Anonymous wrote:9:31 here, the point of my post is ask which schools in MOCO you have toured, since you paint such a broad brush of approval. Honestly, I live very close to the TPKES school playground and I don't think it is all that great. But that is my opinion.

But it has a playground. Which is way different than MV or other dc charters. Allows kids to have easy, frequent outdoor time. Unless you have or have had a kid at a school without a playground, you have no idea how much of a difference it makes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.
.

Specifically, I was referring to on campus playgrounds. Most MOCO element arises have them. Mundo Verde does not. Love to thee Takoma Park Elementary playgrounds. Does that answer your question? That was the main facilities complaint in this thread, no?

And, luckily, my family has not been left in the cold. We have a spot at an HRCS that we love. But it is not for the faint of heart. However, many others are not so lucky. To come onto a forum where many hundreds of people wish to God they could get into Mundo Verde (as we do) and whine about the finer points of a tour is simply tone deaf and a bit rude.

Ask for information, sure. But to act like you are anything other than extraordinarily lucky comes across as misunderstanding the situation many of your fellow DC parents are in.

I think this attitude is what is wrong. Just because some schools are better than horrendous schools, doesn't mean the person is lucky,or can't have concerns. We are in a HRCS and the attitude is well if you don't like it and have any critique what so ever, then you are wrong, ungrateful, not supportive. Parents are supposed to question, push advocate for better. And because I'm in a school that isn't absolute shit, doesn't mean I'm "lucky" it means I'm in an ok school. And even if I'm in the best school, its still my job as a parent to push for better and better to the benefit of my kid (in supportive ways of course). this only helps those coming after us to have a better experience. Almost no school in this city is where is should be, so we should all be questioning, pushing, supporting, not telling each other to shut up because your lucky.

+1 (and then some).

I wasn't saying no one should complain or express concern, just also acknowledging appreciation for good fortune is another important element of the equation which was missing. Those who have good in boundary schools are fortunate, and I a substantively different position than others. Are they more picky? Perhaps yes. Should they be? Of course. But it's a different, less vulnerable position than those who don't have a good in boundary school.

I reject your implied premise that only people with good IB schools should be asking hard questions or demanding engagement and accountability from schools. I think you're misreading me (and others) in thinking that we generally agree with you. I don't think people should apologize for being demanding when it comes to their kid's education and I don't think they should apologize for it or ask forgiveness from others when they express concern or demands.

9:31 here, the point of my post is ask which schools in MOCO you have toured, since you paint such a broad brush of approval. Honestly, I live very close to the TPKES school playground and I don't think it is all that great. But that is my opinion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.
.

Specifically, I was referring to on campus playgrounds. Most MOCO element arises have them. Mundo Verde does not. Love to thee Takoma Park Elementary playgrounds. Does that answer your question? That was the main facilities complaint in this thread, no?

And, luckily, my family has not been left in the cold. We have a spot at an HRCS that we love. But it is not for the faint of heart. However, many others are not so lucky. To come onto a forum where many hundreds of people wish to God they could get into Mundo Verde (as we do) and whine about the finer points of a tour is simply tone deaf and a bit rude.

Ask for information, sure. But to act like you are anything other than extraordinarily lucky comes across as misunderstanding the situation many of your fellow DC parents are in.

I think this attitude is what is wrong. Just because some schools are better than horrendous schools, doesn't mean the person is lucky,or can't have concerns. We are in a HRCS and the attitude is well if you don't like it and have any critique what so ever, then you are wrong, ungrateful, not supportive. Parents are supposed to question, push advocate for better. And because I'm in a school that isn't absolute shit, doesn't mean I'm "lucky" it means I'm in an ok school. And even if I'm in the best school, its still my job as a parent to push for better and better to the benefit of my kid (in supportive ways of course). this only helps those coming after us to have a better experience. Almost no school in this city is where is should be, so we should all be questioning, pushing, supporting, not telling each other to shut up because your lucky.

+1 (and then some).

I wasn't saying no one should complain or express concern, just also acknowledging appreciation for good fortune is another important element of the equation which was missing. Those who have good in boundary schools are fortunate, and I a substantively different position than others. Are they more picky? Perhaps yes. Should they be? Of course. But it's a different, less vulnerable position than those who don't have a good in boundary school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.
.

Specifically, I was referring to on campus playgrounds. Most MOCO element arises have them. Mundo Verde does not. Love to thee Takoma Park Elementary playgrounds. Does that answer your question? That was the main facilities complaint in this thread, no?

