Holton, NCS, Sidwell, Maret, Visitation or Stoneridge?

[Anonymous]

Wow. Someone has a chip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Visitation and Stoneridge are both less academically challenging than the other schools.

"Stone Ridge" is two words. The original poster is forgiven for the misspelling, because she doubtless picked it up from the Holton/NCS boosters on this board. But if the quoted poster doesn't know the school's name, she probably doesn't know much about its academics.

Holton takes pride in giving its girls five hours of homework a night, so I guess that's the basis for the claim that Holton's more challenging. I looked closely at the curricula of Holton and Stone Ridge last year when our family was choosing a middle school for my daughter. The curricula are remarkably similar, except that Holton teaches the Bible as literature and Stone Ridge teaches the Bible as, well, the Bible. (Stone Ridge's theology is progressive, but it's not atheistic. Many on this board are strongly opposed to Catholic education, and assume its inferiority. But the religious component, at a good school like Stone Ridge, is a sophisticated weave of intellect and faith that broadens a student's vision beyond herself and lays a foundation of healthy values and social consciousness, no matter how the student's religious beliefs may evolve.)

When my daughter visited Stone Ridge's fifth grade, the girls welcomed her warmly and in P.E. class they coached her through her first-ever game of field hockey. Our friend's daughter visited Holton's fifth grade, and her hostesses all swapped name tags and thought it was hilarious every time their visitor called one of them by the wrong name.

From what I've seen, the girls at both schools are very bright. From talking to high school and college students in the area, Holton students have a reputation for competitiveness, while Stone Ridge students have a reputation for niceness.

As for field hockey teams, Stone Ridge went 8-1-1 last year (in the same league with the other schools you're considering) and their captain is playing for Harvard this year.

If it helps give you a frame of reference, OP, Stone Ridge belongs to the Sacred Heart network of schools, like Newton Country Day School. I have no idea how similar those two schools are, but they share a tradition and there could be exchange opportunities if your daughter wanted to visit her home town.

All the schools you're considering are the cream for girls in the Washington area. I'd just encourage you to visit them, meet the families and educators, and then best of luck!

I have heard just as many "mean girl" stories from Stone Ridge parents as from any other school in the area. Perhaps these particular girls were not receptive to the "sophisticated weave of intellect and faith" being offered.

[Anonymous]

We at Holton got one of your loser Stone Ridge girls after she hated it so much there because she had no friends. So, let's skip the overgeneralizations. And, I'm so sorry -- I'll compare the list of colleges Holton grads get into any day vs. Stone Ridge's list. Stone Ridge doesn't rank on any list. And, if you are a Catholic School as you claim -- why don't you have a nun leading it? You have a lay woman just like every other school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rockclimbing = NCS. they have a competitive team in the winter and offer it 3 seasons with their own 3 story climbing wall and 2 coaches dedicated to the program.

NCS is extremely competitive - to get in to and once you are there. if your DD is in high school and does not have an extremely strong work ethic - will do 5+ hrs of homework a night - don't go there.

Voyageur??? A fun program that is NOT as demanding in time, effort, or energy as varsity sports at STA and NCS.

[Anonymous]

People always say not to chose a school because of the sports. I wish I had listened to that advice. Our daughter ended up playing club sports with kids from all different schools and her varsity teams weren't really challenging enough. Anyone who was recruited to play college DI (including our daughter) played on club teams. I think someone alluded to the importance of playing club sports earlier in these posts here.

[Anonymous]

We had a really crazy girl come to Holton from Stone Ridge. The parents had so much money -- they paid her way in. The girl just couldn't hack it at Holton. No one knew where she ended up -- she just left one day and never returned.

[Anonymous]

PP -- I remember that girl who came to Holton from Stone Ridge ...she had a lot of trouble which the parents refused to deal with. Holton is hard for any student ... including the truly gifted. It is not for someone who is having obvious emotional trouble. We all felt badly for her and tried to get her some help at Holton. The nurse at Holton is very caring and will keep at eye out for girls having difficulties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We at Holton got one of your loser Stone Ridge girls after she hated it so much there because she had no friends. So, let's skip the overgeneralizations. And, I'm so sorry -- I'll compare the list of colleges Holton grads get into any day vs. Stone Ridge's list. Stone Ridge doesn't rank on any list. And, if you are a Catholic School as you claim -- why don't you have a nun leading it? You have a lay woman just like every other school.

Wow. As a Holton parent, I am embarrassed by this post.

[Anonymous]

The girl with the serious problems who came to Holton from Stone Ridge did well in sports, but couldn't keep up with the school work. Several of us parents tried to help her and then one of us rescued her as she was wandering downtown one day. We don't know where she is -- we don't know if she got into college anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The girl with the serious problems who came to Holton from Stone Ridge did well in sports, but couldn't keep up with the school work. Several of us parents tried to help her and then one of us rescued her as she was wandering downtown one day. We don't know where she is -- we don't know if she got into college anywhere.

When teenage girls living the experiences compare notes, NCS wins the homework he11 award. All schools have kids with problems. Sometimes problems are created by one or more students at the school. Sometimes parents create problems that affect kids at one or many schools.

College info is skewed by legacies except for athletics. I am surprised at how little value many girls place on themselves. Casual hook-ups, FWB's, desperation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We at Holton got one of your loser Stone Ridge girls after she hated it so much there because she had no friends. So, let's skip the overgeneralizations. And, I'm so sorry -- I'll compare the list of colleges Holton grads get into any day vs. Stone Ridge's list. Stone Ridge doesn't rank on any list. And, if you are a Catholic School as you claim -- why don't you have a nun leading it? You have a lay woman just like every other school.

Wow. As a Holton parent, I am embarrassed by this post.

As a parent of a girl at neither school I am just relieved my daughter is at neither of these schools. This is rude and mean even by DCUM standards. And downright cruel to the poor girl from Stone Ridge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks -- I'm glad someone knew the difference between sculling & rowing. I get the idea we'll have to go to the clubs for sculling opportunities.

Just to clarify: I always thought sculling was a subset of rowing, not different from rowing. Sculling and sweep-oar rowing ("sweep") are the two forms of rowing.

[Anonymous]

It really bothers me when people write about children in ways that make them identifiable. Posting about this student sheds no light whatsover on the merits of either school. She was clearly an isolated case. Please preserve her privacy and stop writing about her.
!

[Anonymous]

I am amazed and shocked at how many of these posts could have been written by several 12-year-old girls - but written instead by their moms. Being mean only serves to perpetuate the stereotypes of women. Shame on you for not acting like responsible adults with higher standards.

[Anonymous]

Just to answer the post about sculling -- none of the schools have sculls in this area. Of course, it is a big deal in Boston. As someone earlier stated here -- the club teams in the area have access to sculls.