considering leaving MCPS for a religious school?

[Anonymous]

Parent of multiple Grace grads (who went to public afterwards and certainly did not have any catching up to do!) I would not trade their elementary experience for anything—and we went private for many of the reasons you are considering—although it was definitely a financial stretch for us. A visit would tell you a lot more but to briefly answer your questions.

- Playtime in the younger grades. Playtime and outdoor time in general is a focus. For example, science can be outdoors, chapel can be outdoors and obviously there is recess for everyone.

- Academic rigor. This is child focused and individualized within the curriculum. Especially in the early years they follow students’ interests while still teaching the needed information and skills. What I wanted most of all was for my kids to be capable self motivated learners who enjoyed learning. That happened.
- Not wanting kids to get lost in a big school shuffle. It’s a small school. Every adult in the building knew them. On the other hand there is one class per grade—no reshuffling from year to year. Not everyone loves the smallness but I did.

Good luck in your search!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,

My oldest is a college freshman. Most private universities are in the 70-90K range, per year, total cost of attendance (tuition, room, board, fees). A few are 100K a year.

In-state UMD is 30K a year. Out of state public universities will be higher, and some will be as expensive as privates. The cost of college tuition has risen faster than inflation on average in the past few decades.

Additional info:

1. No elementary will cater to advanced or precocious students, except possibly the MCPS CES centers in 4th and 5th grade. Your kids are going to sit there and be bored, in private and in public. By middle school, there are multiple math and language tracks available (and two different levels of English and social studies), that prepare your child for AP, IB and Honors classes in high school. Your child, if they are bright, can test into Algebra 1 in 6th grade, and end up taking a ton of AP courses in high school. MCPS also has magnets that specialize in certain fields.

2. Publics have to accept everyone, and so have more discipline issues in the classroom than privates. But sometimes the bullying and teasing is worse in privates, because of the smaller classes, and the lack of management on the part of the administration, especially if the bully's family is prominent at the school. They have drugs problems at the secondary level, private and public. The type of drugs/alcohol will depend on the SES level of families, that's all. Your children will learn who to avoid and who to be friends with, at any school.

3. If one of your children has moderate special needs, sometimes it's better to stay in public, who are obligated to implement 504 and IEP plans (you need to stay on top of it, of course). Privates have no such obligation.

Just to add to your thought process...

I've found all of this to be true, especially as a former private school "lifer."

[Anonymous]

Op, not sure if you’re still considering things but wanted to chime in. I have 1 child who graduated and 1 child still enrolled at St Bs. I love the school and my academically advanced child is certainly challenged by teachers at school. Her work is at a different level than grade level peers in the public system. My child in HS is well prepared thanks to SBS. The families that attended are representative of families living in the area. It is a socially liberal crowd and you won’t find loud and pushy Trumpers mixed in. Several gay couples have sent their kids through the school since I have been there. We made the switch from public when my younger child was bored and unchallenged. Without all the issues public schools manage, the teachers are able to push students who need the extra challenge. Also they learn science in MS. Even biology. Not sure where that came from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved DC out of MCPS shortly after starting 6th grade. Lots of reasons went into it that were very similar to yours. Now we have smaller classes, better academic rigor, good community even though it’s not our local school. Overall It’s been a great change for us. I say try it- you can always come back to MCPS if it doesn’t work out.

PP, which school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved DC out of MCPS shortly after starting 6th grade. Lots of reasons went into it that were very similar to yours. Now we have smaller classes, better academic rigor, good community even though it’s not our local school. Overall It’s been a great change for us. I say try it- you can always come back to MCPS if it doesn’t work out.

PP, which school?

It’s a year-old thread, so you might not get an answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The social conservatism at schools like St. Bernadettes directly contributes to the good behavior of the students and allows the school to do more with less. Community buy in to the culture is precisely why it delivers a better product at lower per student cost.

If that bothers you, just pay for a pricier private or stay in public schools. If you choose to participate in the Catholic model, please give it the respect it has earned in attracting you.

This is BS.
So if you had lgbt students or parents the behavior would go downhill?

In your hypothetical, do the student and parents in question buy into and participate in the culture or are they being activists complaining about everything and trying to water down the religious component, strict rules on hair and dress, de-emphasis on current political issues and focus on eternal truths?

Kids in K-8 shouldn’t really be engaging with sexual topics other than basic birds and bees biologies so labels aren’t necessary at that age and thus there is no need for any controversy. Unless of course people who don’t buy in to the culture and mission of Catholic schools attend anyways because they want to escape public school but not pay up for fancy school and then, once admitted, try to undermine the religious teachings that are the bedrock of, and entire purpose for, the whole enterprise.

I’m not saying people aren’t welcome. I’m just saying I would personally never enroll my kids in a madrassa and then complain that the food is halal, so please don’t do that to me either.

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