Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 18:52     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Until the Latin, KIPP, DC Prep, Two Rivers, and DCI feeders don't have WLs a mile long, we'll continue to need charter middle schools.


I wouldn't suggest shutting them down - they provide special offerings, are available to children from areas not IB to the new and improved middle schools, and probably help to keep DCPS on their toes. But NEW charter middle schools may not be needed - use up the capacity in the DCPS middle schools (including the four new ones) first.



You're not on the charter board. One of the new ones approved to open next year is Washington Global MS. + a new campus at Two Rivers.


And that may well be a mistake given DC's planned investments in middle schools. It will be up to the next mayor to address the issue of coordinating charter and DCPS plans.


Are you kidding me? We need to "protect" DC's investments in its middle school by limiting access to charter schools? What about the actual education of actual children, which, despite financial investment, DCPS seems completely unable to pull off at any middle school with a significant number of non-wealthy students. Lets see some successes and some innovative programming ( not necessarily big financial investments, simply smart and savvy planning anfd management of resources ) before trying to limit access to other public middle school programs that seem to be having success. Having desirable DCPS middle schools is a matter of skill and political will in many cases, not just money


In other words, when DCPS makes the correct investments in middle schools, then the charter schools won't pose a threat. Otherwise it is simply smoke and mirrors to try to use our kids to improve failing schools.


Here is what makes me a bit skeptical of this statement: this entire thread.

DCPS has put tons of new resources into Hardy. They added the gifted and talented program plus more honors courses and extra differentiation.

But nobody seems to care about this actual fact; instead we get 50+ pages boiling down to "Yeah, but how many white kids go there?"
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 18:49     Subject: Re:So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Eaton parent here.

I think it's great news if students from a feeder school continue onto Hardy, regardless of where they live. It's about solid elementary school preparation not about address. It would be great if larger cohorts of kids who have come through elementary school together with a similar educational background move up to MS to continue together. Makes perfect sense to me.

Seems to me that the "real" IB crowd will never be satisfied. If it's all about addresses, they really won't like the Eaton crowd either even though our kids are well prepared and have great test scores-too many zip codes in our directory.


I respectfully disagree. For one thing, many OOB students in Ward 2/Ward 3 feeders (and if they go on to Hardy) are grateful for their good fortune because they realize that their IB alternatives are of much lesser quality. Since you mention Eaton, some believe this is one reason why they decided to move Eaton to Hardy because many in the majority OOB population would not object too loudly. For an IB population that had expected Deal to be available (because Eaton fed there for decades if not longer), Hardy is seen as a step down.

Also, it would be great if you could take at risk kids and put them into a good elementary school and expect by grade 5 that they are all performing at grade level. Unfortunately in the real world that assumption is not always correct.



All you people who are making this crazy distinction between "real IB" and "IB elementary graduates who lotteried in" sound like a bunch of racists. I'm sorry, but its true. You may not be racists, but your argument basically boils down to "black kids don't count."

This nonsense about playdates with kids who live close by? Come on. Your kid is going to middle school, not kindergarden.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 18:14     Subject: Re:So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Eaton parent here.

I think it's great news if students from a feeder school continue onto Hardy, regardless of where they live. It's about solid elementary school preparation not about address. It would be great if larger cohorts of kids who have come through elementary school together with a similar educational background move up to MS to continue together. Makes perfect sense to me.

Seems to me that the "real" IB crowd will never be satisfied. If it's all about addresses, they really won't like the Eaton crowd either even though our kids are well prepared and have great test scores-too many zip codes in our directory.


I respectfully disagree. For one thing, many OOB students in Ward 2/Ward 3 feeders (and if they go on to Hardy) are grateful for their good fortune because they realize that their IB alternatives are of much lesser quality. Since you mention Eaton, some believe this is one reason why they decided to move Eaton to Hardy because many in the majority OOB population would not object too loudly. For an IB population that had expected Deal to be available (because Eaton fed there for decades if not longer), Hardy is seen as a step down.

Also, it would be great if you could take at risk kids and put them into a good elementary school and expect by grade 5 that they are all performing at grade level. Unfortunately in the real world that assumption is not always correct.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 18:13     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:

Hardy is NOT 8% IB-Hardy's 6th grade has 34 INB and another 15 or so OOB from IB Feeders, which makes the IB for 6th grader around 25-40% depending on what you consider OOB kids from IB feeders as.


