How does Annunciation Catholic School compare with Horace Mann Elementary?

[Anonymous]

(cross-posted with the private schools forum!)

Hi all! Does anyone have thoughts on Annunciation (on Massachusetts/Idaho Ave in Cathedral Heights area) versus Horace Mann Elementary (one of the JKLM schools, also nearby)? DC has been at Mann for the past year and sadly it hasn't been a good experience. They cancelled their foreign language programming which I'd really been looking forward to. It was also a rude awakening to discover the PTA expected a $1500 contribution per child, and how oddly marginalized I've felt by the other parents. I'm a single mom working full-time for the fed govt, DC and I live in a 1-bedroom in one of the student ghetto-ish buildings, and I drive a jalopy. Most of the school families seem to have nannies and/or a parent who stays at home, they live in mansions and drive enormous SUVs. It's a weird cultural gulf between me and them, even if I think I'm pretty educated & well-travelled and doing great for a single mom. It wouldn't be a big deal obviously if DC was happy, but DC tells me every day DC hates school and doesn't want to go. DC's teacher tells me she's falling behind, and that most parents at this point would be hiring private tutors. Wow - this is Kindergarten ... and the diplomats and lobbyists that inhabit the million-dollar houses around me probably can afford private tutors, but it's not really feasible for me, especially since DC is in aftercare. Anyway, I thought it would be a great school, but DC isn't happy and it doesn't seem like a good fit for us. So I am looking at other options and wondering if Annunciation might be better. Thoughts, anyone? (I'm not Catholic, but DC's dad was raised in it.)

[Anonymous]

Can you get in Eaton; it probably will be a better environment? Also sounds like your 1500 would be better spent at Kumon or E Nopi.

[Anonymous]

I'm really sorry to hear this (not a Mann parent, but a DCPS parent). Have you talked with the teacher about possible reasons why she is falling behind? Is the teacher concerned about a learning disability that is causing her to "fall behind?" Is she unhappy at school because she feels behind, or is it the other way around? is she being socially marginalized, excluded from playgroups or after school/weekend playdates?

I say this only because if the cause of the unhappiness can be fixed, maybe she'd be happier in school. If you think it's the school, and the social environment there is an extension of the social environment you feel as a single mom, maybe another DCPS would help (Eaton is more economically diverse, but it does draw from Cleveland Park, a monied area of the city). I don't know much about Annunciation, other than from the open house tour I took a few years ago. I would talk to admissions and see if you can get an idea of what the population is like: ratio of Catholics to non-Catholics, where the families are from, how many are parishioners and how many are non-parishioners, how many are working parents, what the after school program looks like, etc., just to get a general idea. That might give you a more balanced social environment, if that's the cause of the unhappiness.

Where does DD's dad live? Is there a possibility that she could go to school where he lives?

I'm sorry you are going through this. It sucks to see your child unhappy. I hope you can determine what it is and set her on the road to happiness. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I would move down Wisconsin to feed into Sommerset in Maryland. Why can't the teachers provide extra help for your Kindergartner?

My child goes to another Catholic school. I, too, was blown away by the "suggested donation" at Janney. But sorry, I cannot speak to Annunciation. I can only say if my child was having issues in class, they would have a teacher provide one-on-one help.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget that you're likely showing your own unhappiness and that signal is picked up by your child. I'm not a single mom but know some for whom children become their companions, making it even more difficult for children to be given their own space to thrive on their own terms. So be sure to sort out what is making your child happy, truly the school or your own unhappiness, about the school, your lack of connections there, and maybe more.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I don't know anything about Annunciation but I assume it would cost much more than the PTA donation at Mann? Maybe you just need to try a different DCPS? We go to a not-as-desirable-as-Mann WOTP DCPS and the suggested donation is only $400, but there is no pressure for any of the families that cannot afford it (and there are many).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really sorry to hear this (not a Mann parent, but a DCPS parent). Have you talked with the teacher about possible reasons why she is falling behind? Is the teacher concerned about a learning disability that is causing her to "fall behind?" Is she unhappy at school because she feels behind, or is it the other way around? is she being socially marginalized, excluded from playgroups or after school/weekend playdates?

I don't think dc is actually in such bad shape, but I think the school as a whole is very high pressure - my sense is partly that the competitive, driven atmosphere of the classroom is making it just not fun for her to learn and killing her interest. But it may also be that there is an automatic expectation there that because she comes from a "broken home" she must be a problem child, so the teachers err on the side of worrying about her, which I think she picks up on. But it's all hard to pinpoint since I'm not there in the classroom all day, I only get her 5-year-old narrative of it!

