Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

Comments like this make me so glad I don’t live WOTP.

This comment hits a nerve not because Deal is a perfect place or the best middle school in the city, but because (1) a lot of people don’t have the option to “move or go private;” (2) you’re completely discounting the many things Deal has done well over the years and that other middle schools admire and are trying to emulate; and (3) you’re basing your opinion on PARCC scores, the easiest and laziest thing to focus on. Doing 5 minutes of research will tell you that test scores aren’t a good indicator of whether a school is successful. Go shit on our imperfect but hard-working school system (which a school like Deal is evidence of) somewhere else. And if you’re going to give feedback or criticism, at the very least base it off of more than looking up test scores and talking to your neighbors.

Don't look at test scores? Don't listen to what parents sending their kids to the school actually say? Maybe you can just waive your hands frantically in front of peoples faces saying "nothing to see here! Just believe the hype!"

The word that seems to come up the most from parents on this thread who actually send their kids to the school is "fantastic." What was your point again?

As in "fantasy"?

Sick burn! You told her!

PP, the OP of this thread gas a specific question about how a kid with her kid’s profile fares at Deal. So the general experience and the PARCC scores that you talk about is a lot less useful for this OP than for someone like you and your kid. Other PPs whose kids are closer to that profile and who have direct experience with Deal have been trying to help OP with her issue. Do have anything that would help?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

Comments like this make me so glad I don’t live WOTP.

This comment hits a nerve not because Deal is a perfect place or the best middle school in the city, but because (1) a lot of people don’t have the option to “move or go private;” (2) you’re completely discounting the many things Deal has done well over the years and that other middle schools admire and are trying to emulate; and (3) you’re basing your opinion on PARCC scores, the easiest and laziest thing to focus on. Doing 5 minutes of research will tell you that test scores aren’t a good indicator of whether a school is successful. Go shit on our imperfect but hard-working school system (which a school like Deal is evidence of) somewhere else. And if you’re going to give feedback or criticism, at the very least base it off of more than looking up test scores and talking to your neighbors.

Don't look at test scores? Don't listen to what parents sending their kids to the school actually say? Maybe you can just waive your hands frantically in front of peoples faces saying "nothing to see here! Just believe the hype!"

The word that seems to come up the most from parents on this thread who actually send their kids to the school is "fantastic." What was your point again?

As in "fantasy"?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

Comments like this make me so glad I don’t live WOTP.

This comment hits a nerve not because Deal is a perfect place or the best middle school in the city, but because (1) a lot of people don’t have the option to “move or go private;” (2) you’re completely discounting the many things Deal has done well over the years and that other middle schools admire and are trying to emulate; and (3) you’re basing your opinion on PARCC scores, the easiest and laziest thing to focus on. Doing 5 minutes of research will tell you that test scores aren’t a good indicator of whether a school is successful. Go shit on our imperfect but hard-working school system (which a school like Deal is evidence of) somewhere else. And if you’re going to give feedback or criticism, at the very least base it off of more than looking up test scores and talking to your neighbors.

Don't look at test scores? Don't listen to what parents sending their kids to the school actually say? Maybe you can just waive your hands frantically in front of peoples faces saying "nothing to see here! Just believe the hype!"

The word that seems to come up the most from parents on this thread who actually send their kids to the school is "fantastic." What was your point again?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

Comments like this make me so glad I don’t live WOTP.

This comment hits a nerve not because Deal is a perfect place or the best middle school in the city, but because (1) a lot of people don’t have the option to “move or go private;” (2) you’re completely discounting the many things Deal has done well over the years and that other middle schools admire and are trying to emulate; and (3) you’re basing your opinion on PARCC scores, the easiest and laziest thing to focus on. Doing 5 minutes of research will tell you that test scores aren’t a good indicator of whether a school is successful. Go shit on our imperfect but hard-working school system (which a school like Deal is evidence of) somewhere else. And if you’re going to give feedback or criticism, at the very least base it off of more than looking up test scores and talking to your neighbors.

Don't look at test scores? Don't listen to what parents sending their kids to the school actually say? Maybe you can just waive your hands frantically in front of peoples faces saying "nothing to see here! Just believe the hype!"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

Comments like this make me so glad I don’t live WOTP.