Yes, but it seems that everyone would agree that it's silly to consider OOB resident students who come up through a feeder school as "in boundaries." Of course, they're pretty likely to stay in the system. The whole issue is how to attract in boundary residents who historically have refused to attend their "neighborhood" middle school.


Eaton parent here.

I think it's great news if students from a feeder school continue onto Hardy, regardless of where they live. It's about solid elementary school preparation not about address. It would be great if larger cohorts of kids who have come through elementary school together with a similar educational background move up to MS to continue together. Makes perfect sense to me.

Seems to me that the "real" IB crowd will never be satisfied. If it's all about addresses, they really won't like the Eaton crowd either even though our kids are well prepared and have great test scores-too many zip codes in our directory.


I respectfully disagree. For one thing, many OOB students in Ward 2/Ward 3 feeders (and if they go on to Hardy) are grateful for their good fortune because they realize that their IB alternatives are of much lesser quality. Since you mention Eaton, some believe this is one reason why they decided to move Eaton to Hardy because many in the majority OOB population would not object too loudly. For an IB population that had expected Deal to be available (because Eaton fed there for decades if not longer), Hardy is seen as a step down.

Also, it would be great if you could take at risk kids and put them into a good elementary school and expect by grade 5 that they are all performing at grade level. Unfortunately in the real world that assumption is not always correct.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 17:48     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?


Hardy is NOT 8% IB-Hardy's 6th grade has 34 INB and another 15 or so OOB from IB Feeders, which makes the IB for 6th grader around 25-40% depending on what you consider OOB kids from IB feeders as.


Yes, but it seems that everyone would agree that it's silly to consider OOB resident students who come up through a feeder school as "in boundaries." Of course, they're pretty likely to stay in the system. The whole issue is how to attract in boundary residents who historically have refused to attend their "neighborhood" middle school.


Eaton parent here.

I think it's great news if students from a feeder school continue onto Hardy, regardless of where they live. It's about solid elementary school preparation not about address. It would be great if larger cohorts of kids who have come through elementary school together with a similar educational background move up to MS to continue together. Makes perfect sense to me.

Seems to me that the "real" IB crowd will never be satisfied. If it's all about addresses, they really won't like the Eaton crowd either even though our kids are well prepared and have great test scores-too many zip codes in our directory.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 17:29     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote: ^^ I don't think that is right. Many, many especially African American middle class people will go private or move if they don't get into the charter sector schools or OOB schools they desire. So that pupils money goes anyway.

If the funding model is the problem, change the funding model


+1
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 13:01     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
^^ I don't think that is right. Many, many especially African American middle class people will go private or move if they don't get into the charter sector schools or OOB schools they desire. So that pupils money goes anyway.

If the funding model is the problem, change the funding model
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 12:55     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Until the Latin, KIPP, DC Prep, Two Rivers, and DCI feeders don't have WLs a mile long, we'll continue to need charter middle schools.


I wouldn't suggest shutting them down - they provide special offerings, are available to children from areas not IB to the new and improved middle schools, and probably help to keep DCPS on their toes. But NEW charter middle schools may not be needed - use up the capacity in the DCPS middle schools (including the four new ones) first.



You're not on the charter board. One of the new ones approved to open next year is Washington Global MS. + a new campus at Two Rivers.


And that may well be a mistake given DC's planned investments in middle schools. It will be up to the next mayor to address the issue of coordinating charter and DCPS plans.


Are you kidding me? We need to "protect" DC's investments in its middle school by limiting access to charter schools? What about the actual education of actual children, which, despite financial investment, DCPS seems completely unable to pull off at any middle school with a significant number of non-wealthy students. Lets see some successes and some innovative programming ( not necessarily big financial investments, simply smart and savvy planning anfd management of resources ) before trying to limit access to other public middle school programs that seem to be having success. Having desirable DCPS middle schools is a matter of skill and political will in many cases, not just money


In other words, when DCPS makes the correct investments in middle schools, then the charter schools won't pose a threat. Otherwise it is simply smoke and mirrors to try to use our kids to improve failing schools.


Competition for kids is one aspect. But DCPS needs all the per pupil $ allocations it can use. If it is harder for kids to get into a "good" charter, then they will come back to DCPS which means more money for our "real" public schools. That's also why it's good that more feeder schools have been added to Hardy -- a chance to get more funding from DCPS Central.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 12:32     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Until the Latin, KIPP, DC Prep, Two Rivers, and DCI feeders don't have WLs a mile long, we'll continue to need charter middle schools.


