Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

I was just informed that this meeting is ONLY in spanish. So that tells me already what DCPS thinks about trying to attract diversity/high SES families to the school. The PTA person is asking the CIty to send a translator for English. Does not seem like a good start.

Is this true? If so, that says to me that this lip service about "dual language" is really about providing a separate track for native Spanish speakers which basically has the benefit of letting Dcps off the hook in teaching those children English. Someone please tell me my thinking process on this is wrong.

That sounds like a meeting targeted at the parents. I don't think DCPS was ever on the hook for teaching the parents English also.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

I was just informed that this meeting is ONLY in spanish. So that tells me already what DCPS thinks about trying to attract diversity/high SES families to the school. The PTA person is asking the CIty to send a translator for English. Does not seem like a good start.

Is this true? If so, that says to me that this lip service about "dual language" is really about providing a separate track for native Spanish speakers which basically has the benefit of letting Dcps off the hook in teaching those children English. Someone please tell me my thinking process on this is wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

I was just informed that this meeting is ONLY in spanish. So that tells me already what DCPS thinks about trying to attract diversity/high SES families to the school. The PTA person is asking the CIty to send a translator for English. Does not seem like a good start.

DCPS (and the city in general) has had a notoriously difficult time engaging the Spanish speaking parents in the community. I wouldn't take a single Spanish language meeting as a sign of the apocalypse. The apocalypse may yet arrive, but this is not it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

What test in middle school is this? At MacFarland?

There are no plans for a test-in MS in Ward 4. And I believe PP was laying on the snark.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

I was just informed that this meeting is ONLY in spanish. So that tells me already what DCPS thinks about trying to attract diversity/high SES families to the school. The PTA person is asking the CIty to send a translator for English. Does not seem like a good start.

Actually there are lots of high SES people who speak Spanish, or who are bilingual.

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

What test in middle school is this? At MacFarland?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP is actually is hard for DCPS to figure it out. Just ask the Cap Hill parents who have been begging DCPS for over a dcade for what you asked for. Their solution? Head to basis, latin, move, private. DCPS will NEVER bring back test in classes because they got sued to do what appeared to be a racial bias. However, they have yet to figur out how to adaquately meet the needs to the bottom or the top achievers. The top kids who are forutnate to have motivated parents get out. Its the poor kids who are also very smart who really get the shaft because they truly are out of options.

Test in middle school in the works for Ward 8

Why not other Wards or a city wide middle school magnet? The loss of high achieving kids from the Ward 6 schools is well documented. People just refer to Basis as the Ward 6 middle school these days.

Anonymous wrote:Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

I was just informed that this meeting is ONLY in spanish. So that tells me already what DCPS thinks about trying to attract diversity/high SES families to the school. The PTA person is asking the CIty to send a translator for English. Does not seem like a good start.

The DCPS Office of Planning posted the notes from the first Community Cabinet meeting: https://dcpsplanning.wordpress.com/

Christopher

Anonymous wrote:PP is actually is hard for DCPS to figure it out. Just ask the Cap Hill parents who have been begging DCPS for over a dcade for what you asked for. Their solution? Head to basis, latin, move, private. DCPS will NEVER bring back test in classes because they got sued to do what appeared to be a racial bias. However, they have yet to figur out how to adaquately meet the needs to the bottom or the top achievers. The top kids who are forutnate to have motivated parents get out. Its the poor kids who are also very smart who really get the shaft because they truly are out of options.

Test in middle school in the works for Ward 8

Typical DCUM. Maximum dudgeon, minimum knowledge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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).

Different 16th Street Heights parent here. Why is it on parents to explain to DCPS how to design and advertise a middle school that will attract families interested in a challenging environment for their kids? Is it really all that mysterious? But OK, how about ability-testing and differentiated placement and instruction in math and reading? How about intensives/honors/advanced classes in language arts, writing/literature, and history, or advanced math and science options like geometry/algebra or chemistry/engineering? Maybe math or world languages for high school credit? How about after school enrichment offerings in sports, or the arts? How about an international baccalaureate program like Deal’s Middle Years Program? Versions of all of this are available elsewhere in places like DCPS and in Montgomery and Arlington County schools.

Because the kids who traditionally went to these schools didn't ask for (or at least receive) those things, we have to demand it now or else DCPS is not going to invest in some of those pricey items (i.e. IB)

Attend the bruce monroe info meeting Oct 6 to voice your opinion about a test in middle school

PP is actually is hard for DCPS to figure it out. Just ask the Cap Hill parents who have been begging DCPS for over a dcade for what you asked for. Their solution? Head to basis, latin, move, private. DCPS will NEVER bring back test in classes because they got sued to do what appeared to be a racial bias. However, they have yet to figur out how to adaquately meet the needs to the bottom or the top achievers. The top kids who are forutnate to have motivated parents get out. Its the poor kids who are also very smart who really get the shaft because they truly are out of options.

Anonymous wrote:

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).

Different 16th Street Heights parent here. Why is it on parents to explain to DCPS how to design and advertise a middle school that will attract families interested in a challenging environment for their kids? Is it really all that mysterious? But OK, how about ability-testing and differentiated placement and instruction in math and reading? How about intensives/honors/advanced classes in language arts, writing/literature, and history, or advanced math and science options like geometry/algebra or chemistry/engineering? Maybe math or world languages for high school credit? How about after school enrichment offerings in sports, or the arts? How about an international baccalaureate program like Deal’s Middle Years Program? Versions of all of this are available elsewhere in places like DCPS and in Montgomery and Arlington County schools.