Washington Episcopal School - feedback needed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share about their child’s recent transition from 8th grade at WES to HS on the social side? It seems as though students matriculate into a variety of HS’s, which speaks to consideration of the individual when it comes to the HS selection process. But what about social hurdles? If 30 students go to 25 different HS’s, they will be entering HS with few or no fellow classmates. Does this present social challenges in making new friends and connections at the HS level?

Former WES parent. People will tell you it is an easy transition to 9th, but it’s really not an easy social transition for the majority. It works out in the end usually, but if there is any K-12 option for your child, I would try to avoid the need to transition them in 9th. Academically there are some classes where you will feel really well prepared and others where your child may need to work. Every school has different standards and teacher to teacher the standards will be different at the new school.

Isn't this similar to MCPS middle schools where students go to a new school (or variety of schools) for 9th?
What classes are students NOT prepared for in high school?

[Anonymous]

I know 3 people with kids there, all very happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share about their child’s recent transition from 8th grade at WES to HS on the social side? It seems as though students matriculate into a variety of HS’s, which speaks to consideration of the individual when it comes to the HS selection process. But what about social hurdles? If 30 students go to 25 different HS’s, they will be entering HS with few or no fellow classmates. Does this present social challenges in making new friends and connections at the HS level?

Former WES parent. People will tell you it is an easy transition to 9th, but it’s really not an easy social transition for the majority. It works out in the end usually, but if there is any K-12 option for your child, I would try to avoid the need to transition them in 9th. Academically there are some classes where you will feel really well prepared and others where your child may need to work. Every school has different standards and teacher to teacher the standards will be different at the new school.

Isn't this similar to MCPS middle schools where students go to a new school (or variety of schools) for 9th?
What classes are students NOT prepared for in high school?

The latin program is pretty weak.

[Anonymous]

From my kid's experience and based on a few peers I've talked to, the transition has largely been fine, both socially and academically.

Most of the parents I've talked to said that their kids feel well prepared, but there's maybe one or two HS classes that are challenging. However, the class that's challenging really varies, kid to kid. To me, that says that WES generally prepares them well, but at every school there are those one or two teachers that have really tough classes.

Socially, it seems like kids are doing well. I saw a lot of parents around homecoming and it seemed like all of the kids were going at their new schools and the parents I talked to seemed really happy with how well their kid was doing. My DS isn't very social or outgoing and he's made friends.

Pretty much every high school we visited talked about the ways in which they help new 9th graders integrate, and of course, some schools start in 9th and everyone is new. Also, most of the kids at WES are very involved in choosing which school they go to, so they're pretty excited about becoming a part of the school, probably similar to the way that high school seniors are excited about their college.

[Anonymous]

The 7/8 social studies teacher uses a modified AP human geo, government, and U.S. history curriculum. Not much else to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share about their child’s recent transition from 8th grade at WES to HS on the social side? It seems as though students matriculate into a variety of HS’s, which speaks to consideration of the individual when it comes to the HS selection process. But what about social hurdles? If 30 students go to 25 different HS’s, they will be entering HS with few or no fellow classmates. Does this present social challenges in making new friends and connections at the HS level?

Former WES parent. People will tell you it is an easy transition to 9th, but it’s really not an easy social transition for the majority. It works out in the end usually, but if there is any K-12 option for your child, I would try to avoid the need to transition them in 9th. Academically there are some classes where you will feel really well prepared and others where your child may need to work. Every school has different standards and teacher to teacher the standards will be different at the new school.

Isn't this similar to MCPS middle schools where students go to a new school (or variety of schools) for 9th?
What classes are students NOT prepared for in high school?

The latin program is pretty weak.

Lol. All kids are taking a foreign language (French or Spanish) + Latin in middle school. Latin doesn’t meet every day and is not a core class. It’s an introduction and that’s fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 7/8 social studies teacher uses a modified AP human geo, government, and U.S. history curriculum. Not much else to say.

Wow, this is impressive. How do the kids like it, do they rise to the challenge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone share about their child’s recent transition from 8th grade at WES to HS on the social side? It seems as though students matriculate into a variety of HS’s, which speaks to consideration of the individual when it comes to the HS selection process. But what about social hurdles? If 30 students go to 25 different HS’s, they will be entering HS with few or no fellow classmates. Does this present social challenges in making new friends and connections at the HS level?

Former WES parent. People will tell you it is an easy transition to 9th, but it’s really not an easy social transition for the majority. It works out in the end usually, but if there is any K-12 option for your child, I would try to avoid the need to transition them in 9th. Academically there are some classes where you will feel really well prepared and others where your child may need to work. Every school has different standards and teacher to teacher the standards will be different at the new school.

Isn't this similar to MCPS middle schools where students go to a new school (or variety of schools) for 9th?
What classes are students NOT prepared for in high school?

The latin program is pretty weak.

Lol. All kids are taking a foreign language (French or Spanish) + Latin in middle school. Latin doesn’t meet every day and is not a core class. It’s an introduction and that’s fine.

Is the French or Spanish at WES equal to a semester in 1 year, or is it a full year per year? I.e. when they graduate from 8th which level are they ready for in high school like Level 3?

[Anonymous]

Content in both French and Spanish end with French/Spanish 2. But, since they go through hard material, most kids end up taking French/Spanish 2 in freshman year, with maybe 20% who make French/Spanish 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Content in both French and Spanish end with French/Spanish 2. But, since they go through hard material, most kids end up taking French/Spanish 2 in freshman year, with maybe 20% who make French/Spanish 3.

Thanks PP, this seems similar to MCPS then.

[Anonymous]

How are the arts and music at WES? Sports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are the arts and music at WES? Sports?

A lot of investment in arts, MS studio arts teacher's been there for 20+ years. Solid chorus, and the parents' favorite band program and teacher. Sports are no cut and relatively strong for a non-Mater Dei K-8, and the main competitors are Sidwell, Woods, Norwood, St. Patrick's, GDS, St. Andrew's, and basically every beltway K-8 and K-12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are the arts and music at WES? Sports?

A lot of investment in arts, MS studio arts teacher's been there for 20+ years. Solid chorus, and the parents' favorite band program and teacher. Sports are no cut and relatively strong for a non-Mater Dei K-8, and the main competitors are Sidwell, Woods, Norwood, St. Patrick's, GDS, St. Andrew's, and basically every beltway K-8 and K-12.

Thank you PP for this info. Very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 7/8 social studies teacher uses a modified AP human geo, government, and U.S. history curriculum. Not much else to say.

Wow, this is impressive. How do the kids like it, do they rise to the challenge?

They love it. Particularly for kids who are partial to social studies topics, it’s a really engaging curriculum that you, as a parent, will hear about all the time at the dinner table.

[Anonymous]

New 7/8 history teacher is popular.