Experiences with St. Ann's Academy in NW DC?

[Anonymous]

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

bunp

[Anonymous]

Sorry - from nursery school and through activities we know people at Trinity, Victory, Lourdes, St. Bart's, Little Flower, Blessed Sacrament and Mercy but not a soul from St. Ann's. It seems weird to me now . . .

[Anonymous]

Because its near the metro, it gets a lot of families that are not local.

[Anonymous]

I have heard nothing positive about St. Ann's. They had huge discipline problems (my conversations on the school were about a year ago so they might be dated). Our priest (at another local church) didn't rec. we send ds there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because its near the metro, it gets a lot of families that are not local.

By that you mean black people. Non-white non-catholics. There, I said it.

[Anonymous]

Wow, I live in the neighborhood and have heard nothing *negative* about St Ann's. The kids I've encountered (mostly in public space -- eg subway, groundbreaking for the library, at my DC's music lessons, through parents) have seemed really nice and very well-behaved. Music lesson boy is smart, interesting, funny, and sociable.

Parent community is diverse (race/ec/neighborhood) and yet cohesive and very can-do. Principal is friendly, well-organized/on the ball, and intelligent judging from the interactions I've had with her.

Kid art in the halls is lovely. But I honestly don't know anything about the academics except that some smart people I know who value education send their kids there (different families). A few years back I remember reading an interesting academic article comparing St Ann's and Janney (next door) and claiming St Ann's was a real model for a successfully diverse school.

This is one where I'd ignore DCUM and spend some time at the school and talking to parents and kids there. That's probably the quickest and most reliable way to figure out if it's what you're looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because its near the metro, it gets a lot of families that are not local.

By that you mean black people. Non-white non-catholics. There, I said it.

Actually because local kids don't attend, it doesn't get much parish support and it is slated for closure if things don't improve.

[Anonymous]

OK: parishoner here and I have looked at St. Ann's 3 times and not chosen it. Wanted to choose, but something turned me off each time. it was very painful to me since I went to the local parish growing up and wanted the same for my son.

The long-term femail principal who was there was fired by the pastor due to personailty conflicts. This ticked off a lot of people. I know one of the persons on the selection committee. They recommended a new principal, but the person they recommended was not selected. A former male teacher was selected by the pastor. He is qualified and good at the job, but the tempest this stirred up got some families to leave.

The good things about the school are strong art, sports, media/technology teachers and programs. Upper grade science is also very good. Pre-S teacher is outstanding. However, last I looked for Pre-K level, the aide was a screamer and this was not going to work for my son.

Later, (ist and 3rd grades) we had discovered my son had dyslexia and the principal actively discouraged our even applying to the school. No behavior problems, but she was unwilling to even discuss possible accomodations - on 2 more looksees.

Finally, the community was the last problem - not that I mind if the school skews to AA - but it seems al the parents and kids live in Silver Spring! They all live near each other and talked to me about all the fun get-togethers and playdates they have. But we live in NW and I realized I wanted my kid to have friends in the neighborhood. He has been at a local JKLM.

Academics seems fine, but I did not feel as if I was seeing anything very creative or special.

However, I have received a very different reception down the street at Annunciation and plan to apply there this year for son's 6th grade. They are happy to work with us on his reading issues. They have a smaller enroiiment, but after school activities are not strong, but I like the way the kids talked to me about their school - they were poised, they have art, music and are trying to do a global curricula. They too have had a change in pricipal this year, but he also seems very good and has set a good tone according to a friend whose daughter attends - she had been at our JKLM before going there in 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Sorry for the typos - I am having problems with the reply boxes if I type more than a paragraph. They seem to blink as I type each letter and I cannot easily scroll down and correct my typos. Driving me crazy this week....

[Anonymous]

To Op. Have you checked up on Annunciation just down the road on Wisc and Mass Ave?

[Anonymous]

15;44 here. St. Ann's is a good solid school even if it wasn't the best place for DS. The archdiocese has a new rule that all grade schools must have a minimum enrollment or they will close them. And let's face it: the parish encompasses Janney, Mann, Hearst and Murch. Lots of good publics to compete against.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15;44 here. St. Ann's is a good solid school even if it wasn't the best place for DS. The archdiocese has a new rule that all grade schools must have a minimum enrollment or they will close them. And let's face it: the parish encompasses Janney, Mann, Hearst and Murch. Lots of good publics to compete against.

I'm not sure it is the good publics that are around St Anns that makes a difference. Some of the best catholic elementary schools in the area are located in the best public school districts. the key difference is that these schools have predominantly local parish kids and plenty support from the parish.

[Anonymous]

HORRIBLE.DONT TAKE YOU DC THERE.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have a DC there, and its is losing its touch, it has horrible extra curriculum, and NO SPORTS! We will most defiantly be taking our child out. I've never been somewhere so bad. And We've been to many schools.