St Marys versus St Louis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

If this is such a problem, why are you at a Catholic school? Attending Mass as a school once a week is part of the culture. Is it that you are too cheap to pay for a secular private?

As has been noted numerous times, not all catholic schools go to mass every week — neither nationally nor in the dmv. So stop pretending that going to mass every Friday during school hours is somehow the 11th commandment or an edict from the Pope, or that you’re somehow “less catholic” bc you actually prefer to have your kids learn academics (including religion class) at SCHOOL rather than sit at mass during the school day.

Perhaps you should just send your kids to a monastery or homeschool so you can take your kids to mass every day. Let the the rest of us have a BALANCED, academically rich and rigorous environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

If this is such a problem, why are you at a Catholic school? Attending Mass as a school once a week is part of the culture. Is it that you are too cheap to pay for a secular private?

As has been noted numerous times, not all catholic schools go to mass every week — neither nationally nor in the dmv. So stop pretending that going to mass every Friday during school hours is somehow the 11th commandment or an edict from the Pope, or that you’re somehow “less catholic” bc you actually prefer to have your kids learn academics (including religion class) at SCHOOL rather than sit at mass during the school day.

Perhaps you should just send your kids to a monastery or homeschool so you can take your kids to mass every day. Let the the rest of us have a BALANCED, academically rich and rigorous environment.

So, it is the cheap tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

This thread has gone off the rails...

St. Mary's does have serious teacher quality issues, but doing away with school mass is not going to make teachers magically improve.

As a school with a lot of wealth, but Lord of the Flies it is not. Perhaps favoritism shown to prominent families, but that happens everywhere even Sidwell..gasp

PP never mentioned mass. They mentioned a lot of bullying problems and a terrible administration, but not mass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

If this is such a problem, why are you at a Catholic school? Attending Mass as a school once a week is part of the culture. Is it that you are too cheap to pay for a secular private?

As has been noted numerous times, not all catholic schools go to mass every week — neither nationally nor in the dmv. So stop pretending that going to mass every Friday during school hours is somehow the 11th commandment or an edict from the Pope, or that you’re somehow “less catholic” bc you actually prefer to have your kids learn academics (including religion class) at SCHOOL rather than sit at mass during the school day.

Perhaps you should just send your kids to a monastery or homeschool so you can take your kids to mass every day. Let the the rest of us have a BALANCED, academically rich and rigorous environment.

Then go to an independent school. Parochial schools exist to provide a "BALANCED, religious academically rich and rigorous environment."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

If this is such a problem, why are you at a Catholic school? Attending Mass as a school once a week is part of the culture. Is it that you are too cheap to pay for a secular private?

As has been noted numerous times, not all catholic schools go to mass every week — neither nationally nor in the dmv. So stop pretending that going to mass every Friday during school hours is somehow the 11th commandment or an edict from the Pope, or that you’re somehow “less catholic” bc you actually prefer to have your kids learn academics (including religion class) at SCHOOL rather than sit at mass during the school day.

Perhaps you should just send your kids to a monastery or homeschool so you can take your kids to mass every day. Let the the rest of us have a BALANCED, academically rich and rigorous environment.

You opted to send your kids to a known conservative parish’s school. Then you get all pikachu-faced when they go to Mass. A critique that lists poor teaching, dropping scores, bullying or issues like that would garner my sympathy. But this surprise about the religious expectations of this school is unimpressive.

[Anonymous]

St. Louis served my DC well. Responsive teachers and administration, great counselors. There is one teacher in the middle school who needs to retire, but overall we were happy with instruction. Felt like DC got a good education, learned study and note taking skills, good writing, etc.

It’s a nice little school where everyone knows your kids. Racially and economically diverse.

[Anonymous]

St. Louis parents: do kids stay all the way through 8th (we are currently in an area where kids start leaving the school around 6th grade)? Where do grads go for high school? Did you feel your child was well-prepared for high school?

[Anonymous]

The bullying issue at BSSM is interesting. Is this a problem at St. Louis as well?
Its an issue at our local public so I am curious if this is a problem everywhere or especially bad for a Catholic school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Louis parents: do kids stay all the way through 8th (we are currently in an area where kids start leaving the school around 6th grade)? Where do grads go for high school? Did you feel your child was well-prepared for high school?

