What’s it like at St. John’s in DC?

[Anonymous]

I want to know if OP's kid ended up getting in and going.

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to be involved in the cadet program and with sports at SJC? DS is interested in both, but is not sure how much of a time commitment it would and if it's feasible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible to be involved in the cadet program and with sports at SJC? DS is interested in both, but is not sure how much of a time commitment it would and if it's feasible.

most definitely. I would say a majority of the cadet corp kids play a sport or participate in things like the play or band

[Anonymous]

participation in the mothers club or men of st johns is a social activity for those parents who participate. Neither my husband or I have gone to any of the meetings w/ 2 kids at SJC and it has zero impact on the kids at the school. They are in high school and don't need their parents "involved" Most parents i know get to know other parents through sports teams or art shows or drama productions etc. or through their kids friends, but still it is not like elementary or middle school where the parents social life is based on the kids in most cases

[Anonymous]

Can anyone with experience describe dyslexia supports?

[Anonymous]

Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

As to whether it's hard or not to get in as a non-Catholic coming from a non-Catholic school ....

Absent and special "hooks" (i.e. Very good athlete, URM, etc.), your DC will be in a line for Admission behind Catholics who attended Catholic schools and Catholics who did not. The school "prefers" these candidates. So you are competing with all the non-Catholics at the back of the line.

It's more similar to Good Counsel than to other schools but it's more of a "City' school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

The Benillde Program has executive function supports built into the structure. Your child has to apply to that program as part of the application process and there are limited spots. The similar program for Good Counsel is the Ryken Program.

If your child has executive functioning challenges and is not part of the Benilde program you still have resources that help like having assignments and majority of the books on the IPad, assignment to-do checklists that are electronically created, and at least pre-COVID they periodically offered an optional ad-hoc workshop for the students on how to study/plan for assignments etc. As a parent you can monitor/follow assignments and grades. If the grades drop freshman year (like Fs, maybe D’s), a mandatory afternoon study hall kicks in (Freshman Academic Network?) early on. The teachers are willing to help but also know going in that your child has to be the one to ask for help. Each class has a syllabus that clearly outlines expectation and grading, including if there is any credit for late assignments and the makeup schedule of you miss school and the student signs/acknowledges that they understand the expectations. IMO, it was easier to navigate than going to a large public school with executive functioning challenges and no IEP/formal program but it wasn’t necessarily easy. If you go this route, you may want to consider having outside help for executive functioning skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

The Entrepreneurial Program is an extracurricular club essentially so he can join and attend some meetings his freshman year to see if he likes it.
My older DS went to GC while my DD cureently goes to SJC. It really depends on the child's personality and where they fit. Regarding school culture, GC is more suburban feel. Located off the ICC, it feeds from 100 schools (Frederick to Bowie) with many students actually living close by. For my son, his friends were spread out and it was hard building strong friendships. We lived in Germantown/Darnestown. My DD on the other hand has a lot of friends in Chevy Chase NW and Arlington and it's easier with her set of friends to meet in metro accessible locations for all. One thing to note is SJC has home football games typically on Saturday afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

I have a child in the Benilde program at SJC and another child in the Ryken program at GC. Both programs are targeted to provide supports with children with mild learning differences. At GC, this is done with a track of classes that are smaller and targeted to kids with learning differences. To me as a parent, there is more support built into the program. At SJC, Benilde students are taking regular classes and have one class a day for Benilde where they learn some executive functioning skills. Benilde hasn't fully met my child's needs so we're also working with a private executive functioning coach. I think part of the reason the program hasn't met my child's needs is immaturity on the part of the child and a general refusal or inability to self advocate. It's improving and we're seeing progress.

Culturally, the schools are similar. Lots of school spirit, large co-ed schools, but the location plays into the differences. SJC has a bit more of an urban feel, with my child and friends taking the bus to Friendship Heights and taking advantage of things over there. GC is much more suburban. My child at SJC had more independence and autonomy at a younger age because of the metro.

