New Elementary School Opening near the National Cathedral

[Anonymous]

How much time do kids spend on the computer? I was looking for an alternative to DCI (We are at a feeder) but if you want a tech heavy approach but with bettern foreign language instruction, check out DCI. Added benefit- it is free for DC residents and you they loan you a chromebook.

[Anonymous]

Has ANYONE applied here? I don't think I'd send my kid there even if I could afford it, but I'm morbidly curious.

[Anonymous]

The admissions process is kind of hilarious. Most of it is copied directly from the main Acton Academy web site, but the DC folks left out this gem, from the list of questions parents must answer in writing before beginning the process: "Do you believe that with all her flaws, America remains the last, best hope for mankind? Why or why not?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The admissions process is kind of hilarious. Most of it is copied directly from the main Acton Academy web site, but the DC folks left out this gem, from the list of questions parents must answer in writing before beginning the process: "Do you believe that with all her flaws, America remains the last, best hope for mankind? Why or why not?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The admissions process is kind of hilarious. Most of it is copied directly from the main Acton Academy web site, but the DC folks left out this gem, from the list of questions parents must answer in writing before beginning the process: "Do you believe that with all her flaws, America remains the last, best hope for mankind? Why or why not?"

Thanks, that's among the most absurd things I've ever read here.

[Anonymous]

Which part is absurd? Are you familiar with this Abraham Lincoln quote?

[Anonymous]

NP. The fact that it is a question on a 1st grade application is absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which part is absurd? Are you familiar with this Abraham Lincoln quote?

1) Making parents write an essay about American exceptionalism 2) in order to possibly acquire the privilege of paying a small fortune 3) for the equivalent of homeschooling a child 4) in order to start that child on "a hero's journey."

If you don't find that absurd, there's a new school in NW DC that you and your little hero might want to check out...

[Anonymous]

Actually, I think this question is a perfect way to weed out all of the people who will mock them.

[Anonymous]

Doubt those people are paying to apply

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I think this question is a perfect way to weed out all of the people who will mock them.

You're right, it will weed out people who would mock them. But simplistic, knee-jerk approaches to understanding the world sometimes deserve to be mocked. They may want to be left in peace without having their ideas challenged, and one way to do that is to exclude anyone who might challenge you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I think this question is a perfect way to weed out all of the people who will mock them.

I don't think this school is going to be so overwhelmed with applicants that it needs to weed people out.

[Anonymous]

One of the hilarious things about this school is the total rejection of the usual right wing blather about kids getting trophies for just showing up and everyone is special blah blah blah. I think when you promote your school with a blog that says every child should have a cheerleader and premise the whole thing on the idea that children are on a hero's journey, you are one cliche away from trophies for showing up.

And even if the parents don't have to write about American exceptionalism, they do have to read a book about unschooling and write a book report.

[Anonymous]

An ex-oilman and self-described "Bill Buckley libertarian" has decided to dabble in education by founding a school. Not anyone with an interest in education who's spent their career studying children and what works, but someone who's got money and hubris and decided to do his thing.

I wouldn't be comfortable sending my kids there. Can you say "guinea pig?"


"The school's 18 students range in age from 6 to 10 and learn together in the same classroom, with a mix of discussions in the round and computer-based study using such software as Rosetta Stone, a foreign language program. It's the antithesis of what Sandefer calls the "assembly line approach to schooling" on his blog, http://transformingeducation.tumblr.com .

Graphics on the wall sum up Sandefer's view of how education, and life, ought to be pursued: "I am on a hero's journey."'

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/ex-oilmans-drive-for-market-based-education-has-in/nRZr4/#__federated=1

[Anonymous]

Not saying this new school is my particular cup of tea or that it will stand up to the test of time. But, Sidwell Friends was founded by a 24 year old, still wet behind the ears after just a few semesters teaching at Baltimore Friends, Exeter was founded by a family that made its fortune financing ships, Edward Harkness was an oilman before becoming an education philanthropist, and Felix Adler founded Ethical Culture Fieldston at the tender age of 24 after completing rabbinical studies. Just saying that not every innovative or good idea in education needs to emanate from the establishment.