Recommendations for parochial schools in Chevy Chase/Bethesda area?

[Anonymous]

What about Our Lady of Mercy in Potomac? We LOVE it there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very happy at Little Flower and have friends who are happy at St. Jane's which is bigger. We don't know anyone at St. Bart's or Blessed Sacrament (hear that is hard to get into - must be a parishioner). The schools all have a different "feel" that honestly is something that you need to figure out if it suits you personally. They all just finished a round of open houses but would probably send you info. I would plan to visit them all in the fall.

Do you have a boy or a girl at Little Flower? I really like Little Flower and Blessed Sacrament, but am worried about how my DS, who is active, would do in either school.

I'm not that poster but I've had/had one of each at Little Flower with no concerns. The gym, outdoor space and amazing artificial turf field that's in use 24/7 are wonderful. They have great sports - basketball, soccer, lacrosse, baseball and the dads are really involved. But it's true as another poster said that it is a traditional Catholic school. Some teachers more so than others but overall there's a sense of orderliness and the way I see it, respect. And the kids do have fun! They just know that there is work to be done and they cannot be "active" at the expense of everyone else. I guess it all depends on one's definition of "active." I've heard that word used for kids (and I'm talking about my friends' kids so I don't mean this in a bad way!) when honestly I think a better word would be "impulsive" or I hate to say it possibly even "undisciplined." If a kid cannot control himself/herself in a group setting, a Catholic school (and a traditional one) probably isn't a good fit. These school are usually just too small compared to public schools to deal with "issues." There's a lot of classroom give and take but ultimately the teacher and the principal are the ones in charge. As parents I respect that and expect my kids to as well.

I'm sorry that 10:38 had such a bad experience/impression (not sure which) but that has not been my experience at all in the 8 years we've been there.

I really appreciate so much constructive feedback - thank you. When I say "active" I mean that my DS would have trouble sitting still at desk for a long period of time and that he's very social. The one thing that concerned me about Little Flower, which I though looked like a really wonderful school, was that in first grade the desks are in rows and it seemed very structured. He might have trouble with that at a young age. I don't want him to be the kid that always gets in trouble in class - I remember those boys from elementary school. I think it could really affect his self esteem. He's a sensitive, bright and sweet little boy, and I'm really struggling with this decision, because otherwise I think the school is fabulous.

[Anonymous]

Strongly would not send to LF. Active boy would feel out of place and get the wrong msg from teachers. Not only that, lots of the boys leave by 6th or 7th to go to "feeder" schools, and the girls wish they left. Very caddy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very caddy.

Catty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not that poster but I've had/had one of each at Little Flower with no concerns. The gym, outdoor space and amazing artificial turf field that's in use 24/7 are wonderful. They have great sports - basketball, soccer, lacrosse, baseball and the dads are really involved. But it's true as another poster said that it is a traditional Catholic school. Some teachers more so than others but overall there's a sense of orderliness and the way I see it, respect. And the kids do have fun! They just know that there is work to be done and they cannot be "active" at the expense of everyone else. I guess it all depends on one's definition of "active." I've heard that word used for kids (and I'm talking about my friends' kids so I don't mean this in a bad way!) when honestly I think a better word would be "impulsive" or I hate to say it possibly even "undisciplined." If a kid cannot control himself/herself in a group setting, a Catholic school (and a traditional one) probably isn't a good fit. These school are usually just too small compared to public schools to deal with "issues." There's a lot of classroom give and take but ultimately the teacher and the principal are the ones in charge. As parents I respect that and expect my kids to as well.

I'm sorry that 10:38 had such a bad experience/impression (not sure which) but that has not been my experience at all in the 8 years we've been there.

I really appreciate so much constructive feedback - thank you. When I say "active" I mean that my DS would have trouble sitting still at desk for a long period of time and that he's very social. The one thing that concerned me about Little Flower, which I though looked like a really wonderful school, was that in first grade the desks are in rows and it seemed very structured. He might have trouble with that at a young age. I don't want him to be the kid that always gets in trouble in class - I remember those boys from elementary school. I think it could really affect his self esteem. He's a sensitive, bright and sweet little boy, and I'm really struggling with this decision, because otherwise I think the school is fabulous.

21:31 again. Sorry I can't help more but honestly you're the only one who knows your kid best. It is true that Gr. 1 and 2 are pretty straightlaced. But it's not like some random quirk puts only quiet kids in all these classes - there are always active ones. Some kids surprise you (for the better) in what they'll do at school behavior-wise. If your son is respectful then there's no problem. Kids are kids. Things free up a lot in Gr. 3 and then a TON more in Gr. 4 (very creative teacher) Gr. 5 is a great male teacher, Gr. 6 eh, and Jr. High is strong and academic. I haven't seen the boys leaving in nearly the same number in the past few years as in years before that. Only 1 went to a feeder last year and he had older sibs there. I checked my directory and grades 5-8 are 41% male, 59% female. I don't find the parents any more catty than elsewhere in DC (and I grew up here) and my kids and I have made some nice friends. I hope my opinions are at least canceling out the poster with the negative impression. But no school can be a perfect fit for every child so we just do what's best.

