Anonymous
08/19/2014 11:19
Subject: Big GDS news
I went to GDS when the high school was on MacArthur blvd, where the River School is now. If GDS is going to buy in to the more is better view of campus architecture, I hope that it figures out a way to be inventive at the new location. It's a little awkward. The truth is that it's a bad spot for the school. If they want to combine all three campuses, they should look for another place, perhaps where they can spread out a little. Too bad the Fannie Mae building across from Sidwell isn't for sale.
Anonymous
08/19/2014 09:12
Subject: Big GDS news
My kids lived through almost six years of construction at Sidwell including both the lower and middle school. It was disruptive and had a real impact on learning in classes. Sometimes construction went on for months just a few feet from the classroom. One of my kids barely benefitted; final touches on the gym finished halfway through his senior year.
Anonymous
08/19/2014 08:37
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Many student families are back for sports pre-season today and the EXCITEMENT over the expanded Wisconsin campus is palpable!! This is a major game changer for the school. The community has nothing to worry about.
Are you kidding? My high schooler and all his friends think it is terrible. He is so glad he will graduate before the place us overrun by the little kids. Right now the HS feels autonomous. The new configuration is going to change the culture of GDS big time.
Similar reactions here. (Too small for both, real loss to the HS, DC glad to be gone before this happens.) And none of the parents (mostly of kids in HS who have been at GDS since LS) I've spoken with are happy about it.
Then again, GDS will just admit new families who want to buy what they'll be selling. Not what we came for, but we'll be gone soon.
High school kids don't like construction projects from which they won't benefit directly. It's human nature. High school kids, even those at a place like GDS, are also generally quite small c conservative when it comes to proposed changes in institutions like their school. (Unlike many adults, however, once the change actually comes they adjust quite easily, of course.)
Oh I see -- it's a heads I win, tails you lose kind of analysis. First, everybody's so happy. Then, when two different posters say, no -- not really, the response is why did you expect them to be happy? -- of course they're not happy, but they'll come around. No, actually, they'll have graduated. The kids I'm talking to won't be (and know they won't be) affected by the construction (no financing or plans yet). They just point out that, from their POV, something they valued very much about the school will disappear. I think that they're right (although from my parental POV, the middle school loses even more than the HS), but YMMV. And, ultimately, people who share your opinion will constitute the majority at the school. Doesn't mean everybody's happy or it was a good decision, just that school's temporary and private schools are choices (expensive choices), so people move on and schools change.
Calm down Grumpelstilskin. First of all, there are multiple posters. Secondly, I'm sure there is a divergence of opinion -- I'm no cheerleader for this project. Third and finally, people who work with teenagers will bear out that they often react to news of a proposed change with reflexive negativity. Like many of us, they are often better at visualizing what they think they'll lose and cannot get a sense of what they might gain. I don't know what kind of improvements GDS thinks they will get (maybe better carpooling? People always complain about that) but obviously for them to undertake the money and expense they think there are some strong advantages.
Anonymous
08/19/2014 07:43
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Many student families are back for sports pre-season today and the EXCITEMENT over the expanded Wisconsin campus is palpable!! This is a major game changer for the school. The community has nothing to worry about.
Are you kidding? My high schooler and all his friends think it is terrible. He is so glad he will graduate before the place us overrun by the little kids. Right now the HS feels autonomous. The new configuration is going to change the culture of GDS big time.
Similar reactions here. (Too small for both, real loss to the HS, DC glad to be gone before this happens.) And none of the parents (mostly of kids in HS who have been at GDS since LS) I've spoken with are happy about it.
Then again, GDS will just admit new families who want to buy what they'll be selling. Not what we came for, but we'll be gone soon.
High school kids don't like construction projects from which they won't benefit directly. It's human nature. High school kids, even those at a place like GDS, are also generally quite small c conservative when it comes to proposed changes in institutions like their school. (Unlike many adults, however, once the change actually comes they adjust quite easily, of course.)
Oh I see -- it's a heads I win, tails you lose kind of analysis. First, everybody's so happy. Then, when two different posters say, no -- not really, the response is why did you expect them to be happy? -- of course they're not happy, but they'll come around. No, actually, they'll have graduated. The kids I'm talking to won't be (and know they won't be) affected by the construction (no financing or plans yet). They just point out that, from their POV, something they valued very much about the school will disappear. I think that they're right (although from my parental POV, the middle school loses even more than the HS), but YMMV. And, ultimately, people who share your opinion will constitute the majority at the school. Doesn't mean everybody's happy or it was a good decision, just that school's temporary and private schools are choices (expensive choices), so people move on and schools change.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 21:16
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Many student families are back for sports pre-season today and the EXCITEMENT over the expanded Wisconsin campus is palpable!! This is a major game changer for the school. The community has nothing to worry about.
