New poster here

Oyster seems like a pretty good school for neurotypical kids.

Several families have told me that Oyster counsels out special needs kids. They can do that because they can tell DCPS the child isn't suited to a dual language school due to disabilities, and then have the child sent to Francis Stevens as the English language alternative.

Their data bears out that they have relatively low numbers of kids with disabilities due to counseling out, and that those SN kids in the school are not learning well in their classrooms. See PARCC results for kids with disabilities as a breakout population.

Fifteen to twenty percent of the child population has some sort of special need so these are numbers of students that matter.

Meanwhile, DC Bilingual, Mundo Verde, and LAMB have developed strong special education programs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents love Oyster.

If you have problems with Oyster- real problems- put up or shut up. Tell your stories so we can determine if they are real.

I’m not sure why there is an Oyster troll here at DCUM. But let’s see what kind of truth there actually is.

Every single time a parent tells a story, psychotic boosters call them trolls. Op, there are an awful lot of people with similar stories about Oyster. I’d be worried. Thankful we moved.

No, you’re the Oyster Stalker and I doubt that you ever lived IB for the school. However, you clearly couldn’t get your child into the school because you’ve been posting about screaming teachers and/or librarians at Oyster for about a decade. Your child(ren) should be grown by now. Move on!

I actually think Nasty, arrogant PP is that screaming librarian trying to save her job. Seriously!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents love Oyster.

If you have problems with Oyster- real problems- put up or shut up. Tell your stories so we can determine if they are real.

I’m not sure why there is an Oyster troll here at DCUM. But let’s see what kind of truth there actually is.

Every single time a parent tells a story, psychotic boosters call them trolls. Op, there are an awful lot of people with similar stories about Oyster. I’d be worried. Thankful we moved.

No, you’re the Oyster Stalker and I doubt that you ever lived IB for the school. However, you clearly couldn’t get your child into the school because you’ve been posting about screaming teachers and/or librarians at Oyster for about a decade. Your child(ren) should be grown by now. Move on!

You beat me to it. This person has been posting on EVERY Oyster thread since at least 2009. It's amazing. I'm thinking of collecting an anthology and creating a coffee table book to auction off at the Oyster auction.

Many people have been talking about the ahem... “disciplinary issues” at oyster for decades. Pretending they don’t exist doesn’t make them untrue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents love Oyster.

If you have problems with Oyster- real problems- put up or shut up. Tell your stories so we can determine if they are real.

I’m not sure why there is an Oyster troll here at DCUM. But let’s see what kind of truth there actually is.

Every single time a parent tells a story, psychotic boosters call them trolls. Op, there are an awful lot of people with similar stories about Oyster. I’d be worried. Thankful we moved.

You mean similar nonexistent stories?

Feel free to tell your allegedly bad alleged stories, if they exist. The last one we got (above) got thoroughly debunked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents love Oyster.

If you have problems with Oyster- real problems- put up or shut up. Tell your stories so we can determine if they are real.

I’m not sure why there is an Oyster troll here at DCUM. But let’s see what kind of truth there actually is.

Every single time a parent tells a story, psychotic boosters call them trolls. Op, there are an awful lot of people with similar stories about Oyster. I’d be worried. Thankful we moved.

No, you’re the Oyster Stalker and I doubt that you ever lived IB for the school. However, you clearly couldn’t get your child into the school because you’ve been posting about screaming teachers and/or librarians at Oyster for about a decade. Your child(ren) should be grown by now. Move on!

You beat me to it. This person has been posting on EVERY Oyster thread since at least 2009. It's amazing. I'm thinking of collecting an anthology and creating a coffee table book to auction off at the Oyster auction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents love Oyster.

If you have problems with Oyster- real problems- put up or shut up. Tell your stories so we can determine if they are real.

I’m not sure why there is an Oyster troll here at DCUM. But let’s see what kind of truth there actually is.

Every single time a parent tells a story, psychotic boosters call them trolls. Op, there are an awful lot of people with similar stories about Oyster. I’d be worried. Thankful we moved.

