SSSAS - what is the culture like currently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's not worth $47K. There are cheaper options that provide a better academic product.

This is why we're applying out at 8th to other schools - Catholic & boarding. Lots of classmates are doing the same.
If you subtract recruited lax athletes' schools from college admission lists, you're left with a very poor showing. Embarrassing, really.
The recent trans guest speaker clinched it. We're out.

Careful, your homophobia is showing. Better lock up your child at home or send them to the school Karen Pence taught at.

No, not homophobia. Just prefer to not glamorize transgender lifestyles to young kids. We'd rather focus on academics.

Well you clearly didn’t go to the session where he spoke for parents. Maybe you shouldn’t speak about things you don’t know anything about.
There was zero “glamorizing” transgender lifestyles. This kid suffered and struggled to get where he is now. And he was honest and forthright about those struggles.
Do you think your kids should learn compassion for others? Understanding for those that aren’t like them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: ... I do know of one family specifically moved (not just changed schools) because their daughter was getting bullied so bad at school and online. One girl in particular is almost being pushed to leave but I think her parents are still keeping her there. There have been many friend dramas.

SSSAS is a small school. So, let’s not pretend we don’t know who your friend who “had to move” is.

The reason she had to move out of the area is because her kid was already on school #3 or #4. Her daughter was underachieving, had behavior problems, and every bad grade, according to the mother, was the fault of teacher A or teacher B. The “bullying” were civilized class discussions where she didn’t have the skills to defend her views. Not to mention, again according to the mother, the school had already told her the daughter would be happier elsewhere. It was a hint that her kid wasn't up to the standards, and she should move on before they expel her. The mother still registered the student again!

The parents of this girl (particularly the mother) are belligerent and hostile people, who thrive on gossip and drama. Last time I heard from the mother, the girl was already having problems in her new school because (surprise!) the teachers where she is “aren’t good enough” and administrators “are Marxists.” See the pattern here?

School hopping does not solve the problem when the problem is how you raise your kids or when you have the moral turpitude to use them to bully teachers and administrators in order to advance your white supremacist agenda.

So, to answer the OP question, the school culture is doing much better since this family left.

[Anonymous]

At SSSAS, upper school students must be in honors or AP sections to compete for top college admission. The only exceptions are recruited athletes. While the school does not officially rank students, it does share a scatter plot of all students in the grade showing where a college applicant’s GPA is positioned. On this chart, Honors and AP grades are weighted just as they are at public schools. Depending on the student’s goals this may or may not matter. Many parents are not aware of this or at least were not in the past. It is not something the faculty or administration shared without being specifically asked. Also, SSSAS upper school parents should encourage their children who are not in honors or AP classes to take the AP exams. Particularly in non-stem classes they are likely to do very well. This will help expand their college choices and also save money and/or time spent on college prerequisites. Be aware, when transferring to a public high school that offers honors and AP classes, former SSSAS students’ grades transfer with the honors and ap weighting. If your child transfers to a public high school from SSSAS without any honors or AP classes at SSSAS, they will be ranked significantly lower than the public high school’s students who have the same level of academic accomplishment because public high school students who match an SSSAS student’s achievement will have been enrolled in honors classes. Even if your former SSSAS student goes on to earn unweighted A’s and B’s in honors and AP at the public high school, including STEM Classes, if they entered with an unweighted SSSAS 3.0 after 10th grade, they will find it impossible to lift their GPA enough to to be in the top 10% of the public high school class. They will do very well in all public high school honors and AP classes, and on AP tests and standardized tests, if they have been motivated all along. To summarize, your student will get a rigorous education at SSSAS. But unless their SATs are superior, the scatter plot (for those who stay at SSSAS and graduate) or the unweighted GPAs (those who transfer) will reduce the probability of their admission at private colleges, and will destroy their admissions chances at top state universities. Of course there is more to a college education than the name of the institution. But if that is important to your family, it may be worth transferring immediately if your student is not considered honors or AP material at SSSAS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At SSSAS, upper school students must be in honors or AP sections to compete for top college admission. The only exceptions are recruited athletes. While the school does not officially rank students, it does share a scatter plot of all students in the grade showing where a college applicant’s GPA is positioned. On this chart, Honors and AP grades are weighted just as they are at public schools. Depending on the student’s goals this may or may not matter. Many parents are not aware of this or at least were not in the past. It is not something the faculty or administration shared without being specifically asked. Also, SSSAS upper school parents should encourage their children who are not in honors or AP classes to take the AP exams. Particularly in non-stem classes they are likely to do very well. This will help expand their college choices and also save money and/or time spent on college prerequisites. Be aware, when transferring to a public high school that offers honors and AP classes, former SSSAS students’ grades transfer with the honors and ap weighting. If your child transfers to a public high school from SSSAS without any honors or AP classes at SSSAS, they will be ranked significantly lower than the public high school’s students who have the same level of academic accomplishment because public high school students who match an SSSAS student’s achievement will have been enrolled in honors classes. Even if your former SSSAS student goes on to earn unweighted A’s and B’s in honors and AP at the public high school, including STEM Classes, if they entered with an unweighted SSSAS 3.0 after 10th grade, they will find it impossible to lift their GPA enough to to be in the top 10% of the public high school class. They will do very well in all public high school honors and AP classes, and on AP tests and standardized tests, if they have been motivated all along. To summarize, your student will get a rigorous education at SSSAS. But unless their SATs are superior, the scatter plot (for those who stay at SSSAS and graduate) or the unweighted GPAs (those who transfer) will reduce the probability of their admission at private colleges, and will destroy their admissions chances at top state universities. Of course there is more to a college education than the name of the institution. But if that is important to your family, it may be worth transferring immediately if your student is not considered honors or AP material at SSSAS.

