Anonymous wrote:I have to say that as a 16th Street Heights parent with kids NOT in a language immersion elementary school, I am very disappointed that DCPS has not been able to explain or highlight what might be attractive about McFarland for kids that are not in the dual language program. I would love to be able to send my kids to McFarland if there is a high quality program being offered. However, I will NOT do that if all of the focus, energy, resources are for the dual language program and the program for the non-dual language program is treated as a second class citizen. If this is how it is going to be, then as much as I may want my kids to be able to walk to their middle school, they will be trekking to Deal or we will play the lottery for a charter.

The opening for the non-dual-language program is three years away. If they get to the end of this year without a plan, be mad then. Until that point, it is on the community to ask (and demand) what we want for the school. The usual DCUM pout and stomp is not what is needed here. Tell them what you want (see email above).

This process just started. Plan is to open in 3 years with the dual language program starting early at a size that makes it akin to Adams one grade at a time. And you are indignant that they have not fleshed out the math and science offerings yet?

There are some good ideas out there. For example, engaging the Roosevelt math department to teach advanced classes for the few students starting soon who will be ready for Algebra.

Instead of being broadly mad that the school handbook hasn't been served up to you on a platter three years in advance, why not offer up your wishes (or as it sounds like in your case, demands)?

I have to say that as a 16th Street Heights parent with kids NOT in a language immersion elementary school, I am very disappointed that DCPS has not been able to explain or highlight what might be attractive about McFarland for kids that are not in the dual language program. I would love to be able to send my kids to McFarland if there is a high quality program being offered. However, I will NOT do that if all of the focus, energy, resources are for the dual language program and the program for the non-dual language program is treated as a second class citizen. If this is how it is going to be, then as much as I may want my kids to be able to walk to their middle school, they will be trekking to Deal or we will play the lottery for a charter.

forgot the rest of the email:
This program will be unique among the current available options for BMPV grads. Unlike CHEC and charter options, which take students without prior Spanish experience, this school will specifically enroll graduates of DCPS Spanish immersion elementary schools. It will be a school-of-right for these programs modeled on the program currently at place at Adams middle school, which is the school-of-right for graduates from Oyster elementary.

Just got this email about McFarland Info sessions:
DCPS will be holding an info session at Bruce Monroe on October 6th from 6-8pm, to discuss a new DCPS dual language middle school on at former MacFarland.

calexander wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, thanks for the recap.

What are reasons for changing the name?

There is no active plan to change the name. The question was raised and it was discussed.

IN MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION it should be explored. The school had a pretty poor reputation even before it was closed due to under-enrollment. Why carry that baggage to a completely new entity? Especially when parents have so many more choices now?

A name change is not a hill worth dying on, but it should probably be considered.

Monocerus would be good.

Or since there will be Spanish immersion, Unicornio.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kudos to DCPS for getting ahead of the curve on a dual language program for MS kids, and in particular for recognizing the importance of a test-in requirement for children who want dual language but don't feed from an immersion ES. Hopefully this helps create some of the same excitement for MS in our area that we're already seeing at several ES campuses. It also would be great if DCPS can come up with a similarly forward thinking program for non-immersion kids who are entering MacFarland, akin to what DCI appears to have done. We included both immersion and traditional schools in our lottery application, and landed at a non-immersion HRCS. We also are currently in the part of Crestwood-16th Street Heights that is grandfathered for Deal through 2020. While we're thankful for the continued right to feed to Deal, we'd love the option to be able to send our kids to a MS right in our neighborhood.

What has DCI done for non immersion kids? I'm not familiar. Or am I reading your sentence wrong?

I think they have a beginners Spanish at the MS level for those families with no prior language exposure.

DCI offers a beginning language track in all 3 languages.

Anonymous wrote:

calexander wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, thanks for the recap.

What are reasons for changing the name?

There is no active plan to change the name. The question was raised and it was discussed.

IN MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION it should be explored. The school had a pretty poor reputation even before it was closed due to under-enrollment. Why carry that baggage to a completely new entity? Especially when parents have so many more choices now?

A name change is not a hill worth dying on, but it should probably be considered.

Thanks for the recap and for participating. How do we voice our opinions on decision points on the topics you mentioned and more, beyond your graciousness to bring them forth at meetings?

Check the letter. The DCPS planning team, who is doing this as a form of outreach, is at dcps.planning@dc.gov.

calexander wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, thanks for the recap.