Anonymous wrote:
I say this only because if the cause of the unhappiness can be fixed, maybe she'd be happier in school. If you think it's the school, and the social environment there is an extension of the social environment you feel as a single mom, maybe another DCPS would help (Eaton is more economically diverse, but it does draw from Cleveland Park, a monied area of the city). I don't know much about Annunciation, other than from the open house tour I took a few years ago. I would talk to admissions and see if you can get an idea of what the population is like: ratio of Catholics to non-Catholics, where the families are from, how many are parishioners and how many are non-parishioners, how many are working parents, what the after school program looks like, etc., just to get a general idea. That might give you a more balanced social environment, if that's the cause of the unhappiness.

Where does DD's dad live? Is there a possibility that she could go to school where he lives?

I'm sorry you are going through this. It sucks to see your child unhappy. I hope you can determine what it is and set her on the road to happiness. Good luck.

Thanks for the tips and thoughts and kind words! Her dad lives in another state where she could go to a really nice private school for $9K-$15K a year, comparable to the schools here that charge $30K. And it's starting to look like it may be our best option to have her go to school there. But of course it'd be idea to find a better local option so she could stay with me longer ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I don't know anything about Annunciation but I assume it would cost much more than the PTA donation at Mann? Maybe you just need to try a different DCPS? We go to a not-as-desirable-as-Mann WOTP DCPS and the suggested donation is only $400, but there is no pressure for any of the families that cannot afford it (and there are many).

Well, Annunciation is about $9K a year, or $1,000 a month, which is comparable to what we were paying for daycare before she started school, so it would be doable - the $30K a year schools around here (if we could even get in!) not so much ...

It'd be improvement if there just weren't so much pressure from the PTA - they're like the freakin' mafia at Mann! No one knows who paid and who didn't, but there's a constant drumbeat every week of them asking for money, donations, fundraiser signups, etc. etc. etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you get in Eaton; it probably will be a better environment? Also sounds like your 1500 would be better spent at Kumon or E Nopi.

Eaton? Seriously? If she wants to go DCPS, she can't do better than Mann. And if she's looking for a Deal feeder school, then she should choose Janney, Lafayette, or Murch. Eaton has too many OOB students, and is destined to get switched to Hardy anyway. Deal is overcrowded and Eaton is closer to Hardy. No advantage to Eaton (besides, all the Cleveland Park families go private anyway).

[Anonymous]

I think you need to have a talk with her teacher about what areas she's falling behind. Your child might not be hitting the expected middle of the year reading benchmarks but in my opinion it's not a big deal since kids usually can catch up by the time they reach first grade.

[Anonymous]

Stoddert is just down the street.
With 1/3 of the children being from other countries, teachers are very patient and very understanding. THey work with children at their own level instead of pushing everyone.
Aftercare people are just lovely.
Go talk to the principal and try it there, even if it's in the middle of the school year.

[Anonymous]

You are not the only family at Mann living in the AU apartments - but I am sure it feels that way.

FYI - PTA requested donations at all of the upper NW are high - but I do think Mann tops it out.

Right NOW, I would explore charters. Creative Minds is just across the park and would be a wonderful fit for your child.

We live in upper NW and our charter are at a charter b/c we did not want the crazy academic pressures.

On this lovely snow day, go online and do some charter lottery applications. It will all be a long-shot but something else to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stoddert is just down the street.
With 1/3 of the children being from other countries, teachers are very patient and very understanding. THey work with children at their own level instead of pushing everyone.
Aftercare people are just lovely.
Go talk to the principal and try it there, even if it's in the middle of the school year.

You can not just switch schools b/c you are unhappy - just b/c you are at a WOTP school that is not the best fit does not trump other families who are at schools that are at a school that is not a fit.

BUT - I would visit Stoddert and if you think it is a place you want to be, move to an apt IB - you can accomplish this by moving across the streeet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would move down Wisconsin to feed into Sommerset in Maryland. Why can't the teachers provide extra help for your Kindergartner?

My child goes to another Catholic school. I, too, was blown away by the "suggested donation" at Janney. But sorry, I cannot speak to Annunciation. I can only say if my child was having issues in class, they would have a teacher provide one-on-one help.

I would move to Arlington or MoCo. I have a feeling you may prefer the Somerset area, as the neighborhood has more of a feel of where you're living now. If you want to stay in DC, you might try a school like Lafayette.

[Anonymous]

Annunciation -- horrible school. Any public school west of Rock Creek is superior to that school in quality teaching professionals and curriculum. There is a detailed thread on it on the private school forum. OP would be making a fatal mistake leaving Mann for Annunciation. Please don't.