after Green Acres

[Anonymous]

Your friends with kids who go there say the kids at school aren't smart and your personal experience supported it. My experience was different. I asked about and heard about academic rigor from school administrators. My friends with kids who go there have smart kids. I think this is what we can and should expect about personal preference for schools.

[Anonymous]

Went there a few years ago, I should have said. Maybe things have changed with the new head. Though I would not think that likely given the commitment to a certain profile of education.

[Anonymous]

Glad to hear the report of kids at GAS who are smart as we like it there too. When we were there we heard an example given of a few 2nd graders being grouped and allowed to advance to the 4th grade textbook. That sounds both as if the kids were smart and that the school acommodates them.

We know the school will have a mix of kids' abilities as progressive schools are willing to work with kids of varying learning styles more than other places might be willing to do. They also tend to work on social enviroment and education - the acceptance of differences in people, building self confidence and leadership. We love those things.

But we also want to know there are some kids whose "different style" is that they are on the bright end of the spectrum - would love to hear of other people with evidence of such. I think the school would support such kids - but it is important for there to be a few of those per class to have some peers.

As for the poste noting the fact that Brown or Reed were missing from the list...that really just may be preference of the kids and trends. They are not the biggest schools to start with and both have a unique flavor to them. Combine that with the fact that GAS will have a broader spectrum of where kids will apply - some may not be as academic - others will - and remember - its a pretty small class. I have found that there are trends in which small colleges are popular from some high schools anyway - especially high schools with a diverse graduating class. I went to a top competitive liberal arts school that nobody had been to from my large HS in any of the graduating classes above me (3 yrs at least, probably more). After I chose to go there - it crossed the radar of younger kids who knew me as well as the school counselors - and I think the college had a better understanding that kids from my HS could be a good match. And it turned out that at least 1-2 kids per year from my HS went to my college for a good 5-6 classes following mine. I saw similar trends for other colleges at my HS - either passed down from older kids to my cohort or from my friends who chose schools that other kids followed them to in later years. So keep that scenario in mind too.

[Anonymous]

Maybe there are other experiences such as PP's knowledge of "a few 2nd graders being grouped and allowed to advance to the 4th grade textbook." We've heard the opposite and that the school is allergic to such things, more in line with 16:52. Other examples to suggest flexibility would be great to hear. Also, someone asked before about the numbers that have gone to top high schools in the past few years, but I don't see that as having been answered. Question seems fair, and is about facts rather than suppositions about preferences of families/students.

[Anonymous]

22:59 here - to help on the high school question - during our visit we were also told a story about how 7 of 9 current Maret student council members were GAS grads...

[Anonymous]

In my child's Sidwell class, there are at least two GA alums (that I know of).

[Anonymous]

To 15:41--I'm curious where you heard that information. To start, my kid goes to Maret, and there are 15 kids on the student council. And I don't think that there are enough kids from Green Acres to even say they are a majority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 15:41--I'm curious where you heard that information. To start, my kid goes to Maret, and there are 15 kids on the student council. And I don't think that there are enough kids from Green Acres to even say they are a majority.

Yes, this does seem a little strange. Maret is so small and it is hard to imagine taking so many GAS students to make that number. I'd be just as skeptical if I heard that quote with reference to any K-8 school, not just GAS.

[Anonymous]

Hi - 15:31 here - the information was told to a group tour this Fall at GAS by a GAS administrator - seemed relevant to this discussion so I thought I'd share it

[Anonymous]

I think GAS is a fine school, but I seriously doubt the comment regarding the Maret student council no matter the source. Other than an administrator at Maret, that is!

[Anonymous]

Maybe 7 of the 9 students who have gone there in the past years (# of years would be relevant) are GAS alums. Might be a result of self-selection - GAS students are interested in student council type activities so end up on the council. But not necessarily true that all served or are serving at the same time - the implication of which would be to inflate the placement by GAS at Maret.

Nobody has yet offered overall placement numbers per year (or past 5 years) broken down by high schools. I think this info is usually pretty easy to get if you are at the school. Can anybody provide it?

[Anonymous]

GAS was recommended to us by an educational consultant. We were looking for a school that could provide academic challenge for our very smart child, while avoiding social and academic pressure.

We didn't end up going there for other reasons, but this consultant is very well-respected and knowledgeable.

[Anonymous]

So now we can get into a game of dueling educational consultants! Ours say don't apply to GAS for my smart kid who doesn't want presure. The consultant felt the academics would be too easy and hence demotivating.

[Anonymous]

12:01 - where did you end up?

13:30 - same to you...or where are you looking if still in the process.

I can see both consultants being on target depending on the child. It could be that GAS is a good fit for bright kids who are self motivated - but not good for a child who is equally bright but would not push themselves. GAS may allow the freedom and social acceptance for a self motivator to strike out on their own beyond the curriculum...but GAS might be too laid back to push children that are bright but not self motivated enough to reach their own potential. In which case - I think it is great that the consultants (perhaps even the same one!?) would recommend a different school based on the child. All super bright kids are not the same....and it's all about matching the kid to the school. Sounds like they are doing their jobs.

[Anonymous]

OP, the school will eventually have to change. In this economy there is no way that many people will pay top dollar to get a substandard education. I do believe that the school has some wacky ideas about education, but they also have some nice well intended teachers.

I know quite a number of parents who have left one of the progressive schools disappointed. This is one of the reasons that I think the state should make private schools accountable.