Another MV parent who feels like my child is getting a good education at an imperfect school, didn't enter the lottery this year or last, and is looking forward to sending a second kid there.

If your kid was admitted and you're on the fence, you should reach out to the parent / teacher organization (it's called the padres) or other parents. I am not part of that leadership team, but the people who are will tell you the truth about their experiences in the classroom and with the school.

Good luck to everyone making tough choices. (And for everyone who loves or loves to hate MV, I am sure we'll have many chances to weigh in on DCUM.)

I'm a current MV parent and we've been at the school for several years. While bullying is an issue for some, our family hasn't experienced it.

My disillusionment with the school is partly due to its failure to live up to its ambitious goals. Expeditionary, outdoor learning was a big focus in the early days of the school -- including regular visits to Rock Creek Park when the school was on 16th St -- but that has fallen off at the current location. There is very little emphasis on active play and recess, which I didn't realize until they build over the playground at the P Street location. Lack of play space can be tough if you have a high-energy kid.

The other frustration is piss poor communications. The administration either keeps parents in the dark (ex: we found out about the expansion via the charter board's twitter account). Or, they aggressively "spin" information to the point where we all feel like they're insulting our intelligence. Now, the administration is so focused on the new campus that they've checked out of the P Street one.

There are many great things about the school , from the parent community to some really stellar teachers. I love that the school is diverse and bilingual. The experience has soured me on "start up" schools, though, and we're going to go to a more established middle school than DCI -- even though I know many families that are happy there.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give some kind of example of something concrete that would create such negativity among the parents/posters here about MV. I have one more day to decide whether to enroll- and I should stop reading these posts-- but I can't help myself. I have heard that they coddle bullies. I don't have any other examples and I can hardly believe that coddling bullies is such a problem that people are self-exiling. It looked like a lovely school when I visited, and the kids seemed happy, and, until I dug in here, I though the reputation was great, Tier I, etc. What am I missing?

Posters won’t give too much info for fear of outing themselves to the administration. But believe the poster when he/she said 80 percent of the school was against expansion to another site....chiefly on the grounds of how the school handles problem children.

If you believe that bullies and misbehaving kids should never ever be disciplined...in fact should be coddled to the max and the victims ignored, then MV is the school you should go to.....the philosophy of the school won’t change when the admins can make 6 figure salaries and expand as they like without needing to address any parent concerns.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of last years 4th grade class left for other schools for 5th grade......what does that tell you about the school?

It tells me they don't want to go to DCI?

Doubtful that is the case reason. DCI has the longest WL of any MS in the city. It remains to be seen if the MV kids are sufficiently well-prepared, of course. The feeders do have different average PARCC scores.

BASIS and Latin both start in 5th. That’s probably where they went.

How many on the DCI waitlist are coming from dual language elementary schools? if the feeder kids are opting out then DCI is doomed to be weak.

They got very little buy-in from LAMB this year.

I have a hard time believing that because of a group of 10 or so that I know about, only 1 isn't going. that percentage across the whole class does not suggest there isn't buy-in.

PP: where will you go instead? I'm fighting with my gut as well, but I think it has more to do with leaving current school (SSMA) than joining MV, but I am definitely confused....

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give some kind of example of something concrete that would create such negativity among the parents/posters here about MV. I have one more day to decide whether to enroll- and I should stop reading these posts-- but I can't help myself. I have heard that they coddle bullies. I don't have any other examples and I can hardly believe that coddling bullies is such a problem that people are self-exiling. It looked like a lovely school when I visited, and the kids seemed happy, and, until I dug in here, I though the reputation was great, Tier I, etc. What am I missing?

+1

I am in your shoes and I'm about to decline the spot at MV. Who knows how long I may regret the decision, but my gut is telling me to stay away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of last years 4th grade class left for other schools for 5th grade......what does that tell you about the school?

It tells me they don't want to go to DCI?

Doubtful that is the case reason. DCI has the longest WL of any MS in the city. It remains to be seen if the MV kids are sufficiently well-prepared, of course. The feeders do have different average PARCC scores.

BASIS and Latin both start in 5th. That’s probably where they went.

How many on the DCI waitlist are coming from dual language elementary schools? if the feeder kids are opting out then DCI is doomed to be weak.

They got very little buy-in from LAMB this year.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give some kind of example of something concrete that would create such negativity among the parents/posters here about MV. I have one more day to decide whether to enroll- and I should stop reading these posts-- but I can't help myself. I have heard that they coddle bullies. I don't have any other examples and I can hardly believe that coddling bullies is such a problem that people are self-exiling. It looked like a lovely school when I visited, and the kids seemed happy, and, until I dug in here, I though the reputation was great, Tier I, etc. What am I missing?

