St Patrick’s- has anyone heard yet

[Anonymous]

*No ^^

[Anonymous]

Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to share on what the community is like for more normal families? I keep hearing that it is filled with incredibly wealthy people and that it may not be a good fit for a middle class family.

This was why we turned down. It's very jonesy and conspicuous consumption kind of place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

So for me, I felt the same say. Plenty of friends, not looking for that from school. But I did want to volunteer. I did want to be involved, for my own experience as well as my child's.... That's the rub. It just gets really weird and uncomfortable when you want to do more than dropoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

So for me, I felt the same say. Plenty of friends, not looking for that from school. But I did want to volunteer. I did want to be involved, for my own experience as well as my child's.... That's the rub. It just gets really weird and uncomfortable when you want to do more than dropoff.

Were you blocked or excluded from volunteering?

[Anonymous]

It was def not a good fit for me and my daughter with that "entitled"/privileged snobby environment! Much more happy at other school!

[Anonymous]

8th grade placement details please.
Many families are eagerly waiting to here news to decide whether to leave early or stay. Popcorn ready!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

It was fine. Remember before they expanded the upper school a lot of kids would leave(because hey did not have the space) starting in 5th grade. So to get a true picture you would have to know where the kid who left early went. Also there is a st pats troll. She/he is really upset about not being invited to a country club or something. It has nothing to do with the school. Do not make a decision based on responses here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was def not a good fit for me and my daughter with that "entitled"/privileged snobby environment! Much more happy at other school!

What year did you leave and were you able to get in at your first choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

It was fine. Remember before they expanded the upper school a lot of kids would leave(because hey did not have the space) starting in 5th grade. So to get a true picture you would have to know where the kid who left early went. Also there is a st pats troll. She/he is really upset about not being invited to a country club or something. It has nothing to do with the school. Do not make a decision based on responses here.

Not the troll country club person. It really depends on the grade. Some grades of girls are terrific and some are awful. One could say this can happen anywhere. The big issue are the teachers and that is really really really uneven. They are either terrific or the worst there can ever be. If you have a couple kids, you can manage around but with a first child then it can be an issue because you do not know. The HOS does nothing to weed out bad teachers. If you bring something up he is already defending before you even finished your first sentence. This is not good. This is the largest problem. The other issue is many parents are divided on the new upper school. The green space is zero and it is kind of a weird setting but the best teachers in the school are in this teeny tiny building so that is a plus. We were before this new part of the school and left for middle school so not an issue for our family anyway. If you are in nursery you really do not need to worry about what you want for middle school because your child may want a different environment by 6th anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

So for me, I felt the same say. Plenty of friends, not looking for that from school. But I did want to volunteer. I did want to be involved, for my own experience as well as my child's.... That's the rub. It just gets really weird and uncomfortable when you want to do more than dropoff.

Were you blocked or excluded from volunteering?

Longtime St Patricks family. Yes it is hard to get homeroom parent in lower grades but in higher grades they are begging people and I mean begging. The lower school room parents though wield a lot of power as they control the trip volunteer sign up and there should be a rule that the homeroom parents need to abstain from going on all the Kennedy Center trips. Never in 10 years did I get on that trip ever. It was always the same people and it got old real quick. I also have no idea how those parents get chosen to be room parents. Then parents get annoyed and then years later when they need a homeroom parent you don't want to do it. Hmmm that is not the best. For other things anyone can volunteer and no one is blocked. I can't agree that you cannot volunteer for things like the auction, family fun day, gifts for good, teacher breakfasts. The school is always looking for people and you do not need to know anyone on these committees. Actually I could complain that in older years getting parents to do anything is a problem. I can recall no on signing up to bring food for parties and it was always the same people who would bring things in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so as a prospective nursery mom who in general doesn’t care much about the mean girls and always makes a friend or two in a crowd, because I’m nice and genuinely like people, in theory I should be ok...right? We’re pretty middle class for the independent school set. I just need to know that my kid will be ok. I have lots of my own friends already but want to make sure my child finds a group.

