Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, in early August we got an email with several attachments that had typical school news but also bus schedules, supply lists, etc. There was also a picnic before the school year started where the kids got to meet each other and there were some fun activities where the kids worked in small groups to get to know each other. It wasn't a long event but it was nice that the kids didn't have to show up on day one as the new kid. I'd highly recommend attending that... it's also one of the few times you get to meet the other parents in a large gathering. The parent dynamic is going to be much different than you were used to in your home school (if you were involved like that). Enjoy your summer and congrats to your kid. It's a great program.

""

+1 to all of this.

If you are used to being pretty involved, you are going to need to take a step back. The CES teachers really encourage the kids to take responsibility for their own experience.

It's also the distance and there's less of a community feel to the experience for the families. I think the kids bond well but not the families. I have never had so much trouble getting parents to volunteer for things as at DC's CES.

We found that there wasn't much involvement with the PTA for CES families, but chaperoning field trips and other scheduled events always seemed to have a really good turn out. We actually developed some really strong relationships with about five other families that, despite some of the kids heading to different middle schools, I think will remain strong. Get-togethers probably won't occur quite as frequently, but they seem to be the type where you can pretty much pick up where you left off. Time will tell. It was certainly a different dynamic than the home school, but something that was fairly easy to navigate for both kids and parents. A five minute drive for a playdate might turn into a 20 minute drive, but if you take a step back and really think about it, it's not that big of a deal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, in early August we got an email with several attachments that had typical school news but also bus schedules, supply lists, etc. There was also a picnic before the school year started where the kids got to meet each other and there were some fun activities where the kids worked in small groups to get to know each other. It wasn't a long event but it was nice that the kids didn't have to show up on day one as the new kid. I'd highly recommend attending that... it's also one of the few times you get to meet the other parents in a large gathering. The parent dynamic is going to be much different than you were used to in your home school (if you were involved like that). Enjoy your summer and congrats to your kid. It's a great program.

""

+1 to all of this.

If you are used to being pretty involved, you are going to need to take a step back. The CES teachers really encourage the kids to take responsibility for their own experience.

It's also the distance and there's less of a community feel to the experience for the families. I think the kids bond well but not the families. I have never had so much trouble getting parents to volunteer for things as at DC's CES.

No doubt this is completely excusable as they are important people with important jobs!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, in early August we got an email with several attachments that had typical school news but also bus schedules, supply lists, etc. There was also a picnic before the school year started where the kids got to meet each other and there were some fun activities where the kids worked in small groups to get to know each other. It wasn't a long event but it was nice that the kids didn't have to show up on day one as the new kid. I'd highly recommend attending that... it's also one of the few times you get to meet the other parents in a large gathering. The parent dynamic is going to be much different than you were used to in your home school (if you were involved like that). Enjoy your summer and congrats to your kid. It's a great program.

""

+1 to all of this.

If you are used to being pretty involved, you are going to need to take a step back. The CES teachers really encourage the kids to take responsibility for their own experience.

It's also the distance and there's less of a community feel to the experience for the families. I think the kids bond well but not the families. I have never had so much trouble getting parents to volunteer for things as at DC's CES.

DD's CES did not have summer get together. At some point we did receive emails with a supply list and bus schedule.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, in early August we got an email with several attachments that had typical school news but also bus schedules, supply lists, etc. There was also a picnic before the school year started where the kids got to meet each other and there were some fun activities where the kids worked in small groups to get to know each other. It wasn't a long event but it was nice that the kids didn't have to show up on day one as the new kid. I'd highly recommend attending that... it's also one of the few times you get to meet the other parents in a large gathering. The parent dynamic is going to be much different than you were used to in your home school (if you were involved like that). Enjoy your summer and congrats to your kid. It's a great program.

""

+1 to all of this.

If you are used to being pretty involved, you are going to need to take a step back. The CES teachers really encourage the kids to take responsibility for their own experience.

Yes, in early August we got an email with several attachments that had typical school news but also bus schedules, supply lists, etc. There was also a picnic before the school year started where the kids got to meet each other and there were some fun activities where the kids worked in small groups to get to know each other. It wasn't a long event but it was nice that the kids didn't have to show up on day one as the new kid. I'd highly recommend attending that... it's also one of the few times you get to meet the other parents in a large gathering. The parent dynamic is going to be much different than you were used to in your home school (if you were involved like that). Enjoy your summer and congrats to your kid. It's a great program.

Our school had a welcome ice cream social over the summer for kids to meet each other. Other than that it was just typical school newsletter in August with information on busses etc.

After accepting your child’s spot to the CES online, what happens next and when?
Do you get any kind of communication or acknowledgment during the summer from the new school?