Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ah, it's the "oh, it's mostly just the spoiled rich white kids that are the troublemakers" poster who shows up any time the word FARMS is used on DCUM.

There are multiple posters who have said that either their own non FARMS kid is causing trouble, or that the non FARMS kids or white kids in their kids class are the troublemakers (no mention of spoiled or rich). There is no single poster.

I'm not one of the PPs, and I've also experienced great diversity in the worst kids in the class. I don't think anyone said "it's mostly just" anyone. They were providing counterpoints to people all up in arms about oh-no-FARMS-people.

Anonymous wrote:I liked Cooke at the open house, we were wait listed for prek4, again no WL for that grade last year. I wish the school the best of luck!

Cooke PP here. I am actually expecting that our lists will move, though maybe not by much. If your number is good, we may see you yet! Cannot say enough good things about the PK4 teachers, either. Your child would be lucky to have any of them.

Anonymous wrote:Ah, it's the "oh, it's mostly just the spoiled rich white kids that are the troublemakers" poster who shows up any time the word FARMS is used on DCUM.

There are multiple posters who have said that either their own non FARMS kid is causing trouble, or that the non FARMS kids or white kids in their kids class are the troublemakers (no mention of spoiled or rich). There is no single poster.

I liked Cooke at the open house, we were wait listed for prek4, again no WL for that grade last year. I wish the school the best of luck!

Anonymous wrote:Where is the interest in Cooke these days? I've watched that school get boosted a few years ago, which died out, then get a little bit of boosterism again from a couple of posters last year.....but yet it's never, ever mentioned on threads like this. Bancroft and Marie Reed got a mention - what is the problem with Cooke, in that nice building, that it can't sustain interest?

I'm one of the boosters, but we're already at the school. I was trying to stay off this site for various reasons, and I also thought that it was probably best to let the people who are newly excited about Cooke speak for themselves. Most of our families have probably never heard of this board.

What I can say is that we have a PK3 waitlist, which everyone at the school finds unusual. I've had people approach me asking what their chances are of getting off the waitlist and I honestly have no idea what to tell them because last year and the year before, this would never have happened. I'm excited for the year to come, as I think that we will start to see more concrete results from changes that have been implemented this school year.

If anyone has specific questions, I'm here to answer them. If anyone wants to see what we're doing, we're having an open house tomorrow at 9am.

Ah, it's the "oh, it's mostly just the spoiled rich white kids that are the troublemakers" poster who shows up any time the word FARMS is used on DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked at the performance scores for these schools? Have you looked at the % of students who are FARMS or ESL?

Sorry, but the single most important factor for a school is demographics, and if they swing negatively greater than 40%? It just can't be a high-performing school.

You can decide that you'll settle for low-performing when it comes to PreK, but by 1st grade you'll want something better. And by 3rd? You'll be downright scared in any of those low-performing leftovers.

Yeah because all those Kipp, DC Prep, McKinley, Ellington, Paul, and Banneker kids are so bad and poor at performing. Idiots like you make me sick to my stomach.

+1

Sure those are good schools compared to each other by get real. They are mediocre when compared to test in schools outside of the city or even a reg public school in Bethesda. You thinL Banneker or Mckinly is as good as TJ? Not even close.

Where is the interest in Cooke these days? I've watched that school get boosted a few years ago, which died out, then get a little bit of boosterism again from a couple of posters last year.....but yet it's never, ever mentioned on threads like this. Bancroft and Marie Reed got a mention - what is the problem with Cooke, in that nice building, that it can't sustain interest?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked at the performance scores for these schools? Have you looked at the % of students who are FARMS or ESL?

Sorry, but the single most important factor for a school is demographics, and if they swing negatively greater than 40%? It just can't be a high-performing school.

You can decide that you'll settle for low-performing when it comes to PreK, but by 1st grade you'll want something better. And by 3rd? You'll be downright scared in any of those low-performing leftovers.

Yeah because all those Kipp, DC Prep, McKinley, Ellington, Paul, and Banneker kids are so bad and poor at performing. Idiots like you make me sick to my stomach.

+1

Thomson.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't get it confused with the aspect of supply and demand. Less elementary schools to select from so the frenzy is not due to popluarity at all. But it is such a great marketing tool.

How are there fewer (that's the word you're looking for) elementary schools than there were last year?

Re: the OP: I would absolutely say that Van Ness wins the "hyped school of the year" award this year. Last year, I would give that award to either Lee Montessori or Seaton. The year before that, it was Powell.

Totally agree with your hyped school of the year awards, although MV got lots of love the year before also. Probably will work out for Lee, because at new charters, hype can actually be self-fulfilling.

I think it's more than one person boosting VN. Which is fine, PP why don't you boost your own school for a change.

Anonymous wrote:Van Ness Elementary School will be as popular as Brent Elementary School in about 4 years.

Hi Van Ness booster! Happy Easter to you!

Van Ness Elementary School will be as popular as Brent Elementary School in about 4 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked at the performance scores for these schools? Have you looked at the % of students who are FARMS or ESL?

Sorry, but the single most important factor for a school is demographics, and if they swing negatively greater than 40%? It just can't be a high-performing school.

You can decide that you'll settle for low-performing when it comes to PreK, but by 1st grade you'll want something better. And by 3rd? You'll be downright scared in any of those low-performing leftovers.

Effective teachers and a good principal mean a lot.

I would think long and hard about sending my DD to a school with so many FARMS students. The one she attends now is less than 20% FARMS and I'm still surprised by the things she learns outside of class, such as bad language. Even one child with bad habits can have an effect on the whole class. It's scary to think what a classroom half full of bad behavior can do to everyone else.

Yes, those nasty FARMS students. Blech. Can't get the stench out even at the dry cleaners.

LOL!!!! I was going to respond, but I'll just go with yours!