAR.

I do think it's gotten to a point where drastic measures are needed.

I wish you well in your efforts. I'm not sure if airing your dirty laundry here is really in the best interest of the school, but you must be desperate to try it. I'm sorry to hear that things have gotten so dire.

Sela's 15-year renewal is in school year 27-28. The 15-year meeting is kind of high stakes-- the PCSB *must* close a school if certain criteria are met. Not sure if Sela's at that point, or if the PCSB will blink and do a short-term renewal. You are absolutely right to think your school's survival may be at stake.

I dunno, I think the writing's on the wall (so to speak). A downwards enrollment spiral is very hard to pull out of, and PCSB attention to financial problems is elevated due to the Eagle Academy debacle.

You do see, right, that the enrollment problem drives the staffing and the playground problems, right? Because they're all financial things.

As parents, we chose Sela because of its mission to tackle educational inequity, racial segregation, and cultural isolation. Unfortunately, we believe the current leadership does not uphold this mission, nor do their actions reflect the values we want for our school. Many of us are deeply concerned about the school’s direction and culture, and some are even considering leaving Sela after this school year.

Key Concerns
Here are some of the main issues we’ve identified:

Leadership Culture: There is a troubling pattern of staff and parent concerns being dismissed or ignored. Women, particularly women of color, have often been silenced or disrespected. This culture of disregard is unacceptable in an institution that promises inclusivity and equity.

Declining Performance: Academic growth has stagnated, and the school’s OSSE report card reflects poor accountability scores. Enrollment numbers are declining, and the promised playground remains unbuilt.

Special Education: Families with children on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) have faced inconsistent communication and a high turnover of special education staff, leading to frustration and disconnection.

Staffing Challenges: Chronic understaffing has forced non-classroom staff, such as aides and specials teachers, to cover for classroom teachers. This disrupts learning and adds unnecessary strain to the entire staff.

Cultural Programming: Celebrations such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month and Women’s History Month have lacked meaningful content, with some activities unintentionally reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Parents have repeatedly offered to collaborate on improving these programs, but leadership has not acted.

Outdoor Access and Physical Activity: The school is not meeting OSSE requirements for recess and physical education, which directly impacts our children’s well-being.

Why This Matters
We want our children to thrive in a school that values academic excellence, inclusivity, and respect. For this to happen, we need leadership that listens to staff and parents, supports teachers, and fosters a positive culture. Unfortunately, the current leadership team has shown an unwillingness to address systemic issues or take accountability for their actions.

How You Can Help

Sign Petition Here: https://chng.it/NqpBspztZC