Anonymous
07/17/2015 11:16
Subject: Re:Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
the infrastructure is beautiful, but the PK3 class sizes were large in my opinion (22+). it's a point of pride to the school that they use technology extensively-that may be a plus or a minus depending on your views of technology in PK.
Anonymous
07/16/2015 00:15
Subject: Re:Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
I really, really did not get a good feeling when we visited there last year. All of the DCPS schools in the surrounding neighborhood felt like stronger early childhood programs to us, with a better proportion of engaged families and teachers. Meridian felt too factory-charter-school.
Anonymous
07/15/2015 23:23
Subject: Re:Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We were just matched with Meridian for PK3. No chance anywhere else - very high wait-list numbers even at our IB (Maury) because we applied in Round 2. I applied for Meridian on Friday in the post-lottery. I work in Georgetown and am fine with the commute. I've seen some negative feedback - any current Pk3 families who can provide some more feedback? It would either be Meridian or continue with his private daycare, would love to save the money. The facility looks great. Thank you!
Meet the Principal and walk the school. Also take a look at the board. These people have been around the block and are highly networked and hands on.
And they know how to navigate a cheating scandal.
Anonymous
07/15/2015 23:07
Subject: Re:Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous wrote:We were just matched with Meridian for PK3. No chance anywhere else - very high wait-list numbers even at our IB (Maury) because we applied in Round 2. I applied for Meridian on Friday in the post-lottery. I work in Georgetown and am fine with the commute. I've seen some negative feedback - any current Pk3 families who can provide some more feedback? It would either be Meridian or continue with his private daycare, would love to save the money. The facility looks great. Thank you!
Meet the Principal and walk the school. Also take a look at the board. These people have been around the block and are highly networked and hands on.
Anonymous
06/01/2015 11:06
Subject: Re:Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
We were just matched with Meridian for PK3. No chance anywhere else - very high wait-list numbers even at our IB (Maury) because we applied in Round 2. I applied for Meridian on Friday in the post-lottery. I work in Georgetown and am fine with the commute. I've seen some negative feedback - any current Pk3 families who can provide some more feedback? It would either be Meridian or continue with his private daycare, would love to save the money. The facility looks great. Thank you!
Anonymous
05/19/2015 21:13
Subject: Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.
Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?
Traded?
Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.
Except Pearson has no power to decide who to approve or revoke. It's all on the board, he just executes the processes.
Anonymous
05/19/2015 21:08
Subject: Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous
05/19/2015 20:59
Subject: Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.
Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?
Traded?
Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.
Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.
Point is - expanding Meridian is inconsistent with the vision Pearson expressed since it undercuts the neighboring DCPS's (Garrison, Marie Reed, Cleveland), but he probably felt like he need to placate his loudest critics.
For this to go down the way you're framing it, Pearson would have had to hatch a plan with Meridian last year to have them ask to expand in order to steal students from Garrison because he anticipated writing an article this spring that would irritate FOCUS. That's some conspiracy theory.
You seem to miss how the board works. Pearson would have had countless ways to kill or delay this expanson if he wanted to (and indications are he wanted to). But he didn't. And I would posit it was to keep a board member (or two) from turning on him.
"All indications are he wanted to" except he didn't. What indications are you talking about?
I don't think Scott Pearson has many credible critics. A few neighborhood school supporters attack him for their own school-boosting neighborhood reasons and a writer from one small education consulting firm thinks there should be another more expansionist authorizer but that's about it.
Anonymous
05/19/2015 20:26
Subject: Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is a blatant enrollment boost at the expense of Garrison and the other schools in the neighborhood.
Well played, PCSB. I wonder what Pearson traded for this?
Traded?
Pearson is under fire from Charter true believers for positing the idea that maybe the public/charter mix is "about right" in DC. FOCUS, his board, and other folks are gunning for his job. The expansion of Meridian is probably a fig leaf to one vested interest or another.
Meridian has a new team, IB candidate school status, and a healthy balance sheet. No silent coup or conspiracy here.
Point is - expanding Meridian is inconsistent with the vision Pearson expressed since it undercuts the neighboring DCPS's (Garrison, Marie Reed, Cleveland), but he probably felt like he need to placate his loudest critics.
For this to go down the way you're framing it, Pearson would have had to hatch a plan with Meridian last year to have them ask to expand in order to steal students from Garrison because he anticipated writing an article this spring that would irritate FOCUS. That's some conspiracy theory.
You seem to miss how the board works. Pearson would have had countless ways to kill or delay this expanson if he wanted to (and indications are he wanted to). But he didn't. And I would posit it was to keep a board member (or two) from turning on him.
"All indications are he wanted to" except he didn't. What indications are you talking about?
Anonymous
05/19/2015 20:22
Subject: Re:Meridian PCS Opens 75 new seats tomorrow morning for PK-3, PK-4, and K along with new Middle School
Anonymous wrote:And seriously, garrison and Marie reed are way better options. We were not impressed with meridian at all!
Glad we have choices. Are there slots left at Marie Reed?
1. Garrison: http://www.myschooldc.org/schools/profile/38/
Math: 23%
Reading: 24%
2. Meridian: http://www.myschooldc.org/schools/profile/210/
Math: 51%
Reading: 46%
3. Marie Reed: http://www.myschooldc.org/schools/profile/69/
Math: 59%
Reading: 55%