Madeira School

[Anonymous]

Dear 14:47 - nice try, but bringing up things that happened in 1973 and 1980? Seriously? Want to discuss any of the many current scandals at DC schools? I would guess that you also assume those of us who chose boarding schools for our sons and daughters are taking the easy way and neglecting our responsibilities. Guess what - you're wrong. It was the right school for us. Maybe not for everyone, but it was for us. I don't trash your choice, whatever it may be, so please stop trashing ours. And FYI, my daughter loved it, made lifelong friends, and is graduating from her first choice university this May. Most importantly, she is a welcoming friend to all she meets, speaks her truth in true Madeira style and would never resort to petty barbs on an anonymous forum to trash a school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer my daughter's school to be without murdering headmistresses, campus abductions and rapes, notorious hazing rituals. Acid in the face disfigurements are also something we generally do not look for in a school.

I don't know, I went to a school (Sidwell Friends) that has recently had a campus sexual assault by a student (last spring) and a middle school teacher having an inappropriate relationship with a student (a couple of years ago). Beauvoir had the teacher who was photographing 3rd graders in the bathroom - that teacher ended up on America's Most Wanted. Those would worry me more than events that happened at Madeira 40+ years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear 14:47 - nice try, but bringing up things that happened in 1973 and 1980? Seriously? Want to discuss any of the many current scandals at DC schools? I would guess that you also assume those of us who chose boarding schools for our sons and daughters are taking the easy way and neglecting our responsibilities. Guess what - you're wrong. It was the right school for us. Maybe not for everyone, but it was for us. I don't trash your choice, whatever it may be, so please stop trashing ours. And FYI, my daughter loved it, made lifelong friends, and is graduating from her first choice university this May. Most importantly, she is a welcoming friend to all she meets, speaks her truth in true Madeira style and would never resort to petty barbs on an anonymous forum to trash a school.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

I agree that the post was not done with the best intentions but it is factually correct, no? Did these things happen or not? If so, the passage of time, changes and successes since then are your best rebuttal. That is, unless there haven't been any. Then all you are left with is deflecting by saying bad things happen everywhere. Of course specifically naming other schools is ill-advised because it will invite further trolling. Not smart. Let's hope your girls are smarter.

[Anonymous]

09:00 - yes it was correct, but so are the facts regarding other schools - with the incidents being more recent. Point being, all schools have incidents. Change and success is readily apparent at Madeira. Not sure why you choose to go after those who question the OP post about the old incidents. Not smart? We should just allow someone to throw stones and not call them on it? The original post was a trolling post and they deserved to be called on it. And btw, your little dig at the end did not go unnoticed.

[Anonymous]

How is the academic of Madeira compare to Holton, NCS or Stone Ridge? DD is very much into science and wants to be an astrophysicist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to speak out on behalf of single sex education programs in High School. When you combine strong female mentors and positive role models, reduced sex stereotyping in curriculum and classroom, and abundant learning opportunities, a national study showed that single-sex schools for females provide greater opportunity for educational attainment as measured by standardized cognitive tests, curriculum and course placement, leadership behavior, number of years of formal education, and occupational achievement. Regarding the prior author who stated that Madeira is geographically isolated...not sure where you think Madeira is but it is down the road from Langley, Potomac School, Oakcrest, McLean High School, Marshall etc... it is 15 minutes to georgetown and 15 minutes to Bethesda.

No it isn't.

Usually it is.

5 more minutes on Georgetown Pike takes you to 123.
5 minutes from 123 to cross Chain Bridge.
5 minutes along the river to Georgetown.

OR

A little less than 5 minutes on Georgetown Pike takes you to the beltway.
5-10 minutes to various Bethesda exits.
NOW YOU'RE IN BETHESDA.

Of course you can sit in traffic, but that's not most of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is the academic of Madeira compare to Holton, NCS or Stone Ridge? DD is very much into science and wants to be an astrophysicist.

They are, in order of academioc rigor: NCS, Holton, SR, Madeira.

NCS is absolutely the most intense acadmeically. That said, if I had a DD who wanted to be an astrophysicist, I would send her to Holton. Handsdown, of these 4 privates (and many others), Holton's STEM is the best. It is an outstanding prgram.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who send their kids there love it, but it's not a complete experience. Athletics there are a complete joke.

They are working to change that, to make the athletics more competitive. They have a new Assisatnt Athletic Director who is focused on it. She is very impressive - played DI lax at Vanderbilt herself.

