St. Andrews vs. Field

[Anonymous]

Save the money and go to St Andrews

[Anonymous]

We're a happy St. Andrew's family but also know many families who have been very happy with Field. You probably can't go wrong either way, but I would ask these specific questions:

1) Ask each school to tell you about kids with ADHD and dyslexia who attend/have attended your school. Can you put me in touch with any parents? I do know a number of kids who have graduated from St. Andrew's who had dyslexia - some I believe may have also had ADD - who did extremely well at St. Andrews and are now in great college programs. That said, I don't believe the basic remediation for the dyslexic kids was done at the school. You should ask what is relevant to your child's situation.

2) think about how important the non-academic differences between the schools will be for your child:

a) Neither school is huge on the sports front overall, but St. Andrews probably has more competitive teams in more sports -- partly because I believe it is just a bit bigger;

b) Both schools have great art programs, but my recollection from a few year ago was that at Field all students took art all or most of the year, so if that is very important to your child that may weigh toward field.

c) The physical facilities are very different. Field at least used to have more very small, intimate classrooms that some may feel are very warm and welcoming; our DC on a visit felt they were too small for comfort.

There are no doubt many other specifics on which you should compare and just see what is most comfortable. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO both schools are friendly and welcoming, and kids seem happy to be there. My opinion below:

Is she a learner who does well with a more traditional, structured academic environment, with some room to stretch her wings? St Andrew's

Is she a learner who needs some structure but prefers less boundaries and who likes a lot of interaction with her teachers? Field

My youngest child is in the upper school at St. Andrew's, but our older kids graduated from two other independent schools in the area, so we have some basis for comparison among schools. We're very pleased with St. Andrew's and our daughter has thrived there. Although we've not had a child attend Field, we do know several families with kids there now, and they're also quite happy with their school choice.

I agree that Field and St. Andrew's are both great schools, which can be characterized as welcoming and accepting. I'm not sure what you mean, though, when you suggest that St. Andrew's students have less interaction with their teachers. One of the things we like best about St. Andrew's is the respectful and productive relationships between teachers and students. We have found the St. Andrew's faculty and administration to be encouraging and insightful in their interaction with our child. She has felt accepted, yet challenged, and has developed great self-advocacy skills.

I didn't say St Andrew's kids have less interaction with their teachers than Field- I have no basis for saying that. I said that IMO only Field is a school that is a good fit for kids who like a lot of interaction with teachers.

Hmmm . . in a comparative context, I think the implication was pretty clear -- if unintended -- , but I appreciate your setting the record straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO both schools are friendly and welcoming, and kids seem happy to be there. My opinion below:

Is she a learner who does well with a more traditional, structured academic environment, with some room to stretch her wings? St Andrew's

Is she a learner who needs some structure but prefers less boundaries and who likes a lot of interaction with her teachers? Field

My youngest child is in the upper school at St. Andrew's, but our older kids graduated from two other independent schools in the area, so we have some basis for comparison among schools. We're very pleased with St. Andrew's and our daughter has thrived there. Although we've not had a child attend Field, we do know several families with kids there now, and they're also quite happy with their school choice.

I agree that Field and St. Andrew's are both great schools, which can be characterized as welcoming and accepting. I'm not sure what you mean, though, when you suggest that St. Andrew's students have less interaction with their teachers. One of the things we like best about St. Andrew's is the respectful and productive relationships between teachers and students. We have found the St. Andrew's faculty and administration to be encouraging and insightful in their interaction with our child. She has felt accepted, yet challenged, and has developed great self-advocacy skills.

Only meant to note what stood out to me about both kids at both schools. Not a comparison. And only my opinion. Ymmv obviously.

I didn't say St Andrew's kids have less interaction with their teachers than Field- I have no basis for saying that. I said that IMO only Field is a school that is a good fit for kids who like a lot of interaction with teachers.

Hmmm . . in a comparative context, I think the implication was pretty clear -- if unintended -- , but I appreciate your setting the record straight.

[Anonymous]

Over-reading at its finest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over-reading at its finest.

or muddled writing . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Save the money and go to St Andrews

Have you looked at St Andrew's additional fees? It's about on par with Field, if not more.

[Anonymous]

Make sure the schools can meet your DD's learning needs. Field is open to students with minor learning differences but it is not an LD school and may not have the specific expertise. Frankly they probably won;t accept a student whose needs they can't meet.

Students are happy at both schools but they have very different cultures. St. Andrews has uniforms and is very traditional. Field is a progressive school. My DS who is at Field would not have been happy at St. Andrew's because of the culture of the school and that works both ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure the schools can meet your DD's learning needs. Field is open to students with minor learning differences but it is not an LD school and may not have the specific expertise. Frankly they probably won;t accept a student whose needs they can't meet.

Students are happy at both schools but they have very different cultures. St. Andrews has uniforms and is very traditional. Field is a progressive school. My DS who is at Field would not have been happy at St. Andrew's because of the culture of the school and that works both ways.

