Sidwell tuition increase

[Anonymous]

I love when politically correct shibboleths collide. Very amusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2017-18

STA 44,144
NCS 41,975
Sidwell 40,840
GDS, 40,000 (no lunch program)
Potomac 39,770
Maret 37,700

Blessed Sacrament School in Chevy Chase, DC: $10,275

You do the math...seems like a no brainer to me.

[Anonymous]

Not everyone wants a catholic education.

[Anonymous]

I work in independent schools and the rising costs are going to shut us down. It's unrealistic to think that we can continue to raise the prices, year after year, and NOT have it squeeze everyone... remember tuition doesn't even cover the full cost of the entire program, so you have to give ON TOP of that. Everyone is always wondering about the "Big 3" in DC - and every one of them (whether it's STA, NCS, Maret, GDS, Sidwell) will hit $50K before too long. These schools (and I work for one) are in an arms race...nicer gyms, nicer science labs, etc... and it's madness. Because the teachers are NOT getting huge raises year after year...we get minimal raises, just like the average parents out there. And I wouldn't blame Bryan G. for this one...I'd blame the BOARD at every one of these schools...getting greedier every tuition increase along the way.

[Anonymous]

Out of curiosity, what are the least expensive, completely secular independent high schools in the DC area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, what are the least expensive, completely secular independent high schools in the DC area?

I think this one:

http://www.blythtempleton.org/tuition-and-fees

[Anonymous]

GZ may be best deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in independent schools and the rising costs are going to shut us down. It's unrealistic to think that we can continue to raise the prices, year after year, and NOT have it squeeze everyone... remember tuition doesn't even cover the full cost of the entire program, so you have to give ON TOP of that. Everyone is always wondering about the "Big 3" in DC - and every one of them (whether it's STA, NCS, Maret, GDS, Sidwell) will hit $50K before too long. These schools (and I work for one) are in an arms race...nicer gyms, nicer science labs, etc... and it's madness. Because the teachers are NOT getting huge raises year after year...we get minimal raises, just like the average parents out there. And I wouldn't blame Bryan G. for this one...I'd blame the BOARD at every one of these schools...getting greedier every tuition increase along the way.

I'd blame the parents, too, who are guilty of expecting that their schools have *everything* that any other school has -- and nicer and better at that. Parents have anxiety about their kids having every competitive edge when applying to college, and parents are guilty of plain, old affluenza. So parents complain when another school has more international travel opportunities or more ipads or a slightly better teacher ratio or whatever.

It's an arms race to perfection, whatever the costs, and the boards and HOSs are leading the charge, but the parents are egging them on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd blame the parents, too, who are guilty of expecting that their schools have *everything* that any other school has -- and nicer and better at that. Parents have anxiety about their kids having every competitive edge when applying to college, and parents are guilty of plain, old affluenza. So parents complain when another school has more international travel opportunities or more ipads or a slightly better teacher ratio or whatever.

It's an arms race to perfection, whatever the costs, and the boards and HOSs are leading the charge, but the parents are egging them on.

I agree in theory, but what persuasive arguments can you use with those wealthier parents (for whom money is no object and are presumably more influential with the school assuming their donations are greater) to convince them that "our school doesn't need the nicest [fill in the blank] in the DC area"?

[Anonymous]

Sidwell’s new gym is fabulous but pretty over the top. High school kids don’t need such top notch facilities - nicer than the college I went to. I’m a Sidwell parent and annoyed about this tuition increase. Sidwell has the name and prestige already. They don’t need to keep spending $ to have the best facilities. School used to be less materialistic but that has changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell’s new gym is fabulous but pretty over the top. High school kids don’t need such top notch facilities - nicer than the college I went to. I’m a Sidwell parent and annoyed about this tuition increase. Sidwell has the name and prestige already. They don’t need to keep spending $ to have the best facilities. School used to be less materialistic but that has changed.

They needed a new gym because the old facilities, built in the 1950's, were inadequate to fulfill the program mission. There were too many teams, particularly in Middle School, competing for court space in the winter, and not enough locker room space for both middle and upper school students. Should they have spent less and built a facility that they couldn't grow into?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of curiosity, what are the least expensive, completely secular independent high schools in the DC area?

I think this one:

http://www.blythtempleton.org/tuition-and-fees

What about elementary schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in independent schools and the rising costs are going to shut us down. It's unrealistic to think that we can continue to raise the prices, year after year, and NOT have it squeeze everyone... remember tuition doesn't even cover the full cost of the entire program, so you have to give ON TOP of that. Everyone is always wondering about the "Big 3" in DC - and every one of them (whether it's STA, NCS, Maret, GDS, Sidwell) will hit $50K before too long. These schools (and I work for one) are in an arms race...nicer gyms, nicer science labs, etc... and it's madness. Because the teachers are NOT getting huge raises year after year...we get minimal raises, just like the average parents out there. And I wouldn't blame Bryan G. for this one...I'd blame the BOARD at every one of these schools...getting greedier every tuition increase along the way.

As a parent who is working hard to afford tuition, one of the really bothersome facts for me is that the money really is not resulting in a better quality of life for my child's teachers. It is the small classes, warm environment, and teachers that I care about. Also extras like having a great art teacher and program. But that it not the same thing as building new state of the art facilities that are nicer than my college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell’s new gym is fabulous but pretty over the top. High school kids don’t need such top notch facilities - nicer than the college I. went to. I’m a Sidwell parent and annoyed about this tuition increase. Sidwell has the name and prestige already. They don’t need to keep spending $ to have the best facilities. School used to be less materialistic but that has changed.

They needed a new gym because the old facilities, built in the 1950's, were inadequate to fulfill the program mission. There were too many teams, particularly in Middle School, competing for court space in the winter, and not enough locker room space for both middle and upper school students. Should they have spent less and built a facility that they couldn't grow into?

Was the decision taken in tandem with a decision to set tuition at levels accessible only to a more and more exclusive level of family HHI? These things aren't separate decisions. Unless the whole gym and all future related operating costs were paid by past donors. A couple of schools function to set the prices in DMV. Yes, Sidwell a price leader, so the big discussion. Others follow and justify based on the price leaders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in independent schools and the rising costs are going to shut us down. It's unrealistic to think that we can continue to raise the prices, year after year, and NOT have it squeeze everyone... remember tuition doesn't even cover the full cost of the entire program, so you have to give ON TOP of that. Everyone is always wondering about the "Big 3" in DC - and every one of them (whether it's STA, NCS, Maret, GDS, Sidwell) will hit $50K before too long. These schools (and I work for one) are in an arms race...nicer gyms, nicer science labs, etc... and it's madness. Because the teachers are NOT getting huge raises year after year...we get minimal raises, just like the average parents out there. And I wouldn't blame Bryan G. for this one...I'd blame the BOARD at every one of these schools...getting greedier every tuition increase along the way.

As a parent who is working hard to afford tuition, one of the really bothersome facts for me is that the money really is not resulting in a better quality of life for my child's teachers. It is the small classes, warm environment, and teachers that I care about. Also extras like having a great art teacher and program. But that it not the same thing as building new state of the art facilities that are nicer than my college.

+1. And what we hear is that the money that was donated was earmarked for capital projects: everyone likes to have their name on something; paying for maintenance and salaries isn't so sexy. But, new facilities come with new staff, new coaches, new faculty ... and maintenance. So the idea that the personnel costs are somehow unrelated to expensive capital improvements is ridiculous.

It's the same at universities, btw.