Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

I have plenty of criticisms, but none of them are consistent with yours, which sound like you want some of the standard school offerings easily found elsewhere. There is no reason SWS has to do things like other schools to legitimize the program.

Not to disparage other schools that do musicals or dramatic arts, but SWS has ample music and arts integration and the notion of school plays with leads and minor parts just seems a bit out of touch. I'm perfectly happy to have no musicals or safety patrols. The project PP mentioned was amazing

So - are you a 3rd grade parent? And what are your criticisms?

multiple grades (including 2nd)... and nothing I'd ever share on DCUM

Thank you PP. Let's not.

^ It's this. The "Gosh - people are willing to overlook the lack of issues in 3rd grade" poster is feeling really nit-picky to me. It's not as if the administration, the librarian, and the teachers, don't all acknowledge that work needs to be done on certain elements of the educational model here.

These teachers are some of the best at what they do, and they're working within the DCPS framework, where modernization funds get snapped away and thing are a little more difficult than they need to be, but i trust them every step of the way to do what's best for the students. I'm not surprised at all that it's hard to find parents at the school who won't "defend" the environment, it's not perfect, but it's pretty amazing. Even if the books aren't there or the building needs work, I send my children off to love and curiosity every day, and they're happy to go. That, well that is rare and special, and I feel very protective of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

Oops - should have said five years that we've been at the school - my bad.

New SWS parent here (got in for PS3). So, what can I and other parents do to help the school improve for the upper grades?

I'm not a 3rd grade parent but my kid has been at SWS for a few years--OK, four. I think the best thing you can do is remember that the 3rd grade class is the first 3rd grade class that SWS has ever had. Growing pains are to be expected. Remember, the leading class teachers have always only been at SWS for a single school year! I can tell you that our experience with 2nd grade has been really strong. I just got walked through our 2nd grader's class project today and it was really excellent. I think that as time goes on, they will figure out better and better ways to incorporate Reggio into the older grades. That is exactly what I saw today.

3rd grade parent here, and I think PP is right about pointing out that this is the leading edge class. I'm glad to hear that having one year under her belt has made the 2nd grade teacher even stronger. For the incoming PS3 parent, I'd suggest having a mindset of proactively offering to help with getting things in place for the upper grades - sometimes things can come together really easily and sometimes it can take a year or longer so if you want those things to be in place for your child (and for it to not be the first year they're in place so kinks haven't yet been worked out), then I'd start thinking and working towards them even while your child is in PK3, PK4, etc. I have a second child whose coming up and I do think the second will have a different experience than the first because the school will not be just figuring things out - the way they are for my 3rd grader.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

I have plenty of criticisms, but none of them are consistent with yours, which sound like you want some of the standard school offerings easily found elsewhere. There is no reason SWS has to do things like other schools to legitimize the program.

Not to disparage other schools that do musicals or dramatic arts, but SWS has ample music and arts integration and the notion of school plays with leads and minor parts just seems a bit out of touch. I'm perfectly happy to have no musicals or safety patrols. The project PP mentioned was amazing

So - are you a 3rd grade parent? And what are your criticisms?

multiple grades (including 2nd)... and nothing I'd ever share on DCUM

I think the school should poll the upper grade kids and the kids, together with the teachers and parent volunteers should develop an idea that is community building and art-specific. Maybe it is a musical or maybe it is really not. That seems more in line with reggio to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

I have plenty of criticisms, but none of them are consistent with yours, which sound like you want some of the standard school offerings easily found elsewhere. There is no reason SWS has to do things like other schools to legitimize the program.

Not to disparage other schools that do musicals or dramatic arts, but SWS has ample music and arts integration and the notion of school plays with leads and minor parts just seems a bit out of touch. I'm perfectly happy to have no musicals or safety patrols. The project PP mentioned was amazing

So - are you a 3rd grade parent? And what are your criticisms?

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

I have plenty of criticisms, but none of them are consistent with yours, which sound like you want some of the standard school offerings easily found elsewhere. There is no reason SWS has to do things like other schools to legitimize the program.

Not to disparage other schools that do musicals or dramatic arts, but SWS has ample music and arts integration and the notion of school plays with leads and minor parts just seems a bit out of touch. I'm perfectly happy to have no musicals or safety patrols. The project PP mentioned was amazing

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

Oops - should have said five years that we've been at the school - my bad.

New SWS parent here (got in for PS3). So, what can I and other parents do to help the school improve for the upper grades?

That's the spirit! Sounds like an amazing opportunity to shape our school, let's roll up our sleeves! And no, I'm not a SaHp with too much time on her hands, but tight parameters breed creative solutions, no? My first grader's current school (out of state-we are about to move) uses this awesome project-based learning curriculum called Project Lead the Way (https://www.pltw.org). Might be a good fit for the upper grades at SWS!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

Oops - should have said five years that we've been at the school - my bad.

New SWS parent here (got in for PS3). So, what can I and other parents do to help the school improve for the upper grades?

I'm not a 3rd grade parent but my kid has been at SWS for a few years--OK, four. I think the best thing you can do is remember that the 3rd grade class is the first 3rd grade class that SWS has ever had. Growing pains are to be expected. Remember, the leading class teachers have always only been at SWS for a single school year! I can tell you that our experience with 2nd grade has been really strong. I just got walked through our 2nd grader's class project today and it was really excellent. I think that as time goes on, they will figure out better and better ways to incorporate Reggio into the older grades. That is exactly what I saw today.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

Oops - should have said five years that we've been at the school - my bad.

New SWS parent here (got in for PS3). So, what can I and other parents do to help the school improve for the upper grades?

Anonymous wrote:Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

Oops - should have said five years that we've been at the school - my bad.

Gosh - I am really surprised at how adamantly people defend SWS. We're also 3rd grade parents, and I wonder if it's because the other parents are not yet in the upper grades. For the six years, we've been at the school, we've not once gone to an outside library (i.e, NE library). And the school is lacking options for older kids. Other CH schools do musicals, safety patrols, etc. The school has a lot on its plate with the expansion and is a solid educational choice, but let's not ignore the fact that these things (along with others mentioned above) are missing and there's room for improvement.

Anonymous wrote:The point is that the elementary grades are neither Reggio or traditional and seem to be floating in space.

this is nonsense