And I have a nephew who is very happy at Mercy. It was very hard to get in when he started some years ago if you weren't a parishioner. Not sure about now but I could ask.

[Anonymous]

Does the poster who "strongly recommends" not sending a boy their speaking from personal experience? I have found the moms at little flower to be very kind. It was almost funny to me that this school would be labeled as having "caddy" moms - given the other schools i have visited.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with Lourdes?

[Anonymous]

11:07 poster: I applaud your attempt to defend LF. However, it is true that there are few males left at graduation. The reference was made to the students being catty, not the Moms. We all know the girls learn mean behavior from their Moms, so you are kind of right. However, LF may soon be graduating some of the less desirable girls and Moms. Hope springs eternal.

[Anonymous]

What are the "feeder" schools talked about here? If I'm looking for Visi, Prep or Gonzaga, isn't a parish school where I want to be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the "feeder" schools talked about here? If I'm looking for Visi, Prep or Gonzaga, isn't a parish school where I want to be?

Yes many of the Montgomery Co. and NW DC parish schools have excellent outplacement to the Catholic high schools. The other option is Mater Dei for boys. That's the feeder referred to - Prep takes a lot of their boys from there so some families jump there in the lower grades to increase their chances of getting in.

I'm sure it varies from year to year and I'm also sure they try to spread it around, but I would think a high school could give you a good indication of what parish schools it draws heavily from.

[Anonymous]

Active and impulsive translate to undisciplined? Sound a bit judgemental? Or does it sound like a traditional catholic school that likes kids and parents who follow directions and do what they are told. Not exactly the best place for parents who want their kids to learn how to think out of the box and are free to be their own person. I don't agree that children should be labeled (undisciplined). That is what 16 years of catholic education taught me. The teachers are not trained or equiped tor handle LD, ED, MR or "active" normal boys. Thus the need to lable them "undisciplined". So much for "all God's children".

This is exactly the reason why there are kinder, more christian like parents and kids in public school

Ugh, polyester plaid causes brain damage.

[Anonymous]

I wore polyester plaid for 13 years and as far as I know I don't have any brain damage.

Also, Little Flower recently has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon for Excellence by the United States Department of Education. Take that public schools.

Finally, when I graduated from eigth grade, there were more "active" boys than "catty" girls!

[Anonymous]

I wore polyester plaid for 13 years and as far as I know I don't have any brain damage.

Also, Little Flower recently has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon for Excellence by the United States Department of Education. Take that public schools.

Finally, when I graduated from eigth grade, there were more "active" boys than "catty" girls!

[Anonymous]

We are happy campers at St. Bart's. We're not super-involved parents but have found the families to be nice and our kids have made good friends. Our babysitters are grads of Whitman, Lourdes and Little Flower and all 3 girls are sweet, mature and responsible. Not that you can base a whole school on a few kids, but the ones I have met at all of these schools are no different than any other Bethesda kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by "active"? FWIW, catholic schools are still very traditional when it comes to classroom expectations. Many classrooms still have desks lined up in neat little rows whereas most public schools have desks organized like tables to facilitate more interaction and group learning. In catholic schools teachers can turn their backs on the kids to write on the board and old-school teachers tend to lecture rather than actively engage students one on one (FWIW -- before I am flamed -- I'm getting this from first-hand exerience as a product of local catholic schools k-12 as well as the parent of a kid in parochial school AND the sibling of a MCPS teacher with kids in catholic schools who has run down the line by line comparison with me ad naseum). We all know that catholic schools expect kids to act a certain way and actually follow through with disciplinary actions that public schools rarely bother with since they have their hands full with lots of kids with issues and ultimately cannot be selective in terms of students.

Finally, if "active" may translate into learning or behavior issues down the road, then public school would likely be your best bet since catholic schools cannot offer the myriad support services that MCPS can.

I always think that it is hilarious that people think that Catholic elementary schools select students. Here is what you need to get into a Catholic school: A pulse. Maybe it is difficult to get into the really wealthy schools such as Holy Trinity or Blessed Sacrament (BS is known for being difficult to get into because you have to be a long time parishioner and be very active in the parish) but the majority of Catholic schools involve walking into the office, taking a tour, and enrolling your child. The Catholic schools where I have worked make a big show out of having your child visit for the day so that teachers can observe behavior but the bottom line is that you just need to be able to pay the tuition. We need warm bodies in Catholic schools, enrollment is down about 5% across the board.