What are reasons for changing the name?

There is no active plan to change the name. The question was raised and it was discussed.

IN MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION it should be explored. The school had a pretty poor reputation even before it was closed due to under-enrollment. Why carry that baggage to a completely new entity? Especially when parents have so many more choices now?

A name change is not a hill worth dying on, but it should probably be considered.

Thanks for the recap and for participating. How do we voice our opinions on decision points on the topics you mentioned and more, beyond your graciousness to bring them forth at meetings?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, thanks for the recap.

What are reasons for changing the name?

There is no active plan to change the name. The question was raised and it was discussed.

IN MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION it should be explored. The school had a pretty poor reputation even before it was closed due to under-enrollment. Why carry that baggage to a completely new entity? Especially when parents have so many more choices now?

A name change is not a hill worth dying on, but it should probably be considered.

Yes, thanks for the recap.

What are reasons for changing the name?

Thanks for the recap.

The first community cabinet meeting was last night. This was the first in a yearlong series of meetings, so by necessity, there was a lot of table-setting and housekeeping yesterday, and not so much delving into the content. Overall, I'd say it was productive and it seems like it will be a good working group, which is comprised mostly of parents (of young children) from the programmatic feeders, but also includes other community members such as myself.

Q&A – I’ll try to capture the responses to the most interesting questions.

Question: If I live inbounds for a (future) MacFarland feeder (i.e. West), does my child have to lottery into the dual language program if they are at grade level academically in Spanish?
Response: Yes. The planning office is aware of this issue and is considering options such as giving children who fit into this category greater weight in the lottery. But as of now, yes, they will need to lottery-in.

Question: The dual language program is exciting. What is DCPS doing to make the non-dual language program attractive to families?
Response: I’ll be generous and say that they are still working on this. The question was asked, but nothing in the response indicated that they are ready to highlight what the top marketing points for the non-language program will be.

Question: The name. Is DCPS open to changing the school’s name from “MacFarland” to something else?
Response: “Eh….” The planning staff seemed reluctant to open that can of worms. The opening line was basically, “Ya know, when you want to change a school name there are a thousand hoops you have to jump through...”
I’ll state my bias upfront by saying that I am strongly in favor of changing the name and I know of others on the cabinet that do as well. However, a person who grew up in that feeder is strongly in favor of keeping the name. So, a name change is not off the table, but it is not a battle that the planning staff seems eager to fight. Let us know (by talking to your school or community’s rep).

As soon as the notes from the meeting are published, I will post a link.

Christopher

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kudos to DCPS for getting ahead of the curve on a dual language program for MS kids, and in particular for recognizing the importance of a test-in requirement for children who want dual language but don't feed from an immersion ES. Hopefully this helps create some of the same excitement for MS in our area that we're already seeing at several ES campuses. It also would be great if DCPS can come up with a similarly forward thinking program for non-immersion kids who are entering MacFarland, akin to what DCI appears to have done. We included both immersion and traditional schools in our lottery application, and landed at a non-immersion HRCS. We also are currently in the part of Crestwood-16th Street Heights that is grandfathered for Deal through 2020. While we're thankful for the continued right to feed to Deal, we'd love the option to be able to send our kids to a MS right in our neighborhood.

What has DCI done for non immersion kids? I'm not familiar. Or am I reading your sentence wrong?

I think they have a beginners Spanish at the MS level for those families with no prior language exposure.

Okay, thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kudos to DCPS for getting ahead of the curve on a dual language program for MS kids, and in particular for recognizing the importance of a test-in requirement for children who want dual language but don't feed from an immersion ES. Hopefully this helps create some of the same excitement for MS in our area that we're already seeing at several ES campuses. It also would be great if DCPS can come up with a similarly forward thinking program for non-immersion kids who are entering MacFarland, akin to what DCI appears to have done. We included both immersion and traditional schools in our lottery application, and landed at a non-immersion HRCS. We also are currently in the part of Crestwood-16th Street Heights that is grandfathered for Deal through 2020. While we're thankful for the continued right to feed to Deal, we'd love the option to be able to send our kids to a MS right in our neighborhood.

What has DCI done for non immersion kids? I'm not familiar. Or am I reading your sentence wrong?

I think they have a beginners Spanish at the MS level for those families with no prior language exposure.