The McKinley middle school is a neighborhood middle school with a slightly more intensive focus than that of the usual middle school on science and math. Sorry to disappoint OP. The PTSA fell apart after the previous principal resigned and it is getting rebuilt. It is for both schools - since the two schools have the same administration.

Communication is a general problem for both schools, in part because parents seem to fail in sending in basic information other than the registration. The principal uses robo-calls and the PTSA is trying out various ways to reach parents. You would be better off looking at a charter, Deal or Stuart Hobson and supplementing with a tutor.

^^ ugh. Sorry for the typos. Not every child at Basis can, will or should take that class as an 8th grader. PP's kids are clearly very advanced. But for a 'mathlete' it's a public school worth considering.

Anonymous wrote:Is it a good thing for 8th graders to take AP Calculus BC?

Not every kid does at Basis takes it - or will take it then. But for those who are ready and want to -- why not?

Is it a good thing for 8th graders to take AP Calculus BC?

you can still apply for Basis and you will get in - and for math that is the place to go - your kid can do Algebra I in 5th, and they have no one on the 5th grade wait list so you will get in as people get into Washington Latin which is NOT the place to go for a mathlete - they do not track for math and you have to do Algebra I in 7th and 8th grade.

So apply now and come for 5th grade - if you go to wherever the lottery was they will show you how to do it, and you will get in. And come. They give a placement test at the beginning of the year so brush up, and even better learn some Algebra over the summer, that is what my husband did with my son this year

Last year we scored 44% advanced on math in the MS DC CAS, and overall advanced plus proficient it was
1) Deal
2) Basis
3) Washington Latin

signed,
parent of 2 crazy math kids
5th grader in Algebra I, always his highest grade of all his classes
8th grader who took the AP exam for AP Calculus AB and we think did well - nuts I know, but they are happy

Then you will have a great shot at getting into Mckinley Tech for high school if you want to go. If you go to the MS, I think based on their scores, your odds are not good. Basis is technically not a STEM school, but 6th-8th you take Chemistry, Physics, and Biology each year, and in 8th they begin to track in science as well as math. Two years of Latin (5th and 6th) and then you can continue or do Spanish, French or Chinese. It is, however, a lot of work.

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone fill me in on McKinley Middle? DS is a mathlete entering 5th grade so it is time to start thinking about middle school.

It might have been better to think about it a few months ago and try for BASIS or Latin. But they may have some openings for 6th. Hardy is a possibility, and Howard Middle School of Math and Science. Don't know much about the offerings at DCI. Other options, though brand new, could be Brookland Middle, Washington Global, and perhaps Creative Minds.

Anonymous wrote:It just seems,so bizarre to have an attach an open enrollment middle school to an application only high school. I know dcps is allergic to any kind of magnet school below 9th grade but it really doesn't create any great continunity when the majority of the middle school population will not qualify to stay past 8th grade due poor academic performance. It would be much better if the middle was also a magnet program too.

the only thing crazier would be to attach a neighborhood PK3-8 school to an application high school, not tie the curricula together in any way, and put one principal in charge of the whole shebang! oh wait, that's exactly what happened at [School Without Walls at] Francis-Stevens. DCPS must think parents are really dumb if they expect us to fall for this crap.

It just seems,so bizarre to have an attach an open enrollment middle school to an application only high school. I know dcps is allergic to any kind of magnet school below 9th grade but it really doesn't create any great continunity when the majority of the middle school population will not qualify to stay past 8th grade due poor academic performance. It would be much better if the middle was also a magnet program too.

the PP didn't say that the middle school's test scores were good. She said that the school is touted as STEM, but isn't connected to McKinley Tech--and that Tech is doing well. Since Tech is 93% proficient in math and 87% in reading, I agree with PP that Tech is doing well. Of course, it's an application school so it's no surprise that they have high test scores. And the relatively low SAT scores show that the CAS is not the best arbiter of actual proficiency.

31% is absolutely dismal in my book. I would not consider it.

Anonymous wrote:touted as a stem school but has no connection to mckinley high school which is doing well by all accounts. 31% proficient and above on the dc cas for math which is a low bar at a stem school. no language enrichmen....t seems like its go some growing to do.

31% proficient is considered good at a STEM school. Good grief, there is no hope for DC is that's the standard.

Anonymous wrote:touted as a stem school but has no connection to mckinley high school which is doing well by all accounts. 31% proficient and above on the dc cas for math which is a low bar at a stem school. no language enrichmen....t seems like its go some growing to do.

NP, at the school fair, the reps said that offer Spanish beginning 7th grade.

touted as a stem school but has no connection to mckinley high school which is doing well by all accounts. 31% proficient and above on the dc cas for math which is a low bar at a stem school. no language enrichmen....t seems like its go some growing to do.

bump

Can anyone fill me in on McKinley Middle? DS is a mathlete entering 5th grade so it is time to start thinking about middle school. I know it got a new renovation recently. Any other info? Does it have a PTA or anything?