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SSFS Will Stay Open
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Anonymous
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Q: What is the school's plan for navigating the local economic downturn?
The declining birthrate is an international reality. The economic downswing in the greater DC area is a real concern moving forward. Our budgeting process will likely result in a smaller footprint for building usage to compensate. Are they really saying that in our area they’re concerned about birth rates being an issue? Schools are overcrowded around here, I hardly think we are living in an area where that’s a concern anytime soon. What dues a smaller footprint mean? Buildings will be sold? Land will be sold? Does a smaller footprint not mean reduced tuition? Why would people pay the same for a smaller campus and fewer programs? |
Anonymous
My DS left last year but he still has a lot of friends that were at SSFS this year. Out of 9 that were planning on attending next year, 6 are confirmed leaving, 2 are undecided and 1 is going to stay. I hear that is the case with many students, which is understandable. It may be a great community and might survive but no one wants to gamble with their kid's education. I can't imagine staying with this uncertainty. |
Anonymous
| Ask any private school enrollment management professional and they will tell you about declining birth rates since 2006. It is not something unique to this school - all schools have this trend in their planning models. |
Anonymous
Do you mind saying which grade? |
Anonymous
Correct, but what an odd response. The question was specifically about plans to weather the looming economic downturn in this area, not about the next 10-20 years. |
Anonymous
| I really hope you don't start naming specific grades. These are real people you are talking about here in a small community. |
Anonymous
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And the declining birth rates are obviously factual. But, most of SSFS’ peer schools have neither experienced nor foresee a downturn.
This issue isn’t declining birth rates, it’s gross financial incompetence combined with culpable opacity. |
Anonymous
The enrollment cliff is a well known concern for all educational institutions. https://www.npr.org/2025/01/08/nx-s1-5246200/demographic-cliff-fewer-college-students-mean-fewer-graduates |
Anonymous
| Universities/grad schools have also relied on full pay international students for decades. That’s definitely in decline. |
Anonymous
I’m not going to speak for colleges cause that’s not what ssfs is. But Maryland k-12 projections don’t see doomsday for a while. And that public k-12 schools are overcrowded is pretty well known. https://planning.maryland.gov/MSDC/Documents/school_enrollment/school_2021/Final-2021-School-Enrollment-Projections-Report.pdf Let’s face it - ssfs didn’t go under because of a birth rate drop. At least let’s agree on that. The bs is that they list that as a concern right now. |
Anonymous
This. This is the issue. |
Anonymous
| Precisely |
Anonymous
| How can we get the school to publish current enrollment numbers before May 15? I need to know at least what things looked like on April 14 before I sign up. |
Anonymous
| Right, biggest concern is class size. |
Anonymous
| I think each division has different issues. For lower school, you don't want a class size too small, but for upper school, it doesn't matter if French 4 only has 5 kids as long as a variety of classes like AP classes or sports are offered. Hard to sign if you don't know a lot of these answers. I know it's a chicken and egg problem, but hard to trust an institution that 2 weeks ago decided to abruptly shut down. And even then, what are likely scenarios for following 2 years. It's hard to transfer in high school. |