St. Bernadette (Silver Spring) Feedback/Experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Extremely clique-y for those "lived in woodmoor for 5 generations" types. Hard drinkers.

not 5th gen woomoor....more like multi generational dc catholic school alums/can't afford bethesda, cheby chase etc....!!! Woodmoor was blue collar back in the day.

^^^ This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I knew who tried it only stayed a year. Five or six families. None badmouthed it, they just moved to another private or to a public.

Thank you. Any sense of why? Changing schools on your kids is not something most people do lightly.

They get them into Magnets at 4th or 6th grade

[Anonymous]

I live in Woodmoor and know families at St. B’s that seem very happy there. A lot of Woodmoor kids walk there, which would be nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - any feedback on the academics? Also, one of us is a SAHP, so maybe we would be part of the "in" clique....

And that is better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Extremely clique-y for those "lived in woodmoor for 5 generations" types. Hard drinkers.

+1

Lots of alcohol

[Anonymous]

Are most of the students actually Catholic? We're Jewish. Would our son be ostracized there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - any feedback on the academics? Also, one of us is a SAHP, so maybe we would be part of the "in" clique....

And that is better?

"I've got mine, to hell with everyone else"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are most of the students actually Catholic? We're Jewish. Would our son be ostracized there?

More likely they'd attempt to convert you!

[Anonymous]

I couldn't disagree more with some of these assessments. I've had (and still have) kids at SBS. We have been very happy there and we do not live in Woodmoor.

Class sizes are small. The community is warm and welcoming. There is a strong emphasis on service and charitable giving. Music an theater are valued. Most classes have good teachers (there have been a few teachers in and out in the last few years on long term absences and the sub situation hasn't been great). Our very gifted child and our mildly LD child have both been happy there.
I work outside the house. I'd say more than half of the mothers in all the classes we have been in have jobs outside the home.

The church is very conservative but most school families actively disagree with the monsignor's behavior. His attitude doesn't carry over to the school. There is one same sex family right now and they are popular and well liked. I don't think there are any practicing jewish kids in the school right now, but there's a jewish teacher in the middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are most of the students actually Catholic? We're Jewish. Would our son be ostracized there?

I'm just not sure why you would want to send him there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't disagree more with some of these assessments. I've had (and still have) kids at SBS. We have been very happy there and we do not live in Woodmoor.

Class sizes are small. The community is warm and welcoming. There is a strong emphasis on service and charitable giving. Music an theater are valued. Most classes have good teachers (there have been a few teachers in and out in the last few years on long term absences and the sub situation hasn't been great). Our very gifted child and our mildly LD child have both been happy there.
I work outside the house. I'd say more than half of the mothers in all the classes we have been in have jobs outside the home.

The church is very conservative but most school families actively disagree with the monsignor's behavior. His attitude doesn't carry over to the school. There is one same sex family right now and they are popular and well liked. I don't think there are any practicing jewish kids in the school right now, but there's a jewish teacher in the middle school.

To address the other question from the OP: almost all kinds go on the Catholic high schools, a minority go to Blair or other public options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't disagree more with some of these assessments. I've had (and still have) kids at SBS. We have been very happy there and we do not live in Woodmoor.

Class sizes are small. The community is warm and welcoming. There is a strong emphasis on service and charitable giving. Music an theater are valued. Most classes have good teachers (there have been a few teachers in and out in the last few years on long term absences and the sub situation hasn't been great). Our very gifted child and our mildly LD child have both been happy there.
I work outside the house. I'd say more than half of the mothers in all the classes we have been in have jobs outside the home.

The church is very conservative but most school families actively disagree with the monsignor's behavior. His attitude doesn't carry over to the school. There is one same sex family right now and they are popular and well liked. I don't think there are any practicing jewish kids in the school right now, but there's a jewish teacher in the middle school.

Why can’t they get rid of the Monsignor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't disagree more with some of these assessments. I've had (and still have) kids at SBS. We have been very happy there and we do not live in Woodmoor.

Class sizes are small. The community is warm and welcoming. There is a strong emphasis on service and charitable giving. Music an theater are valued. Most classes have good teachers (there have been a few teachers in and out in the last few years on long term absences and the sub situation hasn't been great). Our very gifted child and our mildly LD child have both been happy there.
I work outside the house. I'd say more than half of the mothers in all the classes we have been in have jobs outside the home.

The church is very conservative but most school families actively disagree with the monsignor's behavior. His attitude doesn't carry over to the school. There is one same sex family right now and they are popular and well liked. I don't think there are any practicing jewish kids in the school right now, but there's a jewish teacher in the middle school.

Why can’t they get rid of the Monsignor?

Not for lack of trying. There’s a group in the parish, not so much in the school, who is very on board with him vs most school parents
Disagree with him and his opinions.