Anonymous wrote:DCI 6th Grade parent here, there are areas of concern.

1. 6th Grade Teachers : Of my child’s 7 teachers, english and math are strongest. Language: 50/50. Highly punitive environment at times (silent,no work, no reading detentions). Subjective IB grading with children being rated low without authentic support to teach toward high IB expectations or a support plan to teach kids how to reach higher IB expectations.

2. DCI Documentation : I have encountered three programs so far that require student academic achievement documents for application. Upon receiving my child’s DCI documents, admissions staff have been puzzled by high test scores but numerous 3/4/5 ratings in multiple areas given the highest standard is 8. We then have to attempt to explain the IB system and try to justify that our child is not slacking off and is a hard worker.

We have seen how the documents will be a potential barrier to opportunities.

Anonymous wrote:New DCI parent here -- We got into BASIS last year but chose to stay at our feeder school.

They sent a mail saying that they have a replacement. Someone already working at the school.
The principal who resigned seemed to be the only one who got what a "good school" should be doing with kids. Too bad she resigned.

DCI is not a bad school. It offers more than some private schools: languages, IB program (it's NOT skim milk and BS!), dedicated teachers, new building, beautiful grounds. Lack a bit on parent involvement though.
Some kids are allowed to "speed up" (6th graders taking 8th grade math -- not very frequently allowed in other schools) and some are in remedial classes (many kids from non-English speaking families). So some families are going to find the school super nice ("we get a private school for free!") and some are going to be left behind..

The school's problem is that they don't have any real vision of where the school should be going. A list of things that need correcting: silent detentions, no lunch on some days to cram more instruction, no recess any day except lunch break, there were talks to put camera in bathrooms (not sure what happened to that), there were rumors of no bathroom break allowed (not sure if they stopped the practice), volunteer parents to patrol the corridors, all internet sites blocked for all 6th and 7th graders because they had problems with some kids (how about punishing only the ones who are actually abusing their internet access??).

Another poster on this list called it "highly punitive". I could not agree more --- Honestly though most parents seem to like it.

Anonymous wrote:IB Geneva actually allows student to take 1-3 IB tests in June of jr. year, so they have the scores to submit to colleges. In the DC burbs, students in IB diploma programs commonly double up taking the AP tests that correspond to IB subject tests, to have more scores to submit to colleges (versus just submitting BS "predicted IB scores" schools manufacture, the common practice). My nieces in an IB diploma program at a Fairfax school are doing this.

All I know about PSAT scores at DCI is that they did not produce any National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists this year.

Anonymous wrote:IB Geneva actually allows student to take 1-3 IB tests in June of jr. year, so they have the scores to submit to colleges. In the DC burbs, students in IB diploma programs commonly double up taking the AP tests that correspond to IB subject tests, to have more scores to submit to colleges (versus just submitting BS "predicted IB scores" schools manufacture, the common practice). My nieces in an IB diploma program at a Fairfax school are doing this.

All I know about PSAT scores at DCI is that they did not produce any National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists this year.

Anonymous wrote:The UMC parents who like DCI are quite loosey goosey. They don't seem to care if their kids score high on IB diploma tests eventually. They didn't earn IB diplomas and don't really know what scoring high entails. DC isnot Fairfax. Parent hear IB diploma curriculum and think WOW, TREMENDOUS RIGOR.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCI has significantly different demographics from Latin and BASIS which is just plain harder. It is also significantly larger with 804 students (and it's still growing/adding a grade).

It is also a newer school.

From the beginning DCI intended to allow students an option not to pursue an IB diploma (read their charter application). They know a significant portion of their students may not ever attend college, and are supposed to be offering them the IB career diploma and training.

So why not just make DCI a vocational program with a bit of language instruction? Sheesh. We really need more high-performing schools in this city to serve taxpayers, not skim milk IB program BS. DCI can't built a critical mass of strong students without a more serious curriculum, teaching and higher standards.

Theres’s nothing inherently skim milk or not-rigorous about the IB diploma or career track programs. DCI is offering both.

But like all start up schools, it will probably take a few years at full capacity before they hit their stride. The bleeding edge kids (and their parents) are always in for a bumpy ride.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure but this kind of instability is making me concerned as we consider DCI for the lottery. DCI is our safe school option if my kid doesn’t get into one of her top choice privates. *hugs to you OP & the DCI Community*

What year? DCI won’t have spots
For kids who aren’t coming up through the feeders.

Anonymous wrote:Junior and senior year are the most demanding / rigorous years in an IB school. You can’t shave 30 minutes off the school day.

Anonymous wrote:3. Safety at Dismissal. All schools can be crazy at dismissal. DCI should consider strategies to prevent door rushing and bottlenecks at doors and metro buses at dismissal.

Suggestion: Staggered dismissal times by grade level ( High school Juniors and Seniors 3:30, 9/10 3:40, Middle School 7/8 3:50, 6th Grade 4:00)