And, luckily, my family has not been left in the cold. We have a spot at an HRCS that we love. But it is not for the faint of heart. However, many others are not so lucky. To come onto a forum where many hundreds of people wish to God they could get into Mundo Verde (as we do) and whine about the finer points of a tour is simply tone deaf and a bit rude.

Ask for information, sure. But to act like you are anything other than extraordinarily lucky comes across as misunderstanding the situation many of your fellow DC parents are in.

I think this attitude is what is wrong. Just because some schools are better than horrendous schools, doesn't mean the person is lucky,or can't have concerns. We are in a HRCS and the attitude is well if you don't like it and have any critique what so ever, then you are wrong, ungrateful, not supportive. Parents are supposed to question, push advocate for better. And because I'm in a school that isn't absolute shit, doesn't mean I'm "lucky" it means I'm in an ok school. And even if I'm in the best school, its still my job as a parent to push for better and better to the benefit of my kid (in supportive ways of course). this only helps those coming after us to have a better experience. Almost no school in this city is where is should be, so we should all be questioning, pushing, supporting, not telling each other to shut up because your lucky.

+1 (and then some).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.
.

Specifically, I was referring to on campus playgrounds. Most MOCO element arises have them. Mundo Verde does not. Love to thee Takoma Park Elementary playgrounds. Does that answer your question? That was the main facilities complaint in this thread, no?

And, luckily, my family has not been left in the cold. We have a spot at an HRCS that we love. But it is not for the faint of heart. However, many others are not so lucky. To come onto a forum where many hundreds of people wish to God they could get into Mundo Verde (as we do) and whine about the finer points of a tour is simply tone deaf and a bit rude.

Ask for information, sure. But to act like you are anything other than extraordinarily lucky comes across as misunderstanding the situation many of your fellow DC parents are in.

No horse in this race but I didn't see anything wrong with the post expressing concern. And since you are not jealous or bitter, perhaps your concern for the sensitivity to your fellow man is misplaced. I think most rational people (even people who are out in the cold - which you are totally not in spite of your prior post on the matter) can be both envious of the opportunity available to others and also understand the stated concerns. But maybe you are right and everyone else on DCUm is as think skinned and defensive as are you. I've been wrong before.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.
.

Specifically, I was referring to on campus playgrounds. Most MOCO element arises have them. Mundo Verde does not. Love to thee Takoma Park Elementary playgrounds. Does that answer your question? That was the main facilities complaint in this thread, no?

And, luckily, my family has not been left in the cold. We have a spot at an HRCS that we love. But it is not for the faint of heart. However, many others are not so lucky. To come onto a forum where many hundreds of people wish to God they could get into Mundo Verde (as we do) and whine about the finer points of a tour is simply tone deaf and a bit rude.

Ask for information, sure. But to act like you are anything other than extraordinarily lucky comes across as misunderstanding the situation many of your fellow DC parents are in.

I think this attitude is what is wrong. Just because some schools are better than horrendous schools, doesn't mean the person is lucky,or can't have concerns. We are in a HRCS and the attitude is well if you don't like it and have any critique what so ever, then you are wrong, ungrateful, not supportive. Parents are supposed to question, push advocate for better. And because I'm in a school that isn't absolute shit, doesn't mean I'm "lucky" it means I'm in an ok school. And even if I'm in the best school, its still my job as a parent to push for better and better to the benefit of my kid (in supportive ways of course). this only helps those coming after us to have a better experience. Almost no school in this city is where is should be, so we should all be questioning, pushing, supporting, not telling each other to shut up because your lucky.

Last year we only applied to MV because while we were happy at our HR DCPS, we couldn't get over the immersion fantasy, and MV was the only school that worked for our commute. We got in, and I had pretty much already decided to enroll my kids when we attended the enrollment event. I was completely underwhelmed by the grotty facilities and seeming lack of organization to the event, and I was irritated by the woman who told me that my pay stub was too old (not her fault, I know). We still proceeded with enrollment, though with more misgivings than before. I am so glad we did because both of my children have had the most incredible experience at the school -- and that's even without any outdoor space on the grounds. The building is beautiful, the facilities and fantastic, and most of all the staff -- everyone has been just incredible helping my kids transition to immersion (which was very difficult for my older one). Not to sound like a kool-aid drinker, but every single day I wake up feeling lucky that my kids have such a fantastic place to spend their days. FWIW.

