Anonymous wrote:I think Hardy is at the tipping point where it just comes dowb to logistics and personal preferences. Deal is just too big for my liking, Hardy is exactly the right size for DD10's needs.

How long until Hardy becomes tough to enter OOB, and what middle school will be next?

It depends on whether Hardy stays small, or with Fillmore getting smaller and smaller they increase the school population overall.

In 2015 they offered 80 OOB seats in the initial lottery for 6th, and 9 each for 7th and 8th. By October Hardy had made enrollment offers to 17 WL 6th graders, 9 WL 7th graders and 9 WL 8th graders.

In 2016 they offered 25 OOB seats in the initial lottery for 6th (anticipating IB students) and 10 each for 7th and 8th. By October they made enrollment offers to 82 6th graders on the WL, 32 WL 7th graders and 27 WL 8th graders.

Of course we don't know how many seats they are making available for OOB students this year.

I think Hardy is at the tipping point where it just comes dowb to logistics and personal preferences. Deal is just too big for my liking, Hardy is exactly the right size for DD10's needs.

How long until Hardy becomes tough to enter OOB, and what middle school will be next?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Not on the same level

How? Do youy say that because of course offerings? Academic challenge? School culture? I really know it depends on the child. He'll be fine art either school. I just want to provide him wroth the best academic environment available to me. Are the advanced classes all around better at deal?

The only 'advanced' classes at Deal are math and foreign language.

It's way too big right now, has some major behavior issues with 7th/8th graders (parents ask your children about some of their peers), and is overrated). Go with Hardy.

DCPS could probably cut the overcrowding at Deal by 10% and right size it, simply by doing a more thorough audit of who actually resides in Washington, DC. Admittedly this is anecdotal, but with kids who come up from the feeders, I'd estimate that between 5 and 10% of Deal's students reside in Maryland.

I went to a Hardy open house and met some of the advanced math/science group kids on the school tour. Forgive me if I don't know precisely what the class was; but these kids were articulate, passionate about what they were studying, and pretty impressive. Their science teacher was out that day at a conference so we only heard from the kids, but they were working on some really interesting projects.

Agree that we all need more good middle school options. I'm rooting for Hardy. We're doing the lottery for charters for 5th grade this year; if that doesn't pan out we'll definitely have Hardy on our lottery list for 6th. Although with all Eaton kids going there starting that year, and many of the feeder schools seeing a higher percentage continue to Hardy, I think it may be increasingly hard to lottery into.

and the tide is officially turning...that's great news for all of DC.

We need more good middle school options.

Hardy will be the most sought after ms very soon.

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is way under enrollment and working hard to court families from Key and Mann almost to the exclusion of the other elementary schools in area.

This is a bizarre, uniformed post. Most of the students going to Hardy are from Stoddert and Hyde. Then Mann. Eaton starts going to Hardy after next year.

While Deal may have more afterschool options - there is also more competition for spots for things like sports teams etc - which can be an advantage at a smaller school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your child do sports or want to try other activities that are only offered at Deal (due to size).

Or does he do sports, or other activities that are only offered at Hardy?

Or does he want to play sports but not top 1%? Very hard to make any team at Deal. My DS's friend on his rec bball team (by far the best kid on team and is almost dunking) did not make team. My DH coaches the team and was floored this kid didn't make it. My DS is still a few years from Deal but it's something I've been thinking about.

Hardy is way under enrollment and working hard to court families from Key and Mann almost to the exclusion of the other elementary schools in area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Not on the same level

How? Do youy say that because of course offerings? Academic challenge? School culture? I really know it depends on the child. He'll be fine art either school. I just want to provide him wroth the best academic environment available to me. Are the advanced classes all around better at deal?

The only 'advanced' classes at Deal are math and foreign language.

It's way too big right now, has some major behavior issues with 7th/8th graders (parents ask your children about some of their peers), and is overrated). Go with Hardy.

I'm OP. This is what I was thinking could be the case. I like the idea of Deal and the fact that it's already established and has such impressive facilities and excellent academics , but am weighing that against the value of a very competent small school where he will be around a cohort of good kids that he knows well that is also excellent academically.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Not on the same level

How? Do youy say that because of course offerings? Academic challenge? School culture? I really know it depends on the child. He'll be fine art either school. I just want to provide him wroth the best academic environment available to me. Are the advanced classes all around better at deal?

The only 'advanced' classes at Deal are math and foreign language.

It's way too big right now, has some major behavior issues with 7th/8th graders (parents ask your children about some of their peers), and is overrated). Go with Hardy.

I'd do hardy bc it's a smaller school.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if this is applicable to all small schools, or to just my kid, or specific to Deal and Hardy - but when my child was at Hardy a few years ago the peer pressure DC felt from others was significantly lower than what I observed among other middle schoolers in DC and MoCo. It has turned DC into a more independent and confident high schooler.

I don't think any type of school has an exclusive on independence and confidence. Nor do all kids experience or succumb to peer pressure. But it is nice to hear!

I don't know if this is applicable to all small schools, or to just my kid, or specific to Deal and Hardy - but when my child was at Hardy a few years ago the peer pressure DC felt from others was significantly lower than what I observed among other middle schoolers in DC and MoCo. It has turned DC into a more independent and confident high schooler.

Anonymous wrote:Does your child do sports or want to try other activities that are only offered at Deal (due to size).

Or does he do sports, or other activities that are only offered at Hardy?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Not on the same level

Agree with PP. Why make your kid take Hamburger Helper when she or he can have steak?!

What are you basing that on? Honestly. The opinion of People who make these dumbed down declarations are best to be ignored.