Holton email to staff/admin re 4th grade admissions

[Anonymous]

Someone posted this in another thread on October 29: "Teachers and admin received an email that there will likely be very, very few spots for 4th bc current 3rd grade is large (unless the school decides to add a third classroom for 4th grade which they have not traditionally done)."

Does anyone know the specifics of the email, or able to provide other insights?

[Anonymous]

Some years ago there were 3 fourth grade homerooms. It has always been hard to get into Holton.

[Anonymous]

4th grade was not traditionally an entry year for Holton. 5th, 6th, and 7th all are as the class size grows in those years. For a few years 3rd grade was very small so there were spots available for 4th graders but that has shifted again. Holton has a strict cap on total number of students so a class size in a specific year can determine a lot for the following year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Someone posted this in another thread on October 29: "Teachers and admin received an email that there will likely be very, very few spots for 4th bc current 3rd grade is large (unless the school decides to add a third classroom for 4th grade which they have not traditionally done)."

Does anyone know the specifics of the email, or able to provide other insights?

What does it mean it is large? isn't the number fixed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Someone posted this in another thread on October 29: "Teachers and admin received an email that there will likely be very, very few spots for 4th bc current 3rd grade is large (unless the school decides to add a third classroom for 4th grade which they have not traditionally done)."

Does anyone know the specifics of the email, or able to provide other insights?

What does it mean it is large? isn't the number fixed?

They may have had a larger than expected yield this year.

[Anonymous]

The school has a strict occupancy limit (due to the neighbors, basically) so if they need to do reductinos, it tends to be in lower school. 4th isnt' a typical entry year, so that's a good place to do it.

Here's the website of the neighbors in opposition to any expansion:
https://noholtonexpansion.com/

In particular, I find these points of objection the most amusing:

"Make Granger House a permanent office, instead of reverting to residential use" -- this building is way internal in the campus and won't disrupt neighbors at all. Actually this one has already been approved via a separate request, for that reason.

"Holton-Arms would not be required to monitor or limit what types of events take place." -- Holton wants to rent their fields out during the weekend, for example for lacross tournaments. Their brother school (Landon) already does this. Do the neighbors think Holton plans to rent out the fields for some type of wild Gatsby-like parties.. on a turf field?

[Anonymous]

The current 3rd grade this year has something like 31 girls. In general the school likes to keep lower school homerooms to ~16, so if they don’t add a third 4th grade class next year there will be room for 1-2 new girls (assuming all current 3rd graders return).

If they add a third class, obviously they will be able to add a bunch of girls. Either way, there are three 5th grade homerooms so if your DD doesn’t get in for 4th you can reapply for 5th.

You should apply either way because if they add a third homeroom for 4th next year it might end up being a relatively easier year to get in than 5th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some years ago there were 3 fourth grade homerooms. It has always been hard to get into Holton.

Understood that it has always been hard. But to send out an email specifically about the 4th grade makes it seem like it will be an especially acute problem this year.

We haven't had our parent interview, but on our tour and at an open house (both in October) they indicated that they are likely adding a 4th grade homeroom next year. That is inconsistent with what this email apparently said in late October.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some years ago there were 3 fourth grade homerooms. It has always been hard to get into Holton.

Understood that it has always been hard. But to send out an email specifically about the 4th grade makes it seem like it will be an especially acute problem this year.

We haven't had our parent interview, but on our tour and at an open house (both in October) they indicated that they are likely adding a 4th grade homeroom next year. That is inconsistent with what this email apparently said in late October.

My understanding is that last year the school had overwhelming interest for Lower School, especially 3rd grade. Not sure if it's the state of MCPS or just the world in general, but there seems to be bigger than usual demand for private schools in our area at the moment. I would assume Holton is trying to react and capitalize on that, but at some point there will be a squeeze/lack of spots as the school has that capacity cap another poster mentioned.
But apply because you just never know!

[Anonymous]

An email about this was never sent. Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Believe the actual employee.

[Anonymous]

We found it very very easy to get into HA at 4th grade. Everyone we knew got in. Like, at least 10 acquaintances.

[Anonymous]

Could be the usual anti-Holton poster. They'll spin anything negative. If there are a lot of spots open in 4th, they'll say it's due to current 3rd graders leaving. If there are few spots, they'll say it's due to few applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We found it very very easy to get into HA at 4th grade. Everyone we knew got in. Like, at least 10 acquaintances.

False because they don’t expand that much in 4th grade. Lie harder.

[Anonymous]

There are about 30 kids in fourth grade this year. Ten were new accepts.