What is the 8th grade outplacement looking like this year?

So for me, I felt the same say. Plenty of friends, not looking for that from school. But I did want to volunteer. I did want to be involved, for my own experience as well as my child's.... That's the rub. It just gets really weird and uncomfortable when you want to do more than dropoff.

Were you blocked or excluded from volunteering?

Longtime St Patricks family. Yes it is hard to get homeroom parent in lower grades but in higher grades they are begging people and I mean begging. The lower school room parents though wield a lot of power as they control the trip volunteer sign up and there should be a rule that the homeroom parents need to abstain from going on all the Kennedy Center trips. Never in 10 years did I get on that trip ever. It was always the same people and it got old real quick. I also have no idea how those parents get chosen to be room parents. Then parents get annoyed and then years later when they need a homeroom parent you don't want to do it. Hmmm that is not the best. For other things anyone can volunteer and no one is blocked. I can't agree that you cannot volunteer for things like the auction, family fun day, gifts for good, teacher breakfasts. The school is always looking for people and you do not need to know anyone on these committees. Actually I could complain that in older years getting parents to do anything is a problem. I can recall no on signing up to bring food for parties and it was always the same people who would bring things in.

Ok, so if I don't care about being picked to be room parent and don't need to go on every field trip. Given that, maybe I will be fine?

[Anonymous]

You will be fine. Seems you are most worried about you

[Anonymous]

Our family is at St. Patrick's and our experience has been amazing. We moved here from out of town when our DC was in lower school. I received the email over the summer about being a room parent and volunteered thinking it would be a good way to get to know people. I didn't know a soul at the school other than people we met during the admissions process, we're a very normal family and I was able to volunteer in that role (alongside another very normal mom). There was clearly no conspiracy to only open that to well-connected parents (and it was a great way to get to know people - it definitely helped with our integration). That perception feels disconnected from my personal experience.

There are many amazing families there from all walks of life and the school hosts many events to help build community (their parent diversity night was wonderful, vulnerable and inspiring) and the auction night is a lot of fun. Unlike other schools where we have been before, they put a ton of events in the auction that are open to everyone (pool parties, mom's night out, game nights, trivia nights, etc). Again, I'm not well connected, but I happily sign up for those, show up and am always warmly welcomed.

Mr. Barrett is a wonderful, wonderful leader. He knew all of our family's name from the very beginning, he is out there in carpool in rain and snow welcoming families and kids by name and he clearly hires his teachers carefully and believes in them and supports them. The chapel services are warm, age-appropriate and inspiring - couldn't be happier with the values and inclusion being taught there. We've now been there several years and wouldn't dream of applying out early to have our kid miss any time there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family is at St. Patrick's and our experience has been amazing. We moved here from out of town when our DC was in lower school. I received the email over the summer about being a room parent and volunteered thinking it would be a good way to get to know people. I didn't know a soul at the school other than people we met during the admissions process, we're a very normal family and I was able to volunteer in that role (alongside another very normal mom). There was clearly no conspiracy to only open that to well-connected parents (and it was a great way to get to know people - it definitely helped with our integration). That perception feels disconnected from my personal experience.

There are many amazing families there from all walks of life and the school hosts many events to help build community (their parent diversity night was wonderful, vulnerable and inspiring) and the auction night is a lot of fun. Unlike other schools where we have been before, they put a ton of events in the auction that are open to everyone (pool parties, mom's night out, game nights, trivia nights, etc). Again, I'm not well connected, but I happily sign up for those, show up and am always warmly welcomed.

Mr. Barrett is a wonderful, wonderful leader. He knew all of our family's name from the very beginning, he is out there in carpool in rain and snow welcoming families and kids by name and he clearly hires his teachers carefully and believes in them and supports them. The chapel services are warm, age-appropriate and inspiring - couldn't be happier with the values and inclusion being taught there. We've now been there several years and wouldn't dream of applying out early to have our kid miss any time there.

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