I could not attend the meeting last night, but did anyone attend that can give a summary?

Thanks!

http://www.brooklandheartbeat.org/fall11_8thgraders.htm

What a depressing article although it's perfectly obvious that the kids who are left in ward 5 public schools are the ones whose parents don't have the wherewithal to send them elsewhere and/or don't give a damn about their education. These kids have more on their plates than dismal test scores.

We drive our DC past three ward 5 elementary public and charters in our nabe every morning to attend our ward 5 charter. We love our charter but still ridiculous.

It's tonight.

Did anyone attend the meeting last night? Can someone post a recap?I

Well, sure, PP, that's why we all moved to Ward 5! (You are quoting me.)

And, of course we want quality schools! Which schools are likely to attract middle class parents like you and me? Specialized programs, for my money, are the best chance of achieving the bullet points you listed (except maybe the uniform thing) and more. What will pull in middle class parents? A quality program. How are we likely to get that in DCPS? A specialized program, a magnet, maybe. That's what I think anyway. How are we going to get diversity of race and SES? Committed parents trying it out at the PS/PK level -- NOT by creating a middle school for Ward 5 which is where this DCPS conversation seems to be going. If they start with that, it will just be a half-empty school and Ward 5 parents will keep scrambling to get their kids into charters, OOB schools etc.

So come out and tell DCPS what it would take! Does your charter go through 12th grade? Are you sure you're going to stay all the way?

Here's an article in the Brookland Heartbeat about how bad public schools in Ward 5 are:

http://www.brooklandheartbeat.org/fall11_8thgraders.html

Look, my family has gone charter too and we're happy. So I know exactly where you're coming from.

Come out and tell DCPS what you've posted here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, lots of don't send their kids to Ward 5 DCPS, but a lot do send their kids to DC PCS. I read a report that said Ward 5 has the highest % of kids in charter schools out of any Ward.

Yes, you are reinforcing my point! Families in Ward 5 are sending their kids to charters, to DCPS in other wards, to private and parochial schools. Let's have a conversation about what we'd need to see in Ward 5 DCPS to send our kids there. Middle school is part of that conversation--since there are so few good options in the District (and Ward 5 kids age out of out of boundary elementary schools or elementary-only charters like LAMB or Stokes) but it has to start with why we're not sending our kids to Ward 5 DCPSs. There is a baby boom in Brookland and all these parents are staking out the lotteries for charters, or Hill or Upper NW elementaries. As demographics change across the District, those options are going to be harder and harder to come by. We need to think about what it would take to send our kids to Ward 5 DCPSs. I think it is likely to be a committed group of families willing to give it a try at the PS/PK level. They are likely to want specialized programs to do so. Expedionary learning, language immersion, reggio...

We moved to Ward 5 for affordable housing, not the schools. I don't want a specialized program. I want a quality school which will give my child a quality education, not just train him to follow directions and be a passive learner.

You know what it would take for me to send my kid to my in-bounds school?
* Teachers who don't yell at students all day long
* Freedom of choice in dress - we are not a family who would ever stick a child in a uniform
* Challenging, differentiated curriculum that doesn't include hours upon hours (plus homework!) of worksheets
* Diversity of race and SES

Ward 5 parent whose child is safe and happy in a charter

Anonymous wrote:Well, lots of don't send their kids to Ward 5 DCPS, but a lot do send their kids to DC PCS. I read a report that said Ward 5 has the highest % of kids in charter schools out of any Ward.

Yes, you are reinforcing my point! Families in Ward 5 are sending their kids to charters, to DCPS in other wards, to private and parochial schools. Let's have a conversation about what we'd need to see in Ward 5 DCPS to send our kids there. Middle school is part of that conversation--since there are so few good options in the District (and Ward 5 kids age out of out of boundary elementary schools or elementary-only charters like LAMB or Stokes) but it has to start with why we're not sending our kids to Ward 5 DCPSs. There is a baby boom in Brookland and all these parents are staking out the lotteries for charters, or Hill or Upper NW elementaries. As demographics change across the District, those options are going to be harder and harder to come by. We need to think about what it would take to send our kids to Ward 5 DCPSs. I think it is likely to be a committed group of families willing to give it a try at the PS/PK level. They are likely to want specialized programs to do so. Expedionary learning, language immersion, reggio...

I agree that the discussion needs to be about preschool, elementary, middle, and high schools. All DCPS schools in Ward 5 are a problem.

Anonymous wrote:I understand the focus on middle schools, but is there also a focus on elementary schools? It seems that so many families have already opted out of the system by middle school that there needs to be a concerted effort to start at elementary to bring Ward 5 families back way before the middle school years.

For what it's worth, the announcement I've seen doesn't mention middle schools. I believe that this is part of a series of visioning exercises that are to be conducted in every ward.

I understand the focus on middle schools, but is there also a focus on elementary schools? It seems that so many families have already opted out of the system by middle school that there needs to be a concerted effort to start at elementary to bring Ward 5 families back way before the middle school years.

I'm not a Ward 5 resident, so I won't be there. There was a meeting like this in Ward 4 last May, and I was shocked that our (newly-elected) Ward rep to the Board of Education wasn't there. I'd encourage Ward 5 residents to contact the rep today & make sure s/he shows up.

(Just my opinion, of course--maybe I'm just working out my anger at the ineffectuality of the Board of Ed.)

I'm planning to be there.

Well, lots of don't send their kids to Ward 5 DCPS, but a lot do send their kids to DC PCS. I read a report that said Ward 5 has the highest % of kids in charter schools out of any Ward.

Bump. Anybody else going to this? It's right by the Brookland Metro.

There are certainly A LOT of Ward 5 school issues to discuss -- like the fact that most Ward 5 DCUM posters don't send their kids to Ward 5 schools...

I guess now is our chance to say what we need if we live in Ward 5


Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative:
Building Tomorrow Together

DCPS cordially invites all Ward 5 parents, families, staff and community members to join the conversation about middle school and other education initiatives. Share your vision for Ward 5 schools and work with us to expand educational opportunities in your neighborhood schools.

Thursday, September 29th
5:30-7:30
Luke Moore HS Cafeteria
1001 Monroe St. NE

To help us plan childcare and food services,
please RSVP Marie Woodward-Graves at (202) 719-6601

Add this event to your calendar
Learn more information about the initiative.