Anonymous wrote:My family is unexpectedly moving back to the DC area from abroad and we're looking at an apartment zoned for Stoddert Elementary. I have an incoming kindergarten student and as the school year is quickly approaching wanted to see if anyone could provide input on a few questions, since we can't visit the school.
1) Any sense of current student:teacher ratio in kindergarten? Does each classroom have a teacher AND a paraprofessional/teaching assistant, or is it just the teacher along with an assistant? Are there other specialists that support each classroom as well?
2) I'm having a hard time determining if the aftercare program is already full, as I know that has been an issue in the past. What do parents typically do if they can't enroll their child in aftercare? Are people generally satisfied with the aftercare offerings?
3) Any recent feedback on teaching quality, concerns, etc? If you have/had a child there, are you satisfied?
4) Finally, I've read there is some ongoing construction at the school. How disruptive is that?
Any other applicable feedback is also welcome! Thanks so much!!!
1.) it's about the same as it always was, and there are assistants in the kindergarten classes... the big problem is how many embassy kids (specifically Russian) show up on the first day of school. As of today, there might be 22 kids in the kindergarten class, but when the Russia bus pulls up and dumps its load, the class might end up have 30, as it did in my son's class a few years ago. Most of the other embassy kids mingle pretty well, the Russians do not, and most of them start off with pretty challenging language and behavioral issues. It irons out by second grade or so.
2.) We've had kids in the after care program since 2017, and it's never filled up. Certain activities in the aftercare (like cooking club) book up, but we've never encountered an issue with the actual program being overfull. It's not nearly as full as it used to be pre-pandemic.
3.) some are good, some are not, like any school.
4.) major construction is finished, but new project starting soon. Disruptive to neighbors, not to students.
The other feedback is that the quality of your kid's experience will probably vary widely depending on the cohort. Because its a small school, and feels even smaller, if there's a good group of kids, your child will probably have a wonderful time. Our younger is in a grade with many great kids who are wonderful friends. Our older was in a cohort filled with malicious spoiled brats who dominated and bullied and he had a horrible time. School was non-responsive. The grade after his was wonderful. It all depends on the kids, not the teachers. Overall, a good option, especially if you're only here for a few years.