This comment hits a nerve not because Deal is a perfect place or the best middle school in the city, but because (1) a lot of people don’t have the option to “move or go private;” (2) you’re completely discounting the many things Deal has done well over the years and that other middle schools admire and are trying to emulate; and (3) you’re basing your opinion on PARCC scores, the easiest and laziest thing to focus on. Doing 5 minutes of research will tell you that test scores aren’t a good indicator of whether a school is successful. Go shit on our imperfect but hard-working school system (which a school like Deal is evidence of) somewhere else. And if you’re going to give feedback or criticism, at the very least base it off of more than looking up test scores and talking to your neighbors.

Please don't take the PP as representative of everyone WOTP. There are smug and clueless people everywhere. Just listen to the HRCS folks EOTP...

11:21, is the child of the other family on the same sixth grade team? Taking the same language? Please don't get more specific in this forum, but team may make a difference...just. matter of different personalities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of student is your child? We have decided to go to private school, so my knowledge is from touring the school and talking to friends. My sense is that it's a fabulous school for strong students who are self starters; I've also heard good things about the school from kids who high levels of special education needs. Kids in the middle, especially if they struggle with executive function or anxiety (both of which describe my child) don't do as well there.

My child has executive functioning problems. She's a good student and gets all As and Bs, but we're coming from a small school where her teachers are all invested in her. She came off of an IEP last year, but still struggles. We're working on those skills, but afraid she'll fall through the cracks in such a large school. I don't mind homeschooling and would love to do it if it weren't for lack of social opportunities. It's the main reason I'm considering trying out Deal.

My daughter has ADHD inattentive and very very poor executive functioning skills. I was also very nervous about Deal. I want to type in all caps: DEAL IS FABULOUS. Each grade is divided into teams, and each team has <100 kids on it. Kids take classes with other team members and more importantly, every teacher in the team teaches every kid on the team. So it's a lot like a school with 100 kids. The team works closely together and we have found our team to be responsive, timely, proactive, understanding, and DEDICATED to our child. It has been a really good growth year for her, and I am SO GLAD she is there.

My DD has ADHD and Executive Functioning issues with an IEP, and we're IB for Deal. We're also in a feeder to DCI and need to decide between the two. What you're describing sounds fabulous.

Can I ask what the school does to support this? And what I would need to do as a parent?

I'm the PP - my daughter has a 504, and has what is considered mild ADHD (but very poor executive functioning. I should point out that there is another child my daughter is friends with who also has ADHD and poor executive functioning, with a 504, and those parents aren't as happy as we are. So what's the difference? For one, our DD gets a mix of As and Bs, and we are happy. She could get all As if we pushed really, really hard. But we don't push it (homework, making up assignments, etc) that hard. I do think, at least in 6th grade, that the school is set up to help your child succeed. There is a lot of focus on keeping binders organized. Homeroom teachers do a binder check. They do a lot in the beginning of the year to get parents acclimated to the idea of a "gradual release of responsibility." The idea is coming out of elementary, parents are very involved in the day to day, and by the ned of the school year, the child is more responsible for his/her own school work. Because of the ADHD/exec functioning/504, we are more involved than that. We are on top of things daily/weekly. We are proactive in pushing our daughter to ask for more help, for more time, for more assistance. Each team has one day after school each week for "team tutoring" where each teacher is available for an hour, and we require our DD to attend that. We also ask hr to stay after school in the library or wherever (other teachers who might still be there, not on the team tutoring day) and give her homework a try. We check the grading syatem (Aspen) regularly). We talk every day about assignments. With the teachers, we have our 504 meeting early in the school year. We try really har dot be personable and approach it as a team environment, where we're part of the team with the experts - the teachers. I think it helps that our daughter is personable and people tend to like her, and we try to be personable and likable, too. We also hired an outside tutor for our daughter 1 day a week. But, the teachers also push this - they emailed a few weeks ago and said DD seemed more distracted, was there something going on? They offer retakes of tests to improve grades. They offer (or readily agree) to extensions. They are available.

The other family's child has more severe ADHD and the parents aren't as happy, although their daughter has gotten straight As. So I don't know why their experience is less pleasant, while their "results" are arguably better. I think, to be honest, that their child is more difficult, and they may be pushier or expect more? I don't know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of student is your child? We have decided to go to private school, so my knowledge is from touring the school and talking to friends. My sense is that it's a fabulous school for strong students who are self starters; I've also heard good things about the school from kids who high levels of special education needs. Kids in the middle, especially if they struggle with executive function or anxiety (both of which describe my child) don't do as well there.

