McLean School in Potomac, MD

[Anonymous]

Most people seem to use it transitionally for some extra support..not as a K-12 destination.

[Anonymous]

We are considering it for middle school. My DC is dyslexic. He can get the support he needs in our neighborhood school. Public MS will be a disaster - I have a child who has gone through it and understand the weaknesses. I am hopeful a school like McLean will provide him with the support to learn to advocate for his needs so that he can make a choice to attend the High School of his choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard turnover in the middle school is high and few kids stay for high school. Is that true?

More kids are staying for upper school now, and I think that will be even more true with the new space for US. There’s a limit to the number of kids the current facility can accommodate.

The capital campaign is past the $4 million mark (I think $6 million is the goal) and we’ve never been bugged about contributing — not at all. We got a mailing or two but that’s it.

I think some people on this forum had negative experiences there or are posting based on outdated information. I recommend seeking other sources of information. The upper school head impresses me a lot.

[Anonymous]

Really? Then why are they asking families who’ve left to consider returning? They need bodies for the high school. Who does that? McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are also very punitive in the way they deal with typical middle school behavior. They can only deal with emotionally fragile or non-reactive kids. If a kid laughs at another kid and the kid laughed at complains, the kid that laughs is punished and treated like a bully. Middle school head is the worse.

When is it OK for a kid to laugh at another kid? That is bullying, it is not typical behavior. I have two kids who have come through middle school and neither was laughed at.

[Anonymous]

You people are all snowflakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really? Then why are they asking families who’ve left to consider returning? They need bodies for the high school. Who does that? McLean.

Really what?

I’m not sure what you’re asking or why you’re being snarky. I’ll try to engage for the OP’s sake, though.

If McLean is asking families if they want to return for US, I’m guessing it is because in the fall they’ll have new space and more capacity. Construction starts on graduation day in June. Enrollment has grown a lot under Mike Saxenian, who is a really capable but humble leader IMO.

McLean is pretty small but it won Best Private School for grade 9-12 in Bethesda Magazine. The other top vote-getters were Bullis, Prep, Landon, Hilton, and St. Andrew’s, I think. Some kids do leave McLean for those bigger schools. I think if they stayed at McLean they’d be really known by the faculty and they’d know themselves well, something McLean prioritizes. I think they would not only get into good colleges but they’d pick the one that’s really right for them and they’d succeed there. Maybe they have that experience when they move to the bigger schools, and I hope they do.

OP, I’d ask to talk to McLean parents in every division, especially the upper school. Look at where the kids are going to college. Talk to the kids themselves. I’ve been impressed, and I’m a tough critic.

[Anonymous]

They recently told me that the expansion will be done by the end of 2018, I don’t think it will be done in September. I thought they said it’s starting in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They recently told me that the expansion will be done by the end of 2018, I don’t think it will be done in September. I thought they said it’s starting in June.

Pre-construction has started and the real deal begins on graduation day. Yes, I think it is supposed to be completely finished by the end of 2018, with the bulk of the work happening over the summer.

I had expected some kind of major fundraising ask of parents but it’s been very low key. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the whole thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really? Then why are they asking families who’ve left to consider returning? They need bodies for the high school. Who does that? McLean.

Really what?

I’m not sure what you’re asking or why you’re being snarky. I’ll try to engage for the OP’s sake, though.

If McLean is asking families if they want to return for US, I’m guessing it is because in the fall they’ll have new space and more capacity. Construction starts on graduation day in June. Enrollment has grown a lot under Mike Saxenian, who is a really capable but humble leader IMO.

McLean is pretty small but it won Best Private School for grade 9-12 in Bethesda Magazine. The other top vote-getters were Bullis, Prep, Landon, Hilton, and St. Andrew’s, I think. Some kids do leave McLean for those bigger schools. I think if they stayed at McLean they’d be really known by the faculty and they’d know themselves well, something McLean prioritizes. I think they would not only get into good colleges but they’d pick the one that’s really right for them and they’d succeed there. Maybe they have that experience when they move to the bigger schools, and I hope they do.

OP, I’d ask to talk to McLean parents in every division, especially the upper school. Look at where the kids are going to college. Talk to the kids themselves. I’ve been impressed, and I’m a tough critic.

https://www.mcleanschool.org/page/academics/college-counseling

it's an okay list. If your kids are happy that's fine. McLean has tried for years to be something to everyone. The last few it is now a college prep school that caters to kids with mild to moderate learning issues. Not sure that crowing about being first in the Bethesda magazine poll really indicates how good a school is. McLean has always competed for bodies with Bullis and St.Andrews and if your kid is a good athlete or wants a bigger experience, it can be hard to compete. How big was last year's graduating class? 25? 30? The reason you see so much vitriol come out for this school is that many former families feel a lot was promised and not delivered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really? Then why are they asking families who’ve left to consider returning? They need bodies for the high school. Who does that? McLean.

Really what?

I’m not sure what you’re asking or why you’re being snarky. I’ll try to engage for the OP’s sake, though.

