Does anyone feel they made the wrong school choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is WES?

Washington Episcopal School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am another poster who had a bad experience with WES.
They teach rote memorization and do not work to advance critical thinking. The administration makes every effort to say the correct things to parents, but makes decisions by not acting. Very stale and lazy. The third grade is not good and many families try to get out before their children enter third grade. They really need to change their business/academic model.

I think stale and lazy is a good description. Some of the teachers repeat the same projects over and over each year. The school is in need of some new, innovative teachers.

Oh please. Both the teacher and the Head of School that ticked you off are gone. How much longer will you frequent these threads to complain about a school that has the enthusiastic support of its current community?

And if "stale and lazy" is a good way to describe this school, then you must know better than the region's most selective high schools. WES kids are accepted in large numbers at them, and do extremely well. Maybe they were all just brilliant to start with and WES did nothing for them?

[Anonymous]

I think this continuing negative press stems from disappointment with the new Head. Apparently, one of the candidates was a friend of some of the disillsioned families and they weren't happy that their candidate was passed over. I personally like the fact that the new Head comes from outside the DC area. Right off the bat there will be new blood at the school.

[Anonymous]

Interesting discussion, even if it's mostly about one school.

I guess the good news is that everyone feels such ownership at WES. In most schools, community buy-in on major decisions is secondary to the path set by the trustees. Now if only the new WES Head can harness all that sense of stake-holding for the good of the school. (Which to me is upgrading facilities, retaining the very qualified faculty, and raising the profile of the school to attract more applicants).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am another poster who had a bad experience with WES.
They teach rote memorization and do not work to advance critical thinking. The administration makes every effort to say the correct things to parents, but makes decisions by not acting. Very stale and lazy. The third grade is not good and many families try to get out before their children enter third grade. They really need to change their business/academic model.

I think stale and lazy is a good description. Some of the teachers repeat the same projects over and over each year. The school is in need of some new, innovative teachers.

Oh please. Both the teacher and the Head of School that ticked you off are gone. How much longer will you frequent these threads to complain about a school that has the enthusiastic support of its current community?

And if "stale and lazy" is a good way to describe this school, then you must know better than the region's most selective high schools. WES kids are accepted in large numbers at them, and do extremely well. Maybe they were all just brilliant to start with and WES did nothing for them?

Actually, we weren't even at the school when this incident occurred. You must be confusing me with some other poster.

[Anonymous]

PP 19:03, I don't know which teacher you reference. Most of the ones I mention are still teaching at WES. Yes, there will be a new head, but the staff remains much the same.
Hopefully the new HOS will reorganize WES.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]PP 19:03, I don't know which teacher you reference. Most of the ones I mention are still teaching at WES. Yes, there will be a new head, but the staff remains much the same.
Hopefully the new HOS will reorganize WES.[/quote]

What do you mean by "reorganize?"

Maybe you just don't like the school's philosophy. And that's okay. That's why I like having a choice.

[Anonymous]

The school's philsophy, and its implementation suits our family very well. So, I hope that there's no significant reorganization. Or if there is, please don't touch the science or art programs. Those are the programs that keep us at WES year after year.

[Anonymous]

I don't think they will change a thing.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]I don't think they will change a thing.[/quote]

Why do you feel this way?

It seems to me that the change in management was a direct result of a lack of leadership on the part of the former Head. I would assume that the search committee communicated in a diplomatic manner that the school needs some shaking up. And I have no reason to suspect that the new Head is going to sit by idly while the school continues on as it did under the former Head. There was a thread in the spring that had quite a discussion about the changes taking place at Stone Ridge since the school hired a new Head a few years ago. I know the two school have fundamentally different missions but if a dynamic young Head can revitalize Stone Ridge, I think a new Head can address what I think are some discrete challenges (Lower School Math, for one example) at WES. Here's hoping he does!

[Anonymous]

Didn't leave WES, but a school LIKE WES, after two years. The school ended up being too small, too snooty, and too too too MUCH. Too much money, too much emphasis on the child (sounds crazy, but good god), too much intensity. Much happier now....whew.

[Anonymous]

I do wish they'd expand enrollment to add another class to each grade. The small size that is SO great in early years can be a little limiting by the time the kids hit Middle School. But WES will have to work a little harder on promoting its program (which we happen to love) to attract strong students to fill those extra classes. The curriculum is on a par with the best schools in DC, but not enough families outside Chevy Chase / Bethesda / Potomac seem to know it!

[Anonymous]

They are under enrollment. Why should they add classes to each grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are under enrollment. Why should they add classes to each grade?

Under-enrolled in Transition (4 year olds) I think. Actually, they did add a class to second grade this year.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]We did not have a good experience at WES. I posted on this thread, but I'm not the only one. It looks like several other folks have had a similar negative experience. There is not just one "anti-WES" poster.[/quote]

You're right. Here's another "anti-WES" poster. To answer the original question - we went to WES, felt we had made the wrong decision, and got out. I'm a brand new poster and, in addition to the other posters on this site, we got out too. Same reason. Unruly, disruptive kids. Two with parents on the Board (argh!). Uncontrolled cliques and just far too much gossip. A Head who did nothing. And teachers who taught in a punitive manner (still there by the way). Made all the difference in the world to escape. Never looked back.