Blessed Sacrament vs Stone Ridge for K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone comment on what it's like at Blessed Sacrament for mothers with professional careers? Does having a mother who works outside the home make you an anomaly at Blessed Sacrament? Does it have any effect on that student's experience there? At Stone Ridge?

I am a working mother at Blessed Sacrament. There are more stay-at-home moms at the school, but I've found that it makes no difference. Everyone is so kind and welcoming, and though I don't see them at pick up time, I do get to know everyone through participation in the extracurricular activities. It really is like a family. My kids love it there. Both are in aftercare. On the days when I arrive earlier than usual to pick them up, they don't want to leave.

[Anonymous]

I am also a working mom at blessed sacrament. I don't think its an issue at the school. Generally moms/teachers respect the time limiitations of those that work. The key to fitting in is to find a way to being involved regardless - lots of ways to volunteer. Also the aftercare program is very nice there. The teacher who runs it is one of the best at the school, there is hw time, and they get to play on the field outside (which is too tightly controlled unfortuanately due to neighbor restrictions). I perceive a bigger issue with the legacy feel of the school - there are parents there who went to the school along with their parents, siblings etc etc. I've generally learned to ignore that group as I just don't fit in there.

None of this makes any difference to my kids. They are doing great academically and socially at the school.

[Anonymous]

Big difference between parish schools and independent schools and not just class size and tuition. Lots of resources available and potential for more teacher control over class and more discipline. As for Stone Ridge --- single sex makes a big difference so it depends if that appeals to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The girls do public speaking early without even knowing its a big deal - they love it.

Sorry, but this is not true. while they do encourage public speaking, especially in high school, the girls don't all love it. I graduated from there in the 90's and I despise public speaking!!!

[Anonymous]

Stone Ridge has had difficulty filling their K class for the same reason they have had difficulty maintaining enrollment numbers in the entire Lower School over the last ten years --- years that coincide exactly with the tenure of the outgoing Lower School Head. This decline began well before the economy faltered and cannot be laid at the feet of current economic woes, as so many have tried to do. She has many fans in the Stone Ridge community but she also has many detractors who base their opinions, not on subjective personal relationships, but on the objective decline of the Lower School under her leadership. As an earlier post indicated, she is moving into a new administrative position which is certainly good news for the school; hopefully, the change will be good for her professionally.

[Anonymous]

I am a BS working mom. While I am the exception rather the norm, I don't think it's had much of an affect on my child's experience. I hear very good things about the after care program. I know that a good number of students are picked up by a babysitter Au Pair.

[Anonymous]

The Lower School Head at Stone Ridge replaced an "old-school" retiree and upgraded the school academically during the last 10 years. Frankly, a lot of things were shaken up and pruned. I know my girls benefited from being in classes with really smart girls who were motivated. It's a thankless job sometimes but I think everyone in the know understood which is why she got bumped upstairs to work on the strategic plan.

[Anonymous]

That “old school” retiree grew enrollment over two decades; the young, inexperienced Stone Ridge alum who followed presided over a roughly 40% drop in less than a decade. A quick look at the qualification requirements for the new Lower School Head posted on the school’s website is reassuring as it shows that they are looking for someone like that “old school” retiree.

FYI, the strategic plan has been completed so it does not appear that the outgoing Lower School Head has been “bumped upstairs.” In any event, I doubt that the strategic plan calls for “pruning,” assuming, generously, that by that you mean letting go of older teachers and counseling out students. The relatively new Head Mistress (this is her third year) appears to view her job as providing true leadership for the entire school. I suspect that the school’s enrollment will rebound under this leadership.

[Anonymous]

I like the new head-I had already heard great things about her via an alum who is friend's with my husband. We applied to the school because of the positive feedback we received on her and believe she is on target for a great future. I am not sure about why people are down on the lower school-I think all the teachers I have met have a true calling to educate. I didn't see that everywhere else I applied.