We joined toward the end of elementary but other than the military families that get moved, it seems that most people stay until high school. Vast majority of recent year graduates are at BI, then a few Gonzaga, Visi, St. Johns, Madeira, John Paul the Great, etc. Some public as well but most stay private. From what I have heard they were well prepared, my DC isn't there yet. I can't speak to the bullying beyond that my child has never had a problem with anyone. DC has never really mentioned anything either. Not sure if that's the same for both genders but on the whole the kids seem nice. Probably the usual middle school drama but I don't think bullying would really be tolerated there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im going to give a little input from the neighborhood rumor mill. I do Not have a child at the school. I have A middle schooler who goes somewhere else. The word is that the middle school boys are struggling. The new conservative principal came in promising a new initiative to cater to boys- to create leaders out of the boys. He sold a very conservative agenda that spoke to the parents of boys. The school wants to give boys more leadership opportunities and teach to their needs because they are worried that modern curriculum has left boys behind. (I could Not roll my eyes deeper into my head) however, bullying and behavior problems amongst the boys especially via text message and in video game chats is insane (calling kids gay, making fun of their bodies, luring them into group chats to bully them, very sexualized verbal attacks, racism against Asian children) m. The stories I’ve heard from parents of st Mary’s kids about the bullying their kids endure are terrifying. However, the school believes in “peer feedback” meaning if a child is being bullied like being called fat or being called annoying, they need to hear this to motivate them to change. The administration does nothing about bullying amongst boys. In fact, if a child is dorky or an outcast or suffers bullying, they let the bullying persist without intervention until the parents remove the child from the school. Several middle school boys left mid year for commonwealth academy. The class sizes are way too big. There was a flood of “woke” but “nimby” parents during the pandemic who want accommodation and differentiated curriculum and a curriculum for the whole child and mental health and anti-bullying but they are paying bargain basement prices. They are shocked to find out that Catholic Church serves the goal of creating more Catholics.

You sure have a definite opinion as someone who isn’t actually in the school.

I guess the weekly mass is working wonders for these kids. Forcing 14 yos to attend mass TWICE a week (Friday and Sunday) is a wonderful idea.

If this is such a problem, why are you at a Catholic school? Attending Mass as a school once a week is part of the culture. Is it that you are too cheap to pay for a secular private?

As has been noted numerous times, not all catholic schools go to mass every week — neither nationally nor in the dmv. So stop pretending that going to mass every Friday during school hours is somehow the 11th commandment or an edict from the Pope, or that you’re somehow “less catholic” bc you actually prefer to have your kids learn academics (including religion class) at SCHOOL rather than sit at mass during the school day.

Perhaps you should just send your kids to a monastery or homeschool so you can take your kids to mass every day. Let the the rest of us have a BALANCED, academically rich and rigorous environment.

It’s standard in the Arlington diocese, so all the parochial schools in NoVA. Take it up with Bishop Burbidge if it bothers you so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bullying issue at BSSM is interesting. Is this a problem at St. Louis as well?
Its an issue at our local public so I am curious if this is a problem everywhere or especially bad for a Catholic school.

We’re at a different Catholic school that’s nearby and I’m aware of a couple of incidences of bullying, but the administration took it seriously and dealt with it pretty swiftly and it was resolved pretty quickly from what I know.

I think in alot of public schools it seems that the teachers feel their hands are tied and they are not backed up by their admins, so it may be a larger issue.

[Anonymous]

Bullying is handled swiftly at St. Louis. We have multiple kids and have only had one problem. Teacher/admin/counselor all engaged. The problem was nipped in the bid. They put the children in separate classrooms the next year too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bullying is handled swiftly at St. Louis. We have multiple kids and have only had one problem. Teacher/admin/counselor all engaged. The problem was nipped in the bid. They put the children in separate classrooms the next year too.

As a soon to be parent I appreciate this response! We are moving from public to St. Louis mostly due to bullying/fear of violence that was not handled appropriately in the public school space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bullying is handled swiftly at St. Louis. We have multiple kids and have only had one problem. Teacher/admin/counselor all engaged. The problem was nipped in the bid. They put the children in separate classrooms the next year too.

As a soon to be parent I appreciate this response! We are moving from public to St. Louis mostly due to bullying/fear of violence that was not handled appropriately in the public school space.

PP again. There’s definitely none of that at STL. Sometimes kids make mistakes, but the students are generally good kids. There’s a big emphasis on character.

[Anonymous]

Does St Mary’s allow students to bring Bibles to Friday Mass to read? If not, why not?