New Beauvoir Parent Here - looking for advice, tips, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
By the way, on advice for new Beauvoir parents: Don't tick off Paula Carreiro. She's mean and merciless when she's mad, and her face gets really red.

Okay, now you've gotten me scared. How exactly does one tick off Paula? She seems so nice . . .

[Anonymous]

The school asks for parents volunteers to help organize the children's rides and games and staff the ticket booths. Most schools would not expect a teacher or other staff member to be in charge of calling moonbounce vendors and scheduling volunteers for ticket booth duties.

[Anonymous]

I assumed it was a joke.

[Anonymous]

The PC (Paula Carreiro) comment was meant to be humorous, but it's also true. She's usually very nice, but... she's not when she's mad. Typically one ticks her off by making Beauvoir and/or her look bad or by disclosing what she perceives is/should be confidential information. (So, I guess things that one should probably avoid doing with any head of school if they want smooth sailings.)

[Anonymous]

You mean like the time a few years ago when the Beauvoir directory was erroneously posted online for almost an entire day for anyone to download?

[Anonymous]

Or when your ultra-wealthy family with the "but for the ultra wealth would not be breathing the air atop Mt. St. Alban" comes up woefully short at Annual Fund time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
By the way, on advice for new Beauvoir parents: Don't tick off Paula Carreiro. She's mean and merciless when she's mad, and her face gets really red.

Okay, now you've gotten me scared. How exactly does one tick off Paula? She seems so nice . . .

So, what color is Paula's face now?! [see thread on "Beauvoir Scandal"]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
By the way, on advice for new Beauvoir parents: Don't tick off Paula Carreiro. She's mean and merciless when she's mad, and her face gets really red.

Okay, now you've gotten me scared. How exactly does one tick off Paula? She seems so nice . . .

So, what color is Paula's face now?! [see thread on "Beauvoir Scandal"]

Don't let the bastards get you down, Paula. The school needs you. We need you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
We're a new Beauvoir family - would love some info from current families - I know some of these questions are probably jumping the gun, but thought I'd check!

What's the picnic for newly admitted families like? Is it fun or a madhouse? Important to go to?

When does our buddy family usually contact us?

When does the class list arrive?

What are some fun volunteer choices for new families? book sale? auction? what have current parents enjoyed working on? does the school send a volunteer form out over the summer?

Any other advice for incoming families?

Thanks!

Bump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:12 here. Thank you for your kind messages. We do plan to re-apply to K next year for our daughter.

Again, I wish you the best of luck and from first-hand experience of touring the school extensively, am sure you will be thrilled with your child's entry year education.

Just curious, PP, did you reapply? Any luck this year?

[Anonymous]

Native Washingtonian here. Flower Mart is the best. It is a fair put on by the National Cathedral and is a PUBLIC event filled with people of ALL ages... certainly NOT limited to families on the Cathedral Close. I grew up in Cleveland Park and all the kids in neighborhood went. I wish there were more festivals like it in the upper NW. Truly a special way to celebrate Spring in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I can understand both sides of the fence here. I am the mother of a waitlisted pre-k girl - was anyone actually rejected from the school? We worked our bottoms off trying to get our daughter acepted into the school. It was our first choice, our absolute favorite and we truly think it is an amazing school. With that said - I can't help but get pangs of jealousy when I read posts like this from accepted parents looking to connect with others, talking about all the new-parent activities, conversations about how excited you are...etc. I am not proud of myself by any means for feeling this way, but I can't help thinking "why your child and not mine?" This, coupled with that fact that we get completely blown off by admissions when we contact Beauvoir to check on the waitlist makes these threads even more difficult to read. So, speaking from the other side of the fence, I no longer want to read the Beauvoir threads either.

I'm sure you will be very happy there and I do wish your families the best of luck.

I totally can see why you feel the way you do. It has to be really hard. I would probably feel the same way.

I know that the admissions staff is very busy, but it makes me sad to hear that they are blowing you off. It's not that hard to give 5 minutes of your time to answer questions, etc. On another thread, I just read about a family who chose Beauvoir specifically for their life rules which are kindness, respect, honesty and one more that I can't remember right now. I dont' know, but it doesn't sound very kind or respectful to me.

If it were me, I would take my eggs to another basket where I would be treated better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:". . . the biggest event, and one unique to B, "Flower Mart." Basically a spring fair. School is out and nearly the entire student body of B, and a fair amount of NCS/STA kids, makes their way to Flower Mart at one point or another. The Cathedral Close is stunningly beautiful that time of year, enhancing an already postcard perfect setting of beaming students and families working their way through the rides, and food and craft stalls. I'm not sure if it's Rockwellian or something from Central Casting, but it is divine. If you were not in love with the place beforehand, you will be after Flower Mart."

Flower Mart is "unique to Beauvoir"?!

So revealing of a typical Beauvoir parent's world view -- self-centered and assuming everything revolves around them, was created for them, and belongs to them.

Flower Mart is a National Cathedral event. It is not sponsored by Beauvoir or any of the Cathedral schools. The entire public is invited. The entire public attends. And rumor has it that even students of such less august institutions as WES, NPS, etc. walk freely through that splendid Cathedral Close to enjoy those to die for lobster rolls.

If there was truly a school worth $26,000 for a four-year-old's "education," the entire planet would revolve around it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I can understand both sides of the fence here. I am the mother of a waitlisted pre-k girl - was anyone actually rejected from the school? We worked our bottoms off trying to get our daughter acepted into the school. It was our first choice, our absolute favorite and we truly think it is an amazing school. With that said - I can't help but get pangs of jealousy when I read posts like this from accepted parents looking to connect with others, talking about all the new-parent activities, conversations about how excited you are...etc. I am not proud of myself by any means for feeling this way, but I can't help thinking "why your child and not mine?" This, coupled with that fact that we get completely blown off by admissions when we contact Beauvoir to check on the waitlist makes these threads even more difficult to read. So, speaking from the other side of the fence, I no longer want to read the Beauvoir threads either.

I'm sure you will be very happy there and I do wish your families the best of luck.

I totally can see why you feel the way you do. It has to be really hard. I would probably feel the same way.

I know that the admissions staff is very busy, but it makes me sad to hear that they are blowing you off. It's not that hard to give 5 minutes of your time to answer questions, etc. On another thread, I just read about a family who chose Beauvoir specifically for their life rules which are kindness, respect, honesty and one more that I can't remember right now. I dont' know, but it doesn't sound very kind or respectful to me.

If it were me, I would take my eggs to another basket where I would be treated better.

Whoa, "take my eggs to another basket." I like that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
By the way, on advice for new Beauvoir parents: Don't tick off Paula Carreiro. She's mean and merciless when she's mad, and her face gets really red.

Okay, now you've gotten me scared. How exactly does one tick off Paula? She seems so nice . . .

By trying to tell her how to do her job.