Which school best supports children who are advanced academically?

[Anonymous]

Our young Davidson Young Scholar (DYS) and perennial CTY High Honors Award winner prefers his highly Gifted Center Magnet program in MCPS. He does not begrudge his good friends in the local private schools--a few of whom left his former public school for greener pastures because they were not chosen for the Center program. He understands that parents try to find the best fit for their children. He has the choice to join his friends in private school but has no desire to join them given his present academic station. He prefers to leave this association to playdates, CTY camps, and the athletic pitch and the pool. He has revealed he may wish to attend Exeter later because of his interests in Debating, Math and Science. Interestingly, one of his good friends in a popular area private school is also contemplating a switch in high school.

It's nice to have options -- at the end of the day the fit determines what school setting is best.

[Anonymous]

Yup, that pretty much sums up what DC disliked about the MoCo magnet kids she encountered in CTY -- endless games of top dog, lots of push and not much play, intellectually speaking.

[Anonymous]

Yup, that pretty much sums up what DC disliked about the MoCo magnet kids she encountered in CTY -- endless games of top dog, lots of push and not much play, intellectually speaking.

What an irony. When our family visited, toured and interviewed with area D.C. private schools you desribe to a T the parents and children we met at open houses and interview appointments -- the main reason we declined the offers. We wanted to stay in the public school arena (paddle in the plentiful public pond) and avoid the entitlement syndrome that permeated the private school clubs we visited. We made a conscious decision to avoid this environment during our child's early development years. Perhaps our interview year was an anomaly. I suspect I was probably the only one who drew that conclusion. And private school parents and students certainly do not exhibit such behavior on the DCUM private school board.

There is plenty of sand in our play box. It's nice to have options -- at the end of the day the fit determines what school setting is best. I'm glad you are as content as us.

[Anonymous]

Yup, the difference is public school students earn their spurs but private school aspirants assume entitlement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yup, that pretty much sums up what DC disliked about the MoCo magnet kids she encountered in CTY -- endless games of top dog, lots of push and not much play, intellectually speaking.

I'm not sure who you're responding to. But this doesn't describe our magnet experience at all, and both our kids have done magnets.

What you are describing is self-driven kids, which the magnets look for, as do the top privates. The kids at my kids' magnets are a mixed bunch, some nerdy and introverted, some extroverted, some really competitive, lots not. I'd say one of my DCs is competitive only in the sense that DC pushes him/herself for high grades, but DC is definitely not pushy otherwise. The other DC is not competitive at all for grades (wish DC was more competitive in fact), although DC is competitive on the playing field. Labelling all magnet kid's "pushy" just doesn't work.

I'm sure you'll find similarly self-driven kids at the top privates. Our kids have done private, too, so I know of what I speak. One top private AD in particular put me off when she described in glowing terms how every HS kid at the school seems to start their own club - no doubt to pad the college application with "club president".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our young Davidson Young Scholar (DYS) and perennial CTY High Honors Award winner prefers his highly Gifted Center Magnet program in MCPS. He does not begrudge his good friends in the local private schools--a few of whom left his former public school for greener pastures because they were not chosen for the Center program. He understands that parents try to find the best fit for their children. He has the choice to join his friends in private school but has no desire to join them given his present academic station. He prefers to leave this association to playdates, CTY camps, and the athletic pitch and the pool. He has revealed he may wish to attend Exeter later because of his interests in Debating, Math and Science. Interestingly, one of his good friends in a popular area private school is also contemplating a switch in high school.

It's nice to have options -- at the end of the day the fit determines what school setting is best.

But see if you really were so satisfied with your choice, why: (1) throw out your DC's awards, (2) sniff at his friends, those poor inferiors who had to make due with privates, (3) mention Exeter -- um, he doesn't go to Exeter and he may never go to Exeter and if you were so confident with your choice why would you even feel the need to mention Exeter for validation?

I can imagine how much fun you are to hang with at parent gatherings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yup, that pretty much sums up what DC disliked about the MoCo magnet kids she encountered in CTY -- endless games of top dog, lots of push and not much play, intellectually speaking.

