SSFS Will Stay Open

[Anonymous]

Blindsided, not blind sighted.

[Anonymous]

Hey hey! Ho ho! The board has got to go!

[Anonymous]

It's a sinking ship. I have a hard time seeing it any other way.


But.

Most local independent private schools are sinking ships that are always needing money to avoid the brink of collapse. That doesn't mean that they WILL collapse or that they're not great education experiences for our children. Sandy Spring will live.

Thank you all.

#theboardmustgo

[Anonymous]

I think families have a reprieve to plan graceful exits next year. But if their donors come thru with fin aid packages (which the school can’t afford but if someone continues to be willing to shell out cash) then the school will continue to have students

[Anonymous]

For SSFS families, this is a moment where the independent school community around the DMV is feeling a lot of sympathy for the kids and is opening up slots that normally would not be available. If your plan is to wait things out a year and then apply out thoughtfully, just make sure you are taking into account whether next year your kid will be in an expansion year for most schools vs a year where they rarely take new kids/only take kids through attrition. There may be an opportunity now that doesn’t exist a year from now if the SSFS remains open but with a lot less programming and fewer kids per grade.

We are applying our child out this year because next year would not be an expansion year for her grade. It has been an exhausting couple of weeks trying to do our due diligence and learn about schools, but we have done it and applications have gone in. There are actually many wonderful schools in the DMV. We’ll see what happens.

I want SSFS to survive but this last two weeks has been too much. Fool me once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey hey! Ho ho! The board has got to go!

The FAQ sent by the school yesterday seems to suggest a new board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey hey! Ho ho! The board has got to go!

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For SSFS families, this is a moment where the independent school community around the DMV is feeling a lot of sympathy for the kids and is opening up slots that normally would not be available. If your plan is to wait things out a year and then apply out thoughtfully, just make sure you are taking into account whether next year your kid will be in an expansion year for most schools vs a year where they rarely take new kids/only take kids through attrition. There may be an opportunity now that doesn’t exist a year from now if the SSFS remains open but with a lot less programming and fewer kids per grade.

We are applying our child out this year because next year would not be an expansion year for her grade. It has been an exhausting couple of weeks trying to do our due diligence and learn about schools, but we have done it and applications have gone in. There are actually many wonderful schools in the DMV. We’ll see what happens.

I want SSFS to survive but this last two weeks has been too much. Fool me once.

Good points, wise decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For SSFS families, this is a moment where the independent school community around the DMV is feeling a lot of sympathy for the kids and is opening up slots that normally would not be available.

This is wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think families have a reprieve to plan graceful exits next year. But if their donors come thru with fin aid packages (which the school can’t afford but if someone continues to be willing to shell out cash) then the school will continue to have students

Maybe they should consider an aggressive tuition reset with larger class sizes.

[Anonymous]

I get why rising seniors want to stay. For anyone else, I'd look at other options. I know it's rock and a hard place, but your school's future is being held together by pledges at the moment.

What happens when Monday comes around and there's more crumbs with no real plan?

I wish the best for you, but that's a lot of money to throw away on a promise, not to mention your child's education at stake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get why rising seniors want to stay. For anyone else, I'd look at other options. I know it's rock and a hard place, but your school's future is being held together by pledges at the moment.

What happens when Monday comes around and there's more crumbs with no real plan?

I wish the best for you, but that's a lot of money to throw away on a promise, not to mention your child's education at stake.

I don't get why people feel entitled to come on these forums and tell others what they think they should do.

I'm angry at SSFS and there's a lot to vent about in these forums. For example - the BOT MUST GO! But coming on there to tell people what to do is condescending. Instead focus on what you think SSFS should do rather than what parents should do!

[Anonymous]

Many teachers are staying. We are very hopeful and committed.

[Anonymous]

My guess is lots of lower school kids stay - maybe even middle school. And the 10th and eleventh graders. If I were in the present 8th or 9th, if you find a reasonable option, I’d move on. But to each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is lots of lower school kids stay - maybe even middle school. And the 10th and eleventh graders. If I were in the present 8th or 9th, if you find a reasonable option, I’d move on. But to each their own.

I see the previous post was lost on you - " But coming on there to tell people what to do is condescending. Instead focus on what you think SSFS should do rather than what parents should do!"