Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 21:20     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Well, I think the LSAT recommendation sucks. I bought my apt because it is IB for O-A. I can't deal with the uncertainty of DCS. I thought I had found a way to stay in the city & not gamble with my son’s education . . . but uncertainty returns.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 21:06     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Glad to hear it. Specialized schools should offer city-wide admittance in my opinion. Perhaps OA could get a building at Walter-Reed and compete with DCI for middle school students?
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 20:04     Subject: Oyster relocating?
yeah, i am surprised that the LSAT is pushing for magnet status. hmmm.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 19:23     Subject: Re:Oyster relocating?
Anonymous wrote:UPDATE

New memo from the LSAT (scroll down) http://oysteradamsbilingual.org/lsat/

A lot of time and effort went in to engaging current families to raise some issues and look for potential ideas in a constructive and respectful manner. It's not a perfect process and the memo isn't meant to be the last word. Nobody knows what happens next. DCPS looks to be kicking the boundary can down the road.

I'm a current IB bilingual parent with no set opinion on the future. This memo has information on past and current challenges I wasn't aware of. (I think of myself as "involved" at school.) I am very thankful to the parents and staff who worked so hard on this.

Whether you're a booster, basher, or just curious about Oyster-Adams, it makes for interesting reading.

For you data hounds out there, enjoy chewing over the raw numbers of the surveys.


Very sad to see that the LSAT recommendation directly contradicts what three out of four of the working groups came up with, and that their work was relegated to an appendix. Also interesting to see how much effort the writers of this memo seemed to put into downplaying the validity of the survey (it was bad sample, not enough Spanish speakers). The parents have spoken pretty clearly --- they mostly want an in boundary school in its current location. I'm not sure why the LSAT believes they can circumvent the parents' wishes. Also, if the faculty want to work in a different kind of school, they should by all means apply to one and not let the door hit them on the way out.
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 15:03     Subject: Oyster relocating?
this is great information. We are starting next year and I am glad to get to read this before. I can tell a lot of hard work went into this. Kuddos!
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 14:41     Subject: Oyster relocating?
oh, that's great info thx. we are an incoming IB family so lots to learn!
Anonymous
Post 06/06/2013 13:06     Subject: Re:Oyster relocating?
UPDATE

New memo from the LSAT (scroll down) http://oysteradamsbilingual.org/lsat/

A lot of time and effort went in to engaging current families to raise some issues and look for potential ideas in a constructive and respectful manner. It's not a perfect process and the memo isn't meant to be the last word. Nobody knows what happens next. DCPS looks to be kicking the boundary can down the road.

I'm a current IB bilingual parent with no set opinion on the future. This memo has information on past and current challenges I wasn't aware of. (I think of myself as "involved" at school.) I am very thankful to the parents and staff who worked so hard on this.

Whether you're a booster, basher, or just curious about Oyster-Adams, it makes for interesting reading.

For you data hounds out there, enjoy chewing over the raw numbers of the surveys.
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2013 10:24     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I attended the Kalorama/Woodley Park neighborhood assoc. meeting last night at Oyster. The principal addressed this rumor directly. She said that while she would personally like the school to move so that it could be housed in one building (for her own convenience), she acknowledged the probability of Oyster moving was close to zero. She is correct, Woodley Park residents would allow Oyster (the only public bilingual school in Ward 3) to be snatched out of that neighborhood when hell freezes.


I was there too. Yes, it was nice to hear Monica acknowledge the obvious. Not only because most current parents (both in and out boundary) would oppose a move, but because moving the school elsewhere would jeopardize the success of one of the most diverse and high functioning schools in the whole district. I understand that the principal and the advisory group are considering more reasonable options, such as how to increase capacity at the Adams campus.


The most interesting question is, why doesn't DCPS prepare a plan to help other schools who may want to do so to replicate the Oyster model? We could have Oyster West, East, North and South

Does anyone know how the Tools of the Mind roll-out is going?


+1

Garrison ES leaps to mind...
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2013 09:58     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I attended the Kalorama/Woodley Park neighborhood assoc. meeting last night at Oyster. The principal addressed this rumor directly. She said that while she would personally like the school to move so that it could be housed in one building (for her own convenience), she acknowledged the probability of Oyster moving was close to zero. She is correct, Woodley Park residents would allow Oyster (the only public bilingual school in Ward 3) to be snatched out of that neighborhood when hell freezes.


I was there too. Yes, it was nice to hear Monica acknowledge the obvious. Not only because most current parents (both in and out boundary) would oppose a move, but because moving the school elsewhere would jeopardize the success of one of the most diverse and high functioning schools in the whole district. I understand that the principal and the advisory group are considering more reasonable options, such as how to increase capacity at the Adams campus.


The most interesting question is, why doesn't DCPS prepare a plan to help other schools who may want to do so to replicate the Oyster model? We could have Oyster West, East, North and South

Does anyone know how the Tools of the Mind roll-out is going?
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2013 09:42     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Anonymous wrote:I attended the Kalorama/Woodley Park neighborhood assoc. meeting last night at Oyster. The principal addressed this rumor directly. She said that while she would personally like the school to move so that it could be housed in one building (for her own convenience), she acknowledged the probability of Oyster moving was close to zero. She is correct, Woodley Park residents would allow Oyster (the only public bilingual school in Ward 3) to be snatched out of that neighborhood when hell freezes.


I was there too. Yes, it was nice to hear Monica acknowledge the obvious. Not only because most current parents (both in and out boundary) would oppose a move, but because moving the school elsewhere would jeopardize the success of one of the most diverse and high functioning schools in the whole district. I understand that the principal and the advisory group are considering more reasonable options, such as how to increase capacity at the Adams campus.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 23:54     Subject: Oyster relocating?
I attended the Kalorama/Woodley Park neighborhood assoc. meeting last night at Oyster. The principal addressed this rumor directly. She said that while she would personally like the school to move so that it could be housed in one building (for her own convenience), she acknowledged the probability of Oyster moving was close to zero. She is correct, Woodley Park residents would allow Oyster (the only public bilingual school in Ward 3) to be snatched out of that neighborhood when hell freezes.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 22:34     Subject: Re:Oyster relocating?
I love the idea-citywide lottery for Oyster!
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 21:10     Subject: Oyster relocating?
21:09 here
Sorry - seems I just repeated what 21:05 said!
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 21:09     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Sounds like DCPS is taking a note of what charters do best (pull interested kids from all over the city) and is turning prized programs into them. SWS, CHM@L are two recent examples.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2013 21:05     Subject: Oyster relocating?
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand how a neighborhood school can just move out of the neighborhood. That makes no sense. Sure, it has the specialty program but it is also the inbounds-of-right school, no?

What if central decided one year that it was time for Janney to move to Potomac avenue? Do the kids of AU park then need to commute to Potomac ave thereafter? Is a school called janney but not filled 100% with AU park kids really still "Janney"?


It could become a city-wide school like SWS or Capitol Hill Montessori. I imagine this is what would happen if it moved from its current IB location. This seems to be the direction that DCPS wants to go in to compete with city-wide charters. Its sad for the neighborhood that loses the good program (ask people on Capitol Hill) but, at least on DCUM, people in other parts of the city seem willing to embrace city-wide DCPS schools so they can have more of a shot at good seats.