What an irony. When our family visited, toured and interviewed with area D.C. private schools you desribe to a T the parents and children we met at open houses and interview appointments -- the main reason we declined the offers. We wanted to stay in the public school arena (paddle in the plentiful public pond) and avoid the entitlement syndrome that permeated the private school clubs we visited. We made a conscious decision to avoid this environment during our child's early development years. Perhaps our interview year was an anomaly. I suspect I was probably the only one who drew that conclusion. And private school parents and students certainly do not exhibit such behavior on the DCUM private school board.

There is plenty of sand in our play box. It's nice to have options -- at the end of the day the fit determines what school setting is best. I'm glad you are as content as us.

As a parent with kids in both public and private schools, I have found that both environments have motivated kids, entitled kids, pushy parents, laid-back parents, intellectual kids, smart-but-uninterested kids. In both environments there are parents who live for (and dine out on) their kids "achievements", and parents who just want their kids to be challenged and happy. The only parents who drive me crazy (in public or in private) are the ones who believe the choice they have made is the only correct choice to make.

[Anonymous]

But see if you really were so satisfied with your choice, why: (1) throw out your DC's awards, (2) sniff at his friends, those poor inferiors who had to make due with privates, (3) mention Exeter -- um, he doesn't go to Exeter and he may never go to Exeter and if you were so confident with your choice why would you even feel the need to mention Exeter for validation?

I can imagine how much fun you are to hang with at parent gatherings.

I'm sorry my post came off like that. I was responding to the immediate post (9:30) who threw around CTY camp and GDS as if this were something so special. I was trying to put it in the context of public school kids who have similar accomplishments and remain just as happy in their environment.

Don't worry I will not intrude at your parent gatherings.

[Anonymous]

But see if you really were so satisfied with your choice, why: (1) throw out your DC's awards, (2) sniff at his friends, those poor inferiors who had to make due with privates, (3) mention Exeter -- um, he doesn't go to Exeter and he may never go to Exeter and if you were so confident with your choice why would you even feel the need to mention Exeter for validation?

I can imagine how much fun you are to hang with at parent gatherings.

You may be reading more into the post than is warranted. There's absolutely nothing wrong with private or public school and each may serve a purpose at particular points in a child's educational journey. In fact, if you chose to read closely you will agree poster 9:30 from the GDS club is the one making categorical statements about GDS versus public school. At least, one poster sees value in both educational settings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

. The only parents who drive me crazy (in public or in private) are the ones who believe the choice they have made is the only correct choice to make.

Couldn't say it better!

And that applies to many other topics..not just public/private school choice....

[Anonymous]

But see if you really were so satisfied with your choice, why: (1) throw out your DC's awards, (2) sniff at his friends, those poor inferiors who had to make due with privates, (3) mention Exeter -- um, he doesn't go to Exeter and he may never go to Exeter and if you were so confident with your choice why would you even feel the need to mention Exeter for validation?

I can imagine how much fun you are to hang with at parent gatherings.

Slow down or your imagination will get the better of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
. The only parents who drive me crazy (in public or in private) are the ones who believe the choice they have made is the only correct choice to make.


Couldn't say it better!

And that applies to many other topics..not just public/private school choice....

Agreed.

There are some who feel there is only one way to skin a cat and one size fits all.

You can't fit a square plug into a round hole.

[Anonymous]

But this is the private school forum. If you love public so much -- why not brag about it instead on the public school forum where your folks are reading and looking for info. about the local publics. Parents choose private for a reason.

[Anonymous]

But this is the private school forum. If you love public so much -- why not brag about it instead on the public school forum where your folks are reading and looking for info. about the local publics. Parents choose private for a reason.

Oh oh...there you go again like a scratched, broken record about to spin out of control only to be resuscitated by the DCUM moderator.


Parents choose private for a reason. Parents choose public for a reason. Sometimes these choices are made for the same child at different rungs of the educational ladder. Some parents make one choice for one sibling ... and another for the other.

What is your point? What are you hearing again?

[Anonymous]

My point is you should go to the public school forum to brag. Any white kid can get into gifted + talented in the publics. What -- they'll end up in the honors program at UMD...wow, I'm so impressed.