No, you’re the Oyster Stalker and I doubt that you ever lived IB for the school. However, you clearly couldn’t get your child into the school because you’ve been posting about screaming teachers and/or librarians at Oyster for about a decade. Your child(ren) should be grown by now. Move on!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m disgusted by the arrogance displayed. No, half of dc would not want to attend oyster. Please don’t invent statistics to justify your choices.

NP. I don’t know the exact percentage of parents who want Oyster (neither do you), but according to this article it’s the most sought after DCPS this year: https://www.wusa9.com/mobile/article/news/local/dc/300-applications-per-seat-see-which-dc-schools-were-the-most-sought-after-in-the-2019-2020-lottery/65-16583d09-a157-4d35-98e8-bf1a8ee8d7a1

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I think this tidbit adds more texture to the discussion.

Like PP I’m just concerned that the person/people attacking Oyster are trolls. Not the OP, who has a legit complaint but we sort of know what Oyster is doing in PK4, and OP will get in in K. The trolls who seems to show up in all Oyster threads slagging one of the most high demand schools in the system. Is the goal to improve their own kids’ lottery chances?

We still don’t have enough examples of real problems at Oyster to warrant the negativity.

Oh like when the school auctioned off a sleepover with a child molester?

No, you lying idiot. That child’s parents, on their own time, allowed their child to spend time with that teacher. Those parents had no idea that their son was being groomed by a pedophile.

I challenge you to find written proof (WaPo article or equivalent) that states that Oyster auctioned off an overnight sleepover with any teacher.

Anonymous wrote:Parents love Oyster.

If you have problems with Oyster- real problems- put up or shut up. Tell your stories so we can determine if they are real.

I’m not sure why there is an Oyster troll here at DCUM. But let’s see what kind of truth there actually is.

Every single time a parent tells a story, psychotic boosters call them trolls. Op, there are an awful lot of people with similar stories about Oyster. I’d be worried. Thankful we moved.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m disgusted by the arrogance displayed. No, half of dc would not want to attend oyster. Please don’t invent statistics to justify your choices.

NP. I don’t know the exact percentage of parents who want Oyster (neither do you), but according to this article it’s the most sought after DCPS this year: https://www.wusa9.com/mobile/article/news/local/dc/300-applications-per-seat-see-which-dc-schools-were-the-most-sought-after-in-the-2019-2020-lottery/65-16583d09-a157-4d35-98e8-bf1a8ee8d7a1

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I think this tidbit adds more texture to the discussion.

Like PP I’m just concerned that the person/people attacking Oyster are trolls. Not the OP, who has a legit complaint but we sort of know what Oyster is doing in PK4, and OP will get in in K. The trolls who seems to show up in all Oyster threads slagging one of the most high demand schools in the system. Is the goal to improve their own kids’ lottery chances?

We still don’t have enough examples of real problems at Oyster to warrant the negativity.

Oh like when the school auctioned off a sleepover with a child molester?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Correction: ELL (or just English Learners) is not determined solely by nationality. It is based on the Home Language Survey. Testing is required by law for any student for whom any of the following are indicated. 1. A language other than English is spoken at home (no matter how much of the non-English language the child speaks), 2. the child communicates in a language other than English (no matter how English-fluent the parents are), or 3. the student was born outside the United States.

If any of these 3 things apply, testing is required by law to determine if the student is eligible for language support services. There are different levels of eligibility and testing is done annually until English proficiency is established. Parents don't have to accept the support and services, but testing ensures that children's language needs aren't overlooked or underestimated. Afterall, every child is different.

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/supports-english-learners-els

So is it possible for a child to be found to be ELL Spanish speaker and still fail Oyster's test for Spanish dominance?

There is no "ELL Spanish Speaker" designation.

For example, my younger brother who was born to English speaking American parents who were living in Australia, would been tested, since he was born in another country. Since he had a disability that impacted his reading and writing (part of what they test) he would have qualified for ELL services. However, there's no question that he was English language dominant.

