Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

If the PP though Cap City was large, she would not like DCI at ~180 kids per grade now that MV is sending students.

I undercounted -- this year there are 243 6th graders at DCI

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just completed the process that you'll go thru next year. I suggest visiting the charter, private, and DCPS schools that you are interested in after your initial search in mid fall. But have your private school applications completed and submitted as early as possible (including Financial Aid App). Got a spot at Cap City but will go private. We just kinda feel that if we are going to pay than it's worth it for middle school. Had issues with Basis, Latin, etc. Middle school is just a problem everywhere. Good Luck...

Hi there! Do you mind sharing the concerns or issues you had with those middle schools and what was your deciding factor to go private? I'm hoping private school is our last resort option.

I'll start by saying my spouse is an educator and I was a Mathematics major and in the IT field now. Private is our last resort after realizing that there is probably no way we'll be satisfied. If we had a spot one of the schools we could tolerate, we would of had to some supplementing. That still may not have been enough. You can't supplement everything. In my opinion, "being on grade-level" is the goal of DCPS and charters regardless of what they say. My kid likes math and is easily distracted when not challenged. So we'll give private a shot and may try the lottery again next year. But there has to be a clear path to HS for any change to occur next year.

This is what we came up with. Sure others will downplay the synopsis but everyone has their own criteria and expectations:

Latin - Didn’t care for the curriculum. It is very dated and doesn’t provide a current world view. We are moving to crypto currencies and the curriculum is focused on the "classics." Lack of foreign language offerings.

Basis - Seemed to be a very sterile environment. All the math and science but no computer science-they go hand in hand. A lot of homework but it doesn’t take 30 problems a night (or whatever) to grasp mathematical concepts. Also, the administration didn’t seem real stable. They just named the interim the head of school. Doesn’t have a lot of experience being an administrator.

SWW-FS – Liked it a lot but didn’t like only one foreign language offered. No guarantee of getting into Walls HS but they are working on a curriculum to prepare the kids for entry.

Cap City - Large school and didn't think our kid would be challenged.

Also as you evaluate schools, ask administrators and teachers one very important question and watch the reaction, "If you had kids, would they attend the school?" If they believe in the school, you be able to tell.

Thank you so much for your insight!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

NP. DCI sounds good, but my take is that there are currently too many discipline problems, not nearly enough high-performing students, and hardly any native speakers off the Spanish track. In short, not worth the long schlep from Capitol Hill for us. Pass, though we got a spot. If the school were 4 or 5 years further along, maybe. Private for us.

Really? Aren't their scores similar to the "coveted middles" in the city (being a lot newer to boot)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

NP. DCI sounds good, but my take is that there are currently too many discipline problems, not nearly enough high-performing students, and hardly any native speakers off the Spanish track. In short, not worth the long schlep from Capitol Hill for us. Pass, though we got a spot. If the school were 4 or 5 years further along, maybe. Private for us.

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just completed the process that you'll go thru next year. I suggest visiting the charter, private, and DCPS schools that you are interested in after your initial search in mid fall. But have your private school applications completed and submitted as early as possible (including Financial Aid App). Got a spot at Cap City but will go private. We just kinda feel that if we are going to pay than it's worth it for middle school. Had issues with Basis, Latin, etc. Middle school is just a problem everywhere. Good Luck...

Hi there! Do you mind sharing the concerns or issues you had with those middle schools and what was your deciding factor to go private? I'm hoping private school is our last resort option.

I'll start by saying my spouse is an educator and I was a Mathematics major and in the IT field now. Private is our last resort after realizing that there is probably no way we'll be satisfied. If we had a spot one of the schools we could tolerate, we would of had to some supplementing. That still may not have been enough. You can't supplement everything. In my opinion, "being on grade-level" is the goal of DCPS and charters regardless of what they say. My kid likes math and is easily distracted when not challenged. So we'll give private a shot and may try the lottery again next year. But there has to be a clear path to HS for any change to occur next year.

This is what we came up with. Sure others will downplay the synopsis but everyone has their own criteria and expectations:

Latin - Didn’t care for the curriculum. It is very dated and doesn’t provide a current world view. We are moving to crypto currencies and the curriculum is focused on the "classics." Lack of foreign language offerings.

Basis - Seemed to be a very sterile environment. All the math and science but no computer science-they go hand in hand. A lot of homework but it doesn’t take 30 problems a night (or whatever) to grasp mathematical concepts. Also, the administration didn’t seem real stable. They just named the interim the head of school. Doesn’t have a lot of experience being an administrator.

SWW-FS – Liked it a lot but didn’t like only one foreign language offered. No guarantee of getting into Walls HS but they are working on a curriculum to prepare the kids for entry.

Cap City - Large school and didn't think our kid would be challenged.

Also as you evaluate schools, ask administrators and teachers one very important question and watch the reaction, "If you had kids, would they attend the school?" If they believe in the school, you be able to tell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

NP. Unproven and a wait list as long as both my arms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

If the PP though Cap City was large, she would not like DCI at ~180 kids per grade now that MV is sending students.

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

Anonymous wrote:What about DCI?

IB curriculum is strong.

Has three foreign language options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just completed the process that you'll go thru next year. I suggest visiting the charter, private, and DCPS schools that you are interested in after your initial search in mid fall. But have your private school applications completed and submitted as early as possible (including Financial Aid App). Got a spot at Cap City but will go private. We just kinda feel that if we are going to pay than it's worth it for middle school. Had issues with Basis, Latin, etc. Middle school is just a problem everywhere. Good Luck...

Hi there! Do you mind sharing the concerns or issues you had with those middle schools and what was your deciding factor to go private? I'm hoping private school is our last resort option.

Anonymous wrote:Just completed the process that you'll go thru next year. I suggest visiting the charter, private, and DCPS schools that you are interested in after your initial search in mid fall. But have your private school applications completed and submitted as early as possible (including Financial Aid App). Got a spot at Cap City but will go private. We just kinda feel that if we are going to pay than it's worth it for middle school. Had issues with Basis, Latin, etc. Middle school is just a problem everywhere. Good Luck...

Anonymous wrote:It's not the lack of Middle Schools that's a problem. Sure there are tons of Middle Schools in the district. The problem is having quality Middle Schools that families actually want their kids to attend. There are only a handful.