[Anonymous]

Our experience with the lower school has been good. We applied in three years ago because friends who know the new head simply raved about her. I do know that the enrollment is much lower now than it was in the past and that has meant that there are fewer classes and fewer teachers. I heard that some pretty bad teachers were let go in the past few years. The two teachers we have dealt with have been good, especially our 1st grade teacher. But I also know that two families (that I don't know) pulled girls out of the school around last Thanksgiving. That seemed very odd and it sounded like stuff I heard happened before the new head came three years ago. I couldn't find out why these families left and when they announced the lower school head was moving on I figured it must be related. I haven't really seen much of the lower school head and don't really have much of an opinion of her. Maybe that's not a good thing now that I think about it. We do like the head very much though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like the new head-I had already heard great things about her via an alum who is friend's with my husband. We applied to the school because of the positive feedback we received on her and believe she is on target for a great future. I am not sure about why people are down on the lower school-I think all the teachers I have met have a true calling to educate. I didn't see that everywhere else I applied.

As an alumna who grew up while Sister Dyer was there and who thought a lay head couldn't possibly fill Sister Dyer's shoes, I'm very impressed with the new head. I've been involved on an alumna level with some of the strategic planning events, as well, and she's extremely dynamic and -- more importantly -- smart. She is a great example of what a young woman can do and be with an SR education. Additionally, I think SR has really breathed new life into their branding, and brought the important parts of their message to the fore. Everyone "on the inside" always knew what was emphasized in the community, but they are doing a fabulous job of communicating it now.

Back to the original question, if you think you'd like your DD to go to SR later on, I would send her to the K now only because of the data on intelligence testing etc. at older ages (have you read Nurtureshock?). The brightest girls I grew up with were indeed "Lifers" but it was in fact as much a result of effort as native intelligence. Since, in the very competitive private/independent landscape in this region, it's hard to get a child into a great school, I'd take this as an opportunity to know you'll have your DD in SR for now.

I honestly don't know if the girls have to reapply to the MS and US -- I assume they do -- but I also would guess that the kids already matriculated have preference. So yes, I'm partially talking out of my butt, as the mother of a 13 mo old who wants her DD to go to SR, but that's my 2 cents. Worth exactly what you paid.

[Anonymous]

Stone Ridge LS girls do not "reapply" for MS nor do MS girls reapply for US. If they maintain the required grades and are in good standing behavior-wise they can pass from the LS to the MS to the US seamlessly.

[Anonymous]

If you like the research about IQ testing and childhood development advanced in Nurtureshock you most likely won't like the ideas advanced by Stone Ridge LS under the LS head who is moving out.

I would specifically ask the school about their views on how children develop intellectually. We pulled out daughter out of 1st grade midyear 5 years ago after the "learning specialist" assured us that she was never going to excel academically because she couldn't read "fluently" in 1st grade! Despite her dire warnings, fully supported by the very young LS head, our daughter is now excelling at one of the Big Three schools for girls. We've moved on from our bad experience but I must say I'm glad to hear such good news about the new head.

[Anonymous]

Why do schools employ "learning specialists?" Aren't teachers themselves trained in learning issues? I've always found that my children's classroom teachers know more about how varied kids can be than these so-called experts. I think the bureaucratic overhead of the "learning specialist" is just window dressing and I wouldn't put a lot of stock in their opinions.

[Anonymous]

We were going to send DD to Stone Ridge next fall. I went to one of their sister schools for elementary when I was young and loved it. I had always planned on sending DD to Stone Ridge. I then started hearing about some problems they were having with the administration and low enrollment and finances from a neighbor who has a daughter in the Upper School there. She said that the lower school was having problems under the current head (she is moving to another position next year). Apparently enrollment was really down and they were letting anyone in and just giving away financial aid to anyone to fill slots. I heard that the school was in financial trouble. I was impressed with what I saw when I visited the school though so we were really debating up until the last day. At the last minute DH went to an alumni networking event for his Univ. and met the new Director of Operations or CFO from Stone Ridge ( I can't remember his title exactly) and was not at all impressed with him. That pushed us over the edge and we went with a local parochial school instead. Although I'm sad DD won't get the same experience I had at Sacred Heart I think we made the right decision and have a good feeling about our new school.