I wouldn't suggest shutting them down - they provide special offerings, are available to children from areas not IB to the new and improved middle schools, and probably help to keep DCPS on their toes. But NEW charter middle schools may not be needed - use up the capacity in the DCPS middle schools (including the four new ones) first.



You're not on the charter board. One of the new ones approved to open next year is Washington Global MS. + a new campus at Two Rivers.


And that may well be a mistake given DC's planned investments in middle schools. It will be up to the next mayor to address the issue of coordinating charter and DCPS plans.


Are you kidding me? We need to "protect" DC's investments in its middle school by limiting access to charter schools? What about the actual education of actual children, which, despite financial investment, DCPS seems completely unable to pull off at any middle school with a significant number of non-wealthy students. Lets see some successes and some innovative programming ( not necessarily big financial investments, simply smart and savvy planning anfd management of resources ) before trying to limit access to other public middle school programs that seem to be having success. Having desirable DCPS middle schools is a matter of skill and political will in many cases, not just money


In other words, when DCPS makes the correct investments in middle schools, then the charter schools won't pose a threat. Otherwise it is simply smoke and mirrors to try to use our kids to improve failing schools.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 11:43     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Until the Latin, KIPP, DC Prep, Two Rivers, and DCI feeders don't have WLs a mile long, we'll continue to need charter middle schools.


I wouldn't suggest shutting them down - they provide special offerings, are available to children from areas not IB to the new and improved middle schools, and probably help to keep DCPS on their toes. But NEW charter middle schools may not be needed - use up the capacity in the DCPS middle schools (including the four new ones) first.



You're not on the charter board. One of the new ones approved to open next year is Washington Global MS. + a new campus at Two Rivers.


And that may well be a mistake given DC's planned investments in middle schools. It will be up to the next mayor to address the issue of coordinating charter and DCPS plans.


Are you kidding me? We need to "protect" DC's investments in its middle school by limiting access to charter schools? What about the actual education of actual children, which, despite financial investment, DCPS seems completely unable to pull off at any middle school with a significant number of non-wealthy students. Lets see some successes and some innovative programming ( not necessarily big financial investments, simply smart and savvy planning anfd management of resources ) before trying to limit access to other public middle school programs that seem to be having success. Having desirable DCPS middle schools is a matter of skill and political will in many cases, not just money


Now's hardly the time to limit access to charters, because demand will only increase. In fact, once the limited "grandfather" pipeline to Deal is sealed off, Oyster and Eaton families will be applying in greater numbers to middle school charters.


Eaton, we'll see. Oyster, i am pretty sure they will embrace their own ms. They have their own ms, it's theirs to make what they will of it. Due to the title of this thread there are unlikely to be many oyster parents reading this, but this has been discussed in other threads. I can see why oyster parents would prefer deal over oyster adams ms, for example broader athletics programs, but see no reason why they would choose latin or basis over their own ms. Now that the oyster district is no longer IB for deal, it's likely that most oyster students will continue, and to the extent that demographics matter, they have very good demographics. I predict we will see more retention at oyster through 8 and a great ms as a result.


Yeah, Eaton (at least IB) seems more likely to follow the pattern of Key and Mann.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 11:36     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Some one should run against Mary Cheh and fix this mess. I live in a $2m+ IB house and am PISSED my IB school is not truly available to my kids. The idea that all of us in fancy IB houses will just go private is stupid.....we didn't get $$$ by wasting our money on private school. For families with multiple kids, even well heeled families, private school is often a foolish financial decision.


To be clear - your school is "available" to your kids and your neighbors. You just don't want to send them there. Nobody - not. one. person. - is keeping you from going to Hardy. The opposite is true - Principal Pride and DCPS are all but begging you to send your kids there, and are making additions and changes to the curriculum to entice you to do so. So stop with the woe is me. Join us at Hardy. Enjoy what the school has to offer and work with us to make it even better.

Signed,

IB Current Hardy Parent

I'm with you. Can't wait to send my kid there. We are IB, but he is only in 2nd grade right now. Will definitely join Hardy in few years.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 11:12     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Until the Latin, KIPP, DC Prep, Two Rivers, and DCI feeders don't have WLs a mile long, we'll continue to need charter middle schools.


I wouldn't suggest shutting them down - they provide special offerings, are available to children from areas not IB to the new and improved middle schools, and probably help to keep DCPS on their toes. But NEW charter middle schools may not be needed - use up the capacity in the DCPS middle schools (including the four new ones) first.



