McLean School of Maryland

[Anonymous]

In MS, there are leagues outside of school. (Rockville or Maplewood for MoCO.

Not so for HS. You could check with your local HS to see if they might provide a waiver to play on your public HS team. Otherwise, there really is not another option.

[Anonymous]

Siena or Field School, and the others mentioned here I am not as familiar with, are good schools to consider. If you're counting on the recent changes in leadership to influence the school soon, you'll be frustrated. Changes come slowly to ind. schools and first several years are usually very challenging, especially for parents. Look at schools that meet your expectations now, enquire about your specific needs and interests with them instead of counting on or hoping for immediate change to a school with new leadership.

[Anonymous]

17:47 I don't know any football options for HS. We are doubling down on LAX. See you at the bus stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Siena or Field School, and the others mentioned here I am not as familiar with, are good schools to consider. If you're counting on the recent changes in leadership to influence the school soon, you'll be frustrated. Changes come slowly to ind. schools and first several years are usually very challenging, especially for parents. Look at schools that meet your expectations now, enquire about your specific needs and interests with them instead of counting on or hoping for immediate change to a school with new leadership.

This is clearly the same poster who is trying her best to dissuade people from sending their kids to McLean.

Its been a God send for us.

[Anonymous]

Former Mclean parent here. Loved it for lower, hated it for middle, got out before high school so can't speak to that. Generally speaking, parents who love the school for their kids for whatever reason cannot fathom anyone coming on here and saying anything negative about the place. They also can't tolerate the idea that there are actually many folks who are or were dissatisfied there so they immediately try to discredit any bad press by saying it's the mythical "Lone McLean Basher." The student who posted earlier and reported uninspiring teaching was pretty accurate. That doesn't mean there aren't some good ones still there. But many of the good ones left or were pushed out when the enrollment plummeted. Hopefully the new appointees will turn the tide for the school.

[Anonymous]

I am an incoming parent with a middle schooler and would be interested in hearing an unemotional and thoughtful opinion about why you did not like the middle school experience for your DC. can you provide more information? Just saying you hated it for middle school and agreeing with a student's opinion does not provide much credible evidence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard there has been a lot of turnover with the teaching staff in the past couple of years so hopefully the mediocre teachers have left.

As a current McLean student, I can say they have not left. In fact, more mediocre teachers have come in. The work is not challenging and 50% percent of the teachers hate their jobs (and it shows).

Um, this doesn't make sense. If they hate their jobs why haven't they left?

The teachers I've spoken to very much like working there.

I have no opinions on most teachers at McLean, although I do happen to know one who is a former co-worker and was quite good when we worked together.

However, the notion that there are no people who hate their jobs because if there were they'd just leave is, at best, naive. I currently hate my job, but I like feeding my child and having health insurance so I'll hold on until something better comes along.

[Anonymous]

How is the math program? What about the US math teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former Mclean parent here. Loved it for lower, hated it for middle, got out before high school so can't speak to that. Generally speaking, parents who love the school for their kids for whatever reason cannot fathom anyone coming on here and saying anything negative about the place. They also can't tolerate the idea that there are actually many folks who are or were dissatisfied there so they immediately try to discredit any bad press by saying it's the mythical "Lone McLean Basher." The student who posted earlier and reported uninspiring teaching was pretty accurate. That doesn't mean there aren't some good ones still there. But many of the good ones left or were pushed out when the enrollment plummeted. Hopefully the new appointees will turn the tide for the school.

I love McLean and have said so but I've also said its not for everyone. What I have trouble with is the Mclean basher who comes here repeatedly and tells people to run from the school and posts half truths. Share your experience, fine. But to post over and over "do not send your child to this school" isn't helpful and doesn't present a clear picture of the school. Some parents are unhappy. Many of us are very happy. Parents need to check it out for themselves.