Anonymous wrote: Most MOCO element arises have them. in.

Should be elementary campuses. Damn you autocorrect.

Anonymous wrote:To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.
.

Specifically, I was referring to on campus playgrounds. Most MOCO element arises have them. Mundo Verde does not. Love to thee Takoma Park Elementary playgrounds. Does that answer your question? That was the main facilities complaint in this thread, no?

And, luckily, my family has not been left in the cold. We have a spot at an HRCS that we love. But it is not for the faint of heart. However, many others are not so lucky. To come onto a forum where many hundreds of people wish to God they could get into Mundo Verde (as we do) and whine about the finer points of a tour is simply tone deaf and a bit rude.

Ask for information, sure. But to act like you are anything other than extraordinarily lucky comes across as misunderstanding the situation many of your fellow DC parents are in.

To 22:00 Poster--Exactly, which MOCO facilities are great. Can you please provide a list. I have toured some, and I would like to know the ones that you are referencing in your post.

And to the 9:23 Poster--Wow, you really have a low opinion of your fellow DC residents if you think they can all be doped by sheer marketing.

When comparing school districts, I found that the DC parents advocated very well for their children and some of the initiatives from the OSSE, DCPS, and DCPCS are products of that advocacy. Oh, and lets now forget, good ole' DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:Here's the deal. If you are not okay with how the open house went and what you saw at the school, don't send your kid there. The reason they don't put their top administrators in the meeting is because they don't need to. There are hundreds of people who would take your spot. If you don't see how lucky you are to even have it, you don't deserve it. Many of us are out in the cold, and we don't have half-way decent neighborhood schools. Are the highly regarded charter schools perfect or comparable to MOCO facilities? No. Some of us believe that our kids can get a decent education in them. If you don't believe that, just don't even try. You won't become magically happy.

I didn't believe in Karma until today. But now I do. If that's the bitterness and jealousy you put into the world then maybe it is fitting that you are out in the cold.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the deal. If you are not okay with how the open house went and what you saw at the school, don't send your kid there. The reason they don't put their top administrators in the meeting is because they don't need to. There are hundreds of people who would take your spot. If you don't see how lucky you are to even have it, you don't deserve it. Many of us are out in the cold, and we don't have half-way decent neighborhood schools. Are the highly regarded charter schools perfect or comparable to MOCO facilities? No. Some of us believe that our kids can get a decent education in them. If you don't believe that, just don't even try. You won't become magically happy.

If this is your attitude, then you're doing it wrong. We are going to close out our interest in MV and give up our spot (you're right, I guess we don't deserve it).

Maybe the days of charters' outselling and outmarketing DCPS are at an end, with advocates like PP?

Ummmmmmm. Yeah. That's why charters have flourished, because of marketing. Not because they provide better education than their (particularly EOTP) DCPS counterparts. And not because they provide much in demand dual language experiences. Nope, it is all marketing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the deal. If you are not okay with how the open house went and what you saw at the school, don't send your kid there. The reason they don't put their top administrators in the meeting is because they don't need to. There are hundreds of people who would take your spot. If you don't see how lucky you are to even have it, you don't deserve it. Many of us are out in the cold, and we don't have half-way decent neighborhood schools. Are the highly regarded charter schools perfect or comparable to MOCO facilities? No. Some of us believe that our kids can get a decent education in them. If you don't believe that, just don't even try. You won't become magically happy.

If this is your attitude, then you're doing it wrong. We are going to close out our interest in MV and give up our spot (you're right, I guess we don't deserve it).

Maybe the days of charters' outselling and outmarketing DCPS are at an end, with advocates like PP?

What is your other option(s)?

Anonymous wrote:Here's the deal. If you are not okay with how the open house went and what you saw at the school, don't send your kid there. The reason they don't put their top administrators in the meeting is because they don't need to. There are hundreds of people who would take your spot. If you don't see how lucky you are to even have it, you don't deserve it. Many of us are out in the cold, and we don't have half-way decent neighborhood schools. Are the highly regarded charter schools perfect or comparable to MOCO facilities? No. Some of us believe that our kids can get a decent education in them. If you don't believe that, just don't even try. You won't become magically happy.

If this is your attitude, then you're doing it wrong. We are going to close out our interest in MV and give up our spot (you're right, I guess we don't deserve it).

Maybe the days of charters' outselling and outmarketing DCPS are at an end, with advocates like PP?