Does anyone send their child to private school instead WW/WJ/Churchill/Wooton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two kids - zoned for Churchill. Both in private for different reasons. The smaller classes require them to be attentive and present, which makes such a difference in their ability to actually retain information. MCPS high schools have gotten too big and way too easy to disappear into the noise. I don't have a reference point to compare Churchill academics to my kids education, but their elementary & middle school learning has far exceeded MCPS.

No being sarcastic, I’m just wondering how that could be? I send my child to a top school in DC and it’s not much better academically and actually in some ways worse than what was being taught at mcps. I cannot understand what these schools are because as I already stated my child attends a top one but people on here say they are getting better education than mcps. I am so skeptical of that. In reality, I’m paying for the smaller class size and nicer facility. Nothing more.

Sorry but the days of academic rigor at MCPS is over. The bar has been set way low due to covid. I was just talking to a Churchill mom about this tonight. She just shrugs her shoulders and accepts what it is. The private schools that stayed open are way way ahead of MCPS. Wait till you see the detail on the test scores coming out of MCPS...it is frightening.

I wouldn’t say the privates are ahead or public. My private doesn’t have writing instruction so they would likely always be behind in that. I know mcps is great with that either but again, it’s not existent at my private. Math is ok and not differentiated so some may be behind and some may be ahead.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree many parents have cause to be unhappy with their private school.

However, angry poster above is notorious for hijacking threats and sock puppeting to such a degree the DCUM mod has had to occasion to delete her posts.

It is ironic that her negative posts have prompted more positive responses about the school then probably would have otherwise been posted.

No school is a good fit for every student. Fortunately for all concerned, she seems to have realized this and is changing schools next year.

Wow! You say some ugly things to wish someone to leave. What school is this that parents attack in this way?

Pls point out the ugly things.

Dishearteningly tone deaf. If it has to be spelled out to you, then I truly have pity for you. Do not act this way toward other parents at your school even if you disagree, I’m sure the school would not condone how you handle yourself in your post.

Pls spell out the ugly parts.

Wow! Just cemented that you are an ugly individual. The school wouldn’t want you either, Karen.

[Anonymous]

In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes we are zoned for One of these and went private.

Very poor handling of pandemic education.

Poor communication between home and school.

Hard to get on the sports teams unless you are top athlete.

Bureaucratic approaches that lack common sense.

Academics and writing more rigorous so we fell student will be better prepared for college.

We prefer private although college outcomes are probably similar or better at the public due to grade inflation.

Our DC prefers private.

Same here, all of the above reasons. Will stay and graduate from private

No snark but I would really like to know what private has better academics and more specifically writing than public here. That was touted at my child’s school and it is not better and has a reputation of a well-respected private.

This is the only area I have lived in that people actually think publcs are any good. It is shocking to me.

NP. It is a peculiarly DC area thing. I think it’s because there are so many people with government ties here. They are very invested in this belief. Even Massachusetts parents don’t sound like this.

Thank you! You provided an interesting answer. I have lived/traveled all over the US, and while the vast majority of people could never afford private-- they certainly don't brag about their public schools.

It’s definitely a little weird. The odd thing is that many DC area parents persist with this belief even in the face of educational data. The belief in the universal excellence of the public schools in the DC area is not always tethered to reality.

Neither is the belief in the universal excellence of the private schools in the DC area (or other areas)always tethered to reality.

+1. Everyone here thinks their private is outstanding and don’t dare say otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s really hard to say academically which one is better. I posted previously and I’ll amend it. I will say Wootton offers harder classes. By far. However, the class sizes are also larger and kids fall through the cracks. My kid got some as and clearly did not know what is going on in the class. Privates are smaller classes, move slower and maybe not progress as fast, but fewer kids fall through the cracks. My private kid for example learned Algebra thoroughly whereas MCPS I felt just tries to push them through as fast as possible in math. I personally would rather move slower and really understand it. Some kids can do both. Mine couldn’t.

+ 1 Spot on with breadth Vs. depth. Most of the time my kids were in MCPS, it felt like they rushed through the curriculum. Since No Child Left Behind, it became very rote with too much testing. My naturally inquisitive kids became bored and jaded. We found a private K-8 where they quickly came to love school again. We were even able to take our child off of anxiety meds. Private schools just focus more on the kids versus bureaucracy. It’s more like public was back in the 70s and 80s in Mass, NY, and NJ, three top school systems.

This is exactly right.

And on the opposite end of that spectrum my naturally test-anxious child really struggled with the amount of testing, it was terrible. The more thoughtfully paced execution of the curriculum in private has definitely made a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Or maybe they just can’t afford private schools and they are insecure!


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes we are zoned for One of these and went private.

Very poor handling of pandemic education.

Poor communication between home and school.

Hard to get on the sports teams unless you are top athlete.

Bureaucratic approaches that lack common sense.

Academics and writing more rigorous so we fell student will be better prepared for college.

We prefer private although college outcomes are probably similar or better at the public due to grade inflation.

Our DC prefers private.

Same here, all of the above reasons. Will stay and graduate from private

No snark but I would really like to know what private has better academics and more specifically writing than public here. That was touted at my child’s school and it is not better and has a reputation of a well-respected private.

This is the only area I have lived in that people actually think publcs are any good. It is shocking to me.

NP. It is a peculiarly DC area thing. I think it’s because there are so many people with government ties here. They are very invested in this belief. Even Massachusetts parents don’t sound like this.

Thank you! You provided an interesting answer. I have lived/traveled all over the US, and while the vast majority of people could never afford private-- they certainly don't brag about their public schools.

Maybe because the public schools here are actually good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

And the W schools are still better than any private school in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You get what you pay for in life….if you want your kids to go to a school with 30+ kids per class, endless testing, central office bureaucracy, and very poor facilities—-your choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

And the W schools are still better than any private school in the area.

Sounds like the proletariat is insecure about the private schools that the bourgeois kids go to…jealousy based on class is not unique to the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

And the W schools are still better than any private school in the area.

I think tap water is as good as bottled water for your health.
But my opinion doesn’t matter for the customer who wants bottled water.
Your opinion doesn’t matter for people who want private education.
You should appreciate them for making the public schools less crowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

Not offended, we are a private school family and I am not zoned god a “W” school. Nice attempt on your part though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You get what you pay for in life….if you want your kids to go to a school with 30+ kids per class, endless testing, central office bureaucracy, and very poor facilities—-your choice.

Yes, I pay for smaller class size and decent facility. That’s about all my tuition pays for. You think there’s no bureaucracy and testing out the wazoo in private? You would be in denial to believe that. You also are a fibber for dismissing the status factor if you are dumb as a box of rocks.