The French Maternal School

As a parent, in-class parent volunteer, parent chaperone (had to clear an FBI background check and get finger printed), PTA representative, I was very excited about Ross. But what I saw over 4 years, was deliberate withholding of FAPE from dozens of students especially those with any kind of dyslexia or learning disability. Why would the smallest school in DCPS, in Ward 2, always under enrolled, withhold reading supports to students eligible for an IEP? Ross leadership would not hear that 1 in 5 people have dyslexia. That people with dyslexia are super bright thinkers, and are more able to adapt because that is what they always have to do. Ross refused to offer supports to its teachers and supports that would not have come out of the Ross school budget. Ross leadership is focused on raising money from the the parents of the lower grades to pay for everything in the school. Dyslexia is usually recognized and or diagnosed btwn 2-5 grades when the work gets harder, and yet it can be detected as early as pre-k. Ross refused phonics and to give teacher training in Child Find- a federal and state law. Why would Ross NOT even support its own teachers in academic expertise? People want to teach as a small school, so why is there an intense turnover rate of teachers at Ross? For 10 years, Ross leadership refused to place a parent representative on the Personnel Committee so that the parents could have input on teacher hirings. Why? Parents, PTA, and LSAT signed a petition and sent it around to OSSE and others for Ross leadership in order to force a placement of a parent on this committee. This letter also demanded that Ross leadership hire non-white teachers, to hire racially diverse, teachers, representative of DCPS. Why did this have to happen? Ross could be a vanguard of change. It could be an incredible school for reading and writing, and why not? With this focus, students from 2-5th grades would stay rather than leave in a mass exodus in 3rd and 4th grades and/or leaving the DCPS system altogether. DC Council passed The Decoding Dyslexia bill- Ross Leadership should take everything in that bill and run with it!! It should become the top example for how the measures in that bill can turn around an entire school especially after 3 yrs of COVID school shutdown, Canvas, Teams, etc...(spring 2020, SY 2020-2021, fall 2021).

We have been at SWWFS for eight years and the school has felt like family since day one. The teachers are phenomenal and the admin works around the clock to take care of students, staff and families. We love that our kids can be in the same place from Pre-K through 8th grade. Principal Young is incredible and we are so lucky to have her.

When we first came to this school, we didn't speak Spanish well. Now, we are fluent and we know a lot more than we used to. Oyster Adams helped us to this. It is such a good school that supports its individuals such as parents, teachers, staff, and of course, students. We think that Oyster-Adams is an extremely welcoming community that really cares for and lifts us up and beyond what we thought was possible while keeping us in our comfort zones. I would totally recommend this school to any who would like a welcoming community that also speaks Spanish.

Hyde is a great school and our family loves it!

Boooooooooooo. Sucks. Bad. Join SIDWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL. My child was harassed.

BISW Student Here. The management and authority are horrendous. There is an extreme lack of communication between staff members, often leading to a negative experience for the students. Not only is the authority bad, as no rule seems to apply to anyone but it is also messy. The school faculty is very aware of what goes on between the students, they don’t know how to find a way to get respected and decide to make random accusations instead. A great level of favoritism is shown, specifically for white students that have been in the school for a long time. Anyone that doesn’t fit the ideal profile is looked down upon by most teachers, and the mental health accommodations given to students are unclear and poorly managed. The only good thing could be the teachers, who have to endure waking up every morning to work in such a terrible school. Some seem to have a passion for education, while others seem to be frustrated with their life and have no motivation to share their knowledge. Overall, it is a great school if you want a secondary system where 3/4 of the students have severe substance abuse issues that they can happily consume in the school premises. Never have I seen a bar better than the boys bathroom!