[Anonymous]

thank you for this very helpful and thoughtful answer - much appreciated!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

I have a child in the Benilde program at SJC and another child in the Ryken program at GC. Both programs are targeted to provide supports with children with mild learning differences. At GC, this is done with a track of classes that are smaller and targeted to kids with learning differences. To me as a parent, there is more support built into the program. At SJC, Benilde students are taking regular classes and have one class a day for Benilde where they learn some executive functioning skills. Benilde hasn't fully met my child's needs so we're also working with a private executive functioning coach. I think part of the reason the program hasn't met my child's needs is immaturity on the part of the child and a general refusal or inability to self advocate. It's improving and we're seeing progress.

Culturally, the schools are similar. Lots of school spirit, large co-ed schools, but the location plays into the differences. SJC has a bit more of an urban feel, with my child and friends taking the bus to Friendship Heights and taking advantage of things over there. GC is much more suburban. My child at SJC had more independence and autonomy at a younger age because of the metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure about the parents group comment either. I have multiple kids who have gone to SJC and I have never gone to the Mother's Club and my DH hasn't gone to the Men of SJC things either. Our kids are in sports and theater. We just do those things. I know the Mother's Club is active but it is high school. You can be as engaged or not engaged as you would like.

Absolutely true you can be as engaged or not as you choose in the parent groups. But tell me that “ Mother’s Cub”” vs “Men of St. John’s” does not pretty much make the point?

They have something similar at Gonzaga. So no, I don’t think it makes the point?

All the Catholic HS's in the area have Mother's Club and Father's Club. Most families are traditional, so why should they cater to the rare and unlikely alternative family situation.

I’m in a “traditional” family and have kids at one of these schools and I still think the idea of these groups is quite antiquated.

As a mother who has gone to the Men of SJC meetings: 1. I wasn't the only mother there 2. They have whiskey.

People you need to get out more.

Whiskey? Mothers of St. John’s serves wine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

The Benillde Program has executive function supports built into the structure. Your child has to apply to that program as part of the application process and there are limited spots. The similar program for Good Counsel is the Ryken Program.

If your child has executive functioning challenges and is not part of the Benilde program you still have resources that help like having assignments and majority of the books on the IPad, assignment to-do checklists that are electronically created, and at least pre-COVID they periodically offered an optional ad-hoc workshop for the students on how to study/plan for assignments etc. As a parent you can monitor/follow assignments and grades. If the grades drop freshman year (like Fs, maybe D’s), a mandatory afternoon study hall kicks in (Freshman Academic Network?) early on. The teachers are willing to help but also know going in that your child has to be the one to ask for help. Each class has a syllabus that clearly outlines expectation and grading, including if there is any credit for late assignments and the makeup schedule of you miss school and the student signs/acknowledges that they understand the expectations. IMO, it was easier to navigate than going to a large public school with executive functioning challenges and no IEP/formal program but it wasn’t necessarily easy. If you go this route, you may want to consider having outside help for executive functioning skills.

I hope people on the special needs forum see this post. Absolutely spot on about ADHD kids; the structure benefitted both my ADHD kids immensely. One was in SJCHS Scholars, the other was not in that program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

As to whether it's hard or not to get in as a non-Catholic coming from a non-Catholic school ....

Absent and special "hooks" (i.e. Very good athlete, URM, etc.), your DC will be in a line for Admission behind Catholics who attended Catholic schools and Catholics who did not. The school "prefers" these candidates. So you are competing with all the non-Catholics at the back of the line.

It's more similar to Good Counsel than to other schools but it's more of a "City' school.

SJC is basically in the Chevy Chase suburbs. Not very "city."

That would be Gonzaga.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, we're looking at SJC for our son. Hoping families with students there now could kindly answer a few questions...any information would be most appreciated!

- do you recommend the Entrepreneurial Center program? our son is interested in that.
- are there supports for kids with executive functioning challenges/ADHD?
- is it hard to get admitted for non-Catholics coming from a non-Catholic school?
- how would you compare the school and its culture to Good Counsel?

Thank you!

As to whether it's hard or not to get in as a non-Catholic coming from a non-Catholic school ....

Absent and special "hooks" (i.e. Very good athlete, URM, etc.), your DC will be in a line for Admission behind Catholics who attended Catholic schools and Catholics who did not. The school "prefers" these candidates. So you are competing with all the non-Catholics at the back of the line.

It's more similar to Good Counsel than to other schools but it's more of a "City' school.

SJC is basically in the Chevy Chase suburbs. Not very "city."

That would be Gonzaga.

Well, it is definitely a "city school" compared to Good Counsell.