New Sidwell LS parent seeking advice, suggestions, or just plain "I wish I had known X" info

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[Moreover, it's decidedly not Quakerly to throw around unfounded stereotypes, rather than seeing people as individuals.

There were what like 8 Quakers in last year's graduating class of over 100?

[Anonymous]

And, were they really Quakers or did they become Quakers to beat the Sidwell applications odds?

[Anonymous]

You can always tell the Fakers, they chew gum loudly during meeting.

[Anonymous]

My advice: Don't believe 90% of what people say on DCUM about the school.

[Anonymous]

This comment is silly. Of course, the HS curriculum is more rigorous than the LS curriculum. It should be. And I would hope that the same is true for all schools. If you honestly expect Kindergartners to have the same academic pressures as Seniors in HS, I feel sorry for your poor child...

Anonymous wrote:Just know that while Sidwell's lower school is a very warm, happy, and interesting place to go to school, it is not especially rigorous from an academic perspective. Traditionally, the kids who start in lower school are overtaken by the kids who enter in middle school and high school, and it is the new kids who populate the top classes in the upper school. If you want your child to be at the top of the heap coming out of Sidwell (in 12-13 years) you should pay attention and make sure he/she is going beyond the Sidwell curriculum. Being a top student in lower school is not terribly difficult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My advice: Don't believe 90% of what people say on DCUM about the school.

Could you tell me which 10 percent I should believe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learn the car pool/pick-up drop off routine, respect the neighbors, participate in classroom and school activities so you can get to know the other families.

Can you expand on this? I've heard the carpool line is a little tricky. What's the catch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learn the car pool/pick-up drop off routine, respect the neighbors, participate in classroom and school activities so you can get to know the other families.

Can you expand on this? I've heard the carpool line is a little tricky. What's the catch?

It's not too tricky, but just a common source of anxiety for new parents. They run something like 200 cars through the dropoff point in half an hour each morning; there are lots of parents and kids moving in different directions; and the school works very hard to maintain good relations with neighbors, so parents are asked to use only certain road routes and parking spots to minimize negative impact on the neighborhood. They'll explain it all in one of the nuts and bolts meetings for new parents later this summer. It's like learning the Electric Slide -- not too hard, but lots of moving parts you want to get right so you don't mess up any of the dancers around you.

Other than that, just don't get too anxious and over-analytical. Yes, there are a handful of people there who you might read about in the newspaper from time to time, but they're all also just parents trying to raise their kids. Most parents are much more concerned about a child's skinned knee than about what kind of car you're driving. Despite what many people on DCUM claim, the lower school is really a very low-key and friendly place, and everyone (at least everyone I've met) is pretty friendly. I agree with PP that it's a good idea to participate in lots of school activities so you can meet other parents, but that's good advice for any school.

Welcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learn the car pool/pick-up drop off routine, respect the neighbors, participate in classroom and school activities so you can get to know the other families.

Can you expand on this? I've heard the carpool line is a little tricky. What's the catch?

It's not too tricky, but just a common source of anxiety for new parents. They run something like 200 cars through the dropoff point in half an hour each morning; there are lots of parents and kids moving in different directions; and the school works very hard to maintain good relations with neighbors, so parents are asked to use only certain road routes and parking spots to minimize negative impact on the neighborhood. They'll explain it all in one of the nuts and bolts meetings for new parents later this summer. It's like learning the Electric Slide -- not too hard, but lots of moving parts you want to get right so you don't mess up any of the dancers around you.

Other than that, just don't get too anxious and over-analytical. Yes, there are a handful of people there who you might read about in the newspaper from time to time, but they're all also just parents trying to raise their kids. Most parents are much more concerned about a child's skinned knee than about what kind of car you're driving. Despite what many people on DCUM claim, the lower school is really a very low-key and friendly place, and everyone (at least everyone I've met) is pretty friendly. I agree with PP that it's a good idea to participate in lots of school activities so you can meet other parents, but that's good advice for any school.

Welcome.

Actually, regarding cars, I get the sense that--if anything--a parent may be looked down upon for driving something more luxurious/associated with status (e.g., Mercedes or BMW). Seems like the school really stresses being understated. Reminds me of the reverse-snobbery car thread a few months back (laugh), but is this an issue at Sidwell?

[Anonymous]

Im a Sidwell parent and have been for more than ten years and I can't imagine giving a thought about what the carpool line would think of my car, which is a minivan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im a Sidwell parent and have been for more than ten years and I can't imagine giving a thought about what the carpool line would think of my car, which is a minivan.

Right, but what if it were a brand-new Jaguar? Would you feel guilty or worried about being too flashy?

[Anonymous]

If you have to ask, it may not be the right place for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im a Sidwell parent and have been for more than ten years and I can't imagine giving a thought about what the carpool line would think of my car, which is a minivan.

Right, but what if it were a brand-new Jaguar? Would you feel guilty or worried about being too flashy?

I'm the minivan driver. I personally would think a white jag or mercedes with gold trim would be too flashy. But I would anywhere, not just in carpool line. Jags, mercedes and beemers are welcome at Sidwell. Undertstatement is cool at Sidwell, but it's a school where you send your kids, not a way of life. If you want to buy a Ferrari and drive it to school do it. At the end of the day, people are going to judge you by your personality and the behavior of your kids, not the kind of car you drive. And yes, people do get judged by their kids behavior, particularly manners with adults and the way they treat other kids. This is true at every school.

[Anonymous]

Actually, regarding cars, I get the sense that--if anything--a parent may be looked down upon for driving something more luxurious/associated with status (e.g., Mercedes or BMW). Seems like the school really stresses being understated. Reminds me of the reverse-snobbery car thread a few months back (laugh), but is this an issue at Sidwell?

I totally agree with this poster! When my DD started there in Kindergarten I was so embarrassed by our big super sized SUV (which hubby went out and bought and I hated). We got the worst looks. Also, a kid in DD's class actually said to her, " your mom's car is terrible for the environment".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, regarding cars, I get the sense that--if anything--a parent may be looked down upon for driving something more luxurious/associated with status (e.g., Mercedes or BMW). Seems like the school really stresses being understated. Reminds me of the reverse-snobbery car thread a few months back (laugh), but is this an issue at Sidwell?

I totally agree with this poster! When my DD started there in Kindergarten I was so embarrassed by our big super sized SUV (which hubby went out and bought and I hated). We got the worst looks. Also, a kid in DD's class actually said to her, " your mom's car is terrible for the environment".

It's not a school for suburbans. But there are a lot of bmw, benz and lexus. Not a lot of Sidwell stickers because you can't see them on darkened windows.