Expectations about behavior at Whitman School

[Anon156]

Hello there

we are about to move to MoCo and thinking about the Whitman cluster. Attracted by the academic side of the school but concerned as my daughter has had a few behavioral problems in her previous school which was extra strict. Just wondering what the expectations about behavior in class look like at WW and how hard teachers come down with detentions, suspensions etc.

Also wondering about fights on campus and incidents. I feel some of the things I read over here about WW are quite appalling - it would be great to be reassured of how school life at WW would look like! Reading about those appalling things made me wonder if expectations of students behavior are quite low - which might be positive for my daughter but concerning for me!

[Anonymous]

there aren't fights on campus that you need worry about - most kids are so busy doing their college level neuroscience classes that they are not social

otherwise there are sad boys who take fentanyl overdoses and their sports teams mourn them for the rest of the year

if your kid is normal they'll be fine, slipping through these cracks.

[Anonymous]

OP what kinds of behaviors did your DD have in her current school?

[Anon156]

Anonymous wrote:OP what kinds of behaviors did your DD have in her current school?

Replying back to teachers, general rudeness, being overexcited in corridors (being loud or running around), and some physical incidents too but nothing particularly malicious or bullying. She is good academically and really smart but negative about the way she is perceived by others and tends to hang around with troubling children. Maybe the high academic standards of WW will force her to get back on track or maybe she will feel rejected (as children are too focused on studying) and in that case, I wonder if her behavior might become an issue. Not really sure about how easy it is to get excluded from WW or in fact any other MoCO school...

[Anon156]

Anonymous wrote:there aren't fights on campus that you need worry about - most kids are so busy doing their college level neuroscience classes that they are not social

otherwise there are sad boys who take fentanyl overdoses and their sports teams mourn them for the rest of the year

if your kid is normal they'll be fine, slipping through these cracks.

So are you saying that there are only focused children and those doing drugs and nothing in between?

[Anonymous]

Anon156 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there aren't fights on campus that you need worry about - most kids are so busy doing their college level neuroscience classes that they are not social

otherwise there are sad boys who take fentanyl overdoses and their sports teams mourn them for the rest of the year

if your kid is normal they'll be fine, slipping through these cracks.

So are you saying that there are only focused children and those doing drugs and nothing in between?

OP ignore this poster.

[Anonymous]

There are fights at ALL high schools, which is just one of the many reasons they all have security. And cameras every where. Assuming they are neuro-typical, I would not expect the school to influence your child's behaviors. That's your job, and will change to be more influenced by her peers.

[Anonymous]

Anon156 wrote:Hello there

we are about to move to MoCo and thinking about the Whitman cluster. Attracted by the academic side of the school but concerned as my daughter has had a few behavioral problems in her previous school which was extra strict. Just wondering what the expectations about behavior in class look like at WW and how hard teachers come down with detentions, suspensions etc.

Also wondering about fights on campus and incidents. I feel some of the things I read over here about WW are quite appalling - it would be great to be reassured of how school life at WW would look like! Reading about those appalling things made me wonder if expectations of students behavior are quite low - which might be positive for my daughter but concerning for me!

Sure, there are fights and even violence, but that's going to be true at any public school. My kids tell me there are fights all the time, but they stay away from the kids who are involved, so it doesn't really impact them. They may sometimes see kids vaping in the bathrooms. Sure, it's not ideal but it's not really the end of the world either. The school is fine and offers many APs like all MCPS high-schools, so if they want a challenge that's an option.

[Anonymous]

Anon156 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP what kinds of behaviors did your DD have in her current school?

Replying back to teachers, general rudeness, being overexcited in corridors (being loud or running around), and some physical incidents too but nothing particularly malicious or bullying. She is good academically and really smart but negative about the way she is perceived by others and tends to hang around with troubling children. Maybe the high academic standards of WW will force her to get back on track or maybe she will feel rejected (as children are too focused on studying) and in that case, I wonder if her behavior might become an issue. Not really sure about how easy it is to get excluded from WW or in fact any other MoCO school...

“Some physical incidents” - exactly what behaviors are you looking for child to be able to inflict on others without consequences?

[Anonymous]

Telling it like it is. Sorry OP. She would be ostracized. Like any large public school there are kids who have behavioral challenges but they are not really part of the main community and many students avoid them. This is a high performing school with students under a lot of pressure from parents. They are teens so they all have their own issues but they are mostly hidden under the surface and most of the one we know would not want to be associated with a child who has had repeated behavioral problems.

[Anonymous]

All of MCPS " expectations of students behavior are quite low".

[Anonymous]

I don't think that's true at all. Our child switched from another MCPS to Whitman and the Whitman teachers are much more rigid, judgmental and on power trips. One rude comment and they give failing grades for B work and they will send people to the principal's office for really minor things like taking your cell phone out once during class. I don't understand how the principals get any work done. The environment is one of high stress.

At DC's old school teachers had much better classroom management. I don't see it as lower expectations but they would understand that certain boundary testing is normal and they deal with it with a lighter touch.

Obviously physical altercations, bullying, threats, or anything serious like that are taken very seriously at both schools.

[Anonymous]

Your child would see a lot of detentions and possibly suspensions if there were physical contact issues.

[Anonymous]

Anon156 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP what kinds of behaviors did your DD have in her current school?

Replying back to teachers, general rudeness, being overexcited in corridors (being loud or running around), and some physical incidents too but nothing particularly malicious or bullying. She is good academically and really smart but negative about the way she is perceived by others and tends to hang around with troubling children. Maybe the high academic standards of WW will force her to get back on track or maybe she will feel rejected (as children are too focused on studying) and in that case, I wonder if her behavior might become an issue. Not really sure about how easy it is to get excluded from WW or in fact any other MoCO school...

All of that will cause her to be excluded and won’t fly. You need to work with her and take her to a therapist over this ASAP. Have consequences at home as well.

[Anonymous]

Anon156 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP what kinds of behaviors did your DD have in her current school?

Replying back to teachers, general rudeness, being overexcited in corridors (being loud or running around), and some physical incidents too but nothing particularly malicious or bullying. She is good academically and really smart but negative about the way she is perceived by others and tends to hang around with troubling children. Maybe the high academic standards of WW will force her to get back on track or maybe she will feel rejected (as children are too focused on studying) and in that case, I wonder if her behavior might become an issue. Not really sure about how easy it is to get excluded from WW or in fact any other MoCO school...

Physical incidents are a form of bullying.