Relocating with 9th grade girl- serious student

[Anonymous]

We are possibly relocating to the DC area with our daughter who is currently in 9th grade. Obviously this isn’t a great time to move and uproot a high schooler. She currently goes to a rigorous private school in our area and I realize we would need to have our headmistress reach out ti help find her a spot somewhere. She is a tip top student in terms of grades , honors classes, standardized tests and likes challenging classes but a kind , supportive atmosphere. She’s very committed to STEM, involved in two school sports, and involved in speech and debate. She is thinking about computer science as an area of interest for college or engineering, along with economics
If we make this move we could have some flexibility to try to live near a school that is a good fit. We’d consider both all girls and co-Ed schools. Any suggestions on where to look ?

[Anonymous]

Where will you be living and working? Commute is critical here. Generally speaking, most of the strong privates are in NW DC, Bethesda, or Potomac. There is a smaller selection in Alexandria, VA and NoVa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are possibly relocating to the DC area with our daughter who is currently in 9th grade. Obviously this isn’t a great time to move and uproot a high schooler. She currently goes to a rigorous private school in our area and I realize we would need to have our headmistress reach out ti help find her a spot somewhere. She is a tip top student in terms of grades , honors classes, standardized tests and likes challenging classes but a kind , supportive atmosphere. She’s very committed to STEM, involved in two school sports, and involved in speech and debate. She is thinking about computer science as an area of interest for college or engineering, along with economics
If we make this move we could have some flexibility to try to live near a school that is a good fit. We’d consider both all girls and co-Ed schools. Any suggestions on where to look ?

Top of mind is Holton Arms (secular) and National Cathedral School (Episcopalian). Next tier for all girls would be Madeira (secular), Visitation (Catholic), and Stone Ridge (Secular).

For co-ed, there are a lot of choices. Sidwell Friends (Quaker), Georgetown Day, Maret and Potomac School are among the most sought-after. St. John’s College has a strong honors program. Basis Independent in McLean is super strong in STEM, but is not a “kind, supportive atmosphere” (gross understatement).

[Anonymous]

Are you assuming a mid-year transfer or applying for next fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where will you be living and working? Commute is critical here. Generally speaking, most of the strong privates are in NW DC, Bethesda, or Potomac. There is a smaller selection in Alexandria, VA and NoVa.

I think working near Chevy Chase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you assuming a mid-year transfer or applying for next fall?

Most likely I think we would finish out the school year here and switch next fall but not positive. Would also lean to what my daughter would want

[Anonymous]

NCS is way over-enrolled for the current 9th grade. They had the highest yield they've ever had this year and the class is about 95 girls (in contrast this year they just graduated about 75). Girls are having trouble getting electives and classes are large.
I've heard that GDS 9th is also overenrolled for 9th.
I don't know about Holton.
I know Sidwell 9th went to the waitlist so they may be a good bet because they managed enrollment well.
Debate is not a big thing at NCS. Sidwell has a team but the top schools for debate in the DMV are Potomac (the had the top debater in the US last year and she's currently a senior) and GDS.

[Anonymous]

Holton Arms has an extensive bus system. Plenty of folks live in Chevy Chase and other parts of DC and farther out. We use the bus and it’s great. US can drive as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are possibly relocating to the DC area with our daughter who is currently in 9th grade. Obviously this isn’t a great time to move and uproot a high schooler. She currently goes to a rigorous private school in our area and I realize we would need to have our headmistress reach out ti help find her a spot somewhere. She is a tip top student in terms of grades , honors classes, standardized tests and likes challenging classes but a kind , supportive atmosphere. She’s very committed to STEM, involved in two school sports, and involved in speech and debate. She is thinking about computer science as an area of interest for college or engineering, along with economics
If we make this move we could have some flexibility to try to live near a school that is a good fit. We’d consider both all girls and co-Ed schools. Any suggestions on where to look ?

Top of mind is Holton Arms (secular) and National Cathedral School (Episcopalian). Next tier for all girls would be Madeira (secular), Visitation (Catholic), and Stone Ridge (Secular).

For co-ed, there are a lot of choices. Sidwell Friends (Quaker), Georgetown Day, Maret and Potomac School are among the most sought-after. St. John’s College has a strong honors program. Basis Independent in McLean is super strong in STEM, but is not a “kind, supportive atmosphere” (gross understatement).

Agree with this, tho Stone Ridge is not secular.

[Anonymous]

Op here: thinking of moving at this point Is really making me sad!

Also interested in schools that really value teachers and high quality instruction m.

And schools that can accommodate post calculus math. She will be in BC calculus as a sophomore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here: thinking of moving at this point Is really making me sad!

Also interested in schools that really value teachers and high quality instruction m.

And schools that can accommodate post calculus math. She will be in BC calculus as a sophomore

All of the schools 20:10 listed fit those criteria. You'll have to apply widely/see where your current school has connections.

[Anonymous]

DC private schools are not big on math acceleration. my daughter at NCS is on track for calc BC in 11th and she's one of 10 or so kids in this cohort and nobody is more accelerated than this.
My son applied for 9th and he was on track for calc BC in 10th. GDS was open to keeping him on this track. Sidwell has fantastic math but does a sequence of classes called math 1, 2, 3, 4 for their strongest math students. Had he attended Sidwell he would have gone into Math 1 in 9th (after taking geometry in 7th and algebra 2 in 8th at his previous school.

In general though, the privates around here do not accelerate kids in math. your daughter will be an anomaly.

[Anonymous]

If kind and supportive is important be careful of NCS and Holton. See current thread on pressure cookers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are possibly relocating to the DC area with our daughter who is currently in 9th grade. Obviously this isn’t a great time to move and uproot a high schooler. She currently goes to a rigorous private school in our area and I realize we would need to have our headmistress reach out ti help find her a spot somewhere. She is a tip top student in terms of grades , honors classes, standardized tests and likes challenging classes but a kind , supportive atmosphere. She’s very committed to STEM, involved in two school sports, and involved in speech and debate. She is thinking about computer science as an area of interest for college or engineering, along with economics
If we make this move we could have some flexibility to try to live near a school that is a good fit. We’d consider both all girls and co-Ed schools. Any suggestions on where to look ?

Top of mind is Holton Arms (secular) and National Cathedral School (Episcopalian). Next tier for all girls would be Madeira (secular), Visitation (Catholic), and Stone Ridge (Secular).

For co-ed, there are a lot of choices. Sidwell Friends (Quaker), Georgetown Day, Maret and Potomac School are among the most sought-after. St. John’s College has a strong honors program. Basis Independent in McLean is super strong in STEM, but is not a “kind, supportive atmosphere” (gross understatement).

Stone Ridge is not secular!! The whole name of the school is Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. It’s Catholic!

[Anonymous]

OP, in your shoes, I would seriously consider delaying your move until your DD graduates. Or have the parent changing jobs commute if that is your situation.