If going private from public - when does it actually matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

Not a CM parent--that said, I have found the same issue with the independent/privates in this area. The websites and glossy brochures in general do not answer the questions you proposed-- a lot of blah blah blah and pretty pictures too. I found only by visiting and asking direct questions did I get these answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

Not a CM parent--that said, I have found the same issue with the independent/privates in this area. The websites and glossy brochures in general do not answer the questions you proposed-- a lot of blah blah blah and pretty pictures too. I found only by visiting and asking direct questions did I get these answers.

+ 1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

Not a CM parent--that said, I have found the same issue with the independent/privates in this area. The websites and glossy brochures in general do not answer the questions you proposed-- a lot of blah blah blah and pretty pictures too. I found only by visiting and asking direct questions did I get these answers.

I don't think ANY school has on the brochure if they use Singapore math or Everyday Math. The poster seems a little intense and needy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I switch to private at college and graduate school. I don't see the need to pay for it prior as no one cares where you went to preschool or elementary school when you are 40. Rather kids be debt free.

How would your kids acquire debt by going thru private preschool or elementary school? Puzzling.

The parents would have money to help their kids through college and grad school (and yes, maybe even debt free)if they didn't spend it on preschool and elementary school is my guess.
Duh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I switch to private at college and graduate school. I don't see the need to pay for it prior as no one cares where you went to preschool or elementary school when you are 40. Rather kids be debt free.

How would your kids acquire debt by going thru private preschool or elementary school? Puzzling.

The parents would have money to help their kids through college and grad school (and yes, maybe even debt free)if they didn't spend it on preschool and elementary school is my guess.
Duh!

That's our plan. If we can make charters work for us, we will save the money we would have spent on private MS and HS so that we can put all DCs through college and Law/Medical/Business school or a PhD program without the need for them to take on education-related debt.

[Anonymous]

Our kids moved from DCPS to private for 6th grade. That worked for them, and us.

[Anonymous]

CM is exciting but VERY new. They have a lot of kinks to work out and processes to put together.

[Anonymous]

I switched at seventh and hated it. I'd switch at high school if a girl. Girls are more mature by then. Going into middle school with zero friends sucked.
Try to figure out what dc's weaknesses may be due to public school and supplement over the summer with graded academic camps (ie, a writing class, a science lab class, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

Not a CM parent--that said, I have found the same issue with the independent/privates in this area. The websites and glossy brochures in general do not answer the questions you proposed-- a lot of blah blah blah and pretty pictures too. I found only by visiting and asking direct questions did I get these answers.

I don't think ANY school has on the brochure if they use Singapore math or Everyday Math. The poster seems a little intense and needy.

Maybe not the tri-fold brochure, but several independent websites sure do if you click around. Not so with CM IT and even YY. MV however does a good job when you click around. There's substance in there.

[Anonymous]

Former DC private school teacher here. I think that the experience my child has at his charter is equivalent if not more enriching (SES and racial diversity!) to what children have at any private school. Especially for early grades. Especially when you consider the astronomical monthly/yearly cost for a private DC education - it's simply not worth it in my mind. Instead, we are saving more for his college, taking fantastic trips with him, and enrolling in excellent summer camps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former DC private school teacher here. I think that the experience my child has at his charter is equivalent if not more enriching (SES and racial diversity!) to what children have at any private school. Especially for early grades. Especially when you consider the astronomical monthly/yearly cost for a private DC education - it's simply not worth it in my mind. Instead, we are saving more for his college, taking fantastic trips with him, and enrolling in excellent summer camps.

Interesting, as a former DC private school teacher, I'd be very interested where you send your child.

[Anonymous]

I know 2 private school teachers (at big name independent DC schools) who send their kids to our popular DC immersion charter. Do private school teachers get tuition discounts for their kids? Are their children automatically accepted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know 2 private school teachers (at big name independent DC schools) who send their kids to our popular DC immersion charter. Do private school teachers get tuition discounts for their kids? Are their children automatically accepted?

It differs school to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What makes a top private better than CM?

It's impossible to tell because all CMs literature reads like this:

"lofty soft goals international blah blah blah language blah blah blah filler inspirational words blah blah blah supportive learning environment blah blah blah arts are important blah blah ..."

It's difficult to discern the actual 5-day schedule other than a mention that CM will follow the common core.

Do you have a child at CM? Why do you need to know the schedule if you don't have a child there?

Maybe a prospective parent would be interested in learning a little more about how they impart that crucial foreign language instruction, to give just one example. Is it daily? Weekly? Only after school?

Do they use Singapore math? Everyday Math? Something novel?

How often is studio art offered during the school day? How long a bloc is devoted each day to project work?

IME, schools that have a plan are excited to convey this detailed info to prospective parents.

Do all the teachers have masters in education?

Not a CM parent--that said, I have found the same issue with the independent/privates in this area. The websites and glossy brochures in general do not answer the questions you proposed-- a lot of blah blah blah and pretty pictures too. I found only by visiting and asking direct questions did I get these answers.

I don't think ANY school has on the brochure if they use Singapore math or Everyday Math. The poster seems a little intense and needy.

Maybe not the tri-fold brochure, but several independent websites sure do if you click around. Not so with CM IT and even YY. MV however does a good job when you click around. There's substance in there.

So what privates show if they do Singapore math on their website? If you are so anti public schools why the heck are you on this forum? Your attempt to make us parents feel bad about our choice because CM, IT or YY doesn't have specific information in their website (2 schools are barely 1-2 years old) has failed. Buh bye.

[Anonymous]

All of this is moot if you can't get your kid a coveted charter spot.

We'll apply to charters, but I'm laying the groundwork on private school with DH now in the likely event DC doesn't get into a charter or get a realistic waiting list number.

He is not keen on private school, but selling our house isn't an option, I've recently realized I was overly optimistic about our IB school, and our nearby DCPS lottery options aren't very appealing, either.