International Baccalaureate primary years (there's some acronym - pyp? primary years program? something like that) strikes me as very similar to expeditionary learning. Very similar. There are themes/units/expeditions - in the early years 2-4, depending on the school. And then the kids get immersed in that theme/expedition. It's an interesting approach, but not for everyone, I would guess.

And, at Cooke, the bulk of the middle class families have students currently in K. It'll be the next few years that are telling.

Anonymous wrote:The only middle class child I know at Cooke, left before first grade.

This is not accurate. There are a few middle class children in grades that extend beyond first grade.

Anonymous wrote:Cooke was very high on our list of schools to consider, but we went to an open house there and left with mixed impressions about everything except the building, which is very nice. Definitely check it out before enrolling, because the IB curriculum may or may not suit your child. Personally, our gut feeling was that it wasn't going to be a good fit for our child, so Cooke is now off our list. That said, I know of at least one family that is very happy to have a child there, so clearly it's working out well for some.

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Can you elaborate alittle further. This would be helpful insight.

Cooke was very high on our list of schools to consider, but we went to an open house there and left with mixed impressions about everything except the building, which is very nice. Definitely check it out before enrolling, because the IB curriculum may or may not suit your child. Personally, our gut feeling was that it wasn't going to be a good fit for our child, so Cooke is now off our list. That said, I know of at least one family that is very happy to have a child there, so clearly it's working out well for some.

please forgive my typos, spelling, etc. typing fast plus....

I know personally of several schools "like" Cooke that have awesome early childhood programs. At the same time, the upper grades are horrible!! The quality of teaching changes. In fact I left a school because of this. had we stay my child would of been underserved. I know this because we still keep in touch with family from the school. They are trying there hardest to get into a better school.

In addtion, I know of two friends who are delaing with this- 2 different schools. One is a charter and the other is a DCPS. They each have 2 children at their current schools. The PreS/PreK classes are fab..but their children in 2nd and 3rd grades are faced with dealing with the short end of the stick. The focus is on PreS, PreK and if u are lucky K.

What is so unacceptable about the upper grades? I sometimes wonder if parents leave schools like Cooke after preschool or K out of fear, not because of anything real. Other than the demographics. But then it becomes a chicken/egg problem.

Anonymous wrote:The only middle class child I know at Cooke, left before first grade.

Oh, well, case closed then. One person definitely provides enough data to draw conclusions about the whole population.

The only middle class child I know at Cooke, left before first grade.

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry. Everyone who wants into HD Cooke, gets in.

The larger problem is where you're supposed to go after K, or worst case, 1st.

SO not true--our family was waitlisted for PS3 two years ago, and never got in. The school has some incredibly committed parents and a principal who's not afraid of differentiated instruction; I'd bet that a middle-class kid would do well there all the way through 5th.

Don't worry. Everyone who wants into HD Cooke, gets in.

The larger problem is where you're supposed to go after K, or worst case, 1st.

Did anyone attend today or last week? Comments?

reminder: come see this great Adams Morgqn school tomorrow!

OOPS - typo in last post. Open houses are:

1/17/12 at 9:00 AM and
1/24/12 at 9:00 AM.

Sorry 'bout that!

Hi all,

Just wanted to give people a heads up that HD Cooke will be hosting two open houses in January, at their home in the heart of Adams Morgan, 2525 17th Street Northwest.

1/14/12 at 9:00 AM and
1/24/12 at 9:00 AM.

HD Cooke starts in Preschool and goes until 5th grade. It is an International Baccalaureate program, one of the few elementary schools in the city offering this program. All kids get Spanish classes 45 minutes per week (but it is not a language immersion school). My kids are very happy there and the teachers have been wonderful.

Here's the website:

https://sites.google.com/a/dc.gov/h-d-cooke-elementary-school/

And here's a video showing the rapidly diversifying student body:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aYbc3xv8h4&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSB8YVM79Ow