We recently did a tour of Hope Lamond for consideration for our inbound PK3. Despite what I've read on these threads, we were extremely encouraged by the environment. All of the staff we met were extremely warm and welcoming, as well as the PK3 teachers (whose classrooms we poked into). The kids that passed us in the hallways were all respectful and well behaved. They encouraged us to bring our DS by to try out the PK3 classes and see how he interacted, as well as which of the PK teachers he "clicks" better with. They also indicated that they have some planned renovations of their multipurpose room this summer, as well as early stages of a new playground in work.

They have 3 PK3 classes this year, and I believe that they still have open spots for PK3. I'd encourage folks who were locked out everywhere else to give it consideration. We contacted Lynette Riley for the tour (202)722-4421 or lynette.riley@imagineschools.com.

I was considering this school until I read the Public Charter School Board's qualitative review:

http://www.dcpcsb.org/Qualitative-School-Reviews.aspx

One thing that's a deal-breaker for me is "In two pre-kindergarten classrooms, children were hitting other students or fighting over toys without any teacher intervention." This was while evaluators were observing the classrooms! I hope they improve.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really despise how people use these school for free daycare or because your kid has a late birthday then bail as soon as they get a better option. Have you stopped to think why the older grades aren't as appealing is partly due to the lack of respect selfish parents have for the school? It's one thing to attend a school with a wait and see approach that hasn't always been historically sought after (formerly Barnard, now Powell etc), but it's another thing to enroll in a school knowing there is 0% chance you will be there longer than 1 month to a year. I know you have the right as a tax payer to okay the system how you want, it just sucks. I feel the same way about those who don't have an IB PK3 and use sought after charters for a year so they can save a few bucks.

anyway....
it would be nice to meet up with other new parents especially as the warmth starts coming on spring wise. How could we make that work on anonymous dcum?park meet up?
Can't wait to exercise my option to enroll at this school or any school I chose and stay or go at said school depending on how it works for our family. That what ultimatley we all get to do despise it or not.

Greedy, greedy, greedy...hope you never lotto anywhere else again. Heaven forbid your kids be forced to go to school with poor black kids for 8 years!

crazy much? Heaven forbid indeed!
Don't you love it when you foist your judgement all over everyone and then get upset when no one is interested in your opinion? People are free to do what they want. yes even the poor and black can move or stay.... so can anyone that enrolls in a school. You get to make your choices and so does the PP. choices mean just that.
and newsflash... people are interested in the best choices for their children and for themselves. Those choices may include starting an educational program in a place that is convenient and then moving after that. should people like you not like it, how about your take your kids and make great examples of them...poor and black classmates for everyone! because that will make it all better.
signed, raised poor and black and doing just fine without your care

Of course people have the freedom to do what serves them. It's exactly that selfish attitude that contributes to the poor state of our educational system in the city. I don't need to attend Hope as my kids have been in their IB school since day one (I'm not anti-charter, just making a statement). If Hope is so bad as a school after PK then they should close or maybe consider becoming a pS/PK only school. Otherwise, it seems like the funding continues to support a revolving door for PS and Pk kids. Very similar to Potomac Lighthouse staying open to educate and bus MD students.

Signed,
AA mom also raised poor

I toured this school and I was frankly appalled by the lack of classroom management displayed. Specifically I saw the PK3 and PK4 teachers leave their kids all lined up in the hall waiting to go to recess. Then they decided that some kids might want a jacket because it was Fall and chilly out. They made all of the other kids stand there waiting for their classmates to get jackets. It was about 4-5 teachers/aides, 45 kids and maybe 15 kids went to get jackets. I wondered why some of the teachers couldn't have taken the non-jacket kids out but anyway. The problem came when the kids were not standing stock still and were a little squirmy. Nothing outrageous at all, just 3 and 4 year old kids standing imperfectly in a line for 5+ min. The teachers were yelling at them and taking away recess from some of them. "That's 5 minutes, Larla!" "That's 10 minutes, Smarla!" It was really upsetting to see when there were many other ways to handle the situation. Needless to say, the teachers didn't follow through on their threats making it even worse. It was honestly sad to watch. I saw other examples in older classrooms and came upon the Principal dressing down a custodian in the hallway, not seeming to care that I was right there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I kind of have to agree with you here (although I would have worded it nicer). I'm hoping eventually schools like this will change the deadline so that this doesn't happen.

The practice of switching from a current school to a better one is not unique to those with late birthdays. This seems to be a fairly common practice from PK3 to PK4 and from PK4 to K as well.

Seriously. I know people WOTP who send their kids to charters for PS3 knowing full well they will be jumping ship as soon as they get a spot in their DCPS. Not to mention all the people who enter the lottery every year until they get something they like better.

