Beauvoir alternatives?

[Anonymous]

Maybe OP also knows it's wise to apply to more than one school.. Said she liked philosophy at B. ...if she was to look beyond, what would there be, and as long as she's asking, with out the religious component? Fair question.

Yep. Public school offers opportunities independent schools don't; independent school usually can offer more individualize attention, more hands-on project work, etc.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell is Quaker in name only these days--and as someone who is "Quaker privileged" I am not planning on sending my child there.

St. Pat's has alot of super-wealthy families (not saying they are lovely people) so it may be a bit too much like Beauvoir.
Potomac, back in the day, was an establishment DC school--not sure it is all that different now.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks, all, for the suggestions and the feedback. I am also looking at some public schools (although I've never been more disappointed by an open house than the one I attended at Oyster -- if it's truly the pearl of DCPS, that's just not going to cut it; we'll see how Murch goes on Friday). As some have mentioned, though, public schools have their own unfortunate constraints. My kids have big, bright personalities, so I'm not too worried about them getting lost in the shuffle of a large class or a large school, but the thought of trading arts, recess and PE for ditto homework and obsessive standardized testing makes my heart break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: the thought of trading arts, recess and PE for ditto homework and obsessive standardized testing makes my heart break.

I agree, OP. I would encourage you not to dismiss private schools, including Beauvoir, because the bulk of the families there are privileged. There are plenty of down-to-earth parents and kids at Beauvoir. (In fact I find them more likable than the parents at another private school one of our children attends, where there are more parents who are "strivers" than parents who are wealthy, prominent, etc.) The experience has been a lot more comfortable for our family (from a not-so-privileged background) than I ever imagined. It is the values you instill as a parent that will be at the core for your kids. And frankly, in PK-3, the kids are pretty oblivious to social status, etc. They're just themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell is Quaker in name only these days--and as someone who is "Quaker privileged" I am not planning on sending my child there.

St. Pat's has alot of super-wealthy families (not saying they are lovely people) so it may be a bit too much like Beauvoir.
Potomac, back in the day, was an establishment DC school--not sure it is all that different now.

Meant to say just because they are superwealthy, doesn't mean they aren't lovely people--many are.

[Anonymous]

OP, you might also check out Concord Hill School--similar emphasis on early childhood education as Beauvoir, also PK-3.

[Anonymous]

For the same reasons listed above you should check out Primary Day, Pre-K -2.

[Anonymous]

Stick with public school -- you'll save money and you won't have to worry if you aren't privileged vs. the others. There will be many families who are very much less fortunate than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe WIS for the "citizen of the world" culture.

Careful with WIS--the "citizens" in that world tend to be rich, white Europeans; others are widely considered something less.

[Anonymous]

oh heavens pp. Does everyone have to dissect every single thing written on these threads?

[Anonymous]

All DCPS's now have music, art, library, PE at least once a week (each class generally has 1 of those twice). My kids are in DCPS and they also get recess almost every day (sometimes there's an assembly or field trip or something that gets in the way). Private schools are wonderful in their own way, but give the public schools another look. Especially the small ones (Key, Eaton, Cap Hill schools).