Anonymous
06/01/2023 16:41
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
That’s right. And I’ll tell you something- none of the “advocates” who accuse us of racism for not wanting this for our kids would ever send their kids to a school like that. Just wait to see where Nikole Hannah Jones sends her kid for MS and HS ….
If the original poster is even still reading this, I hope you take into consideration what prior posters have said, that the best way to learn about the school is to ask families that are actually there, or ask the teachers. I also know several families there that are having a good experience. Reading somebody's opinion like the one above on this type of forum that paints all of the DCPS high schools with the same brush is a waste of time. As somebody who grew up going to public schools in a sought after school district, I can guarantee that kids leaving school early, smoking on campus etc are things that happen across all types of high schools. Technology is an interesting topic, but again, I doubt the poster knows firsthand what the policies at Eastern are for technology. For example, I know that at Eliot Hine, kids put their phones in a locker at the beginning of the day, retrieving them at the end of the day. Not sure if that is the same at the high school, but again - you could find that out if you called or visited the school and asked.
Not everyone is able to talk to neighbors, so all we have to go on is data and informed sources that are published (even anonymously online. If Eastern wants to attract more IB families then it needs to be open and honest about the state of safety and make a sincere commitment that kids will get the level of academics right for them. That’s what the EH principal has done. The idea that we have to assess the school from the literal handful of people we know with kids there - I think I know ONE and that’s it - is not tenable. And with such small numbers of academically advanced kids there (like count them on one hand I think) it’s also not helpful to assume that just because it worked for that incredibly tiny and self-selected group, it will work for your kid.
At the end of the day, revealed preferences convey important information for a reason.
You don't actually have a child at EH, do you?
Anonymous
06/01/2023 16:21
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
On paper yes. In practice nasomuch. The culture of the school will be a problem for everyone regardless of the classes they are in. I teach at a similar school in DCPS and we have ap classes and cohorted groups but it’s all a mess. Kids just get placed in classes because they need certain credits. The same lack of attendance policy will apply to all classes. DCPS allows kids 30 unexcused absences per course before they are given an F-A. And you are marked present if you are in class for any portion of the class, even just a few minutes of a hour plus block. Tardies do not result in any penalty. Kids know this, they will abuse this policy in every class. So you’ll have kids in classes that are barely there but still expect to pass. And when they are in class they want their make up work. It’s a big hindrance to making progress as a class.
Daym. DCPS does not care AT ALL about the kids that actually want to learn.
M
PP 16:11 - but just to clarify I wouldn’t say they don’t care. I think they do care but they simply do not have solutions since they are all in on the concept that 100% of students from DCPS should go to college, and provide essentially no other options.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 16:11
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
On paper yes. In practice nasomuch. The culture of the school will be a problem for everyone regardless of the classes they are in. I teach at a similar school in DCPS and we have ap classes and cohorted groups but it’s all a mess. Kids just get placed in classes because they need certain credits. The same lack of attendance policy will apply to all classes. DCPS allows kids 30 unexcused absences per course before they are given an F-A. And you are marked present if you are in class for any portion of the class, even just a few minutes of a hour plus block. Tardies do not result in any penalty. Kids know this, they will abuse this policy in every class. So you’ll have kids in classes that are barely there but still expect to pass. And when they are in class they want their make up work. It’s a big hindrance to making progress as a class.
Daym. DCPS does not care AT ALL about the kids that actually want to learn.
At my school unfortunately yes this is the case. You have a tremendous number of kids who do want to learn and abide by rules and would have a much better experience if you removed the 10-20% of kids who truly aren’t engaging academically in school.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 16:06
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
On paper yes. In practice nasomuch. The culture of the school will be a problem for everyone regardless of the classes they are in. I teach at a similar school in DCPS and we have ap classes and cohorted groups but it’s all a mess. Kids just get placed in classes because they need certain credits. The same lack of attendance policy will apply to all classes. DCPS allows kids 30 unexcused absences per course before they are given an F-A. And you are marked present if you are in class for any portion of the class, even just a few minutes of a hour plus block. Tardies do not result in any penalty. Kids know this, they will abuse this policy in every class. So you’ll have kids in classes that are barely there but still expect to pass. And when they are in class they want their make up work. It’s a big hindrance to making progress as a class.
Daym. DCPS does not care AT ALL about the kids that actually want to learn.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 16:01
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
That’s right. And I’ll tell you something- none of the “advocates” who accuse us of racism for not wanting this for our kids would ever send their kids to a school like that. Just wait to see where Nikole Hannah Jones sends her kid for MS and HS ….
If the original poster is even still reading this, I hope you take into consideration what prior posters have said, that the best way to learn about the school is to ask families that are actually there, or ask the teachers. I also know several families there that are having a good experience. Reading somebody's opinion like the one above on this type of forum that paints all of the DCPS high schools with the same brush is a waste of time. As somebody who grew up going to public schools in a sought after school district, I can guarantee that kids leaving school early, smoking on campus etc are things that happen across all types of high schools. Technology is an interesting topic, but again, I doubt the poster knows firsthand what the policies at Eastern are for technology. For example, I know that at Eliot Hine, kids put their phones in a locker at the beginning of the day, retrieving them at the end of the day. Not sure if that is the same at the high school, but again - you could find that out if you called or visited the school and asked.
