FIELD SCHOOL: HIDDEN GEM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I WISH Field were hidden: my child will be applying next year and I sure hope the applicant pool is not clogged up with kids who would really prefer GDS or Maret.

The attraction of Field has historically been the fact that it attracts and caters to slightly quirker kids: kids who are turned off by the ultracompetitive environment at the "Big 3," kids who are more creative/artsy/independent minded, kids with minor learning differences, and kids with unconventional styles who just don't "fit in" as well at the other big schools, for one reason or another.

Long may it stay that way. I'd really hate to see it turn into just another cookie-cutter school.

+1

Field's original mission was to give kids who were bright but unsuccessful in other schools a place and a fresh start. Their student body now draws from a wider population but they are still willing to take a chance. It would be a real loss if that were to change.

This. My friends who have children there and are quite happy have kids that were denied admissions elsewhere due to ld, aspergers, adhd. It is nice when a school can look outside the box.

Sigh:

The image persists that the ONLY kids at Field are those who are bright but have "issues" (or as the school calls them, "accommodations").

Just as non-artistic kids can go there and still have a good time (I know, mine is one of those), the fact is that many if not most of the kids there have no learning issues whatsoever and were just as successful at their earlier schools. Some even turn down "really good schools" (or transfer in from "really good schools") to go there.

It is indeed a small school, and it is hard to get lost or ignored. It has a limited but eclectic range of activity and athletic offerings as one might expect from a school with 70 kids/class year in HS. The graduates do scatter to a wide variety of schools (although it seems as though many follow in their teachers' footsteps and end up at various small liberal arts colleges). And yes it is a welcoming environment for a wide range of kids.

Some kids won't like that.

Many DCUM parents probably won't like that.

But your child can get a really great high school education there.

Please stop perpetuating the idea that every kid who goes to Field is bright but has issues. That is not true, and as a Field parent I find the implication insulting as well as incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I WISH Field were hidden: my child will be applying next year and I sure hope the applicant pool is not clogged up with kids who would really prefer GDS or Maret.

The attraction of Field has historically been the fact that it attracts and caters to slightly quirker kids: kids who are turned off by the ultracompetitive environment at the "Big 3," kids who are more creative/artsy/independent minded, kids with minor learning differences, and kids with unconventional styles who just don't "fit in" as well at the other big schools, for one reason or another.

Long may it stay that way. I'd really hate to see it turn into just another cookie-cutter school.

+1

Field's original mission was to give kids who were bright but unsuccessful in other schools a place and a fresh start. Their student body now draws from a wider population but they are still willing to take a chance. It would be a real loss if that were to change.

This. My friends who have children there and are quite happy have kids that were denied admissions elsewhere due to ld, aspergers, adhd. It is nice when a school can look outside the box.

Sigh:

The image persists that the ONLY kids at Field are those who are bright but have "issues" (or as the school calls them, "accommodations").

Just as non-artistic kids can go there and still have a good time (I know, mine is one of those), the fact is that many if not most of the kids there have no learning issues whatsoever and were just as successful at their earlier schools. Some even turn down "really good schools" (or transfer in from "really good schools") to go there.

It is indeed a small school, and it is hard to get lost or ignored. It has a limited but eclectic range of activity and athletic offerings as one might expect from a school with 70 kids/class year in HS. The graduates do scatter to a wide variety of schools (although it seems as though many follow in their teachers' footsteps and end up at various small liberal arts colleges). And yes it is a welcoming environment for a wide range of kids.

Some kids won't like that.

Many DCUM parents probably won't like that.

But your child can get a really great high school education there.

Please stop perpetuating the idea that every kid who goes to Field is bright but has issues. That is not true, and as a Field parent I find the implication insulting as well as incorrect.

. You are the only person making reference to "every kid."

[Anonymous]

Not a Field Parent, but I have to agree that poster 18:30's point is well taken. I just read the last page of posts, and post after post states Field is a great school for this "quirky" kid, or for that "Asperger's" kid, for the kid "unsuccessful" at other schools. Sure, none of them say "every kid" but so many posters can't seem to be able to say "its a great school" or "its a terrific small school" and leave it at that. I'm not weighing in one way or the other on the student body -- I wouldn't know -- but I agree with 18:30's read of the totality of these posts.

[Anonymous]

Mine choose to leave a big 3 and loves Field.
Neither quirky nor unsuccessful. Just wasn't happy at the other
Lots of kids are like that there. Happiness isn't the be all and end all, but sure makes the building a foundation a more enjoyable experience for child, and parents.

It's different for sure. But quirky is not the right word. They bring out a love for learning in kids who just aren't box checkers. Box checking, and being good at it, are key skills in the more traditional schools. Lots of kids thrive in that environment. Or other does.

It's neither better or worse. It just is different, and for many kids, is the right place for them. The kids are plenty bright. It's just more focussed on happy kids learn better as its philosophy. Other schools are focussed on building killers in life.

