Catholic Parish Schools: Bethesda/Ch Ch/DC/Potomac/Rockville and others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just started at St. Peters Olney and I am shocked at the class size. When we applied they said 25 was their max, which made me unsettled. Now on the first day, we discover there are 29 and 28 in ds grade level and no plan to split into a third class for this grade level. Also, we attend this parish and see many, many faces we have not seen before. It seems they are packing them in for financial reasons? What are the class sizes you are used to at catholic k-8 schools?

our class sizes span 18-24

[Anonymous]

How did someone dig up this nine year old thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did someone dig up this nine year old thread?

Probably through the search function.

[Anonymous]

Our Catholic elementary caps at 28, but they rarely go over 26. We’ve had classes of 22 students some years.

[Anonymous]

Ours caps at 26. The middle school grades sometimes have significantly less because of attrition. Some leave to go to larger schools with high school grades. We will probably do that as well. Middle school in a place with only one class per grade is too small for my DC.

[Anonymous]

BSS had 21 in both my kids’ classes in K but then 23 in the upper grades.

[Anonymous]

Our middle school caps at 32. Honestly it is not a problem (depends on the make up of kids possibly and the ability of the teacher) because of discipline problems are dealt with quickly and there is not much disruption in the classroom. Also grades are broken up for math, literature and specials so they are smaller groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our Lady of Lourdes is in Bethesda. It looks great on paper, but is a terrible school. The principal is nasty and back-stabbing and only pays attention to the people who are big donors. There is NOTHING Cathlolic about this school. The teachers are liberal and it is reflected in their teaching. The gym teacher cusses in front of students and has lay of the land. If you have to send your kids there, it is beter for middle school and not for elementary.

This is old info. Principal retired. Class of ‘18 all got into top choiceschools. Blue ribbon (or was). I live in the East Bethesda neighborhood adjoining Lourdes, some neighbors send their kids there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re troubling post on camps board re the summer camp at Lourdes.

Are you referring to this one? http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/22951.page#238879

OMG, I wrote that post in 2008 when my son was six years old! For tweens and older, it was a fun camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our Lady of Lourdes is in Bethesda. It looks great on paper, but is a terrible school. The principal is nasty and back-stabbing and only pays attention to the people who are big donors. There is NOTHING Cathlolic about this school. The teachers are liberal and it is reflected in their teaching. The gym teacher cusses in front of students and has lay of the land. If you have to send your kids there, it is beter for middle school and not for elementary.

This is old info. Principal retired. Class of ‘18 all got into top choiceschools. Blue ribbon (or was). I live in the East Bethesda neighborhood adjoining Lourdes, some neighbors send their kids there.

The whole thread is old -- look at the dates, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi!

I know this thread has been inactive for several months but we are new to the area with two kids and are considering Avalon and Brookewood. Our kids will be in 1st grade and 3rd grade and would appreciate any input, not just regarding the schools previously mentioned but any suggestions as to which schools would be worth taking time to look into. I feel like I've read through every MoCo area Catholic school website in the past couple of months!

There are many old threads on Avalon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone please share any knowledge of how academically-challenging yet nurturing The Woods Academy is? Are the facilities satisfactory? Thanks!

It is fantastic. Wish I had sent my kids there (and I’m not Catholic). Woods is independent, not parish, so the curriculum in the preschool and K years is Montessori-Raquel. Nice facilities, great value - more expensive than parish (double or more) but less expensive than good private schools. More diversity in families and their faiths.