What schools were not what you expected when you visited them in person?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weighing in on cookies. We did not see Sidwell logo cookies at any of our visits, I did see Maret logo cookies, no food at all at GDS.

Who wants to eat something that looks like a grasshopper?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School facilities are very important. That said, I went to the GDS high school when it was on MacArthur Blvd., in the same building where the river school is now. It was the most amazing educational experience of my life - including college. Ultimately, its your teachers and fellow students that shape your experience.

True about the faculty and staff. But GDS explained the expanded campus to us and showed renderings, and it looks really amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weighing in on cookies. We did not see Sidwell logo cookies at any of our visits, I did see Maret logo cookies, no food at all at GDS.

Who wants to eat something that looks like a grasshopper?!

Particularly when you can eat something that is a grasshopper: https://images.app.goo.gl/a2vguJQhV4Kfb4B39

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I said NCS has made progress but that it’s reputation as a pressure cooker with mean girls still lingered. Private school parents are probably more aware of that reputation than those from public.

NP. I hesitate in getting involved in this back and forth, except to say that our family is new to NCS this year, and it's been a relief to find that the "pressure cooker" and "mean girls" reputation seems, based on our personal experience so far, not to be based in fact. It's been nothing like that for our DD or us. We really like the AD at NCS, and we're glad we trusted our gut.

That said, I hate seeing contentious responses between independent school parents. We don't have a son, so we never vetted STA, but having also looked closely at Sidwell, GDS, Holton and Maret, I'm fairly confident that they're all great environments as well (and I'm sure STA is too).

I think there's a tendency in these threads to want to find big cultural differences in these schools when, in reality, they all tend to have a lot in common. We should all be thankful to have so many great institutions nearby.

We knew girls, in the last 5 years, whose classes had terrible troubles and strife at NCS. Several girls left for other schools. We knew these girls well (from teav sports teams) and they were great girls. So, things do happen. Maybe just depends on the class.

Things do happen.....at all schools. Finished it for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I said NCS has made progress but that it’s reputation as a pressure cooker with mean girls still lingered. Private school parents are probably more aware of that reputation than those from public.

NP. I hesitate in getting involved in this back and forth, except to say that our family is new to NCS this year, and it's been a relief to find that the "pressure cooker" and "mean girls" reputation seems, based on our personal experience so far, not to be based in fact. It's been nothing like that for our DD or us. We really like the AD at NCS, and we're glad we trusted our gut.

That said, I hate seeing contentious responses between independent school parents. We don't have a son, so we never vetted STA, but having also looked closely at Sidwell, GDS, Holton and Maret, I'm fairly confident that they're all great environments as well (and I'm sure STA is too).

I think there's a tendency in these threads to want to find big cultural differences in these schools when, in reality, they all tend to have a lot in common. We should all be thankful to have so many great institutions nearby.

We knew girls, in the last 5 years, whose classes had terrible troubles and strife at NCS. Several girls left for other schools. We knew these girls well (from teav sports teams) and they were great girls. So, things do happen. Maybe just depends on the class.

Things do happen.....at all schools. Finished it for you.

PP here...Should have added, we are not NCS. We are at a super progressive small school and have been shocked at the mean girl behavior in our lower elementary. I cannot imagine ours is the only one. We just don't have an exaggerated movie that is attached to our schools name, from experience 25 - 30 years ago, nor the stature to inspire such spite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do kids spend all day in a room with no windows???

River School.

That's pretty crappy TBH.

Huh? We’ve been at River for 4 years and there is not a single classroom without a window!!

Between our 2 kids, we spent 8 years at River. Each classroom has windows. Library, science room, art room -- all have windows. Gym doesn't have windows nor a few admin offices. River doesn't have the best playgrounds but saying there are no windows is just incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how someone could say Madeira was run down...all of the dorms were renovated in the last two years, athletic building last five years. The classrooms are more "old school" flavor but have all the tech of a 21st century institution. Additionally, they are building a brand new STEAM building. I think a troll wrote this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Education consultant sent us to Landon. Coming from out of state, we didn't know much about it outside of bad press and snarky people here, so no firm expectations really (I take DCUM with a micro grain of salt) We came away impressed with the students, the school leadership, their philosophy and the campus. it was a school where I could see DS really loving and thriving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Big 3 since K. Decided to look around for hs. Attend one of the schools listed below but don’t want to blow our cover:

GDS - facilities were fine but culture, especially for hs, not was DC looking for.

Did Maret and St. Andrews back to back. Maret wouldn’t have looked so bad but St. Andrews is amazing facility wise. Culture better for DC at Maret.

Sidwell - college campus weird kids (per my DC).

WIS - well taken care of but tired facility. Best culture of the lot. Really enjoyed kids and teachers.

Looked at single sex Catholic schools too. Most had really nice facilities and kids were happy.

Don’t want to blow your cover? Looks like you are either at Maret or WIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I said NCS has made progress but that it’s reputation as a pressure cooker with mean girls still lingered. Private school parents are probably more aware of that reputation than those from public.

