The McLean School in Potomac

[Anonymous]

What is the reputation of the middle school? I was told most of the student body falls in this category. And what is the latest on the search for a new middle school head. Are they waiting until the new head of school comes on board to participate in the search?

[Anonymous]

I was wondering the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Helloooooo! Anybody know anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they spend a lot of time on fit - take two children with similar profiles on paper - they might feel that they can serve one but not the other. When we interviewed, I was really impressed that they take a lot of time to assess whether the child will benefit from the McLean approach, and they really looked at DC as an individual, not a set of test scores. DC doesn't have particular learning issues, but would very definitely benefit from the McLean approach, individualized attention and smaller classes. We're very impressed.

If you look at the description from the search company for the new head, you'll see that they really want to make an effort going forward to be identified as a main stream school with a good support system. I'm sure they'll succeed. We really liked the model.

So how is this different than schools like:

St. Andrew's
Bullis
Field
Edmund Burke
St. John's
Good Counsel
Sandy Spring
Holy Child

All these schools offer the same approach. Good Counsel and st. John's offer specific programs for kids with learning issues. Mclean's niche is not really a niche anymore. Many schools offer small classes, individual attention to mild learning issues, accommodations such as extra time on tests or using a computer for notes. Schools like Bullis have added a learning center to help kids the extra help needed to be successful in school. There is much more recognition in the mainstream private school community of kids who have these needs.

In addition, the level of extra's many of these schools can provide mclean can't compete with especially if you have a kid who is really athletic or wants more of a social life.

mclean doesn't want kids with serious learning or behavioral issues so schools like Diener, Maddux, Auburn and Siena have filled that void.


Think you are also confusing MADDUX with Ivymount. MADDUX is not a school for serious learning or behavioral issues.

[Anonymous]

I believe one of the USPs at McLean is that support is integrated into every class, and not a stand-alone event for selected students. The small classes mean that differentiated teaching is more of a possibility than elsewhere, particularly if there is emphasis placed on each child's learning style. It should allow kids to excel regardless their style while avoiding the stigma that even a well-positioned separate support system might provide. Hence, the children who might best benefit from McLean are those who don't learn well in a more uniform or mainstream teaching environment, no matter how excellent and high the standards, but not those with signficant behavioral or learning issues which might require more support than is anticipated at McLean. That's just my two cents on why we are very attracted to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they spend a lot of time on fit - take two children with similar profiles on paper - they might feel that they can serve one but not the other. When we interviewed, I was really impressed that they take a lot of time to assess whether the child will benefit from the McLean approach, and they really looked at DC as an individual, not a set of test scores. DC doesn't have particular learning issues, but would very definitely benefit from the McLean approach, individualized attention and smaller classes. We're very impressed.

If you look at the description from the search company for the new head, you'll see that they really want to make an effort going forward to be identified as a main stream school with a good support system. I'm sure they'll succeed. We really liked the model.

So how is this different than schools like:

St. Andrew's
Bullis
Field
Edmund Burke
St. John's
Good Counsel
Sandy Spring
Holy Child

All these schools offer the same approach. Good Counsel and st. John's offer specific programs for kids with learning issues. Mclean's niche is not really a niche anymore. Many schools offer small classes, individual attention to mild learning issues, accommodations such as extra time on tests or using a computer for notes. Schools like Bullis have added a learning center to help kids the extra help needed to be successful in school. There is much more recognition in the mainstream private school community of kids who have these needs.

In addition, the level of extra's many of these schools can provide mclean can't compete with especially if you have a kid who is really athletic or wants more of a social life.

mclean doesn't want kids with serious learning or behavioral issues so schools like Diener, Maddux, Auburn and Siena have filled that void.


Think you are also confusing MADDUX with Ivymount. MADDUX is not a school for serious learning or behavioral issues.


I am not confusing maddux with Ivymount. maddux does take kids with more serious learning and behavorial issues. These kids, while having normal to above normal intelligence, have issues that in a regular school setting, would cause them many problems. while lots of Maddux kids go on to public or other mainstream schools, many also have gone to lab and kingsbury.

OT and speech therapy are built in to the curriculum. sometimes, the learning issues become more apparent as the kids stay at Maddux so because of the background of the teachers, they are better able to deal with this. If you start at Pre-k, it can surface that there is dyslexia or some other more serious learning issue.

OT and Speech therapy are not part of the curriculum of Mclean which is what we were comparing maddux to. The type of student at Ivymount is not a candidate for maddux. They are a completely different student profile.

[Anonymous]

Who keeps providing these "cut and paste" postings? If you can't provide any orginal and valuable insight or thought, then please stop. It is annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who keeps providing these "cut and paste" postings? If you can't provide any orginal and valuable insight or thought, then please stop. It is annoying.

So sorry your highness. I was answering the question the poster had stated regarding Maddux. If you bothered to read the bottom, there actually was an answer and insight. Somehow the quote function did not work.

And if you can't actually spell original you might not want to use the word.

[Anonymous]

I think the question at the top of the page had to do with the reputation of the McLean middle school, so not sure where Maddux came in, perhaps, in an earlier pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the reputation of the middle school? I was told most of the student body falls in this category. And what is the latest on the search for a new middle school head. Are they waiting until the new head of school comes on board to participate in the search?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The website seems clear that mcLean uses various methods and modalities to teach children with different learning styles. And, the testimonials at the open houses and information sessions make it pretty clear as well. So, I can't imagine who would feel deceived.

These are vague terms if you are coming from a different country. It is PC speak, lost in translation.

Yeah, I have to say, that as I consider private for my SN kid, I'm reading various private school webpages and for the life of me I cannot figure out if the school is supposed to be SN or not, then have to do additional research to figure out who might attend here. Not surprising one bit. There are a lot of linguistic acrobatics in most school descriptions.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry no one has answered the question about the middle school head. I don't think I've heard, but its possible I just wasn't paying attention. I assume they are still hiring (or promoting) someone by the end of this year. They generally take division heads from within. I think most schools do that. Though I do vaguely remember something about a nation-wide search.

I have a middle schooler and I haven't seen any problems at all with the current, acting head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry no one has answered the question about the middle school head. I don't think I've heard, but its possible I just wasn't paying attention. I assume they are still hiring (or promoting) someone by the end of this year. They generally take division heads from within. I think most schools do that. Though I do vaguely remember something about a nation-wide search.

I have a middle schooler and I haven't seen any problems at all with the current, acting head.

http://www.mcleanschool.org/profile/13/3588/

Apparently you weren't paying attention since this is posted on the Mclean web site.

[Anonymous]

My only observation is that the handful of parents I've known with kids at McLean School seem very nice and devoted. I kinda wish that they would move over to our Big 3 where nice is a rarity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My only observation is that the handful of parents I've known with kids at McLean School seem very nice and devoted. I kinda wish that they would move over to our Big 3 where nice is a rarity.

I have children at both and agree.