Leaving MCPS for a Catholic school

[Anonymous]

We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what your aim is. In one breath you want a closer knit community of catholic school, in the next you admit to not actively practicing (which is where most of this close knit community knows one another from), and then in another breath you fear missing the public school community. So it doesn’t seem like community is the actual need/concern/or want.

Finally you note kid will thrive anywhere???

So what then are you looking for or trying to resolve.

[Anonymous]

Nether choice is ever perfect. You can always go back to public if the private is not as good as you hoped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nether choice is ever perfect. You can always go back to public if the private is not as good as you hoped.

This.

Do you belong to a community pool? This is one way to connect with neighborhood community.

[Anonymous]

We went to a Catholic K8. It took us longer to meet a large group of kids from our public school but agree, sports and summer swim are good options.
FWIW kids made friends easily and this was not a negative issue for our family. That being said we were at a large K8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

We pulled our kids from public school (FCPS) a few years ago because we wanted well-behaved students and a classroom conducive to learning, fewer political distractions, and a better student-to-teacher ratio; education is a priority for our family and that's where we spent most of our discretionary income. The smaller schools, tighter-knit social circle, and frankly, far less "problematic" students or "drama" has been a breath of fresh air. We could never go back to public school at this point.

Most of the kids in our neighborhood are still in public school. The kids still play together in the neighborhood; our kids also play organized sports, dance, etc. and still have their friends from those activities. We still go to the community pool and the kids play with other kids there just as well as they did before.

I do sometimes miss the convenience of sending the kids to the bus stop, but other than that, I miss nothing about the "public school experience."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

Plus the Catholics are MUCH cheaper than the Episcopal/Quaker/Seculars !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

Check out The Heights and Oakcrest. They're known to be the "best' of the Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

Consider Mercy for your youngest. A Catholic K option in Montgomery. County.

[Anonymous]

What are the "Big Three Cs"? The #BigThree DC area private schools of the Catholics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

We pulled our kids from public school (FCPS) a few years ago because we wanted well-behaved students and a classroom conducive to learning, fewer political distractions, and a better student-to-teacher ratio; education is a priority for our family and that's where we spent most of our discretionary income. The smaller schools, tighter-knit social circle, and frankly, far less "problematic" students or "drama" has been a breath of fresh air. We could never go back to public school at this point.

Most of the kids in our neighborhood are still in public school. The kids still play together in the neighborhood; our kids also play organized sports, dance, etc. and still have their friends from those activities. We still go to the community pool and the kids play with other kids there just as well as they did before.

I do sometimes miss the convenience of sending the kids to the bus stop, but other than that, I miss nothing about the "public school experience."

I really wish folks would stop saying the bolded in response to certain things. As though people having kids in public school means education is not a priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

We pulled our kids from public school (FCPS) a few years ago because we wanted well-behaved students and a classroom conducive to learning, fewer political distractions, and a better student-to-teacher ratio; education is a priority for our family and that's where we spent most of our discretionary income. The smaller schools, tighter-knit social circle, and frankly, far less "problematic" students or "drama" has been a breath of fresh air. We could never go back to public school at this point.

Most of the kids in our neighborhood are still in public school. The kids still play together in the neighborhood; our kids also play organized sports, dance, etc. and still have their friends from those activities. We still go to the community pool and the kids play with other kids there just as well as they did before.

I do sometimes miss the convenience of sending the kids to the bus stop, but other than that, I miss nothing about the "public school experience."

I really wish folks would stop saying the bolded in response to certain things. As though people having kids in public school means education is not a priority.

I agree with you 100% it's not a fair characterization or even true/representative of most in public.

But, the poster at 9:55 above could not have summed it up any better:

We pulled our kids from public school (FCPS) a few years ago because we wanted well-behaved students and a classroom conducive to learning, fewer political distractions, and a better student-to-teacher ratio; education is a priority for our family and that's where we spent most of our discretionary income. The smaller schools, tighter-knit social circle, and frankly, far less "problematic" students or "drama" has been a breath of fresh air.


This is exactly us. We're in MoCo. I don't think the teachers were bad but the number of problematic students and drama were too much of an obstacle for the teachers to be effective. Just not an issue at our Catholic. That is not too say that all the kids are perfect and there are aren't occasional issues, there are, but not at the persistent day in and day out that drags down everyone.

Some publics will be better than others but that was not the case for us so we're private and not looking back at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

We pulled our kids from public school (FCPS) a few years ago because we wanted well-behaved students and a classroom conducive to learning, fewer political distractions, and a better student-to-teacher ratio; education is a priority for our family and that's where we spent most of our discretionary income. The smaller schools, tighter-knit social circle, and frankly, far less "problematic" students or "drama" has been a breath of fresh air. We could never go back to public school at this point.

Most of the kids in our neighborhood are still in public school. The kids still play together in the neighborhood; our kids also play organized sports, dance, etc. and still have their friends from those activities. We still go to the community pool and the kids play with other kids there just as well as they did before.

I do sometimes miss the convenience of sending the kids to the bus stop, but other than that, I miss nothing about the "public school experience."

DP nicely summarizes how we feel about our Catholic K8 community. Of course there are still conflicts and other typical challenges kids find in school, but incidents tend to not be a huge deal that suck all the resources available. But zero physical fights, or physical bullying, etc. Plus I've found the parent community is easier to find since volunteer requirements are so high (one of the reasons for low tuition) so there are more opportunities to connect with other parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
We pulled our kids from public school (FCPS) a few years ago because we wanted well-behaved students and a classroom conducive to learning, fewer political distractions, and a better student-to-teacher ratio; education is a priority for our family and that's where we spent most of our discretionary income. The smaller schools, tighter-knit social circle, and frankly, far less "problematic" students or "drama" has been a breath of fresh air. We could never go back to public school at this point.

Most of the kids in our neighborhood are still in public school. The kids still play together in the neighborhood; our kids also play organized sports, dance, etc. and still have their friends from those activities. We still go to the community pool and the kids play with other kids there just as well as they did before.

I do sometimes miss the convenience of sending the kids to the bus stop, but other than that, I miss nothing about the "public school experience."

These are all the same reasons we did too. TBH, it's nice not having to pay much attention to what is going on in publics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are strongly considering putting our third kid in Catholic school for kindergarten next year. Two oldest are in MCPS and overall it has been okay, except that we regret not sending the oldest one to private HS (The public HS is huge, overcrowded and counselors basically have barely anytime for any middle of the road kid.). Our public ES and MS although “good schools” are also overcrowded. We want a closer knit school community that a Catholic school could give our family due to a smaller size, and even though we don’t practice much Catholicism (I am Catholic, spouse isn’t) we wouldn’t mind child having that Catholic/God “connection” via the school. I guess we see more the value of that now than we did a few years ago.. However, I’m having major guilt about doing this differently this time around. I feel that I will miss the public school community and experience (school bus, classmates being neighbors etc) that our first two kiddos have had and feel bad that I will “rob” our third kiddo of the public school experience. Would love to hear others perspectives! We think child would likely thrive in any environment as a context..

Check out The Heights and Oakcrest. They're known to be the "best' of the Catholics.

What makes you say that?