[Anonymous]

I am going to respectfully disagree with the poster who said:
They are, in order of academioc rigor: NCS, Holton, SR, Madeira.

Madeira's academics are rigorous and challenging. If it is number of AP classes you want then perhaps NCS is where you want to go. If you want your daughter to be achieve rigor while having a healthy high school experience I would consider Madeira. It is wise to visit all the schools in the area, speak with the students. As current students what their experience is like? When do they go to sleep at night? What do they typically do on weekends? Do they have downtime? My DD is at Madeira and will graduate with eight AP classes under her belt. That said, she gets sleep, fun with friends and time for herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going to respectfully disagree with the poster who said:
They are, in order of academioc rigor: NCS, Holton, SR, Madeira.

Madeira's academics are rigorous and challenging. If it is number of AP classes you want then perhaps NCS is where you want to go. If you want your daughter to be achieve rigor while having a healthy high school experience I would consider Madeira. It is wise to visit all the schools in the area, speak with the students. As current students what their experience is like? When do they go to sleep at night? What do they typically do on weekends? Do they have downtime? My DD is at Madeira and will graduate with eight AP classes under her belt. That said, she gets sleep, fun with friends and time for herself.

AP classes are for public schools. The best privates are steadily doing away with them as their own curriculum based honors classes are better and more rigorous. NCS is part of that trend. And the top colleges are ceasing to accept AP credit. AP just means your kid followed a book - a very prescribed curriculum wit one forcus - scoring well on the AP exam. AP classes are not a sign of a top high school or top student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to respectfully disagree with the poster who said:
They are, in order of academioc rigor: NCS, Holton, SR, Madeira.

Madeira's academics are rigorous and challenging. If it is number of AP classes you want then perhaps NCS is where you want to go. If you want your daughter to be achieve rigor while having a healthy high school experience I would consider Madeira. It is wise to visit all the schools in the area, speak with the students. As current students what their experience is like? When do they go to sleep at night? What do they typically do on weekends? Do they have downtime? My DD is at Madeira and will graduate with eight AP classes under her belt. That said, she gets sleep, fun with friends and time for herself.

AP classes are for public schools. The best privates are steadily doing away with them as their own curriculum based honors classes are better and more rigorous. NCS is part of that trend. And the top colleges are ceasing to accept AP credit. AP just means your kid followed a book - a very prescribed curriculum wit one forcus - scoring well on the AP exam. AP classes are not a sign of a top high school or top student.

+1 I doubt this poster even toured NCS. APs are a public school thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am going to respectfully disagree with the poster who said:
They are, in order of academioc rigor: NCS, Holton, SR, Madeira.

Madeira's academics are rigorous and challenging. If it is number of AP classes you want then perhaps NCS is where you want to go. If you want your daughter to be achieve rigor while having a healthy high school experience I would consider Madeira. It is wise to visit all the schools in the area, speak with the students. As current students what their experience is like? When do they go to sleep at night? What do they typically do on weekends? Do they have downtime? My DD is at Madeira and will graduate with eight AP classes under her belt. That said, she gets sleep, fun with friends and time for herself.

AP classes are for public schools. The best privates are steadily doing away with them as their own curriculum based honors classes are better and more rigorous. NCS is part of that trend. And the top colleges are ceasing to accept AP credit. AP just means your kid followed a book - a very prescribed curriculum wit one forcus - scoring well on the AP exam. AP classes are not a sign of a top high school or top student.

I went to Madeira about 20 years ago but I recall having to APPLY to take AP courses, which were limited and honestly, less interesting. I preferred to take classes like Childrens' Literature as opposed to AP English and Environmental Science as opposed to AP bio, and so I did. I literally took one AP there - AP Art History. I was happy with the courses I took and enjoyed them, but when I got to college I had to take clllllllllllll the Gen Eds. It is what it is. Make sure your kid is aware of this when choosing classes.

[Anonymous]

As an alum, I think it is steadily improving. It seems to be more selective than it was 15 years ago.

Are the academics intense like NCS or Holton? Not quite, but that is OK. Some people do not need that kind of intensity. I am not sure how it compares to SR.

On the boarding side, is it Porter's or Emma? No, but it has strong suits. It seems like it is generating more interest for boarding.

[Anonymous]

How many merit scholarships does Madeira grant? Just trying to figure out how likely it is for an incoming freshman.