Hope is well aware that they will attract families who may not continue. I'm pretty sure they kept the late birthday cutoff because they have more available spots for PS3 than they have students. If you are interested in sending your child to Hope Lamond or Tolson I would encourage you to call them and ask to submit an application, as I believe that they currently have no waitlist.

Best of luck!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really despise how people use these school for free daycare or because your kid has a late birthday then bail as soon as they get a better option. Have you stopped to think why the older grades aren't as appealing is partly due to the lack of respect selfish parents have for the school? It's one thing to attend a school with a wait and see approach that hasn't always been historically sought after (formerly Barnard, now Powell etc), but it's another thing to enroll in a school knowing there is 0% chance you will be there longer than 1 month to a year. I know you have the right as a tax payer to okay the system how you want, it just sucks. I feel the same way about those who don't have an IB PK3 and use sought after charters for a year so they can save a few bucks.

anyway....
it would be nice to meet up with other new parents especially as the warmth starts coming on spring wise. How could we make that work on anonymous dcum?park meet up?
Can't wait to exercise my option to enroll at this school or any school I chose and stay or go at said school depending on how it works for our family. That what ultimatley we all get to do despise it or not.

Greedy, greedy, greedy...hope you never lotto anywhere else again. Heaven forbid your kids be forced to go to school with poor black kids for 8 years!

crazy much? Heaven forbid indeed!
Don't you love it when you foist your judgement all over everyone and then get upset when no one is interested in your opinion? People are free to do what they want. yes even the poor and black can move or stay.... so can anyone that enrolls in a school. You get to make your choices and so does the PP. choices mean just that.
and newsflash... people are interested in the best choices for their children and for themselves. Those choices may include starting an educational program in a place that is convenient and then moving after that. should people like you not like it, how about your take your kids and make great examples of them...poor and black classmates for everyone! because that will make it all better.
signed, raised poor and black and doing just fine without your care

I've set up a google group here for potential Hope Lamond 2014 PK3 parents. Please indicate in the sign-up box that you found the group on DCUM, and we can get a dialog going.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/hope-lamond-2014-pk3-matches

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I kind of have to agree with you here (although I would have worded it nicer). I'm hoping eventually schools like this will change the deadline so that this doesn't happen.[/quote]
The practice of switching from a current school to a better one is not unique to those with late birthdays. This seems to be a fairly common practice from PK3 to PK4 and from PK4 to K as well.[/quote]

+10000

[quote=Anonymous]It's not a good school. Pulled my child out years ago. [/quote]

Care to share your experiences? Thanks!

[/quote]
it would be nice to meet up with other new parents especially as the warmth starts coming on spring wise. How could we make that work on anonymous dcum?park meet up?[/quote]


I wonder if the school has a meetup.com or facebook group. If we login to DCUM can we send private messages?

[quote=Anonymous]We got matched for PK3 at Hope Lamond for our son with a late (Dec) birthday. The two Hope Schools + Shining Stars were our only options.

Commute is good (will work well with younger brother's day care).

Here are the considerations that we still need to decide on:
1) Will he really be ready for PK3 in September (at just under 3 years old)?
2) We'll probably try for PK3 next year in the lottery where he can try for all schools. Assuming we got something better - is it worth putting him at Lamond next year and then making a switch a year later?

It would be nice to connect with some other matched parents, especially if some of the others are late birthdays.
[/quote]


Same here: my son has a Dec birthday and we matched at Hope Lamond. I'd be interested in connecting. Ditto to your #1: also considering whether he'll be ready in August (I've SAH with him; academically he's advanced but socially he can be shy). The plan would be for PK-4 next year and then K (where depends on experience and options) whether or not he enrolls this fall.

It's not only the late birthdays either. Parents enroll in the school knowing that they have no intent on trying it for more than a year (or a month until they get in somewhere better).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really despise how people use these school for free daycare or because your kid has a late birthday then bail as soon as they get a better option. Have you stopped to think why the older grades aren't as appealing is partly due to the lack of respect selfish parents have for the school? It's one thing to attend a school with a wait and see approach that hasn't always been historically sought after (formerly Barnard, now Powell etc), but it's another thing to enroll in a school knowing there is 0% chance you will be there longer than 1 month to a year. I know you have the right as a tax payer to okay the system how you want, it just sucks. I feel the same way about those who don't have an IB PK3 and use sought after charters for a year so they can save a few bucks.

I kind of have to agree with you here (although I would have worded it nicer). I'm hoping eventually schools like this will change the deadline so that this doesn't happen.

+100000! I don't think it was mean at all. Using the word despise doesn't make it mean, IMO.

Agreed, however, I'm pretty sure that at this point Hope Community understands that they have become a PS3 destination school for late-birthday kids. They set the 12/31 birthday deadline. They could conform with the standard but they don't. And taht's precisely so they can capture those late-birthday kids. Now maybe they'll win over some families and they will stay. So, yes, it's bummer when people go into knowing they want to bail in a year, but again, Hope knows that.