NASAguy wrote:At Goddard Space Flight Center, we see quite a few Duval students here for both tours and internships. There is a summer internship program and we always get a handful of Duval students here. The ones that come here are highly motivated and generally quite bright, so I have a favorable opinion. But then based on the PP's comment, it's possible that we see the cream of the crop if the principal is focused on the aerospace program.

I also have a friend who is a teacher there and he works hard and cares a lot about his students. But his wife has been trying to get him to apply to teach at schools in Howard County so that they can move to Howard County and have their kid in school up there. He's been resistant because he cares about his students, but I think he's wavering. There are a lot of good teachers there, but some of them have been beaten down by the system. PGCS administration is a nightmare for the teachers.

Tell him to please stay! The students know which teachers care and appreciate it. DuVal needs as many of them as possible. But I understand.

At Goddard Space Flight Center, we see quite a few Duval students here for both tours and internships. There is a summer internship program and we always get a handful of Duval students here. The ones that come here are highly motivated and generally quite bright, so I have a favorable opinion. But then based on the PP's comment, it's possible that we see the cream of the crop if the principal is focused on the aerospace program.

I also have a friend who is a teacher there and he works hard and cares a lot about his students. But his wife has been trying to get him to apply to teach at schools in Howard County so that they can move to Howard County and have their kid in school up there. He's been resistant because he cares about his students, but I think he's wavering. There are a lot of good teachers there, but some of them have been beaten down by the system. PGCS administration is a nightmare for the teachers.

Because DuVal has too much chaos going on right now with less-than-stellar administrators, too many mediocre to poor teachers and too many unmotivated students. Add to the mix the parents who are mostly uninvolved. DuVal is trying to pull itself out of the graduation rate and grade fixing scandal — on the backs of students it seems. It could be worse but it also could be a lot better. The principal is pretty much only focused on the aerospace program and the kids with the highest GPAs. Bad to mediocre teachers are protected. Few of the best teachers want to stay. Most do not care about the struggling students and seem glad to let them fall through the cracks. If your child is not highly motivated and not the highest achiever, do not send him or her to this school. It’s a shame because the principal and staff who were accused of unauthorized grade changes and removed were making a difference. The replacements are not good. DuVal has most certainly been in the news the last couple of years for negative things, so I don’t know where people are doing their research.

Anonymous wrote:Seems like the school could be a hidden gem... I dont see much talk about it on the boards... yet I recently went to an awards event where several students from DuVal had been accepted to some of the top ivies and also very successful in STEM competitions.

Why no talk of it here?

Honestly, because white families don't want to send their kid to a highschool with 2% white kids but they are OK with sending their kids to a school with 12% white kids. People are prejudiced even if they aren't racist. Their subconscious tells them that it isn't as good of a program because it is 95% non-white. Hopefully, one day that will change.

I've heard good very things about DuVal's Aerospace program l but my kids aren't really STEM focused. We are going to try the IB program at Parkdale if they don't get into one of the Middle College programs.

Anonymous wrote:Seems like the school could be a hidden gem... I dont see much talk about it on the boards... yet I recently went to an awards event where several students from DuVal had been accepted to some of the top ivies and also very successful in STEM competitions.

Why no talk of it here?

Very good to hear. I graduated in 2000 and even back then we were overshadowed by our Science & Tech neighbor Eleanor Roosevelt.

Seems like the school could be a hidden gem... I dont see much talk about it on the boards... yet I recently went to an awards event where several students from DuVal had been accepted to some of the top ivies and also very successful in STEM competitions.

Why no talk of it here?