Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people like Appletree LP? I have heard mixed reviews

The general school time is great even though its a bit more academic focused. Wish they went outside more and played but walking 1/2 block to Lincoln Park evidently was an obstacle more times than not. They have a new principle starting, so maybe that will help that area. The aftercare program is abysmal and I would highly recommend anyone avoid it. Very limited interactions with the kids as the "teachers" were checking their iPhones or chatting way too much or yelling at the kids for something trivial that a 3 or 4 year would normally do at their age.

Classroom 1: hit or miss
Classroom 2: hit or miss but has potential with new lead teacher
Classroom 3: great but still has the issues of not enough outside playtime

Agree with this assessment. If you go into AppleTree with your eyes open, you won't be disappointed. It's a good thing that the scatter-brained principal has moved on. AppleTree does a nice job with fellow/teacher training and building early literacy skills, but they don't tend to be very parent friendly. They also don't like to hold evening events, let alone weekend events, so working parents tend to miss out on most family gatherings. The parent organization limps along year to year, depending on who's willing to do what to help out. But they do teach the kids an impressive amount - mine can read easy Dr. Seuss books after two years there, and I haven't taught her to. She liked the program well enough, including the free 4-week full-time summer camp with great field trips on Fridays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the rationale for pk3 at Brent? If they keep it there, shouldn't all the schools have it?

What is the rationale for PK3 at Maury? At LT? At the Cluster? At any DCPS? PK3 was started under Rhee about a decade ago, in part, to make DCPS more attractive to a broader group of families by offering high-quality PK programs at neighborhood schools and the best way of drawing in families would be to open up slots to three-year olds. It's one of the main reason a group of Capitol Hill families banded together and committed to Brent I don't think there's any question that DCPs would love to have PK3 at all of its schools but space limitations are an unfortunate reality.

DCPS has had programs for 3 year olds for a lot more than 10 years. They used to call them "Headstart" but they were blended programs that functioned very much the same way that PK3 does now.

Anonymous wrote:What is the rationale for pk3 at Brent? If they keep it there, shouldn't all the schools have it?

What is the rationale for PK3 at Maury? At LT? At the Cluster? At any DCPS? PK3 was started under Rhee about a decade ago, in part, to make DCPS more attractive to a broader group of families by offering high-quality PK programs at neighborhood schools and the best way of drawing in families would be to open up slots to three-year olds. It's one of the main reason a group of Capitol Hill families banded together and committed to Brent I don't think there's any question that DCPs would love to have PK3 at all of its schools but space limitations are an unfortunate reality.

Anonymous wrote:Do people like Appletree LP? I have heard mixed reviews

The general school time is great even though its a bit more academic focused. Wish they went outside more and played but walking 1/2 block to Lincoln Park evidently was an obstacle more times than not. They have a new principle starting, so maybe that will help that area. The aftercare program is abysmal and I would highly recommend anyone avoid it. Very limited interactions with the kids as the "teachers" were checking their iPhones or chatting way too much or yelling at the kids for something trivial that a 3 or 4 year would normally do at their age.

Classroom 1: hit or miss
Classroom 2: hit or miss but has potential with new lead teacher
Classroom 3: great but still has the issues of not enough outside playtime

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what # they are on? Last I checked a few weeks back we were in the 40s. Seriously I don't know anyone with a worse draw than us.

We are in the same boat. Terrible draw. We are now somewhere in the 30s though.

What is the rationale for pk3 at Brent? If they keep it there, shouldn't all the schools have it?

Anonymous wrote:Lots of speculation in the thread, but so far the families who've responded say they're sticking with daycare/private preschool. Anyone else?

I know a tiny group got into DCI feeders and other HRCSs, but this is a small town and it would be easy to identify them so I won't say which ones.

Suffice to say they will not be enrolling at Brent for kindergarten.

Yes it's great!

Do people like Appletree LP? I have heard mixed reviews

Does anyone know what # they are on? Last I checked a few weeks back we were in the 40s. Seriously I don't know anyone with a worse draw than us.

We didn't get into AppleTree LP until mid August in 2013. We took the spot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AppleTree LP, then Maury.

Um no one shut out of Brent got into Maury. There was a 35+ long waitlist for Inbounds kids at Maury for PK3.

Unless you're inbounds and going to Appletree in lieu of Maury, then switching at K.

In that case I'm sorry for misunderstanding. We are in the same boat except we didn't get into Appletree Lincoln Park.

You still might. They're burning through the waitlist.

Anonymous wrote:AppleTree LP, then Maury.

Um no one shut out of Brent got into Maury. There was a 35+ long waitlist for Inbounds kids at Maury for PK3.

Unless you're inbounds and going to Appletree in lieu of Maury, then switching at K.

In that case I'm sorry for misunderstanding. We are in the same boat except we didn't get into Appletree Lincoln Park.

Agree, he seems indifferent. DCPS want PreK3 at Brent. End of story.

I get the feeling the principal doesn't care much one way or the other provided that the school meets budgeted enrollment numbers. DCPS, however, is not going to eliminate the PK3 seats potentially reserved for "at risk" OOB students. It's not a battle which can be won. Time to move on.