2nd

Can someone please explain to me how the new SWW@FS is in any way substantively different from the old SWW? I understand that the name is different, and the Principal and some of the teachers are different. But by "substance," I mean: what is the long-term plan for the future (I can't find any firm information on this, anywhere)? Is there a plan to increase in-boundary attendance or change the feeder system? What is the relationship with "Walls," really, other than the name change (believe me, I've looked, and I've seen no firm plan in this regard)?

Disclosure: my child attended F-S Campus a few years ago, and the rumors about one or two violent kids not being removed from the school are accurate. Many (I mean, a lot) of the cars at drop-off were from Maryland. Test scores were bad. I would like to learn more about whether there is any basis to be optimistic that things will change.

PP. what grade?

Parent of an ES student here, I have been very pleased with our experiences so far. It was a little shaky at the very beginning of the year (some miscommunications about school policies) but those new school kinks seemed to have worked themselves out. My student's teacher is very accessible and provides parents with detailed descriptions of what the class will be studying each week. Field trips seem to be happening around once per month. One elementary class has a service learning component. This is our first year at FS but we plan on staying, the staff and administration seem very committed.

I am hopeful about the elementary school, but have seen so many parents be cruelly disappointed after the early years (under the previous administrations) that I have to rein in my optimism and take a "wait and see" attitude. LOVE the comparison with Hunter. Here are my questions:

1. Suppose there's a child who is troubled (violent) as there was in the past. Will the administration act quickly to segregate this child and if necessary move that child to a special school, or will it take months and months of parent complaints? Yes, the violent child had an aide.
2. Will children be able to parachute in from out of bounds? If so, how many? It's still a DC Public School, right? With empty floors?
3. How much turnover will there be among the teachers and staff? That will be a test--if people stay, that's a great sign. Time will tell.
4. Let's watch the test scores. They're not everything, but they are something. Time will tell.
Hoping for the best, expecting--well, better than before?
It is new, untested model and I still can't figure out what the relationship is with the high school, which is a selective, test-in high school, but there's no reason why there can't be a hybrid model. See what happens to the kids who went through FS from K-8 and then don't get admitted to School Without Walls...
--Oldtime DC cynic

Anonymous wrote:What is going on with the PTA at SWWFS? I hear several of their officers resigned.

I would love to hear more about this--that sounds troubling.

What is going on with the PTA at SWWFS? I hear several of their officers resigned.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a little familiarity with Hunter. And the Francis-Stevens SWW merger makes total sense with the Hunter model in mind. (minus the difference that pp noted above)

But if this is the model that DC is trying to replicate, why not just tell us this? At least it would give folks a frame of reference.

I went to the SWW open house yesterday and left very impressed. There still has not been any decision made about how SWW students might use the FS campus.

Do you mean you went to the high school open house or the elementary/middle open house?

I attended a SWW@FS open house and was very impressed. It's now on my list for application for PS3 next year. I don't think I would have applied pre-merger. Principal seems to have changed this around a lot. 90% of the teachers are new.

I'm not the person you quoted but I think that poster meant the high school. My husband and son were both there too and very impressed.

Anonymous wrote:I have a little familiarity with Hunter. And the Francis-Stevens SWW merger makes total sense with the Hunter model in mind. (minus the difference that pp noted above)

But if this is the model that DC is trying to replicate, why not just tell us this? At least it would give folks a frame of reference.

I went to the SWW open house yesterday and left very impressed. There still has not been any decision made about how SWW students might use the FS campus.

Do you mean you went to the high school open house or the elementary/middle open house?

I attended a SWW@FS open house and was very impressed. It's now on my list for application for PS3 next year. I don't think I would have applied pre-merger. Principal seems to have changed this around a lot. 90% of the teachers are new.

PP You've already made up your mind about DCPS I don't think anything I can say would change your opinion. My kids have been in DCPS since K and my oldest will be headed to hs next year. We've had a stellar experience along with many other families - and charters are not part of the mix or under consideration. I think DC could easily have a Hunter - esque school. There is a critical mass of families the city that would support it. To me you have the beginnings of it with SWW and FS.

Why do you think DCPS could have a school like Hunter for ES? I'd be curious to hear.
Why do you think parents keep sending their children to charters? It's because they have no confidence in DCPS.

^^I disagree with you pp.

DCPS could never have a model like Hunter. DCPS is too dysfunctional. Hunter ES is a highly competitive, sought after NYC public school for grades K-8.

I have a little familiarity with Hunter. And the Francis-Stevens SWW merger makes total sense with the Hunter model in mind. (minus the difference that pp noted above)

But if this is the model that DC is trying to replicate, why not just tell us this? At least it would give folks a frame of reference.

I went to the SWW open house yesterday and left very impressed. There still has not been any decision made about how SWW students might use the FS campus.

Anonymous wrote:Hunter is not the same. Hunter is application only for both ES & HS. It is not a neighborhood school merged with an application only HS.

Point taken. Still a great model.