Similarly, a child with a new Spanish speaking au pair (e.g. part of the household) who otherwise speaks only English, would be tested. If their English speaking, listening, reading or writing wasn't strong, they'd qualify for ELL. That doesn't make them Spanish dominant. It just means that they can't rule out the reason why they need extra support is, in part, because they aren't exposed to fluent English role models all day long.

Your brother would not be tested because he was born in another country. The home language survey asks if a language other than English is spoken at home and the primary language your child uses to communicate. If parents indicate a language other than English, the child is tested. If they only indicate English (no matter the country of origin) they are not tested. Students who speak English are not "English learners."

That isn't correct. They look at both the home language survey and the birth certificate to make a decision about which kids to test. Here is the information from the DCPS website:

How is a student referred?
Every parent enrolling a child in DCPS must complete a Home Language Survey as part of the complete Enrollment Packet. If the parent/guardian indicates in the survey that:

a language other than English is spoken at home,
the child communicates in a language other than English, or
the student was born outside the United States,
the local school will refer the student to the Welcome Center where the student will be assessed for English Level Proficiency in order to determine eligibility for English as a Second Language (ESL) services. Find our referral letters in the 5 most commonly spoken languages in DCPS below.


From here:

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/supports-english-learners-els

They might look at the birth certificate, but they will not actually test the child unless he or she speaks a language other than English. Especially an English only child of two American parents who happened to be born in Australia. It is a waste of time and resources.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Correction: ELL (or just English Learners) is not determined solely by nationality. It is based on the Home Language Survey. Testing is required by law for any student for whom any of the following are indicated. 1. A language other than English is spoken at home (no matter how much of the non-English language the child speaks), 2. the child communicates in a language other than English (no matter how English-fluent the parents are), or 3. the student was born outside the United States.

If any of these 3 things apply, testing is required by law to determine if the student is eligible for language support services. There are different levels of eligibility and testing is done annually until English proficiency is established. Parents don't have to accept the support and services, but testing ensures that children's language needs aren't overlooked or underestimated. Afterall, every child is different.

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/supports-english-learners-els

So is it possible for a child to be found to be ELL Spanish speaker and still fail Oyster's test for Spanish dominance?

There is no "ELL Spanish Speaker" designation.

For example, my younger brother who was born to English speaking American parents who were living in Australia, would been tested, since he was born in another country. Since he had a disability that impacted his reading and writing (part of what they test) he would have qualified for ELL services. However, there's no question that he was English language dominant.

Similarly, a child with a new Spanish speaking au pair (e.g. part of the household) who otherwise speaks only English, would be tested. If their English speaking, listening, reading or writing wasn't strong, they'd qualify for ELL. That doesn't make them Spanish dominant. It just means that they can't rule out the reason why they need extra support is, in part, because they aren't exposed to fluent English role models all day long.

Your brother would not be tested because he was born in another country. The home language survey asks if a language other than English is spoken at home and the primary language your child uses to communicate. If parents indicate a language other than English, the child is tested. If they only indicate English (no matter the country of origin) they are not tested. Students who speak English are not "English learners."

That isn't correct. They look at both the home language survey and the birth certificate to make a decision about which kids to test. Here is the information from the DCPS website:

How is a student referred?
Every parent enrolling a child in DCPS must complete a Home Language Survey as part of the complete Enrollment Packet. If the parent/guardian indicates in the survey that:

a language other than English is spoken at home,
the child communicates in a language other than English, or
the student was born outside the United States,
the local school will refer the student to the Welcome Center where the student will be assessed for English Level Proficiency in order to determine eligibility for English as a Second Language (ESL) services. Find our referral letters in the 5 most commonly spoken languages in DCPS below.


From here:

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/supports-english-learners-els

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m disgusted by the arrogance displayed. No, half of dc would not want to attend oyster. Please don’t invent statistics to justify your choices.