Perhaps the above poster is thinking of a different school, because the statement above is simply false regarding St. Andrew's. St. Andrew's middle and high schools have NEVER had uniforms, at least since I first looked at the school 8 years ago. They have a very low key dress code -- (no jeans, boys shirts should have a collar, girls clothing shouldn't be overly revealing -- although some girls also push the limits on that one). Once in a while -- like maybe once per month or so -- the school has a dress up day (boys wear a tie, no jacket). The lowest elementary school grades -- which really was the St. Frances school that merged into SAES several years ago and is based on a different campus, has uniforms. And to say St. Andrew's is "very traditional" is absurd. It is not a school grounded in the "progressive" movement, but St. Andrew's emphasis on teacher training through its Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning and its research partnership with the Harvard School of Education is anything but traditional. http://www.thecttl.org/
I posted above a partial side-by-side comparison with suggestions for how to decide between SAES and Field for a specific student, but false information about any school cannot help a family make good choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure the schools can meet your DD's learning needs. Field is open to students with minor learning differences but it is not an LD school and may not have the specific expertise. Frankly they probably won;t accept a student whose needs they can't meet.

Students are happy at both schools but they have very different cultures. St. Andrews has uniforms and is very traditional. Field is a progressive school. My DS who is at Field would not have been happy at St. Andrew's because of the culture of the school and that works both ways.

Perhaps the above poster is thinking of a different school, because the statement above is simply false regarding St. Andrew's. St. Andrew's middle and high schools have NEVER had uniforms, at least since I first looked at the school 8 years ago. They have a very low key dress code -- (no jeans, boys shirts should have a collar, girls clothing shouldn't be overly revealing -- although some girls also push the limits on that one). Once in a while -- like maybe once per month or so -- the school has a dress up day (boys wear a tie, no jacket). The lowest elementary school grades -- which really was the St. Frances school that merged into SAES several years ago and is based on a different campus, has uniforms. And to say St. Andrew's is "very traditional" is absurd. It is not a school grounded in the "progressive" movement, but St. Andrew's emphasis on teacher training through its Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning and its research partnership with the Harvard School of Education is anything but traditional. http://www.thecttl.org/
I posted above a partial side-by-side comparison with suggestions for how to decide between SAES and Field for a specific student, but false information about any school cannot help a family make good choices.

I'm PP and stand corrected. The kids I knew must have been in the lower school. Since you seem to offended by the term "traditional" I'll rephrase. The schools are very different culturally. The dress code alone that you describe is a good indicator. There is no dress code at Field that I'm aware of and no dress up days. I am not denigrating St. Andrews, I've heard only positive things about the school. But I do think that you have to know your child and which would be a better fit.

[Anonymous]

Also, if you did the list above I agree. I would add:

1. Field teachers are called by their first name.

2. Field is in DC while St. Andrews is in Potomac. This makes a difference in terms of the student body. If the school is far away so will your DC's friends be.

3. At Field it is really difficult to be marginalized. Everyone seems to have friends, no matter how quirky you are. I am sure St. Andrews is a very supportive school but for the quirkier, out of the box kid, you might consider Field.

[Anonymous]

I would count Field and St Andrews among the schools that know how to help the kids with minor learning disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Have you visited? Your child will probably have an opinion and a good gut reaction. They are both excellent schools.

I have a kid a SAES, and another at a top "progressive" (like Field, but not Field. don't want to out myself). While my kids are similar and get along really well, each has said they could never go to the other's school. When I've asked why, they each say something like "it's just not for me".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure the schools can meet your DD's learning needs. Field is open to students with minor learning differences but it is not an LD school and may not have the specific expertise. Frankly they probably won;t accept a student whose needs they can't meet.

Students are happy at both schools but they have very different cultures. St. Andrews has uniforms and is very traditional. Field is a progressive school. My DS who is at Field would not have been happy at St. Andrew's because of the culture of the school and that works both ways.

Perhaps the above poster is thinking of a different school, because the statement above is simply false regarding St. Andrew's. St. Andrew's middle and high schools have NEVER had uniforms, at least since I first looked at the school 8 years ago. They have a very low key dress code -- (no jeans, boys shirts should have a collar, girls clothing shouldn't be overly revealing -- although some girls also push the limits on that one). Once in a while -- like maybe once per month or so -- the school has a dress up day (boys wear a tie, no jacket). The lowest elementary school grades -- which really was the St. Frances school that merged into SAES several years ago and is based on a different campus, has uniforms. And to say St. Andrew's is "very traditional" is absurd. It is not a school grounded in the "progressive" movement, but St. Andrew's emphasis on teacher training through its Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning and its research partnership with the Harvard School of Education is anything but traditional. http://www.thecttl.org/
I posted above a partial side-by-side comparison with suggestions for how to decide between SAES and Field for a specific student, but false information about any school cannot help a family make good choices.

I'm PP and stand corrected. The kids I knew must have been in the lower school. Since you seem to offended by the term "traditional" I'll rephrase. The schools are very different culturally. The dress code alone that you describe is a good indicator. There is no dress code at Field that I'm aware of and no dress up days. I am not denigrating St. Andrews, I've heard only positive things about the school. But I do think that you have to know your child and which would be a better fit.

NP here -- Thanks for so graciously acknowledging your error. You know, it's interesting that there are quite a few students in the upper school at St. Andrew's who come to the school from Green Acres, which is considered to be quite progressive. It seems to me that if these students and their parents choose St. Andrew's, they're doing so because SAES has a progressive approach to education that goes beyond more superficial matters like dress codes and how students address their teachers. Our child has thrived at St. Andrew's in large part because of the innovative teaching and curriculum. St. Andrew's really works to help kids understand themselves as individuals with unique learning styles and talents.

[Anonymous]

Not to beat a dead horse but I am perplexed why you can't see there is a cultural difference between the two schools. I don;t know anyone who has been in both of them who doesn't agree with that.