One thing to keep in mind is that there really isn't any other school in this area that fills the niche that Mclean does. Field doesn't have the structure, Burke doesn't have the same supports. McLean fills the niche for kids who don't need a special ed school but need more than a mainstream school. if you have one of those kids, its such a relief. And whether or not you like it or its right for your child, we are very lucky to have a school for that niche in our area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former Mclean parent here. Loved it for lower, hated it for middle, got out before high school so can't speak to that. Generally speaking, parents who love the school for their kids for whatever reason cannot fathom anyone coming on here and saying anything negative about the place. They also can't tolerate the idea that there are actually many folks who are or were dissatisfied there so they immediately try to discredit any bad press by saying it's the mythical "Lone McLean Basher." The student who posted earlier and reported uninspiring teaching was pretty accurate. That doesn't mean there aren't some good ones still there. But many of the good ones left or were pushed out when the enrollment plummeted. Hopefully the new appointees will turn the tide for the school.

I love McLean and have said so but I've also said its not for everyone. What I have trouble with is the Mclean basher who comes here repeatedly and tells people to run from the school and posts half truths. Share your experience, fine. But to post over and over "do not send your child to this school" isn't helpful and doesn't present a clear picture of the school. Some parents are unhappy. Many of us are very happy. Parents need to check it out for themselves.

One thing to keep in mind is that there really isn't any other school in this area that fills the niche that Mclean does. Field doesn't have the structure, Burke doesn't have the same supports. McLean fills the niche for kids who don't need a special ed school but need more than a mainstream school. if you have one of those kids, its such a relief. And whether or not you like it or its right for your child, we are very lucky to have a school for that niche in our area.[/quote]

You hit the nail on the head. McLean is unique in that it offers more support than other traditional privates and publics but not as much as would be needed at a Lab or Kingsbury. I need a McLean type school because I know my DS would fall through the cracks at our local MS or become discouraged and zone out of school all together. I need the small class size and individualized instruction when necessary and the strategies to help him focus and develop good executive functioning skills. I hate to pay all the money but if I don't I may be looking at a child unprepared for the rigors of high school and college which would be disastrous. I am grateful for a McLean but recognize its not a silver bullet or may not work for every kid.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Mclean School for High School?

[Anonymous]

McLean is the best thing that ever happened to out daughter! It saved our lives. She was at a good MCPS elementary school, Seven Locks, from K-3, that was small and with good test scores but had a disastrous principal starting 2015-2016 who finally left after three years. He was an administrator who returned to a principal position just to mark time until retirement. The damage he did to the school, and particularly to our daughter with his refusal to address physical abuse and bullying by another student, was immeasurable. We pulled her out of there after 3rd grade and enrolled in McLean, which as their tag line says, has been transformative. McLean has small classes, anywhere from 1:5 to 1:10 in the middle school grades. Our daughter has some mild learning differences that in MCPS qualified her for an IEP but unfortunately by their assessment qualified her for few if any services. At McLean most everyone either learns a little differently. or is a little different, and since it is the norm the kids don't feel different or weird and arn't afraid to ask to have things explained multiple times, or ask for extra help. Everyone helps everyone else and is supportive and accepting. Because the classes are small and it is a private school they are free to use multiple and multi-modal teaching methods. Our daughter has made huge gains. We see incredible improvement, she loves school, she has great grades, and is now excited and self-motivated about learning. I wish there was a little more diversity but it's not bad considering there are only about 400 students k-12.

[Anonymous]

I have heard very mixed result as to whether graduates from McLean are actually prepared for college.

Like your DD's experience, I have heard about many happy children that finally find their place in school and gain confidence but I have then heard from those same parents that the children dropped out of college or really struggled without the extra support.

It's a hard place to be in and I do think that McLean is a good option for those where public is too overwhelming, but parents need to be aware that the reason their children are successful and learning will not actually be carried over to college which could make it a very hard transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard very mixed result as to whether graduates from McLean are actually prepared for college.

Like your DD's experience, I have heard about many happy children that finally find their place in school and gain confidence but I have then heard from those same parents that the children dropped out of college or really struggled without the extra support.

It's a hard place to be in and I do think that McLean is a good option for those where public is too overwhelming, but parents need to be aware that the reason their children are successful and learning will not actually be carried over to college which could make it a very hard transition.

You have “heard” students are not prepared from college from whom? The school has a four-year college graduation rate of 100% for students who graduated from McLean with a B average or better.

https://www.mcleanschool.org/page/about/transformative-education-at-a-glance

The school is transparent about outcomes - it reports current data on their website.