Are you happy you moved from public to private?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I am not happy. We made the move in middle school because middle school is just a hard few years socially and emotionally for all tweens. We figured private might offer a bit of a "safer" space for all the physical and emotional changes that kids are going through at that age. I suppose that was true. However, we made the choice to stay for upper school and this I very much regret. Public schools on the whole has much more to offer academically and for extra curriculars. I also don't think the "bubble" that exists with most private schools prepares you for college and beyond. And of course there's the financial investment. It's not worth the money. The problem is that once you start in private upper school it can be a pain to transfer back to public just in terms of requirements. For example, we looked into transferring at the end of 10th grade and because our private counts sports as P.E. our kid would have had to take PE in public in lieu of other more interesting electives. Also, our private does the science sequencing different than public schools so our kid would have been an 11th grader taking science with 9th graders in public. It just all seemed like a pain to switch at that point.

To which of the local public school systems would you be moving your child if you could do so easily? I'm trying to better understand the costs of trying 9th grade at my children's current private versus switching back at the start of high school.

We moved our kid from SJC to JR after 9th. It’s usually pretty easy if you only do 9th in private…you do have to take required classes like PE which were not required at SJC, but again, it’s not a big deal if you have to take those classes in 10th vs 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I am not happy. We made the move in middle school because middle school is just a hard few years socially and emotionally for all tweens. We figured private might offer a bit of a "safer" space for all the physical and emotional changes that kids are going through at that age. I suppose that was true. However, we made the choice to stay for upper school and this I very much regret. Public schools on the whole has much more to offer academically and for extra curriculars. I also don't think the "bubble" that exists with most private schools prepares you for college and beyond. And of course there's the financial investment. It's not worth the money. The problem is that once you start in private upper school it can be a pain to transfer back to public just in terms of requirements. For example, we looked into transferring at the end of 10th grade and because our private counts sports as P.E. our kid would have had to take PE in public in lieu of other more interesting electives. Also, our private does the science sequencing different than public schools so our kid would have been an 11th grader taking science with 9th graders in public. It just all seemed like a pain to switch at that point.

To which of the local public school systems would you be moving your child if you could do so easily? I'm trying to better understand the costs of trying 9th grade at my children's current private versus switching back at the start of high school.

We moved our kid from SJC to JR after 9th. It’s usually pretty easy if you only do 9th in private…you do have to take required classes like PE which were not required at SJC, but again, it’s not a big deal if you have to take those classes in 10th vs 9th.

Why did you child leave SJC?

[Anonymous]

I’m fine with my kid experience so far in public school (Pyle/whitman) but if I had the money, I’d absolutely send them to a good private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I am not happy. We made the move in middle school because middle school is just a hard few years socially and emotionally for all tweens. We figured private might offer a bit of a "safer" space for all the physical and emotional changes that kids are going through at that age. I suppose that was true. However, we made the choice to stay for upper school and this I very much regret. Public schools on the whole has much more to offer academically and for extra curriculars. I also don't think the "bubble" that exists with most private schools prepares you for college and beyond. And of course there's the financial investment. It's not worth the money. The problem is that once you start in private upper school it can be a pain to transfer back to public just in terms of requirements. For example, we looked into transferring at the end of 10th grade and because our private counts sports as P.E. our kid would have had to take PE in public in lieu of other more interesting electives. Also, our private does the science sequencing different than public schools so our kid would have been an 11th grader taking science with 9th graders in public. It just all seemed like a pain to switch at that point.

To which of the local public school systems would you be moving your child if you could do so easily? I'm trying to better understand the costs of trying 9th grade at my children's current private versus switching back at the start of high school.

We moved our kid from SJC to JR after 9th. It’s usually pretty easy if you only do 9th in private…you do have to take required classes like PE which were not required at SJC, but again, it’s not a big deal if you have to take those classes in 10th vs 9th.

Why did you child leave SJC?

Decided that playing sports was important (vs. just attending as a spectator) and there was no chance at SJC...and wasn't a fan of the no cut sports options.

Nothing bad about the school and liked it well enough...was a straight A honors student.

