Anonymous
Post 11/10/2014 18:01     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:

This would be a smart and welcome move on her part.


I've heard that when Melissa Kim started at Deal people thought she was crazy, because she was changing things for illogical reasons, "fixing" things that didn't need to be fixed and generally breaking people out of established routines. She later admitted that the crazy woman routine had been an act. To her, the school needed to be changed, and it wasn't going to get there through small incremental changes, but through an institutional rejection of the idea that doing things the way they had always been done was acceptable. I think Hardy needs a little bit of that kind of thinking. Switching away from uniforms would be good just as a symbol of change. If the school didn't currently have uniforms, I would argue that adopting uniforms would be a good symbol of change.
Anonymous
Post 11/10/2014 17:46     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think Principal Pride's attitude has changed as she has realized that the uniforms are perpetuating a certain view of Hardy and keeping many IB families away. She's a good principal and she knows that it is more important to get a higher percentage of IB students than to stick with the old uniforms. This point has been pressed even more since the boundary changes became final. I suspect she will replace the uniforms with a dress code, similar or perhaps a bit stricter, than what they have at Deal.


This would be a smart and welcome move on her part.


+1
Anonymous
Post 11/10/2014 12:48     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:Dress code sounds good.

+1
Anonymous
Post 11/10/2014 10:09     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Dress code sounds good.
Anonymous
Post 11/10/2014 09:35     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:I think Principal Pride's attitude has changed as she has realized that the uniforms are perpetuating a certain view of Hardy and keeping many IB families away. She's a good principal and she knows that it is more important to get a higher percentage of IB students than to stick with the old uniforms. This point has been pressed even more since the boundary changes became final. I suspect she will replace the uniforms with a dress code, similar or perhaps a bit stricter, than what they have at Deal.


This would be a smart and welcome move on her part.
Anonymous
Post 11/10/2014 08:37     Subject: Hardy IB Population
I think Principal Pride's attitude has changed as she has realized that the uniforms are perpetuating a certain view of Hardy and keeping many IB families away. She's a good principal and she knows that it is more important to get a higher percentage of IB students than to stick with the old uniforms. This point has been pressed even more since the boundary changes became final. I suspect she will replace the uniforms with a dress code, similar or perhaps a bit stricter, than what they have at Deal.
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2014 23:16     Subject: Hardy IB Population
I wish I had had uniforms when I was at my most gawky and uncool (ie middle school)
Anonymous
Post 11/09/2014 09:47     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:

I heard the same thing. I think Principal Pride is working with the new feeder schools and will get rid of the uniforms. A good thing in my opinion.


So after several snarky posts, we hear that yes, even the Hardy principal wants to get rid of the uniforms. If true, this is great. Thanks PP!



Not true. Principal Pride came to Eaton last spring to talk to prospective parents. She spoke at length about the uniforms when someone asked about them.
She did say that at first she was surprised that the school had uniforms and thought about changing the policy but then after getting to know her school, she realized that the kids and parents like them. She talked about getting some new shirts and mixing it up a little to give the kids more choices but that overall, she has grown to appreciate the uniforms and had no plans to get rid of them.

Maybe things have changed since then but it was less than a year ago.

Also, I think I posted a similar response on another Hardy thread about uniforms. DCUM has had this conversation a few times before.


Thanks for this info.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 20:28     Subject: Hardy IB Population


I heard the same thing. I think Principal Pride is working with the new feeder schools and will get rid of the uniforms. A good thing in my opinion.


So after several snarky posts, we hear that yes, even the Hardy principal wants to get rid of the uniforms. If true, this is great. Thanks PP!



Not true. Principal Pride came to Eaton last spring to talk to prospective parents. She spoke at length about the uniforms when someone asked about them.
She did say that at first she was surprised that the school had uniforms and thought about changing the policy but then after getting to know her school, she realized that the kids and parents like them. She talked about getting some new shirts and mixing it up a little to give the kids more choices but that overall, she has grown to appreciate the uniforms and had no plans to get rid of them.

Maybe things have changed since then but it was less than a year ago.

Also, I think I posted a similar response on another Hardy thread about uniforms. DCUM has had this conversation a few times before.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 20:19     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:To the writer who chased away the PP because he or she does not have children of middle school age: don't you think that all residents have an interest in ensuring Hardy becomes an excellent middle school? First, every involved citizen has a general interest in seeing that the public-school offerings are rigorous. Second local residents have a more pecuniary interest, because a second rate local middle school can be a drag on property values. If a prospective buyer questions the quality of the local public school offering the buyer may go elsewhere. Anyone who doubts the strong connection between top-quality public schools and real estate values needlook no further then in AU Park and Tenleytown, where even small brick colonials on tiny lots fetch substantial price premiums because they feed to Janney, Deal and Wilson. Clearly residence of upper Northwest want Hardy to improve but the unwillingness of those more directly connected to the school to entertain suggestions for change or disheartening.