What do you mean when you say top college? Ivy, top 10, top 20,…..?
Can a recruited athlete get to an Ivy without taking honors or AP courses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At SSSAS, upper school students must be in honors or AP sections to compete for top college admission. The only exceptions are recruited athletes. While the school does not officially rank students, it does share a scatter plot of all students in the grade showing where a college applicant’s GPA is positioned. On this chart, Honors and AP grades are weighted just as they are at public schools. Depending on the student’s goals this may or may not matter. Many parents are not aware of this or at least were not in the past. It is not something the faculty or administration shared without being specifically asked. Also, SSSAS upper school parents should encourage their children who are not in honors or AP classes to take the AP exams. Particularly in non-stem classes they are likely to do very well. This will help expand their college choices and also save money and/or time spent on college prerequisites. Be aware, when transferring to a public high school that offers honors and AP classes, former SSSAS students’ grades transfer with the honors and ap weighting. If your child transfers to a public high school from SSSAS without any honors or AP classes at SSSAS, they will be ranked significantly lower than the public high school’s students who have the same level of academic accomplishment because public high school students who match an SSSAS student’s achievement will have been enrolled in honors classes. Even if your former SSSAS student goes on to earn unweighted A’s and B’s in honors and AP at the public high school, including STEM Classes, if they entered with an unweighted SSSAS 3.0 after 10th grade, they will find it impossible to lift their GPA enough to to be in the top 10% of the public high school class. They will do very well in all public high school honors and AP classes, and on AP tests and standardized tests, if they have been motivated all along. To summarize, your student will get a rigorous education at SSSAS. But unless their SATs are superior, the scatter plot (for those who stay at SSSAS and graduate) or the unweighted GPAs (those who transfer) will reduce the probability of their admission at private colleges, and will destroy their admissions chances at top state universities. Of course there is more to a college education than the name of the institution. But if that is important to your family, it may be worth transferring immediately if your student is not considered honors or AP material at SSSAS.

I am trying to understand what you are saying. You are upset because you were unaware that honors and AP classes were necessary for admission to top schools and no one told you this or your kid didn’t place into them? I assume SSSAS decides who takes honors or AP classes? Is it based on grades and a placement test for 9th? In contrast, at public school the teachers don’t control who enrolls in honors and APs and anyone can sign up for them, correct?

[Anonymous]

Why does SSSAS still have AP classes when the other top private schools have gotten rid of them? Why are they requiring the SSAT when no other school is asking for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does SSSAS still have AP classes when the other top private schools have gotten rid of them? Why are they requiring the SSAT when no other school is asking for it?

Pure speculation, but perhaps they found that admission standards were more consistent with a standardized test?

I don’t know about AP. I know some schools are phasing them out, but I think there is still a good number that offer AP or IB. Not sure I totally buy the stated rationale for phasing them out though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does SSSAS still have AP classes when the other top private schools have gotten rid of them? Why are they requiring the SSAT when no other school is asking for it?

You need it at Potomac or alternatively take the school admission test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does SSSAS still have AP classes when the other top private schools have gotten rid of them? Why are they requiring the SSAT when no other school is asking for it?

You need it at Potomac or alternatively take the school admission test.

