Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I truly don't understand why creating more space in an open-enrollment middle school that has a proven record of educating kids well and sending them on to success in high school and beyond is "too bad". Why must we always tear down the good things happening educationally in our city?

Because you don't want to understand, to see the forest for the trees. It's too bad that our highest-performing local elementary schools on Capitol Hill lose up to 2/3 of their 4th graders to BASIS because DCPS and the charters aren't aligned on the transition year to middle school. Why must we always accept almost everything DC public schools dishes out passively as parents?

Of the 70 plus 4th graders at Brent this year, we'll probably have 15 or 20 left for 5th grade with the new Latin campus opening. I get why the 4th grade parents go, not why things have to be this way in the big picture. I highly doubt that most of the 4th grade parents would run off if they didn't have to get on the 5th-12th grade train at Latin or BASIS to stay in the city with confidence that their children can get a good public school education after Brent. The Jefferson Academy boosters will jump on shortly, claiming that a fine education can be had at the by-right school, so no need to run. Whatever.

Middle School and Junior High School programs have always been fluid about what is the appropriate grade to transition from elementary. It’s been an ongoing debate in education circles. I think you’ll find that Stuart Hobson also used to start in 5th grade. Our family has found that fishy grade year to be a perfect time to transition to a new educational setting. Something about a 10-11 year old is ready for a bigger intellectual challenge, but also child-like enough to not be jaded and stamped yet with a self-vision of a “good” student or “bad”student. It’s a perfect age to introduce new norms and school culture, and to also take a step up maturity-wise—maybe traveling independently to a school a bit farther from home. On foot, by bike or bus or metro.

It’s really a waste of energy to get caught up in whether these schools start in the year you’d like them to. There’s more at stake, including 8 years of secondary education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I truly don't understand why creating more space in an open-enrollment middle school that has a proven record of educating kids well and sending them on to success in high school and beyond is "too bad". Why must we always tear down the good things happening educationally in our city?

Because you don't want to understand, to see the forest for the trees. It's too bad that our highest-performing local elementary schools on Capitol Hill lose up to 2/3 of their 4th graders to BASIS because DCPS and the charters aren't aligned on the transition year to middle school. Why must we always accept almost everything DC public schools dishes out passively as parents?

Of the 70 plus 4th graders at Brent this year, we'll probably have 15 or 20 left for 5th grade with the new Latin campus opening. I get why the 4th grade parents go, not why things have to be this way in the big picture. I highly doubt that most of the 4th grade parents would run off if they didn't have to get on the 5th-12th grade train at Latin or BASIS to stay in the city with confidence that their children can get a good public school education after Brent. The Jefferson Academy boosters will jump on shortly, claiming that a fine education can be had at the by-right school, so no need to run. Whatever.

Our child was in one of the initial years of Latin (and graduated). Questions are valid. It was a rocky start, and I am not clear what the model is with raising at risk preference or who will go to which campus. It will certainly have some growing pains and I would ask questions as a parent. It's disappointing (but also completely unrealistic) to not begin in a shiny new building, as the fight for appropriate space by charters in DC is real. DC government notoriously violated first release of excess school buildings for many years (selling them to developers) and any other properties will have very high price tags if welll located (by transport etc) and safe. I also completely understand wanting to be close initially to school 1 to launch, as perhaps there will be some shared staff etc. However, I do think it is adding to confusion about "why" a second campus and what/who is it for. They need to clarify the grand vision and how this campus 2 and location are part of that, from day 1. Understandably, parents seek full clarity. And yes, ,it's going to be difficult to eventually evolve to a totally diferent location (though Latin OG did it twice). I agree that I would have waited and focused on finding a very big donor coupled with a perfect location, though that wait could be years. Fundraising has never been Latins strong suit unfortunately, attracting the big money (think Bill and Melinda Gates) that they merit. And the money provided to them for start up without a daddy long legs in the background is simply outsized by prices in this city. Still, great school and wish the launch and families luck.

Will kids who enroll in the new campus get any kind of preference to lottery for the main campus in subsequent years?

Is the ultimate goal to move across the River?

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I truly don't understand why creating more space in an open-enrollment middle school that has a proven record of educating kids well and sending them on to success in high school and beyond is "too bad". Why must we always tear down the good things happening educationally in our city?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so the idea of aiming to be east of the river wasn't really a thing? Or do they plan to move the school that far? Seems like a really bad idea.

They said EOTR was the goal all along. But several buildings have become available and gone to other charters, so I dunno.

My kid is in 6th now elsewhere, but without a clear understanding of where the school will wind up, I wouldn't accept a spot.

Me too. I'll stay the course at ITS and see what develops. Maybe if Latin moves they will need to backfill some middle school seats before 9th.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so the idea of aiming to be east of the river wasn't really a thing? Or do they plan to move the school that far? Seems like a really bad idea.

They said EOTR was the goal all along. But several buildings have become available and gone to other charters, so I dunno.

My kid is in 6th now elsewhere, but without a clear understanding of where the school will wind up, I wouldn't accept a spot.

Anonymous wrote:Wait, so the idea of aiming to be east of the river wasn't really a thing? Or do they plan to move the school that far? Seems like a really bad idea.

They said EOTR was the goal all along. But several buildings have become available and gone to other charters, so I dunno.

Wait, so the idea of aiming to be east of the river wasn't really a thing? Or do they plan to move the school that far? Seems like a really bad idea.

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

Fingers crossed! DCPS isn’t going to give those families a high performing middle school optio.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I dunno, if I were up for that kind of drive I would give ITS and Two Rivers a good look before committing to a school full of growing pains that might be moving even farther away.

I wouldn't both giving Two Rivers a closer look.

*bother

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I dunno, if I were up for that kind of drive I would give ITS and Two Rivers a good look before committing to a school full of growing pains that might be moving even farther away.

I wouldn't both giving Two Rivers a closer look.

Anonymous wrote:There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

I dunno, if I were up for that kind of drive I would give ITS and Two Rivers a good look before committing to a school full of growing pains that might be moving even farther away.

There goes most of the 4th grade cohort from Maury, Brent and SWS on Cap Hill. Between Latin 1, Latin 2 (despite not-so-hot building and location) and BASIS few will stay for 5th. I get it, but it's too bad.

Anonymous wrote:what grades are the new campus going to offer? Is it just 5th?

5-6 for SY22-23