Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

MacArthur was never going to be the next Walls. Apples and oranges. Not an application school. It may well be the next Jackson Reed, or even better in some ways.

Huh. That’s an interesting change of tune. It was just a few months ago that this very platform declared MacArthur is already the new Walls:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1201606.page

Everybody got quiet when the conversation turned to the big brawl.

I am the PP you are replying to, and I was not the OP of the thread you refer to. It's not a change of tune.

How are kids getting to school?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

MacArthur was never going to be the next Walls. Apples and oranges. Not an application school. It may well be the next Jackson Reed, or even better in some ways.

Huh. That’s an interesting change of tune. It was just a few months ago that this very platform declared MacArthur is already the new Walls:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1201606.page

Everybody got quiet when the conversation turned to the big brawl.

One random OP of a thread doesn’t spam for this entire platform.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

MacArthur was never going to be the next Walls. Apples and oranges. Not an application school. It may well be the next Jackson Reed, or even better in some ways.

Huh. That’s an interesting change of tune. It was just a few months ago that this very platform declared MacArthur is already the new Walls:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1201606.page

Everybody got quiet when the conversation turned to the big brawl.

We are also in boundary and pleased with MacArthur. It’s small and the sports and activities are just getting off the ground. Plus still construction. But the administration and teachers seem very invested and are really approachable and helpful. My child is taking a few AP classes and being challenged and well supported by their teachers. Overall a very good experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too many out of boundary kids for it to feel like a neighborhood school.

It's not intended to be a neighborhood school anymore than Hyde-Addison or Hardy are neighborhood schools. They are schools in very high income neighborhoods that will never have maximum in-bound buy-in because families opt for private over public schools. So they serve the IB families that use public and have space available for OOB families that are able to commute their kids across town for school. That both gives a high performing non-charter lottery option for OOB families and reduces overcrowding at Deal/JR.

You know not of what you speak. Yes, Hyde-Addison was just 35% in-boundary last year, by far the lowest of NW schools.

But Hardy was 65% in-boundary and has been consistently trending upwards. It certainly feels like a neighborhood school to my child.

Enrollment percentage from feeds has been steadily growing, so there will be few if any new OOB spots at Hardy in coming years -- just the OOB come from feeders.

Hardy grade sizes are a little larger than what Macarthur can handle, so even as some students go off to application or private schools, there won't be much space for OOB at Macarthur now that Hardy feeds only to Macarthur (remember that the upcoming year is the first year that Hardy students won't have the option of JR).

Very happy with the school. We are in boundary, and chose to come here. My son is happy and gets a tremendous number of opportunities and a lot of support from teachers to start/do new things. It is always tough to start a school from scratch, but we have been VERY pleased.

Anonymous wrote:Too many out of boundary kids for it to feel like a neighborhood school.

It's not intended to be a neighborhood school anymore than Hyde-Addison or Hardy are neighborhood schools. They are schools in very high income neighborhoods that will never have maximum in-bound buy-in because families opt for private over public schools. So they serve the IB families that use public and have space available for OOB families that are able to commute their kids across town for school. That both gives a high performing non-charter lottery option for OOB families and reduces overcrowding at Deal/JR.

I have several friends with kids currently at MacArthur- they are all pretty happy there. One kid loves it and another transferred from JR and very much prefers MacArthur. Most of the teachers are very involved and invested in the students, class sizes are small, kids are given a lot of autonomy to start clubs, etc. Also, to my understanding, a lot of 8th grade families at Hardy this year are planning to send their kids to MacArthur (at least in my circles, so anecdotal).

Too many out of boundary kids for it to feel like a neighborhood school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

MacArthur was never going to be the next Walls. Apples and oranges. Not an application school. It may well be the next Jackson Reed, or even better in some ways.

Agree. Not a current family, but DC is at Hardy and we are feeling excited for MacArthur

+1. We’re at a Hardy feeder, but also feeling excited for Hardy and optimistic about MacArthur. Parent chatter is generally positive, but it’s so new that actual feedback is still going to be limited.

My hope/assumption is that it will be to JR what Hardy is to Deal. A comparable, but smaller and consequently slightly more limited version of the other. That could be a good, bad, or neutral thing depending on your kid and your family’s priorities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

MacArthur was never going to be the next Walls. Apples and oranges. Not an application school. It may well be the next Jackson Reed, or even better in some ways.

Agree. Not a current family, but DC is at Hardy and we are feeling excited for MacArthur

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

MacArthur was never going to be the next Walls. Apples and oranges. Not an application school. It may well be the next Jackson Reed, or even better in some ways.

Bump. Wondering if MacArthur is still on track to be the next Walls.

Could any current MacArthur parents give us a sense of the strengths and areas for growth for the school? What do you like? What would you change? Advice to Ward 3 families considering it for the lottery? Any regrets?