Anonymous wrote:Black families used to choose the "downstairs" option at Peabody and the white families opted for SWS. Now all the little brothers and sisters of the white families take most of the spots. I imagine that the demographics will shift a bit over time.

When SWS broke away from Peabody and expanded, didn't they offer proximity preference--and didn't that correspond with higher SES communities?

Anonymous wrote:NP here. No dog in this fight. To all those on the SWS waitlist hoping to get in, good luck! Seems like a great school. To all those who didn't rank SWS and are at other places, good luck! Seems likes some good options out there, whatever your preference.

Just trying to send out some positive vibes (and ignoring the bad ones).

Let's all get along, ok?

The Hippies are fighting!

Black families used to choose the "downstairs" option at Peabody and the white families opted for SWS. Now all the little brothers and sisters of the white families take most of the spots. I imagine that the demographics will shift a bit over time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on the neighborhood and I'm sure the school is a nice place to go, but I still can't figure out why it's demographics are so skewed from the rest of the city. It has so few minority kids, at least from what I see when we go to the playground. I have heard the argument that it is a legacy from the Peabody days, but the Watkins/Peabody district is much more diverse, as is the current Peabody program. I don't think there is any conspiracy here, it's just strange to have such a demographic outlier in the middle of a still pretty diverse part of the city.


Personally, I have two years before we apply and will probably put it on my list, but I think we will prioritize schools with a better MS feed. Our IB is LT and I'm fine with it for early elementary. If we got into SWS or LT and no where with a better MS feed we will be leaving for the suburbs before upper elementary school anyway, so there doesn't seem to be a huge advantage of prioritizing SWS in the lottery. It's a very nice but short term solution to the schooling problem on Capitol Hill.

Attend the open house next fall for the answers to your question

If you know the answer, can't you just tell us? If there is an easy explanation for why there is an almost totally white school outside of upper NW (where there is an almost totally white population), give it to us. It is a demographic anomaly for this part of the city, especially for a school with no IB population. Why is that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Dude. do you have too much time on your hands? Mad at your boss? Your spouse refuses to argue with you? Have you sublimated frustration with your kids into arguing fine points on DCUM? I say "Let it Go, Let it GO" and move on with your life. seriously

Define irony? Taking the time to respond with the question of "do you have too much free time" in an effort to illustrate to someone else that they have too much free time.

In fact, I DO have lots of free time. Not too much, just enough.

Me too!!! We should grab a drink sometime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ Dude. do you have too much time on your hands? Mad at your boss? Your spouse refuses to argue with you? Have you sublimated frustration with your kids into arguing fine points on DCUM? I say "Let it Go, Let it GO" and move on with your life. seriously

Define irony? Taking the time to respond with the question of "do you have too much free time" in an effort to illustrate to someone else that they have too much free time.

In fact, I DO have lots of free time. Not too much, just enough.

NP here. No dog in this fight. To all those on the SWS waitlist hoping to get in, good luck! Seems like a great school. To all those who didn't rank SWS and are at other places, good luck! Seems likes some good options out there, whatever your preference.

Just trying to send out some positive vibes (and ignoring the bad ones).

Let's all get along, ok?

Jesus PP - get a life already.

Anonymous wrote:^^ Dude. do you have too much time on your hands? Mad at your boss? Your spouse refuses to argue with you? Have you sublimated frustration with your kids into arguing fine points on DCUM? I say "Let it Go, Let it GO" and move on with your life. seriously

Define irony? Taking the time to respond with the question of "do you have too much free time" in an effort to illustrate to someone else that they have too much free time.

^^ Dude. do you have too much time on your hands? Mad at your boss? Your spouse refuses to argue with you? Have you sublimated frustration with your kids into arguing fine points on DCUM? I say "Let it Go, Let it GO" and move on with your life. seriously

Anonymous wrote:lots of trolls here -- if it's not your thing, why weigh in. Judging by the waitlist, plenty of people are interested in SWS. Like all schools, anyone without firsthand knowledge of the school or its culture is blowing smoke

I embrace your new paradigm. New Rule: No one without firsthand knowledge of a kid in the school or the actual experience from a firsthand perspective should ever express an opinion. We'll call it the "Kool-aid" rule.

