Ask how they manage behavior and if they have a socioemotional curriculum. They may say terms or program names like "Restorative Justice" or "Responsive Classroom" or "Second Step" or "Conscious Discipline" or whatever. Then Google that and see if you like it.

Ask for a copy of the parent handbook, reading that should give you some perspective on what's going on. And what they actually do but they don't want to say aloud. For example our school (ITDS) talks about Restorative Justice a lot, but their handbook is full of stuff about escalating system of consequences and detention (which of course they would never actually call "detention").

I would talk to upper elementary parents. When I was looking at elementary schools for my three year old I heard a lot of disparaging comments about “disgruntled upper el parents”. That’s a red flag.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

OP here.

Yes, middle school feeder is very important and will be considered, but doesn't seem relevant for an open house? I mean, I'm not going to ask the elementary school principal about the middle school, that's not really her lane.

Agree about academics, but how do you ask that? Surely I can't say "How real are the academics?"

Will definitely check out the physical space.

PP is right though - the question you might want to ask is "how many students do you lose in upper grades" as it's a common issue in DCPS

My kids went to a Hardy feeder and I did a couple “parent” tours to prospective families. Many did ask about how many kids stayed through 5th and went on to Hardy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

OP here.

Yes, middle school feeder is very important and will be considered, but doesn't seem relevant for an open house? I mean, I'm not going to ask the elementary school principal about the middle school, that's not really her lane.

Agree about academics, but how do you ask that? Surely I can't say "How real are the academics?"

Will definitely check out the physical space.

PP is right though - the question you might want to ask is "how many students do you lose in upper grades" as it's a common issue in DCPS

You can look at the OSSE enrollment spreadsheets for past years of this. Or EdScape.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

OP here.

Yes, middle school feeder is very important and will be considered, but doesn't seem relevant for an open house? I mean, I'm not going to ask the elementary school principal about the middle school, that's not really her lane.

Agree about academics, but how do you ask that? Surely I can't say "How real are the academics?"

Will definitely check out the physical space.

PP is right though - the question you might want to ask is "how many students do you lose in upper grades" as it's a common issue in DCPS

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

OP here.

Yes, middle school feeder is very important and will be considered, but doesn't seem relevant for an open house? I mean, I'm not going to ask the elementary school principal about the middle school, that's not really her lane.

Agree about academics, but how do you ask that? Surely I can't say "How real are the academics?"

Will definitely check out the physical space.

I would ask them for the specifics of their curricula. Like do they use Eureka Math, Math Workshop, Singapore Math, etc, and then Google each and decide if you like it.

Ask if they teach spelling and grammar explicitly (they may say "discretely"). Ask how they build math fluency.

I like to ask "What are you trying hardest to improve in the coming year".

You can go to a middle school open house if you like. I suggest you look into Inspired Teaching which goes to 8th, you can probably just go to that part of the building during the tour.

This is great advice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

OP here.

Yes, middle school feeder is very important and will be considered, but doesn't seem relevant for an open house? I mean, I'm not going to ask the elementary school principal about the middle school, that's not really her lane.

Agree about academics, but how do you ask that? Surely I can't say "How real are the academics?"

Will definitely check out the physical space.

I would ask them for the specifics of their curricula. Like do they use Eureka Math, Math Workshop, Singapore Math, etc, and then Google each and decide if you like it.

Ask if they teach spelling and grammar explicitly (they may say "discretely"). Ask how they build math fluency.

I like to ask "What are you trying hardest to improve in the coming year".

You can go to a middle school open house if you like. I suggest you look into Inspired Teaching which goes to 8th, you can probably just go to that part of the building during the tour.

Always look long term. Is pre-K important? Yes. But you should also be looking at 5th grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're taking our first big whack at the lottery this year. Kids will be in K and 1st. Was planning to narrow our list and prepare for open houses after EdFest, but Ross only has one open house and it's this Friday, so I gotta go.

What do you look for at an open house? What kind of questions do you ask?

I'm particularly interested in the wisdom of people with kids in 4th grade or higher - what do you wish you'd looked for or considered for mid-late elementary?

Ask how the curriculum differs from other DCPS schools (at Ross this answer is very interesting), and this is something a principal will be able to answer.

Ask to see student work, if possible.

Note how the students are in the space -- what are they looking at and what are they doing with their bodies. This varies WIDELY school to school. Like the screen -heavy schools become obvious.

Ask how they offer differentiated work to different groups -- are there pull outs? Math and literacy coaches? Special apps?

OP here - this is super, super helpful, thank you.

Anonymous wrote:Is Ross your IB?

OP here.

No. I recognize it's a long shot in the lottery, but they do take a few K/1st kids most years. On paper (ie, before all the open houses, things could change) it may end up our #1 choice. We live fairly close.

Anonymous wrote:Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

OP here.

Yes, middle school feeder is very important and will be considered, but doesn't seem relevant for an open house? I mean, I'm not going to ask the elementary school principal about the middle school, that's not really her lane.

Agree about academics, but how do you ask that? Surely I can't say "How real are the academics?"

Will definitely check out the physical space.

Anonymous wrote:We're taking our first big whack at the lottery this year. Kids will be in K and 1st. Was planning to narrow our list and prepare for open houses after EdFest, but Ross only has one open house and it's this Friday, so I gotta go.

What do you look for at an open house? What kind of questions do you ask?

I'm particularly interested in the wisdom of people with kids in 4th grade or higher - what do you wish you'd looked for or considered for mid-late elementary?

Ask how the curriculum differs from other DCPS schools (at Ross this answer is very interesting), and this is something a principal will be able to answer.

Ask to see student work, if possible.

Note how the students are in the space -- what are they looking at and what are they doing with their bodies. This varies WIDELY school to school. Like the screen -heavy schools become obvious.

Ask how they offer differentiated work to different groups -- are there pull outs? Math and literacy coaches? Special apps?

Middle school feeder (if any) is of the utmost importance. Even.if you're planning to move or go private, schools without an adequate middle school tend to lose a lot of their strongest students in 3rd-5th for this reason, so it will affect you.

How "real" are the academics? Everyone loves a cozy, creative Kindergarten, but are they learning the grade level content in the upper years?

If your kids may be above grade level, how is that handled?

Be sure to evaluate the physical space, it varies widely.

Is Ross your IB?

We're taking our first big whack at the lottery this year. Kids will be in K and 1st. Was planning to narrow our list and prepare for open houses after EdFest, but Ross only has one open house and it's this Friday, so I gotta go.

What do you look for at an open house? What kind of questions do you ask?

I'm particularly interested in the wisdom of people with kids in 4th grade or higher - what do you wish you'd looked for or considered for mid-late elementary?