What’s Something About Your School You Would Have LOVED To Know Before Enrolling

[Anonymous]

That the board would hire an egomaniac who keeps her close friends in high administrative positions even though they are completely toxic and hated by students and parents alike.

[Anonymous]

I would have loved to know that the board likes to hire administrative staff from bankrupt schools. Didn’t know that before enrolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That the school doesn't tell parents their own child's standardized test scores unless the school thinks your child is academically at risk.

This is a weird one and I just ran into it at our school. They used to share ERB testing results, and now they’re not?! Don’t waste 4 days of testing 2x/year and not give me the results right away.

The rumor is that the comparison to other area independent schools was bad bad bad so they’re smothering the disappeared results under long winded policy emails saying things like “focusing on learning, not tests.”

Our school was similar. We had to ask for the results. School claimed they are just a gauge for them to know what to focus on. Seems it’s a similar approach at many independent schools.

[Anonymous]

I would have loved to know that a former Whittle school staff would be landing in our school.

[Anonymous]

That “affinity groups” can be alienating to those who don’t identify with one and don’t wish to conform just in order to not be left out. IMO they should be before or after school extracurricular groups and not part of the school day.

[Anonymous]

I wish I’d know how quickly Maret would go downhill once Marjo left.

How unpleasant the upper school can be after many happy years in the middle and lower school.

That the focus on kindness, equity and inclusion don’t reach quite as far as they need to.

That there’s very little recourse at ANY private school if things aren’t going well. You can leave, but you have no other rights or personal protections that you would have at a public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That the school doesn't tell parents their own child's standardized test scores unless the school thinks your child is academically at risk.

This is a weird one and I just ran into it at our school. They used to share ERB testing results, and now they’re not?! Don’t waste 4 days of testing 2x/year and not give me the results right away.

The rumor is that the comparison to other area independent schools was bad bad bad so they’re smothering the disappeared results under long winded policy emails saying things like “focusing on learning, not tests.”

Our school was similar. We had to ask for the results. School claimed they are just a gauge for them to know what to focus on. Seems it’s a similar approach at many independent schools.

My DC has a friend at her current school who had two other siblings who also attended the school who was straight As and one of the best students in the class but who performed miserably on the ERBs. Despite many attempts to find out the root cause of the misalignment of grades to ERB scores, the school could not give any satisfactory answers, such that the parents could get comfort that any deficits would be appropriately addressed. Despite paying the deposit, the parents decided to withdraw the student and put her in public schools, as they lost confidence that what the school was teaching was on par with the fundamentals of what one should learn at grade level. This may be one reason why schools withhold scores from parents, particularly if a number of students are showing lower than expected scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I’d know how quickly Maret would go downhill once Marjo left.

How unpleasant the upper school can be after many happy years in the middle and lower school.

That the focus on kindness, equity and inclusion don’t reach quite as far as they need to.

That there’s very little recourse at ANY private school if things aren’t going well. You can leave, but you have no other rights or personal protections that you would have at a public school.

+1. Agree. The current school is a bad version of the school it was when Mario was in charge. So uninspiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That the board would hire an egomaniac who keeps her close friends in high administrative positions even though they are completely toxic and hated by students and parents alike.

+1. Northern Virginia, by chance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That the board would hire an egomaniac who keeps her close friends in high administrative positions even though they are completely toxic and hated by students and parents alike.

+1. Northern Virginia, by chance?

No, DC. Sorry you’ve had a similar experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not doubtful, given the homophobia comment.

Oh wow. I’m sorry to hear that. They definitely pulled the wool over my eyes…

NP. My kid is (and soon will be “was”) at a similarly “woke” school in DC. The homophobia is ridiculous. I think all the DEI, LGBTQIA+, etc. focus is actually becoming problematic and some kids are pushing back in ways that started as “jokes” but are turning serious. Administration has zero idea, but the parents talk. And we listen to our kids. Wonder if it is similar to what’s supposedly happening at GDS.

[Anonymous]

Reviving this thread since acceptances are coming out this week. Curious to hear what people say as folks are making their decisions for next fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I knew the place closer to my house and 1/3 of the price had a more rigorous math program

Let's list the private schools in order of rigorous math programs in MS/HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I knew the place closer to my house and 1/3 of the price had a more rigorous math program

Let's list the private schools in order of rigorous math programs in MS/HS?

How?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I knew the place closer to my house and 1/3 of the price had a more rigorous math program

Let's list the private schools in order of rigorous math programs in MS/HS?

How?

Which schools have a reputation for a more rigorous math program in the DMV, not just offering AP calculus, but a more rigorous and good education in MS/HS math?