So reasoning by analogy here I guess that means that I can read and do research on the ingredients in Kool-aid and taste it once but I'm not allowed to express an opinion that I think it's long term effects on my kids are not something of which I'd approve and then express that opinion in a forum on health effects of Kool-aid? Let's pull that string a bit more; by that theory no one who is enrolling a kid in PK3 (or PK4 WOTP) should post an opinion on DCUM since they clearly can't have experienced the school firsthand. But this shouldn't be limited just to schools. If you walk into a restaurant and it does not appear clean and the bartender is wiping his nose and scratching his behind and then scooping ice you can't have an opinion that the place isn't clean enough for your family until you've eaten there and tasted bacteria and/or gotten sick.

P.S. If, at this point, you have to ask why I weighed in then I'm kind of at a loss. As I have said no less than three times (and has been explained by other posters as well), the purpose was to explain that not everyone would have ranked SWS 1st or even 2nd and therefore there is actually more likelihood that the WL will move than some had been surmising. You don't have to agree with my conclusion; it was one person's opinion. But apparently the only opinions that matter those of defensive DCUM SWS posters who lack the confidence of their convictions. Noted.

Anonymous wrote:I live on the neighborhood and I'm sure the school is a nice place to go, but I still can't figure out why it's demographics are so skewed from the rest of the city. It has so few minority kids, at least from what I see when we go to the playground. I have heard the argument that it is a legacy from the Peabody days, but the Watkins/Peabody district is much more diverse, as is the current Peabody program. I don't think there is any conspiracy here, it's just strange to have such a demographic outlier in the middle of a still pretty diverse part of the city.


Personally, I have two years before we apply and will probably put it on my list, but I think we will prioritize schools with a better MS feed. Our IB is LT and I'm fine with it for early elementary. If we got into SWS or LT and no where with a better MS feed we will be leaving for the suburbs before upper elementary school anyway, so there doesn't seem to be a huge advantage of prioritizing SWS in the lottery. It's a very nice but short term solution to the schooling problem on Capitol Hill.

Attend the open house next fall for the answers to your question

Anonymous wrote:I live on the neighborhood and I'm sure the school is a nice place to go, but I still can't figure out why it's demographics are so skewed from the rest of the city. It has so few minority kids, at least from what I see when we go to the playground. I have heard the argument that it is a legacy from the Peabody days, but the Watkins/Peabody district is much more diverse, as is the current Peabody program. I don't think there is any conspiracy here, it's just strange to have such a demographic outlier in the middle of a still pretty diverse part of the city.


Personally, I have two years before we apply and will probably put it on my list, but I think we will prioritize schools with a better MS feed. Our IB is LT and I'm fine with it for early elementary. If we got into SWS or LT and no where with a better MS feed we will be leaving for the suburbs before upper elementary school anyway, so there doesn't seem to be a huge advantage of prioritizing SWS in the lottery. It's a very nice but short term solution to the schooling problem on Capitol Hill.

Are you on the waitlist this year or do you have information about it moving? Please stick to the discussion. You have every right to have your own opinion, and I am sure your opinion will change in two years, and again in another five years.

I live on the neighborhood and I'm sure the school is a nice place to go, but I still can't figure out why it's demographics are so skewed from the rest of the city. It has so few minority kids, at least from what I see when we go to the playground. I have heard the argument that it is a legacy from the Peabody days, but the Watkins/Peabody district is much more diverse, as is the current Peabody program. I don't think there is any conspiracy here, it's just strange to have such a demographic outlier in the middle of a still pretty diverse part of the city.


Personally, I have two years before we apply and will probably put it on my list, but I think we will prioritize schools with a better MS feed. Our IB is LT and I'm fine with it for early elementary. If we got into SWS or LT and no where with a better MS feed we will be leaving for the suburbs before upper elementary school anyway, so there doesn't seem to be a huge advantage of prioritizing SWS in the lottery. It's a very nice but short term solution to the schooling problem on Capitol Hill.

Anonymous wrote:NP, she's sharing because there was speculation that everyone who ranked SWS would rank it #1 or #2. We didn't rank it at all because I also wasn't convinced Reggio was great for upper elementary. Also we are concerned, like every Hill parent, about MS and HS.

No, there is speculation that everyone who got into SWS had a really great # and likely got their first or second choice.