If you don't let the uniforms go, then the perception of the school won't change. So, you as an IB family have that choice --make an effort to recruit other IB families, or don't.

Anonymous wrote:The current IB parents should lobby to end the uniforms.

We live IB for a Hardy feeder and I've got to say, the idea of uniforms in middle school sounds wise to me. This is THE WORST, most awkward time in the life of any person -- any primate, really. Not having to worry about what to wear seems like it would eliminate many major potential conflicts. I wore a Catholic-school uniform during those years in my own life and am very relieved, even now, that I made it through early adolescence without my clothes ever being a subject of ridicule or stress.

The current IB parents should lobby to end the uniforms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think getting rid if the uniforms would be a good first step.

+1

They say 1990s-era DC urban school, which is not where Hardy needs to be to attract more neighborhood students.

This is a perfectly reasonable option to consider. The decision should be made by Principal Pride, with input from current Hardy families (regardless of whether they are IB or OOB) and future Hardy families (regardless of whether they are IB or OOB). So you should join the Hardy community (or future Hardy community) and begin this discussion.

Future OOB families don't know who they are yet, the lottery hasn't happened.

Anonymous wrote:So Mann parents were spreading incorrect information about Hardy. Shocked, I tell ya. Just shocked. How hard is it to figure out the 5 or so Mann students who went to Hardy?

It's not hard. In fact I figured it out after just a couple of months. I do not spend much time at school, just a few minutes after drop off then I have to fly to my office.

So Mann parents were spreading incorrect information about Hardy. Shocked, I tell ya. Just shocked. How hard is it to figure out the 5 or so Mann students who went to Hardy?

Horace Mann parent here, just emerged from a one-hour reading of this topic plus a few older ones on Hardy.

There's very little to add, but since so many people felt entitled to write about Hardy in this thread with nothing new to say, I want to share my experience too.

I just recently had the chance to experience firsthand the climate of misconceptions , prejudice and misinformation about Hardy. For some reasons, some parents seems to enjoy or find "cool" spreading false and negative information about the school (or have a private agenda which I don't understand).

My case: a couple of months ago, while talking to parents after drop off, I learned that a number of students from last year's Mann 5th grade had opted for Hardy, for the first time in many years. "Great!" I said, only to be immediately silenced by two parents, who added that "yes, but they were only the Mann OB students. No IB Mann family would ever choose Hardy!".

Now, at last week's meeting at Mann on Hardy, I had the chance to personally meet with some of those ex-Mann parents and students, and realized that they were not only IB families , but also among the best students of their class, as our Principal confirmed at the meeting.

This week I intend to go back and talk to the parents who had passed me the wrong and biased information, make them aware of the real picture but also of the fact that the wrong/biased information they are uncaringly spreading around is adversely damaging our community.

Sorry for any iPhone typos.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think getting rid if the uniforms would be a good first step.

+1

They say 1990s-era DC urban school, which is not where Hardy needs to be to attract more neighborhood students.

This is a perfectly reasonable option to consider. The decision should be made by Principal Pride, with input from current Hardy families (regardless of whether they are IB or OOB) and future Hardy families (regardless of whether they are IB or OOB). So you should join the Hardy community (or future Hardy community) and begin this discussion.

Right words and suggestion. All feeder schools (Hyde, Key, Mann, Stoddert, Eaton) have at least one parent representative in the "Hardy Feeder School Parents Committee". Ask your PTO President to get in contact with them and learn ways to support the current and prospective school community.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think getting rid if the uniforms would be a good first step.

+1

They say 1990s-era DC urban school, which is not where Hardy needs to be to attract more neighborhood students.

This is a perfectly reasonable option to consider. The decision should be made by Principal Pride, with input from current Hardy families (regardless of whether they are IB or OOB) and future Hardy families (regardless of whether they are IB or OOB). So you should join the Hardy community (or future Hardy community) and begin this discussion.

Anonymous wrote:I think getting rid if the uniforms would be a good first step.

+1

They say 1990s-era DC urban school, which is not where Hardy needs to be to attract more neighborhood students.

I think getting rid if the uniforms would be a good first step.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I seriosly hope IB folks just stay away in droves...more room for other kids who could benefit from Hardy's growing strengths. You all make me a bit ill.

Sure. It will be easy to build a top-notch DCPS middle school with 80% or higher OOB enrollment.

Mary Cheh and Jack Evans have proposed a new middle school WOTP. It makes sense because few IB want to go to Hardy, and few at Hardy welcome the changes that would be necessary to attract a lot of IB families.

Oh FFS, I think the general attitude has been, if you want Hardy to make those changes, enroll at the g@dd#med school and organize for those changes. Nobody has a problem with you being at Hardy. What we have a problem with is all your whining about the Hardy administration not getting down on their knees, begging you to come, and not being willing to limit OOB enrollment so you don't have to experience any distress with all those unwashed EoTP kids breathing the same air as your kids.

Okay, that's an overstatement but, sheesh, a few posters on this thread wanted to be treated like princesses.

+1,000,000

No family at Hardy is opposed to change just for the sake of being opposed to change, or is against changes that make the school better. But we do get offended when you tell us that our kids are not worthy of being with your kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I seriosly hope IB folks just stay away in droves...more room for other kids who could benefit from Hardy's growing strengths. You all make me a bit ill.

Sure. It will be easy to build a top-notch DCPS middle school with 80% or higher OOB enrollment.

Mary Cheh and Jack Evans have proposed a new middle school WOTP. It makes sense because few IB want to go to Hardy, and few at Hardy welcome the changes that would be necessary to attract a lot of IB families.

Oh FFS, I think the general attitude has been, if you want Hardy to make those changes, enroll at the g@dd#med school and organize for those changes. Nobody has a problem with you being at Hardy. What we have a problem with is all your whining about the Hardy administration not getting down on their knees, begging you to come, and not being willing to limit OOB enrollment so you don't have to experience any distress with all those unwashed EoTP kids breathing the same air as your kids.

Okay, that's an overstatement but, sheesh, a few posters on this thread wanted to be treated like princesses.

We were impressed by the 6th grade classes and teachers during our visit at Hardy. Kids looked engaged and in control. I cannot say the same about one of the two private middle school & one charter we visited during the month of January.

We arrived in DC from Boston two years ago, rented in lovely Glover Park despite colleagues at work warned us about Hardy, our IB school, suggesting us to move to Tenleytown instead to be IB for Deal.

So glad we stayed (we love Glover Park and living without a car!) , and later we found out that the negative reviewers had actually never visited the school (and were even unaware of the recent changes). Therefore:

1) Thank you DCUM for pushing us to take a look at the school!!

2) Our son is still in 4th grade (Stoddert). I can say that we have already made up our mind in favor of Hardy. So, to respond to the title of this thread, this is +1 family IB at Hardy from 2016.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost 25% of Mann's graduating class went to Hardy last year, jagoff.

Mann is making a clear movement towards Hardy, and that speaks volumes.

Let's be clear here. How many kids are in Mann's 5th grade? What is the actual number of kids who attended Hardy from Mann? What percentage of the 6th grade class at Hardy is from Mann?

Just as a comparison, the Deal feeder JKLMM schools have 3-4 classes of 20+ kids each who head off to Deal. That speaks volumes.

Yes, Deal has been popular with its IB families for several years now. You aren't sharing any new information here. However, more Hardy IB families are choosing Hardy, and that's great for those who want to see increasing numbers. It will take years for Hardy numbers to be anywhere close to comparable, though. There's only one chance per year for the numbers to tick up.