Right - so it isn’t really a requirement a Potomac. An in-house assessment is much more low key and is not the same as a 3+ hour test with complex test taking strategies that kids spend months prepping for with tutors. Sidwell and a few other schools are also doing an in house assessment. I am specifically talking about an SSAT requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does SSSAS still have AP classes when the other top private schools have gotten rid of them? Why are they requiring the SSAT when no other school is asking for it?

Because a large number of their students go to VA universities, which still heavily favor students taking AP classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does SSSAS still have AP classes when the other top private schools have gotten rid of them? Why are they requiring the SSAT when no other school is asking for it?

Because a large number of their students go to VA universities, which still heavily favor students taking AP classes.

If you are taking AP why bother with Private. AP is a set curriculum as put forth by the College Board. I suspect the percentage of kids in public getting a 4 or 5 is the same percentage at SSSAS. Kids think they are smarter at Private but in reality they are just as average as the public school kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: ... I do know of one family specifically moved (not just changed schools) because their daughter was getting bullied so bad at school and online. One girl in particular is almost being pushed to leave but I think her parents are still keeping her there. There have been many friend dramas.

SSSAS is a small school. So, let’s not pretend we don’t know who your friend who “had to move” is.

The reason she had to move out of the area is because her kid was already on school #3 or #4. Her daughter was underachieving, had behavior problems, and every bad grade, according to the mother, was the fault of teacher A or teacher B. The “bullying” were civilized class discussions where she didn’t have the skills to defend her views. Not to mention, again according to the mother, the school had already told her the daughter would be happier elsewhere. It was a hint that her kid wasn't up to the standards, and she should move on before they expel her. The mother still registered the student again!

The parents of this girl (particularly the mother) are belligerent and hostile people, who thrive on gossip and drama. Last time I heard from the mother, the girl was already having problems in her new school because (surprise!) the teachers where she is “aren’t good enough” and administrators “are Marxists.” See the pattern here?

School hopping does not solve the problem when the problem is how you raise your kids or when you have the moral turpitude to use them to bully teachers and administrators in order to advance your white supremacist agenda.

So, to answer the OP question, the school culture is doing much better since this family left.

I have nothing to do with the school - wandered in here because we are nearby and debating SSSAS or public for our young kid.

Do other SSSAS parents think this post is ok? It's reading like an ad for Alexandria City High School to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: ... I do know of one family specifically moved (not just changed schools) because their daughter was getting bullied so bad at school and online. One girl in particular is almost being pushed to leave but I think her parents are still keeping her there. There have been many friend dramas.

SSSAS is a small school. So, let’s not pretend we don’t know who your friend who “had to move” is.

The reason she had to move out of the area is because her kid was already on school #3 or #4. Her daughter was underachieving, had behavior problems, and every bad grade, according to the mother, was the fault of teacher A or teacher B. The “bullying” were civilized class discussions where she didn’t have the skills to defend her views. Not to mention, again according to the mother, the school had already told her the daughter would be happier elsewhere. It was a hint that her kid wasn't up to the standards, and she should move on before they expel her. The mother still registered the student again!

The parents of this girl (particularly the mother) are belligerent and hostile people, who thrive on gossip and drama. Last time I heard from the mother, the girl was already having problems in her new school because (surprise!) the teachers where she is “aren’t good enough” and administrators “are Marxists.” See the pattern here?

School hopping does not solve the problem when the problem is how you raise your kids or when you have the moral turpitude to use them to bully teachers and administrators in order to advance your white supremacist agenda.

So, to answer the OP question, the school culture is doing much better since this family left.

I have nothing to do with the school - wandered in here because we are nearby and debating SSSAS or public for our young kid.

Do other SSSAS parents think this post is ok? It's reading like an ad for Alexandria City High School to me.

Yeah, I came in because we are considering transferring in and this conversation is so distasteful.

[Anonymous]

Can any current SSSAS parents offer insight into the planned construction project for the Upper Campus? From our recent tour, the school definitely looks to be in need of an update and modernization, but it also seems like this is going to be pretty disruptive for students (if I’m understanding correctly, no cafeteria for a year, modular classrooms, etc.). What is the exact timeline and details of impact on US classes and students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can any current SSSAS parents offer insight into the planned construction project for the Upper Campus? From our recent tour, the school definitely looks to be in need of an update and modernization, but it also seems like this is going to be pretty disruptive for students (if I’m understanding correctly, no cafeteria for a year, modular classrooms, etc.). What is the exact timeline and details of impact on US classes and students?

+1 SSSAS definitely needs the update, especially given the tuition they charge for such outdated facilities. However, it appears they will be tearing down an entire wing of classrooms during the expansion. This would mean my kid looking at high school next year would have 2-3 years filled with construction, noise and trailer classrooms.