St. Andrew’s Episcopal for high school

Anonymous
Thoughts? Esp from current parents of high school students.
Anonymous
Same question. Considering for DS who is very smart but with no hook as an alternative to a big 3.
Anonymous
It’s been great for my daughter who started 9th grade from a DC k-8. The other kids seem nice and I’ve enjoyed getting to know the parent community. The school year only started in September but so far so good.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Same question. Considering for DS who is very smart but with no hook as an alternative to a big 3.


Parent with recent SAES graduate. This is probably the profile that is most happy at SAES. The honors/AP classes at SAES are a lot of work, but in comparison to the Big 3 the school is much more willing to give more As if the students in the class warrant it. It is also much easier for kids like this to stand out and earn other honors at SAES than it would be at the Big 3 type schools. So kids with this profile tend to have a good experience at SAES and do really well in college admissions. But only about 1/3 of the class will be this profile. The bottom 2/3 of the class will be a lot weaker than the cohort you get at a Big 3.

Bullis is also a good fit for this type of kid for the reason if you don’t care as much about the perceived prestige of the high school for the same reason.
Anonymous
Bump
Anonymous
We have a 10th grader who is feeling challenged in advanced classes, but finds the teachers accessible when he needs help. He enjoys it socially, and loves to go get a snack at the cafe and study in the student commons after school. The facilities and playing fields are beautiful. School communications are a strength. The longtime Head is warm and easy to talk to.
Anonymous
They no longer want kids who need learning supports. So as long as your kid doesn't need any you are good.
Anonymous
Do they give extra time on tests for ADHD?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:We have a 10th grader who is feeling challenged in advanced classes, but finds the teachers accessible when he needs help. He enjoys it socially, and loves to go get a snack at the cafe and study in the student commons after school. The facilities and playing fields are beautiful. School communications are a strength. The longtime Head is warm and easy to talk to.


Thanks.

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Do they give extra time on tests for ADHD?


Yes, like all schools.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:They no longer want kids who need learning supports. So as long as your kid doesn't need any you are good.



No, they just want average run of the mill kids to attend their average run of the mill school.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:They no longer want kids who need learning supports. So as long as your kid doesn't need any you are good.


What does this mean?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They no longer want kids who need learning supports. So as long as your kid doesn't need any you are good.


What does this mean?


I’m not the poster of that comment however I know that the lower school did not let in many applicants with mild learning challenges this year vs other years where these kids would have been let in. Which lead to low enrollment (from what I’ve heard).
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They no longer want kids who need learning supports. So as long as your kid doesn't need any you are good.


What does this mean?


I’m not the poster of that comment however I know that the lower school did not let in many applicants with mild learning challenges this year vs other years where these kids would have been let in. Which lead to low enrollment (from what I’ve heard).


SAES parent. Enrollment is the highest it’s ever been school wide and the school has increased size in lower and middle school fairly dramatically over the 8 years we have been here so that part isn’t quite right.

But I do think, though, that there is mismatch sometimes between the reputation among some of SAES as being especially good at dealing with learning differences or “quirky” kids (whatever that hard to define term means). I don’t think that is true.

We love the school, but it is a pretty traditional suburban private like Bullis or SSSAS or Flint Hill. It is not a school like Burke or Field that has a more nontraditonal approach to learning. To be clear, those schools are awesome. But they different in learning approach to SAES, which is very traditional in most respects. We are lucky to have such variety.

My advice is you’ll likely be much happier with what SAES offers if you are comparing it to Bullis than if you are thinking of it as similar to Field.
Anonymous
I agree with 13:03 poster. The school is fully enrolled, graduating 100 students this May with the Lower School growing quickly to fill its new building. (Jordan Love is the best LS Head in the DMV in my humble opinion.) The MS is bigger than it's ever been.

I do think that a percentage of students with mild learning differences are admitted and supported with some basic accommodations. But for sure it's not and never was Mclean.

My Upper School student is just going to sleep now after a very full day. His teachers are definitely challenging him, but he's also enjoying his friends and sports, and is happy. I have no doubt that he'll be well prepared for a great college (like our older children who already graduated). And he won't be burned out by the time he gets there.
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