It depends on the class, like every other private.

Sidwell is more than just academic pressure. The school has a warm, friendly and passionate environment and definitely fosters joy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC's go a different private school but I can't imagine that Sidwell is joyless. Quite the opposite. If you want joyless check out the local publics.

This comment re local publics is cr$p on the face of it.

Finding joy at Sidwell will depend in part on whether your kid thrives on academic and social pressure. Some kids do love the challenge. For those who don't, there may be less joy.

The comment may be cr$p on the face of it. It really depends on which publics you are stuckwith.

But making a generalization about all publics, as the PP did? That's cr@p.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC's go a different private school but I can't imagine that Sidwell is joyless. Quite the opposite. If you want joyless check out the local publics.

This comment re local publics is cr$p on the face of it.

Finding joy at Sidwell will depend in part on whether your kid thrives on academic and social pressure. Some kids do love the challenge. For those who don't, there may be less joy.

The comment may be cr$p on the face of it. It really depends on which publics you are stuckwith.

Anonymous wrote:My DC's go a different private school but I can't imagine that Sidwell is joyless. Quite the opposite. If you want joyless check out the local publics.

This comment re local publics is cr$p on the face of it.

Finding joy at Sidwell will depend in part on whether your kid thrives on academic and social pressure. Some kids do love the challenge. For those who don't, there may be less joy.

My DC's go a different private school but I can't imagine that Sidwell is joyless. Quite the opposite. If you want joyless check out the local publics.

I think it also depends on how you define "joy". I don't have kids there now but know a lot of families in the US (and I went there so have some personal experience). Many of the kids really thrive on the academic challenge and pressure. So they may be very happy even though it does not strike me now, or when I was there, as a joyful place in a more conventional sense.

From OP -- Thanks so much for your responses, Sidwell parents.

Cool, another Sidwell thread.

PP again -- OP, you might want to see for yourself by attending a public event at the school. B-ball season is underway; why not take your kids to a game? Or plan to see the spring musical, "Oliver" -- performances in March, I think. If you go, I think you'll see that the kids, both participants and spectators, are having fun.

My kids -- one in MS and one in US -- are happy and thriving, and my oldest, an alum, looks back on his time there very fondly. Yes, Sidwell students work hard, but they also have fun together and enjoy friendly relationships with teachers. Don't believe everything you hear about SFS -- or any other school, for that matter -- from folks who don't actually have kids there.

DS is in upper school, and went through middle school. Neither is joyless; quite the opposite.

I agree with 22:32.

I have a child in the lower school, and I find the place joyful, fun, and perhaps even a bit silly (in a good way).

I have heard that comment from many parents who do not send their children there. Do parents WITH children at the school feel this way?