If McLean is asking families if they want to return for US, I’m guessing it is because in the fall they’ll have new space and more capacity. Construction starts on graduation day in June. Enrollment has grown a lot under Mike Saxenian, who is a really capable but humble leader IMO.

McLean is pretty small but it won Best Private School for grade 9-12 in Bethesda Magazine. The other top vote-getters were Bullis, Prep, Landon, Hilton, and St. Andrew’s, I think. Some kids do leave McLean for those bigger schools. I think if they stayed at McLean they’d be really known by the faculty and they’d know themselves well, something McLean prioritizes. I think they would not only get into good colleges but they’d pick the one that’s really right for them and they’d succeed there. Maybe they have that experience when they move to the bigger schools, and I hope they do.

OP, I’d ask to talk to McLean parents in every division, especially the upper school. Look at where the kids are going to college. Talk to the kids themselves. I’ve been impressed, and I’m a tough critic.

https://www.mcleanschool.org/page/academics/college-counseling

it's an okay list. If your kids are happy that's fine. McLean has tried for years to be something to everyone. The last few it is now a college prep school that caters to kids with mild to moderate learning issues. Not sure that crowing about being first in the Bethesda magazine poll really indicates how good a school is. McLean has always competed for bodies with Bullis and St.Andrews and if your kid is a good athlete or wants a bigger experience, it can be hard to compete. How big was last year's graduating class? 25? 30? The reason you see so much vitriol come out for this school is that many former families feel a lot was promised and not delivered.

I understand that, and I think they’re trying to things differently and better, and I think they’re succeeding. So if you’ve moved on from the school, maybe just do that — let go and move on. If you’re a current parent, please continue to share. If you’re not, maybe check your motives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They recently told me that the expansion will be done by the end of 2018, I don’t think it will be done in September. I thought they said it’s starting in June.

Pre-construction has started and the real deal begins on graduation day. Yes, I think it is supposed to be completely finished by the end of 2018, with the bulk of the work happening over the summer.

I had expected some kind of major fundraising ask of parents but it’s been very low key. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the whole thing.

Don’t worry, it will surface in the ever increasing tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really? Then why are they asking families who’ve left to consider returning? They need bodies for the high school. Who does that? McLean.

Really what?

I’m not sure what you’re asking or why you’re being snarky. I’ll try to engage for the OP’s sake, though.

If McLean is asking families if they want to return for US, I’m guessing it is because in the fall they’ll have new space and more capacity. Construction starts on graduation day in June. Enrollment has grown a lot under Mike Saxenian, who is a really capable but humble leader IMO.

McLean is pretty small but it won Best Private School for grade 9-12 in Bethesda Magazine. The other top vote-getters were Bullis, Prep, Landon, Hilton, and St. Andrew’s, I think. Some kids do leave McLean for those bigger schools. I think if they stayed at McLean they’d be really known by the faculty and they’d know themselves well, something McLean prioritizes. I think they would not only get into good colleges but they’d pick the one that’s really right for them and they’d succeed there. Maybe they have that experience when they move to the bigger schools, and I hope they do.

OP, I’d ask to talk to McLean parents in every division, especially the upper school. Look at where the kids are going to college. Talk to the kids themselves. I’ve been impressed, and I’m a tough critic.

We left McLean a year ago after being there through middle school. As I recall, there were multiple emails that went out to families encouraging them to vote for McLean. So, I would not give a lot of weight to the ranking in Bethesda Magazine. It is more self serving than evidence based and to get families who may be looking elsewhere to consider McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really? Then why are they asking families who’ve left to consider returning? They need bodies for the high school. Who does that? McLean.

Really what?

I’m not sure what you’re asking or why you’re being snarky. I’ll try to engage for the OP’s sake, though.

If McLean is asking families if they want to return for US, I’m guessing it is because in the fall they’ll have new space and more capacity. Construction starts on graduation day in June. Enrollment has grown a lot under Mike Saxenian, who is a really capable but humble leader IMO.

McLean is pretty small but it won Best Private School for grade 9-12 in Bethesda Magazine. The other top vote-getters were Bullis, Prep, Landon, Hilton, and St. Andrew’s, I think. Some kids do leave McLean for those bigger schools. I think if they stayed at McLean they’d be really known by the faculty and they’d know themselves well, something McLean prioritizes. I think they would not only get into good colleges but they’d pick the one that’s really right for them and they’d succeed there. Maybe they have that experience when they move to the bigger schools, and I hope they do.

OP, I’d ask to talk to McLean parents in every division, especially the upper school. Look at where the kids are going to college. Talk to the kids themselves. I’ve been impressed, and I’m a tough critic.

We left McLean a year ago after being there through middle school. As I recall, there were multiple emails that went out to families encouraging them to vote for McLean. So, I would not give a lot of weight to the ranking in Bethesda Magazine. It is more self serving than evidence based and to get families who may be looking elsewhere to consider McLean.

Do you think other schools don’t do that, or hope for this recognition? My experience is that they do.

[Anonymous]

So, it really doesn’t mean anything.