Are you kidding? My high schooler and all his friends think it is terrible. He is so glad he will graduate before the place us overrun by the little kids. Right now the HS feels autonomous. The new configuration is going to change the culture of GDS big time.
Similar reactions here. (Too small for both, real loss to the HS, DC glad to be gone before this happens.) And none of the parents (mostly of kids in HS who have been at GDS since LS) I've spoken with are happy about it.
Then again, GDS will just admit new families who want to buy what they'll be selling. Not what we came for, but we'll be gone soon.
High school kids don't like construction projects from which they won't benefit directly. It's human nature. High school kids, even those at a place like GDS, are also generally quite small c conservative when it comes to proposed changes in institutions like their school. (Unlike many adults, however, once the change actually comes they adjust quite easily, of course.)
Anonymous
08/18/2014 19:55
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Many student families are back for sports pre-season today and the EXCITEMENT over the expanded Wisconsin campus is palpable!! This is a major game changer for the school. The community has nothing to worry about.
Are you kidding? My high schooler and all his friends think it is terrible. He is so glad he will graduate before the place us overrun by the little kids. Right now the HS feels autonomous. The new configuration is going to change the culture of GDS big time.
Similar reactions here. (Too small for both, real loss to the HS, DC glad to be gone before this happens.) And none of the parents (mostly of kids in HS who have been at GDS since LS) I've spoken with are happy about it.
Then again, GDS will just admit new families who want to buy what they'll be selling. Not what we came for, but we'll be gone soon.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 19:45
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did GDS expel the student who sent the racist emails?
You realize that was a 2006 article?
Yes, I do. Did GDS expel him?
Couldn't -- he was already an alumn when the incident happened.
His parent however remained on the Board (and was re-elected subsequently).
The whole thing was disgusting.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 18:44
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Many student families are back for sports pre-season today and the EXCITEMENT over the expanded Wisconsin campus is palpable!! This is a major game changer for the school. The community has nothing to worry about.
Are you kidding? My high schooler and all his friends think it is terrible. He is so glad he will graduate before the place us overrun by the little kids. Right now the HS feels autonomous. The new configuration is going to change the culture of GDS big time.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 18:22
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Golden rule alert: would anyone want their child's disciplinary status discussed on DCUM? School disciplinary decisions are generally fairly private and should be. They really should not be fodder for adult online water cooler gossip. If you have a specific concern about GDS, I would suggest talking to current families offline.
Seems like the rule too often is: Disciplinary issues should be private when they involve a school I like, but not so much for schools I don't like.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 17:18
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Golden rule alert: would anyone want their child's disciplinary status discussed on DCUM? School disciplinary decisions are generally fairly private and should be. They really should not be fodder for adult online water cooler gossip. If you have a specific concern about GDS, I would suggest talking to current families offline.
It sounds like a nice rule, do you think such civility has been followed on DCUM in the past? or are you suggesting that a change of tone is in order?
I would suggest that the GOLDEN RULE of DMV private schools is that "those who have the gold make the rules."
Anonymous
08/18/2014 17:00
Subject: Big GDS news
I was over there recently (shopping at the soon to be demolished Safeway) and I thought - wow, this really isn't that much additional space. I assume they will close the dead-end of Davenport. But I don't see how they are going jam the lower and middle school in there and get much more area for a playing field.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 16:41
Subject: Big GDS news
GDS and sports don't mix.
Anonymous
08/18/2014 16:40
Subject: Big GDS news
Many student families are back for sports pre-season today and the EXCITEMENT over the expanded Wisconsin campus is palpable!! This is a major game changer for the school. The community has nothing to worry about.
Anonymous
07/11/2014 10:18
Subject: Big GDS news
Golden rule alert: would anyone want their child's disciplinary status discussed on DCUM? School disciplinary decisions are generally fairly private and should be. They really should not be fodder for adult online water cooler gossip. If you have a specific concern about GDS, I would suggest talking to current families offline.
Anonymous
07/11/2014 06:41
Subject: Big GDS news
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did GDS expel the student who sent the racist emails?
You realize that was a 2006 article?
Yes, I do. Did GDS expel him?
Am not familiar with this incident but am aware that a student was expelled more recently for a similar act.
Similar in racism, or similar in breaking into teacher's email?