My child has executive functioning problems. She's a good student and gets all As and Bs, but we're coming from a small school where her teachers are all invested in her. She came off of an IEP last year, but still struggles. We're working on those skills, but afraid she'll fall through the cracks in such a large school. I don't mind homeschooling and would love to do it if it weren't for lack of social opportunities. It's the main reason I'm considering trying out Deal.

My daughter has ADHD inattentive and very very poor executive functioning skills. I was also very nervous about Deal. I want to type in all caps: DEAL IS FABULOUS. Each grade is divided into teams, and each team has <100 kids on it. Kids take classes with other team members and more importantly, every teacher in the team teaches every kid on the team. So it's a lot like a school with 100 kids. The team works closely together and we have found our team to be responsive, timely, proactive, understanding, and DEDICATED to our child. It has been a really good growth year for her, and I am SO GLAD she is there.

My DD has ADHD and Executive Functioning issues with an IEP, and we're IB for Deal. We're also in a feeder to DCI and need to decide between the two. What you're describing sounds fabulous.

Can I ask what the school does to support this? And what I would need to do as a parent?

Anonymous wrote:I do find the PARCC scores interesting - it feels like 50% of the class is on honor roll - but 40% is not on grade level?

So interesting.

That pretty much matches their PARCC scores so maybe not so surprising!

I do find the PARCC scores interesting - it feels like 50% of the class is on honor roll - but 40% is not on grade level?

So interesting.

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

Comments like this make me so glad I don’t live WOTP.

This comment hits a nerve not because Deal is a perfect place or the best middle school in the city, but because (1) a lot of people don’t have the option to “move or go private;” (2) you’re completely discounting the many things Deal has done well over the years and that other middle schools admire and are trying to emulate; and (3) you’re basing your opinion on PARCC scores, the easiest and laziest thing to focus on. Doing 5 minutes of research will tell you that test scores aren’t a good indicator of whether a school is successful. Go shit on our imperfect but hard-working school system (which a school like Deal is evidence of) somewhere else. And if you’re going to give feedback or criticism, at the very least base it off of more than looking up test scores and talking to your neighbors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people want to live in the Deal/Wilson zone because it's arguably the best public option DC has to offer right now. That doesn't make it someplace I want to send my child. Only 68 percent of Deal kids are proficient in reading and 55 percent in math. And it's huge. I haven't been impressed with anything I've seen or heard. Middle school is 6 years away for us. If things are significantly better by then, great. If not, we will either move or go private.

well la-di-da.

I

+1. Parents making Middle School decisions for their First Grader are comical and insane. OP ignore this woman. She is a know-nothing.

Did you even read what I said? I'm NOT making decisions until the time comes. And to the PP: what have I seen? I've seen the unimpressive PARCC scores (which I cited). What have I heard? I've heard parents saying that their children feel lost at the massive school, that they teach to the middle and that if they had the option they would choose private for middle school. Some could move, but feel it's worth it for other reasons to stay in DC. Does every parent and every child feel that way? Of course not. But as for the the ones who I speak with in the neighborhood -- when they open up they confide that it's not all buttercups and rainbows.

I think, PP, it is your dismissive attitude that sets people off. I assume you hide this when you talk with people in the neighborhood. I have my concerns about Deal as well so I have asked parents at my kids’ ES who have older kids at Deal what they think. Their view of Deal is generally positive so I am looking forward to what the school has to offer my soon-to-be-rising-sixth-grader with a 504. Good luck with your decision in 6 years. In meantime, we will try to get those scores up so you feel better.

We switched our DC to Deal from small private - did PK through middle school thinking our quiet DC would fall through the cracks in a bigger class environment. Deal has been AMAZING - our DC has had some really wonderful teachers and great principal(s). Sad to be leaving after graduation in June!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of student is your child? We have decided to go to private school, so my knowledge is from touring the school and talking to friends. My sense is that it's a fabulous school for strong students who are self starters; I've also heard good things about the school from kids who high levels of special education needs. Kids in the middle, especially if they struggle with executive function or anxiety (both of which describe my child) don't do as well there.

My child has executive functioning problems. She's a good student and gets all As and Bs, but we're coming from a small school where her teachers are all invested in her. She came off of an IEP last year, but still struggles. We're working on those skills, but afraid she'll fall through the cracks in such a large school. I don't mind homeschooling and would love to do it if it weren't for lack of social opportunities. It's the main reason I'm considering trying out Deal.

My son had very similar issues. He has an IEP. Executive functioning issues. Loved Deal. Thought my son would fall through the cracks, but he really navigated it. It was amazing. He really grew.