[Anonymous]

Moved in second and fifth grade. Very happy. Lived in Baltimore County which was rapidly dropping advanced classes for younger kids in the name of equity. As a practical matter, that meant one teacher had three reading groups at same time as opposed to previous schedule where kids moved classes and teacher only had one ability level. Never looked back. Had lots of great teachers and experiences. Went back to in person classes nine months before local public in Covid times. College placement much better than the public my kids were zoned for

[Anonymous]

Moved for the start of 10th and very happy. Class sizes half to a third the size of public, teachers got to know the kids as people and recognized their strengths and helped improve where needed. Our child accepted to their ED college. Despite the hefty fee, which was a huge stretch for us, it was worth it

[Anonymous]

Both kids went the private for high school after mostly very good experiences in DCPS (and a DC charter school).

I don't love the money we spent (and they went to Catholic schools so while it was big money it wasn't BIG money) and wish we had more family vacations, but overall it was the bettter choice for both, for different reasons.

DC 1 went to SJC for the Benilde program, providig supports for mild learning issues

DC 2 went to a more academic Catholic school and did very well.

I was talking with some friends who had kids in DCPS one day when I suddenly realized that private school had really removed a stressor from my life. I can't describe what it was, precisely, but dealing with the school was just easier, more straightforward, fewer days off to juggle, fewer regular money/fundraiser stress, nicer facilities. I have long been a vocal supporter of DCPS and treasure the time spent in elementary and middle school, kids had wonderful teachers, made lifelong friends (the kids and also us parents) but somehow not dealing with DCPS was just.... a relief of pressure I didn't even realize we had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So very happy. Kids keep talking about how much better the teaching is and rapidly made the sweetest friends. Made move when they ranged from mid-elementary to middle to a K-12.

This has been our experience, too.

[Anonymous]

Moved my kid to a k-8 in 2nd grade due to covid. We wouldn't have considered private otherwise, but became very happy with the decision and kid is better off. We're undecided about public HS after 8th, for cost and commute reasons.

Coincidentally, my mom moved me from public to private in 2nd too, because the local public was falling apart. I had a mediocre 2-8 experience but then an excellent private HS that changed my life.

[Anonymous]

Moved to a K-8 in 3rd. Only regret is not applying in K. Limited technology, minimum 20 minutes of independent reading every day, class walks over to the local public library regularly, service learning embedded in the curriculum, lots of writing, and cursive instruction. And everyone working on grade level.

[Anonymous]

Very happy. Moved in 2nd gr

[Anonymous]

Absolutely thrilled. Moved in 9th and the school's expectations of students are exponentially higher, the teaching is amazing, the setting is lovely, kid is extremely happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both kids went the private for high school after mostly very good experiences in DCPS (and a DC charter school).

I don't love the money we spent (and they went to Catholic schools so while it was big money it wasn't BIG money) and wish we had more family vacations, but overall it was the bettter choice for both, for different reasons.

DC 1 went to SJC for the Benilde program, providig supports for mild learning issues

DC 2 went to a more academic Catholic school and did very well.

I was talking with some friends who had kids in DCPS one day when I suddenly realized that private school had really removed a stressor from my life. I can't describe what it was, precisely, but dealing with the school was just easier, more straightforward, fewer days off to juggle, fewer regular money/fundraiser stress, nicer facilities. I have long been a vocal supporter of DCPS and treasure the time spent in elementary and middle school, kids had wonderful teachers, made lifelong friends (the kids and also us parents) but somehow not dealing with DCPS was just.... a relief of pressure I didn't even realize we had.

Ditto! Left DCPS for private 6th and 2nd grades. It’s a huge financial commitment, but DCPS is a mess and it has been absolutely worth it to leave.

[Anonymous]

Moved our child in 1st because DD was not challenged and classes were too big. She was not a behavioral problem but she was not necessarily behaving as one would hope. We have been happy overall. Less stress in my life as proper guidance and structures exist, good communication from school, increased focus on social-emotional learning, quality teachers, and good college outcomes for kids.

Making sure DD has friend groups outside of private school has been helpful, plus emphasizing volunteering and placing limits on her have been key.

Reassessed at each transition, with DD providing a lot of input at HS.

We have taken fewer trips because we are paying for private school but it's about priorities. We have one child and so are fine with it. Had we had more children, we may well have made different choices.

[Anonymous]

Moved in 2nd grade due to COVID to a K-8. Very happy with smaller class sizes, actually differentiated instruction, socio-emotional learning, overall school environment.

DD is in middle school now and the small overall class size can be difficult from a social perspective. We are planning on public for high school.