Did you talk to any current parents? That is really the best and only way to judge.

What you find on DCUM are the most enthusiastic boosters and the most disenchanted detractors.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give some kind of example of something concrete that would create such negativity among the parents/posters here about MV. I have one more day to decide whether to enroll- and I should stop reading these posts-- but I can't help myself. I have heard that they coddle bullies. I don't have any other examples and I can hardly believe that coddling bullies is such a problem that people are self-exiling. It looked like a lovely school when I visited, and the kids seemed happy, and, until I dug in here, I though the reputation was great, Tier I, etc. What am I missing?

Every parent that enrolls think its going to be great ... until its not.

Ask parents in the 2nd grade or 4th grade cohort. They can give you real life examples of multiple families asking to have their child moved to another classroom (to avoid being wiht a bully)- or having the other child moved. Zero flexibility from the administration, even with pediatrician recommendation. Teacher changes (and in the 4th grade cohort MULTIPLE in one year) that tranpsire without informing parents.

If not you need to see for yourself, watch the Charter Board meetings from last Spring when passionate, committed parents gave their testimony about why it was not the right timing for hte school to expand. When an excess majority of the school (80%?) are not in favor- including the President of the PTA, that is telling of how well communication and dialogue is going at the school.

Who knows- you could luck out, have a great ECE experience, but it is a coin toss. No school is perfect, and only you can understand your tolerance level.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone give some kind of example of something concrete that would create such negativity among the parents/posters here about MV. I have one more day to decide whether to enroll- and I should stop reading these posts-- but I can't help myself. I have heard that they coddle bullies. I don't have any other examples and I can hardly believe that coddling bullies is such a problem that people are self-exiling. It looked like a lovely school when I visited, and the kids seemed happy, and, until I dug in here, I though the reputation was great, Tier I, etc. What am I missing?

Stop being scared. Take the spot and see if you have a different experience at MV. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

Can someone give some kind of example of something concrete that would create such negativity among the parents/posters here about MV. I have one more day to decide whether to enroll- and I should stop reading these posts-- but I can't help myself. I have heard that they coddle bullies. I don't have any other examples and I can hardly believe that coddling bullies is such a problem that people are self-exiling. It looked like a lovely school when I visited, and the kids seemed happy, and, until I dug in here, I though the reputation was great, Tier I, etc. What am I missing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of last years 4th grade class left for other schools for 5th grade......what does that tell you about the school?

It tells me they don't want to go to DCI?

Doubtful that is the case reason. DCI has the longest WL of any MS in the city. It remains to be seen if the MV kids are sufficiently well-prepared, of course. The feeders do have different average PARCC scores.

BASIS and Latin both start in 5th. That’s probably where they went.

Most of the kids did not go to basis or Latin.....they went to many different schools including deal feeders for 5th, common theme was such frustration with mundo Verde that they could not stomach another year....and the MV experience cast a negative shadow on DCI as being a similarly run school

And a few went to Oyster, where they can stay to 8th.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of last years 4th grade class left for other schools for 5th grade......what does that tell you about the school?

It tells me they don't want to go to DCI?

Doubtful that is the case reason. DCI has the longest WL of any MS in the city. It remains to be seen if the MV kids are sufficiently well-prepared, of course. The feeders do have different average PARCC scores.

BASIS and Latin both start in 5th. That’s probably where they went.

How many on the DCI waitlist are coming from dual language elementary schools? if the feeder kids are opting out then DCI is doomed to be weak.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of last years 4th grade class left for other schools for 5th grade......what does that tell you about the school?

It tells me they don't want to go to DCI?

Doubtful that is the case reason. DCI has the longest WL of any MS in the city. It remains to be seen if the MV kids are sufficiently well-prepared, of course. The feeders do have different average PARCC scores.

BASIS and Latin both start in 5th. That’s probably where they went.

Most of the kids did not go to basis or Latin.....they went to many different schools including deal feeders for 5th, common theme was such frustration with mundo Verde that they could not stomach another year....and the MV experience cast a negative shadow on DCI as being a similarly run school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30 percent of last years 4th grade class left for other schools for 5th grade......what does that tell you about the school?

It tells me they don't want to go to DCI?

Doubtful that is the case reason. DCI has the longest WL of any MS in the city. It remains to be seen if the MV kids are sufficiently well-prepared, of course. The feeders do have different average PARCC scores.

BASIS and Latin both start in 5th. That’s probably where they went.