I hope the folks looking for PS-3 and PK-4 are also considering applying to Appletree and Bridges. We're at Appletree this year (and applying to other schools) but in the possibility you get totally shut out from any decent charters, those are excellent options if you can make them work logistically (several Appletrees; just one Bridges if I'm not mistaken, or maybe there's two?). But really good programs for the most part and most parents I know at either are happy (not all, but most).

For the newbies, because they only go to K or 1st grade, they're easier to get into because most parents are looking for PK-5 or 8 if possible.

Anonymous wrote:I was at MV for a long time, and least 30 minutes. LAMB also was a long wait. I didn't wait a super long time at Sela or IT, or DC Bilingual, but I did wait. All of them said that they had received a lot of applications for PRE-K 4. Apparently, my chances of finding a space in pre-K 4 in a quality school are about as likely as finding a unicorn in Rock Creek Park. Why is this so hard?

I'm looking for Pre-K 4 as well, and I'd say the unicorn is looking a lot more likely than those slots...

I was at MV for a long time, and least 30 minutes. LAMB also was a long wait. I didn't wait a super long time at Sela or IT, or DC Bilingual, but I did wait. All of them said that they had received a lot of applications for PRE-K 4. Apparently, my chances of finding a space in pre-K 4 in a quality school are about as likely as finding a unicorn in Rock Creek Park. Why is this so hard?

Anonymous wrote:I can tell you that I waited over a 30 minutes at YY...or at least it felt that long (what was the deal with HVAC in the room?).

It was really hot....and although I know everyone can't afford childcare, very disorientating with all of the kids running everywhere. The charters that had legos and drawing tables, GENIUS.

I can tell you that I waited over a 30 minutes at YY...or at least it felt that long (what was the deal with HVAC in the room?).

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about all day, since I had an in and out approach for my two hour-tour. I can confirm that I stood in line for at least 25 minutes at Sela, and 25 or more at Inspired Teaching. DC Bilingual was empty. Mundo Verde was very packed. Why we feel the need to hate on charters is beyond, but to quote my 4 year old: GROSS!!!

I am wondering if there was a 2nd Charter School Expo in an alternative universe? Because as crowded as IT and Mundo Verde were, the idea of people waiting 25 min to talk or fill out an application is totally bizarre. I was there for 3 1/2 of the 4 hrs and I never waited more than 15 min to talk at any of these tables. Do people have issues with approaching the table? And for the record, I never saw anyone at the Sela table either and I had parked my bag near the door there so I was back and forth past them a lot.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about all day, since I had an in and out approach for my two hour-tour. I can confirm that I stood in line for at least 25 minutes at Sela, and 25 or more at Inspired Teaching. DC Bilingual was empty. Mundo Verde was very packed. Why we feel the need to hate on charters is beyond, but to quote my 4 year old: GROSS!!!

Where exactly do you see "hate on charters" in this thread? you seem to have a quite vivid and GROSS imagination

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about all day, since I had an in and out approach for my two hour-tour. I can confirm that I stood in line for at least 25 minutes at Sela, and 25 or more at Inspired Teaching. DC Bilingual was empty. Mundo Verde was very packed. Why we feel the need to hate on charters is beyond, but to quote my 4 year old: GROSS!!!

I don't know about all day, since I had an in and out approach for my two hour-tour. I can confirm that I stood in line for at least 25 minutes at Sela, and 25 or more at Inspired Teaching. DC Bilingual was empty. Mundo Verde was very packed. Why we feel the need to hate on charters is beyond, but to quote my 4 year old: GROSS!!!

Why are people so cut throat and negative on here. Maybe some of you guys were there at different times gesh.

Anonymous wrote:Well, I was there with Inspired Teaching for most of the day. We were busy and I had a good view of Sela's table - they were also quite busy. Neither of us were "mobbed," but both of us were very busy ALL DAY. We should all focus on building up charters, and not tearing them down. Probably less fun, but better for DC's kids in the long run.

I am all for successful charter and public DCPS schools. My neighbor's DC may attend a charter, another maybe an OOB student in upper NW and while the other attends their neighborhood school. No D.C. child should have suffer under an inadequate school system.

Anonymous wrote:Well, I was there with Inspired Teaching for most of the day. We were busy and I had a good view of Sela's table - they were also quite busy. Neither of us were "mobbed," but both of us were very busy ALL DAY. We should all focus on building up charters, and not tearing them down. Probably less fun, but better for DC's kids in the long run.

Im sorry, but I'm going to have to simply call BS on this. I don't doubt you were there with IT, but I have 3 other parent friend who were there I'd mentioned the whole Sela thing to them, and when we compared notes after it was over, they all had the exact same observation: little to no traffic at the Sela table. And 2 of them were there for the last hour, so it's not about what time. How did you see them "quite busy" but I have yet to find another parent who was actually there who saw anyone more than a couple of lone individuals at the table ever, at all, during the whole event?

It is not "tearing down a charter" to ask that the boosters stay reality-based and don't misrepresent the facts. Time will tell if there is real interest in Sela and if there is, good for them. But to pretty much make stuff up about the interest just to generate more interest/rationalize the existence of the school is truly starting to have the opposite effect: it makes it more and more a school I would stay away from if that's the approach of their supporters. (And NO, I don't just base my decision on DCUM, but since I wasn't that interested in Sela before, this repeated "mis-stating facts" definitely puts me into the "And now I won't bother to learn more" camp.)

Well, I was there with Inspired Teaching for most of the day. We were busy and I had a good view of Sela's table - they were also quite busy. Neither of us were "mobbed," but both of us were very busy ALL DAY. We should all focus on building up charters, and not tearing them down. Probably less fun, but better for DC's kids in the long run.

To the PP. Sidwell and Potomac don't need my money but at least they acted like they wanted me to know everything I needed to know about the schools and not rest on their DC CAS scores or new building. Hello.... It is a public school! I am pro public school and because of the waiting list, my DC may end up at Eaton or Hearst. Both of which gave better presentations at their open house. As small as Hearst is, everyone seemed want the best for their kids( IBand OOB). YY seems a little elitist or as my grandma use to say " they have a high opinion of themselves". Maybe it was the rep. But I caught her early, so that should not be an excuse.

Anonymous wrote:+1 had the same feeling at other events. Some charters think and act like they are private schools.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not an Yu Ying hater. But, I came away from it like was being sized up like a private school. I've been to private school open houses and didn't feel that.

This is interesting. To me it was definitel low energy, but not judgemental or "sizing up". The YY rep seemed really patient and willing to answer all questions, but not going out of her way to put on a show or offer info. There is definitely a value to feeling like the rep from the school really really really wants you to walk away interested in the school, and on that front definitely didn't feel like YY or LAMB felt like they needed to prove or recruit.

Actually, also re: YY, I was actually impressed with the seriousness with which the rep actually time-stamped each application. I'm going to guess that by now, between online and in person apps, they already have more than they'll ever move through on their waitlist. It could have been easy to accept the apps with a "good luck in the lottery, cuz if not there, you're not getting in this year!" attitude, but she was diligent and serious about the timestamps.

On a similar note, I was interested that I heard so few parents asking the high-demand schools how many lottery slots they even had available to their grade of interest last year. I asked at all the ones I was serious about, to have a mental idea from the horse's mouth of just how slim the odds are. But I didn't really hear anyone else ask - maybe just a coincidence and people were asking all day, but it worried me that a lot of parents may be playing the lottery game with no clue just how slim their chances may be.

Maybe next year DCUM should have a "DCUM Reality Check" table to offer advice to the clueless?