NP. I don’t know the exact percentage of parents who want Oyster (neither do you), but according to this article it’s the most sought after DCPS this year: https://www.wusa9.com/mobile/article/news/local/dc/300-applications-per-seat-see-which-dc-schools-were-the-most-sought-after-in-the-2019-2020-lottery/65-16583d09-a157-4d35-98e8-bf1a8ee8d7a1

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I think this tidbit adds more texture to the discussion.

Like PP I’m just concerned that the person/people attacking Oyster are trolls. Not the OP, who has a legit complaint but we sort of know what Oyster is doing in PK4, and OP will get in in K. The trolls who seems to show up in all Oyster threads slagging one of the most high demand schools in the system. Is the goal to improve their own kids’ lottery chances?

We still don’t have enough examples of real problems at Oyster to warrant the negativity.

Anonymous wrote:I’m disgusted by the arrogance displayed. No, half of dc would not want to attend oyster. Please don’t invent statistics to justify your choices.

NP. I don’t know the exact percentage of parents who want Oyster (neither do you), but according to this article it’s the most sought after DCPS this year: https://www.wusa9.com/mobile/article/news/local/dc/300-applications-per-seat-see-which-dc-schools-were-the-most-sought-after-in-the-2019-2020-lottery/65-16583d09-a157-4d35-98e8-bf1a8ee8d7a1

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I think this tidbit adds more texture to the discussion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Correction: ELL (or just English Learners) is not determined solely by nationality. It is based on the Home Language Survey. Testing is required by law for any student for whom any of the following are indicated. 1. A language other than English is spoken at home (no matter how much of the non-English language the child speaks), 2. the child communicates in a language other than English (no matter how English-fluent the parents are), or 3. the student was born outside the United States.

If any of these 3 things apply, testing is required by law to determine if the student is eligible for language support services. There are different levels of eligibility and testing is done annually until English proficiency is established. Parents don't have to accept the support and services, but testing ensures that children's language needs aren't overlooked or underestimated. Afterall, every child is different.

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/supports-english-learners-els

So is it possible for a child to be found to be ELL Spanish speaker and still fail Oyster's test for Spanish dominance?

There is no "ELL Spanish Speaker" designation.

For example, my younger brother who was born to English speaking American parents who were living in Australia, would been tested, since he was born in another country. Since he had a disability that impacted his reading and writing (part of what they test) he would have qualified for ELL services. However, there's no question that he was English language dominant.

Similarly, a child with a new Spanish speaking au pair (e.g. part of the household) who otherwise speaks only English, would be tested. If their English speaking, listening, reading or writing wasn't strong, they'd qualify for ELL. That doesn't make them Spanish dominant. It just means that they can't rule out the reason why they need extra support is, in part, because they aren't exposed to fluent English role models all day long.

Your brother would not be tested because he was born in another country. The home language survey asks if a language other than English is spoken at home and the primary language your child uses to communicate. If parents indicate a language other than English, the child is tested. If they only indicate English (no matter the country of origin) they are not tested. Students who speak English are not "English learners."

As someone said up-post, each kid is unique, and served by different needs. Oyster is not perfect, nor is any other school, but it is beloved by many current families and alumni from the past 40 years.

Personally, I love to see the connection- and see the staff around the school who were once students there- and now employed or involved as parents themselves. My Lyft driver once dropped me off and said that he too was an alumnus from the 1980s, and knew the current aftercare director, another alumnus.

There are several families I know of at Oyster who have children in attendance at the school- as well as at other schools better suited to that particular child's learning style. Could be driven by affinity for language, class size, all kinds of parameters. This same scenario is repeated at other schools, both charter (in my own circles, I know of friends at IT and MV with kids attending different schools). No less love for the environment, just a recognition of what might be a good fit (or not.)

The best advice, as a parent who also once changed their child's school to find that elusive ideal environment for their needs, is to follow the wisdom of the PP who suggested reaching out to Asst. Principal Berrocal. She's rational, warm, and willing to work with parents. If your child is in PK4, its just one more year, and she could join in K.

Suerte.