The world needs all of the above. There is no one answer.

[Anonymous]

Field is a great place for many types of kids. One DC who was happy there had nothing on that laundry list of issues. Highly academic kid. Other DC did have some issues and was also happy there.

Field would not be as popular a school if it was some kind of SN school. It is a kind of refuge from the uber competitive privates in this area. I think all kids would be happy there but not all parents. If you are a competitive parent, please don't apply.

[Anonymous]

I think the "keep Field good for kids who need that supportive environment" posts were a reaction to the "Field is the new GDS/Maret" posts. Field is great for LOTS of kids, from the super high achievers who want a smaller school to the kids who have been unsuccessful elsewhere but have wonderful potential; I just don't want the latter group to feel they no longer should apply!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Field is a great place for many types of kids. One DC who was happy there had nothing on that laundry list of issues. Highly academic kid. Other DC did have some issues and was also happy there.

Field would not be as popular a school if it was some kind of SN school. It is a kind of refuge from the uber competitive privates in this area. I think all kids would be happy there but not all parents. If you are a competitive parent, please don't apply.

I don't think people are saying it is some sort of SN school, but it would be inaccurate to say that they don't accept students with Aspergers, academic challenges, etc. because they do. I think the parent who is insulted by people thinking her kid might be among those is not really demonstrating Field's "generosity of spirit." If your kid has no issues lucky for you, but as a PP states it is great that there is a place that will embrace children who do have quirks and provide a challenging and welcoming environment. Why the need to deny that?

[Anonymous]

Field plays a critical role for DC families. My concern is that it is going to be lumped in with GDS, where there is natural affinity in terms of reputation, and it will become just another local school that takes the pile driver approach to education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Field plays a critical role for DC families. My concern is that it is going to be lumped in with GDS, where there is natural affinity in terms of reputation, and it will become just another local school that takes the pile driver approach to education

Exactly. Field admissions folks, hope you are reading this thread. Sort of like the Key West T-shirt slogan: "Keep Key West Weird!" I say: "Keep Field Weird!" Meaning, weird in the best possible way: kids who don't fit into/aren turned off by the competitive, cookie-cutter quality of so many "elite" privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Field plays a critical role for DC families. My concern is that it is going to be lumped in with GDS, where there is natural affinity in terms of reputation, and it will become just another local school that takes the pile driver approach to education

Exactly. Field admissions folks, hope you are reading this thread. Sort of like the Key West T-shirt slogan: "Keep Key West Weird!" I say: "Keep Field Weird!" Meaning, weird in the best possible way: kids who don't fit into/aren turned off by the competitive, cookie-cutter quality of so many "elite" privates.

I've seen the same slogan in other cities, especially Portland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Field is a great place for many types of kids. One DC who was happy there had nothing on that laundry list of issues. Highly academic kid. Other DC did have some issues and was also happy there.

Field would not be as popular a school if it was some kind of SN school. It is a kind of refuge from the uber competitive privates in this area. I think all kids would be happy there but not all parents. If you are a competitive parent, please don't apply.

I don't think people are saying it is some sort of SN school, but it would be inaccurate to say that they don't accept students with Aspergers, academic challenges, etc. because they do. I think the parent who is insulted by people thinking her kid might be among those is not really demonstrating Field's "generosity of spirit." If your kid has no issues lucky for you, but as a PP states it is great that there is a place that will embrace children who do have quirks and provide a challenging and welcoming environment. Why the need to deny that?

Exactly, that is actually one of the unique and special qualities about field.

[Anonymous]

We (parents and child) were very happy at Field. DC now in college. Great teachers. Admissions have increased 25% a year for the past two years. It's getting more selective. It's sometimes compared to what Maret used to be. DC's class go to fine colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Field is a nice school and several friends and their kids have had happy experiences there. We toured there ourselves several years ago and had an overall positive impression, except for one thing. The school library had virtually no books. Clearly the school could afford them but they explained that there philosophy is that everything is on computers. Others (myself included) have a different view, that open stack libraries are an important part of academic discovery for students (and adults).

My HS'er says GDS is the same way at this point.

[Anonymous]

16:14 Field is a young school (it just celebrated its 40th) plus the facility is on the small side. For these two reasons along I think this makes sense not to devote space for books when everything is going digital. Further, students can use great libraries in the area if they need to do serious research, university, DC and LOC. It's not as though Field was in some isolated, library-free zone. My child read lots of great books at Field, did major research papers, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:14 Field is a young school (it just celebrated its 40th) plus the facility is on the small side. For these two reasons along I think this makes sense not to devote space for books when everything is going digital. Further, students can use great libraries in the area if they need to do serious research, university, DC and LOC. It's not as though Field was in some isolated, library-free zone. My child read lots of great books at Field, did major research papers, etc.

My son, a college junior, just took a book out of the library for the first time. In his first 2 years at a very demanding university, he never had to use a physical book for research. (And, for the record I'm not a Field parent.)