Not everyone is able to talk to neighbors, so all we have to go on is data and informed sources that are published (even anonymously online. If Eastern wants to attract more IB families then it needs to be open and honest about the state of safety and make a sincere commitment that kids will get the level of academics right for them. That’s what the EH principal has done. The idea that we have to assess the school from the literal handful of people we know with kids there - I think I know ONE and that’s it - is not tenable. And with such small numbers of academically advanced kids there (like count them on one hand I think) it’s also not helpful to assume that just because it worked for that incredibly tiny and self-selected group, it will work for your kid.
At the end of the day, revealed preferences convey important information for a reason.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 16:00
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
Nobody is willing to clearly explain if the IB program actually is effectively an honors program/school within school.
It's not an "honors" program in the sense of the students being ahead of grade level. But these are students who are choosing to be there and to do harder work than they have to.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 15:55
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
On paper yes. In practice nasomuch. The culture of the school will be a problem for everyone regardless of the classes they are in. I teach at a similar school in DCPS and we have ap classes and cohorted groups but it’s all a mess. Kids just get placed in classes because they need certain credits. The same lack of attendance policy will apply to all classes. DCPS allows kids 30 unexcused absences per course before they are given an F-A. And you are marked present if you are in class for any portion of the class, even just a few minutes of a hour plus block. Tardies do not result in any penalty. Kids know this, they will abuse this policy in every class. So you’ll have kids in classes that are barely there but still expect to pass. And when they are in class they want their make up work. It’s a big hindrance to making progress as a class.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 15:53
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
That’s right. And I’ll tell you something- none of the “advocates” who accuse us of racism for not wanting this for our kids would ever send their kids to a school like that. Just wait to see where Nikole Hannah Jones sends her kid for MS and HS ….
If the original poster is even still reading this, I hope you take into consideration what prior posters have said, that the best way to learn about the school is to ask families that are actually there, or ask the teachers. I also know several families there that are having a good experience. Reading somebody's opinion like the one above on this type of forum that paints all of the DCPS high schools with the same brush is a waste of time. As somebody who grew up going to public schools in a sought after school district, I can guarantee that kids leaving school early, smoking on campus etc are things that happen across all types of high schools. Technology is an interesting topic, but again, I doubt the poster knows firsthand what the policies at Eastern are for technology. For example, I know that at Eliot Hine, kids put their phones in a locker at the beginning of the day, retrieving them at the end of the day. Not sure if that is the same at the high school, but again - you could find that out if you called or visited the school and asked.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 15:49
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
Nobody is willing to clearly explain if the IB program actually is effectively an honors program/school within school.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 15:48
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
But the IB cohort is a good way of solving that problem, no? Kids are selecting into it. They want to be there. It may not solve the academic preparation problem, but I don't think these are kids with behavior issues.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 15:42
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
That’s right. And I’ll tell you something- none of the “advocates” who accuse us of racism for not wanting this for our kids would ever send their kids to a school like that. Just wait to see where Nikole Hannah Jones sends her kid for MS and HS ….
Anonymous
06/01/2023 15:14
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Eastern high school suffers from all the same problems as all the non selective DCPS schools. If you send a kid there they will be in classes that are often half full for no reason, kids on devices all day barely engaging academically, leaving school early, smoking weed on campus, etc. There are good students and staff there but the experience of those who care is ruined by out of control students that DCPS refuses to address in any meaningful way. If your kid works really hard they will be bored because teachers spend half the time trying to catch up all the kids who were late/absent and dealing with behavior.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 14:53
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP you won’t get informed opinions here. DCUM doesn’t attract folks who have kids there. DCUM is great for opinions on standardized test scores and how they compare to rich white kids.
Often standardized test scores are the only information people get. There are actually a lot of people on DCUM who are in Eastern's catchment and would love to find their IB high school is underrated and a great fit for their kid. It would solve a bunch of problems at once.
+1. Schools can engage in fiction about a lot of things. They can hide suspensions and underreport violence. They can call classes accelerated which aren't. Even with AP classes, you can get the wrong impression when it turns out most of the kids passing are native speakers in that language. But if you have, say, 7 total 9th and 10th graders testing proficient in math, that really does tell you something.
Anonymous
06/01/2023 14:53
Subject: Re:Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:My feedback on Eastern is that nobody there gives a darn about IBD points tallies. It's enough to their admins and parents that kids earn the diploma.
how many earn the IB diploma?
Anonymous
06/01/2023 14:46
Subject: Looking for some feedback on Eastern HS?
Anonymous wrote:Eastern IB has a twitter feed--it looks like 24 students in the class of '25 are participating in IB https://twitter.com/EasternIB/status/1661452247853682688
Is the entire cohort together as 1 class? That could be good as maybe you are with the same group of academically inclined students in all your classes but it might also mean you cannot pick and choose IB classes according to your interests. And it can get boring being with the same students in all your classes