NP. I hesitate in getting involved in this back and forth, except to say that our family is new to NCS this year, and it's been a relief to find that the "pressure cooker" and "mean girls" reputation seems, based on our personal experience so far, not to be based in fact. It's been nothing like that for our DD or us. We really like the AD at NCS, and we're glad we trusted our gut.

That said, I hate seeing contentious responses between independent school parents. We don't have a son, so we never vetted STA, but having also looked closely at Sidwell, GDS, Holton and Maret, I'm fairly confident that they're all great environments as well (and I'm sure STA is too).

I think there's a tendency in these threads to want to find big cultural differences in these schools when, in reality, they all tend to have a lot in common. We should all be thankful to have so many great institutions nearby.

Agree! NCS has fabulous facilities and staff. We went into the application process thinking we wouldn’t like NCS but it has been a great fit from the start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I said NCS has made progress but that it’s reputation as a pressure cooker with mean girls still lingered. Private school parents are probably more aware of that reputation than those from public.

NP. I hesitate in getting involved in this back and forth, except to say that our family is new to NCS this year, and it's been a relief to find that the "pressure cooker" and "mean girls" reputation seems, based on our personal experience so far, not to be based in fact. It's been nothing like that for our DD or us. We really like the AD at NCS, and we're glad we trusted our gut.

That said, I hate seeing contentious responses between independent school parents. We don't have a son, so we never vetted STA, but having also looked closely at Sidwell, GDS, Holton and Maret, I'm fairly confident that they're all great environments as well (and I'm sure STA is too).

I think there's a tendency in these threads to want to find big cultural differences in these schools when, in reality, they all tend to have a lot in common. We should all be thankful to have so many great institutions nearby.

Agree! NCS has fabulous facilities and staff. We went into the application process thinking we wouldn’t like NCS but it has been a great fit from the start.

Good to know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I said NCS has made progress but that it’s reputation as a pressure cooker with mean girls still lingered. Private school parents are probably more aware of that reputation than those from public.

NP. I hesitate in getting involved in this back and forth, except to say that our family is new to NCS this year, and it's been a relief to find that the "pressure cooker" and "mean girls" reputation seems, based on our personal experience so far, not to be based in fact. It's been nothing like that for our DD or us. We really like the AD at NCS, and we're glad we trusted our gut.

That said, I hate seeing contentious responses between independent school parents. We don't have a son, so we never vetted STA, but having also looked closely at Sidwell, GDS, Holton and Maret, I'm fairly confident that they're all great environments as well (and I'm sure STA is too).

I think there's a tendency in these threads to want to find big cultural differences in these schools when, in reality, they all tend to have a lot in common. We should all be thankful to have so many great institutions nearby.

Agree! NCS has fabulous facilities and staff. We went into the application process thinking we wouldn’t like NCS but it has been a great fit from the start.

Following up on other threads, any vaping issues any NCS?
Good to know!

[Anonymous]

We were brand new to the area when we needed to get DD quickly enrolled. We were not happy with the public school DD would have attended after a visit, so we looked at area private schools (unexpectedly for us). We didn't know about/care about "BIG 3".

- Barrie had a great campus and warm staff, but the cost was excessive and we felt the academic rigor was lacking after discussing how different learners were managed and advanced throughout their time at school
- SSFS also had a great campus and warm staff. The cost and commute were really difficult factors as it seemed like a lovely school and staff and administrators were great and welcoming
- Holy Cross K-8 was a disappointment. Administration seemed inflexible and uninterested in DD. Teachers didn't seem friendly.
- Brookewood Catholic we hoped would be a fit, but was too religiously conservative to be a match for us. Administration seemed inflexible and uninterested in DD. (We ruled out Catholic schools because they just weren't a match).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weighing in on cookies. We did not see Sidwell logo cookies at any of our visits, I did see Maret logo cookies, no food at all at GDS.

Who wants to eat something that looks like a grasshopper?!

No cafeteria = no cookies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montessori - forget which one but one on Old Georgetown Road. They told us to sit in a chair and observe and not interact with the kids. Teachers were cold, uncaring and not attentive to the kids. They walked around the classroom strangely and some of the kids were walking around wild, not engaged.


Holy Cross (K-8) - Surprised how much we liked it but after the other experiences very turned off by a religious school. Staff were very warm and welcoming, had no issue with different viewpoints, kids friendly and seemed happy.

(I'm surprised at the posts on the facilities being old. These schools have been around for years so its not surprising but for the price they charge they should be well maintained).

We had the same experience with that Montessori on Old Georgetown. Sitting on a chair just watching was very weird and the teacher seemed not too excited that I was there.

<b>Holy Cross in Kensington<b> (K-8, not Academy) was an immediate no. Went to an open house and the school seemed shabby and dated. I got the name of a family there from a friend to find out about their experience. Turns out they had already moved their child out of the school because they were not happy. Apparently for such a small school they have a serious bullying problem. Parents were unable to get anyone to take their concerns seriously, so they left. The child apparently came home from school in tears 3 days a week from the bullying. For that price, there are lots of other options.

This might just be almost everywhere now (hopefully not), but I have heard through friends about the bullying issue at Holy Cross as well.