SFS MS teachers

[Anonymous]

Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, it’s the drag the SFS again thread; on the eve of the admission decisions. 🙄

Not at all. Nor is it a DEI-related jab, as a previous kneejerk post suggested. I have had kids at the school for more years than I care to admit (a decision I question often).

I am honestly sad about where the environment there seems to have gone. From my perspective. Not speaking for anyone else.

To that end, I will add that the expanded extent of the sports culture is alienating many families.

So have I and I think this is completely off base. No idea what you’re talking about

What I am talking about is a change in the time that I have known the school (I am an alumnus and have had kids there since 2007 - yes, you read that right).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

I think that Sidwell is trying to generate publicity for itself - or something -- as a decent sports school. Alumni support is sought $$$$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

Sidwell parents love to bring up that there are multiple Sidwell players in the NBA meaning Josh Hart and Saddiq Bey, but fail to mention that they were not even students at Sidwell until sophomore year of high school. Hart transferred from Wheaton High and Bey transferred from DeMatha. So it’s not like players like this come up from the middle school or even the regular 9th grade admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

Sidwell parents love to bring up that there are multiple Sidwell players in the NBA meaning Josh Hart and Saddiq Bey, but fail to mention that they were not even students at Sidwell until sophomore year of high school. Hart transferred from Wheaton High and Bey transferred from DeMatha. So it’s not like players like this come up from the middle school or even the regular 9th grade admissions process.

So what? They are both Sidwell alums. One of those players has a younger sibling who currently attends Sidwell, so clearly the family has ties to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to watching Sidwell's top-notch boys and girls hoops teams play in the DC tourney this weekend. BTW, Sidwell's best players are African-American. Shhhhh ......

PP writing. I enjoy the basketball program. I'm not making any kind of veiled statement on race. What I am calling attention to is the school's social media presence/campaigning and all the other PR the school puts out. There is a clear interest in going beyond (or substituting for) the school's historically academic identity to one more focused on sports. And maybe that's just the direction Bryan seeks to take things. This is disappointing to me. I sometimes wonder if the money crunch the school seems to have experienced during recent years may explain some of this. In fundraising circles, it is widely believed that alumni tend to be more generous when sports teams are excelling than in any other situation.

Don’t blame Sidwell because your child lacks any athletic ability. Besides, being an an academic AND athletic powerhouse is not mutually exclusive (see Stanford, Duke, UCLA, etc).

+1

Mens sana in corpore sano

You clowns missed the point. The complaint is about what the school emphasizes as it identity. Not that the school has an excellent team or two. (One of which has featured my kid as a player for the past two year).

Sure, Jan.

[Anonymous]

It is not easy to find teachers these days.
Middle school is a tough age. I’m guessing it might be easier to find teachers for elementary and high school compared with middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

Tennis is also strong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a HS parent - we have heard that the MS head is subpar and that it affects much of MS experience in a negative way for students and for teachers.

Could not agree more with what you have heard.

+2 The MS head is definitely the weak link in the Sidwell administration. She’s been there what- 6 or 7 years now, at least, and still seems to be in over her head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

No, Sidwell does not think of itself as a strong sports school, overall. As a parent I personally welcome the added attention to sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: does Sidwell think of itself as a strong sports school (outside of girls and sometimes boys hoops which are legitimately good)? I always thought the parents were fine with it being weak in sports.

No, Sidwell does not think of itself as a strong sports school, overall. As a parent I personally welcome the added attention to sports.

But also, relative to what? The only sports school was Bullis but we are regularly beating them so yes it is strong.

I also love the focus on sports and would like see more development opportunities and non-traditional sports in house as well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to watching Sidwell's top-notch boys and girls hoops teams play in the DC tourney this weekend. BTW, Sidwell's best players are African-American. Shhhhh ......

PP writing. I enjoy the basketball program. I'm not making any kind of veiled statement on race. What I am calling attention to is the school's social media presence/campaigning and all the other PR the school puts out. There is a clear interest in going beyond (or substituting for) the school's historically academic identity to one more focused on sports. And maybe that's just the direction Bryan seeks to take things. This is disappointing to me. I sometimes wonder if the money crunch the school seems to have experienced during recent years may explain some of this. In fundraising circles, it is widely believed that alumni tend to be more generous when sports teams are excelling than in any other situation.

Don’t blame Sidwell because your child lacks any athletic ability. Besides, being an an academic AND athletic powerhouse is not mutually exclusive (see Stanford, Duke, UCLA, etc).

+1

Mens sana in corpore sano

You clowns missed the point. The complaint is about what the school emphasizes as it identity. Not that the school has an excellent team or two. (One of which has featured my kid as a player for the past two year).

Calling people clowns really advancers the conversation. No wonder you feel alienated

[Anonymous]

This is fake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to watching Sidwell's top-notch boys and girls hoops teams play in the DC tourney this weekend. BTW, Sidwell's best players are African-American. Shhhhh ......

PP writing. I enjoy the basketball program. I'm not making any kind of veiled statement on race. What I am calling attention to is the school's social media presence/campaigning and all the other PR the school puts out. There is a clear interest in going beyond (or substituting for) the school's historically academic identity to one more focused on sports. And maybe that's just the direction Bryan seeks to take things. This is disappointing to me. I sometimes wonder if the money crunch the school seems to have experienced during recent years may explain some of this. In fundraising circles, it is widely believed that alumni tend to be more generous when sports teams are excelling than in any other situation.

Don’t blame Sidwell because your child lacks any athletic ability. Besides, being an an academic AND athletic powerhouse is not mutually exclusive (see Stanford, Duke, UCLA, etc).

+1

Mens sana in corpore sano

You clowns missed the point. The complaint is about what the school emphasizes as it identity. Not that the school has an excellent team or two. (One of which has featured my kid as a player for the past two year).

Calling people clowns really advancers the conversation. No wonder you feel alienated

By providing clarification, it does advance the conversation. You clown!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to watching Sidwell's top-notch boys and girls hoops teams play in the DC tourney this weekend. BTW, Sidwell's best players are African-American. Shhhhh ......

PP writing. I enjoy the basketball program. I'm not making any kind of veiled statement on race. What I am calling attention to is the school's social media presence/campaigning and all the other PR the school puts out. There is a clear interest in going beyond (or substituting for) the school's historically academic identity to one more focused on sports. And maybe that's just the direction Bryan seeks to take things. This is disappointing to me. I sometimes wonder if the money crunch the school seems to have experienced during recent years may explain some of this. In fundraising circles, it is widely believed that alumni tend to be more generous when sports teams are excelling than in any other situation.

Don’t blame Sidwell because your child lacks any athletic ability. Besides, being an an academic AND athletic powerhouse is not mutually exclusive (see Stanford, Duke, UCLA, etc).

+1

Mens sana in corpore sano

You clowns missed the point. The complaint is about what the school emphasizes as it identity. Not that the school has an excellent team or two. (One of which has featured my kid as a player for the past two year).

Sure, Jan.

You point?