Yes, I agree with this. Here is a short list of people who have a stake in Hardy's progression to a majority-IB school (not an exact ordering of importance!):

1) families currently at Hardy!

2) parents IB for Hardy with kid in grade 4 or 5. There are some posters on these threads who think that these and the previous are the only people who should be posting.

3) parents OOB for Hardy with kids in grade 4 or 5 (or any grade) hoping to get in. It's not rocket science: increased IB means fewer OOB spots.

4) parents IB for Hardy with little kids.

5) parents OOB but at a feeder school.

6) parents IB for Hardy with "no kids in the game" but own their real estate.

7) parents IB for Deal. Why? Because as Hardy improves, Wilson improves. Deal is currently more appealing than Wilson for many IB for Deal. test scores are not the same.

8) people who own real estate IB for Wilson, half the city (although this is a more tenuous link because for those IB for Deal, Deal is the driver of values)

9) parents and non-parents all over the city and probably throughout the greater washington area who see Hardy as symbolic of larger issues and struggles in DC. Reverse migration. The Plan. Flipping of schools. School reform. School quality. Retaining families in the District. Reference the articles linked above, and the attendance of a Ward 7 councilmember at a Hardy meeting.

Conclusion: depending on your perspective, there are a great many people with "a dog in this fight"!

Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 13:20     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Why don't they just try a few years without uniforms? There might be some upside. Not an interestered party but it sounds like it is worth trying.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 12:27     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know that some folks at Hardy think that the criticism of the school uniforms is trivial complaining, but I was talking with a feeder school principal recently who was rolling his/her eyes about the uniforms and stated that in that principal's view they are not helpful to Hardy's reputation and ability to attract IB students. I will not identify the principal or the feeder for obvious reasons but it is important to note that even administrators within DCPS think the uniforms should go.


I heard the same thing. I think Principal Pride is working with the new feeder schools and will get rid of the uniforms. A good thing in my opinion.


So after several snarky posts, we hear that yes, even the Hardy principal wants to get rid of the uniforms. If true, this is great. Thanks PP!



Yes, it would be great and signify change and a break from Hardy's past.

Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 07:36     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know that some folks at Hardy think that the criticism of the school uniforms is trivial complaining, but I was talking with a feeder school principal recently who was rolling his/her eyes about the uniforms and stated that in that principal's view they are not helpful to Hardy's reputation and ability to attract IB students. I will not identify the principal or the feeder for obvious reasons but it is important to note that even administrators within DCPS think the uniforms should go.


I heard the same thing. I think Principal Pride is working with the new feeder schools and will get rid of the uniforms. A good thing in my opinion.


So after several snarky posts, we hear that yes, even the Hardy principal wants to get rid of the uniforms. If true, this is great. Thanks PP!



PP, you might want to work on your critical reading skills.


And you also ("if true").

Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 07:24     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know that some folks at Hardy think that the criticism of the school uniforms is trivial complaining, but I was talking with a feeder school principal recently who was rolling his/her eyes about the uniforms and stated that in that principal's view they are not helpful to Hardy's reputation and ability to attract IB students. I will not identify the principal or the feeder for obvious reasons but it is important to note that even administrators within DCPS think the uniforms should go.


I heard the same thing. I think Principal Pride is working with the new feeder schools and will get rid of the uniforms. A good thing in my opinion.


So after several snarky posts, we hear that yes, even the Hardy principal wants to get rid of the uniforms. If true, this is great. Thanks PP!



PP, you might want to work on your critical reading skills.
Anonymous
Post 11/08/2014 07:19     Subject: Hardy IB Population
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know that some folks at Hardy think that the criticism of the school uniforms is trivial complaining, but I was talking with a feeder school principal recently who was rolling his/her eyes about the uniforms and stated that in that principal's view they are not helpful to Hardy's reputation and ability to attract IB students. I will not identify the principal or the feeder for obvious reasons but it is important to note that even administrators within DCPS think the uniforms should go.


I heard the same thing. I think Principal Pride is working with the new feeder schools and will get rid of the uniforms. A good thing in my opinion.


So after several snarky posts, we hear that yes, even the Hardy principal wants to get rid of the uniforms. If true, this is great. Thanks PP!