You're not on the charter board. One of the new ones approved to open next year is Washington Global MS. + a new campus at Two Rivers.


And that may well be a mistake given DC's planned investments in middle schools. It will be up to the next mayor to address the issue of coordinating charter and DCPS plans.


Are you kidding me? We need to "protect" DC's investments in its middle school by limiting access to charter schools? What about the actual education of actual children, which, despite financial investment, DCPS seems completely unable to pull off at any middle school with a significant number of non-wealthy students. Lets see some successes and some innovative programming ( not necessarily big financial investments, simply smart and savvy planning anfd management of resources ) before trying to limit access to other public middle school programs that seem to be having success. Having desirable DCPS middle schools is a matter of skill and political will in many cases, not just money


Now's hardly the time to limit access to charters, because demand will only increase. In fact, once the limited "grandfather" pipeline to Deal is sealed off, Oyster and Eaton families will be applying in greater numbers to middle school charters.


Eaton, we'll see. Oyster, i am pretty sure they will embrace their own ms. They have their own ms, it's theirs to make what they will of it. Due to the title of this thread there are unlikely to be many oyster parents reading this, but this has been discussed in other threads. I can see why oyster parents would prefer deal over oyster adams ms, for example broader athletics programs, but see no reason why they would choose latin or basis over their own ms. Now that the oyster district is no longer IB for deal, it's likely that most oyster students will continue, and to the extent that demographics matter, they have very good demographics. I predict we will see more retention at oyster through 8 and a great ms as a result.


What do NW parents who want broader athletic programs do if they can't get their kids into Deal? Go to St Johns or other privates, I guess.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 10:35     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Until the Latin, KIPP, DC Prep, Two Rivers, and DCI feeders don't have WLs a mile long, we'll continue to need charter middle schools.


I wouldn't suggest shutting them down - they provide special offerings, are available to children from areas not IB to the new and improved middle schools, and probably help to keep DCPS on their toes. But NEW charter middle schools may not be needed - use up the capacity in the DCPS middle schools (including the four new ones) first.



You're not on the charter board. One of the new ones approved to open next year is Washington Global MS. + a new campus at Two Rivers.


And that may well be a mistake given DC's planned investments in middle schools. It will be up to the next mayor to address the issue of coordinating charter and DCPS plans.


Are you kidding me? We need to "protect" DC's investments in its middle school by limiting access to charter schools? What about the actual education of actual children, which, despite financial investment, DCPS seems completely unable to pull off at any middle school with a significant number of non-wealthy students. Lets see some successes and some innovative programming ( not necessarily big financial investments, simply smart and savvy planning anfd management of resources ) before trying to limit access to other public middle school programs that seem to be having success. Having desirable DCPS middle schools is a matter of skill and political will in many cases, not just money


Now's hardly the time to limit access to charters, because demand will only increase. In fact, once the limited "grandfather" pipeline to Deal is sealed off, Oyster and Eaton families will be applying in greater numbers to middle school charters.


Eaton, we'll see. Oyster, i am pretty sure they will embrace their own ms. They have their own ms, it's theirs to make what they will of it. Due to the title of this thread there are unlikely to be many oyster parents reading this, but this has been discussed in other threads. I can see why oyster parents would prefer deal over oyster adams ms, for example broader athletics programs, but see no reason why they would choose latin or basis over their own ms. Now that the oyster district is no longer IB for deal, it's likely that most oyster students will continue, and to the extent that demographics matter, they have very good demographics. I predict we will see more retention at oyster through 8 and a great ms as a result.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 10:32     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

This is stunningly low. Based on prior postings I thought it was like 13 percent and moving higher.


Hardy is NOT 8% IB-Hardy's 6th grade has 34 INB and another 15 or so OOB from IB Feeders, which makes the IB for 6th grader around 25-40% depending on what you consider OOB kids from IB feeders as.


Yes, but it seems that everyone would agree that it's silly to consider OOB resident students who come up through a feeder school as "in boundaries." Of course, they're pretty likely to stay in the system. The whole issue is how to attract in boundary residents who historically have refused to attend their "neighborhood" middle school.


Yes, of course, IB is not the same as OOB with feeder rights. However, those OOB feeder kids are the friends and classmates of in-bounds kids, so parents are happy to see them staying the course to Hardy. Part of the "neighborhood school" experience is moving with your cohort.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2014 10:26     Subject: So how many IB are going to really be at Hardy?
^^ Not a threat, by the way, just the truth of the matter