Landon vs. Georgetown Prep Upper School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Catholic Dads and Moms are obsessed with the high school bumper sticker. Quite sad, really.

Sad?

Then why are they smiling so broadly?

The high schools are part of the local Catholic community ethos. The shared experience helps bind the group together. It lays the foundation for their life after they return from the far-flung colleges they attend.

Because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't make them wrong.

The insularity and maybe even the smugness of the local Catholics seems to rub some people the wrong way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone see a commons theme here - prep fathers or prep dads are infatuated with where they went to high school...

I was raised catholic from Ohio relocated to the DC area and my son is at an independent school (sorry not catholic) and is loving his experience thus far.

I don't understand what is the obsession in this area with high school degrees - again it's the vibe that some of these catholic schools give off.

Let's see. "I'm from Ohio" and "I don't understand the obsession ...".

Have you considered that being from Ohio doesn't allow you to understand the local Catholics and the history here?

In Ohio, I'm guessing that the Catholic population is not dominated by a single ethnic group. Here it is, the Irish.

In DC, the Catholic community has lived here for several generations and is very cohesive. There' a lot of inter-marriage between families. They went to grammar school and high school together. They even have a different geography with the DC area divided up bay parish boundaries.

The great majority of the Catholics here that send their kids to private schools don't even consider independent private schools. The choice is either between two or more of the Catholic schools or between Catholic schools and their local public school. These people are more likely to be practicing Catholics than they are people that have been "raised Catholic".

It's a matter of history and preference.

Your son, I'm sure, will be fine. He is just having a different experience.

[Anonymous]

you should listen to your own advice too.

just because someone is catholic and sends their son or daughter to a non religious affiliated independent school for High School, does mean its wrong.

what I don't understand on this board is why do people care so much where a family sends their son or daughter - its a family decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you should listen to your own advice too.

just because someone is catholic and sends their son or daughter to a non religious affiliated independent school for High School, does mean its wrong.

what I don't understand on this board is why do people care so much where a family sends their son or daughter - its a family decision.

Well, generally they don't care. Other than some a little grumbling in the stands when they see a player on an opposing team with a name on their jersey that suggests the kid's family is Catholic.

But among the segment of the Catholics that are committed to these Catholic schools, it is seen as a thumb in the eye of the group. Or, they assume that there is some sort of problem or a behavioral issue or something that is driving this unusual behavior. The Catholic High Schools have formal and informal relationships with the parish schools that allow the to screen out kids that might be problems.

There is also a feeling that "we" have to support these Catholic schools if "we" want to continue to have them. The phrase "commitment to Catholic education" is frequently heard. Many of these parents make significant financial sacrifices to do this.

As non-native, you are exempt from this. In fact, the whole nature of your questions demonstrates how little connection you have to this group.

[Anonymous]

But among the segment of the Catholics that are committed to these Catholic schools, it is seen as a thumb in the eye of the group. Or, they assume that there is some sort of problem or a behavioral issue or something that is driving this unusual behavior. The Catholic High Schools have formal and informal relationships with the parish schools that allow the to screen out kids that might be problems.

If you are suggesting that Catholic families who send their kids to independent schools might have had behavorial problems in the past, you really must have some narrow minded point of view.

For the most part, 90% of the indepenent schools in this area offer a much wider academic curriculum for students to choose from and have much better resources. If you are trying to tell me, Gonzaga or St Johns or DeMatha have great facilities and challenging academics, you are clearly an alumnus of one of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But among the segment of the Catholics that are committed to these Catholic schools, it is seen as a thumb in the eye of the group. Or, they assume that there is some sort of problem or a behavioral issue or something that is driving this unusual behavior. The Catholic High Schools have formal and informal relationships with the parish schools that allow the to screen out kids that might be problems.

If you are suggesting that Catholic families who send their kids to independent schools might have had behavorial problems in the past, you really must have some narrow minded point of view.

For the most part, 90% of the indepenent schools in this area offer a much wider academic curriculum for students to choose from and have much better resources. If you are trying to tell me, Gonzaga or St Johns or DeMatha have great facilities and challenging academics, you are clearly an alumnus of one of these schools.

No. What I am saying is that when the children of local Catholics attend schools other than the Catholic high schools or public schools there's a suspicion among the group that there was some sort of problem and that they are going to XYZ independent school because the didn't get in ABC Catholic school. When members of the group send their kids to the public schools it assumed its because of family finances or that the kids really needs special help.

The Catholic schools can challenge these kids academically. But at the same time, they serve a broader swatch of the population they serve. Even Prep has very bright kids and some not so bright.

As for facilities, I'm not sure they care all that much. That's not what they are focused in on. Gonzaga is much improved, but when its facilities were much worse they still filled the school.

For those that are focused on maximum academic challenge and the best facilities, these Catholics must seem like they are making strange decisions. "Why aren't they more like us?" seems to be the question. The answer is, "Because they aren't".

From your posts, it seems to me that you can't understand why everyone doesn't have the same value system as you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[quote

For the most part, 90% of the indepenent schools in this area offer a much wider academic curriculum for students to choose from and have much better resources. If you are trying to tell me, Gonzaga or St Johns or DeMatha have great facilities and challenging academics, you are clearly an alumnus of one of these schools.

Basically you are saying that GP, GZ and SJC are sub par academically compare to any idem pendent school?
Why is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[quote

For the most part, 90% of the indepenent schools in this area offer a much wider academic curriculum for students to choose from and have much better resources. If you are trying to tell me, Gonzaga or St Johns or DeMatha have great facilities and challenging academics, you are clearly an alumnus of one of these schools.

Basically you are saying that GP, GZ and SJC are sub par academically compare to any idem pendent school?
Why is that?

I can't remember anyone writing that GP, GZA and SJC are academically weaker than ANY independent school.

These three schools --- along with some others --- serve the rather large DC-area Catholic community. GP has long been viewed as being more generally selective than GZA or SJC, but it still has students across a range of academic interest and ability.

GZA, a larger school than GP in an urban setting, also has kids who are as bright as the top students at any Independent school and those who are not.

SJC went through a long down period in the 1980's and has been struggling to regain their past standing. It appears they have a number of new programs.

[Anonymous]

I am an Irish Catholic and my child goes to Sidwell because it is the best fit for her. She is very bright and is an outgoing, active learner. All my friends (mostly Catholic) are very supportive and say things like, " its the right place for Her. She is so smart, etc."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an Irish Catholic and my child goes to Sidwell because it is the best fit for her. She is very bright and is an outgoing, active learner. All my friends (mostly Catholic) are very supportive and say things like, " its the right place for Her. She is so smart, etc."

This is a exceptional case. A real rarity.

[Anonymous]

But among the segment of the Catholics that are committed to these Catholic schools, it is seen as a thumb in the eye of the group. Or, they assume that there is some sort of problem or a behavioral issue or something that is driving this unusual behavior. The Catholic High Schools have formal and informal relationships with the parish schools that allow the to screen out kids that might be problems.

Right, the only reason a Catholic would send their child to Sidwell over Gonzaga is because they have "behavioral issues." I am a product of these Catholic schools and the attitude of these MoCo meatheads is all you need to know about why my kids won't be going near them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But among the segment of the Catholics that are committed to these Catholic schools, it is seen as a thumb in the eye of the group. Or, they assume that there is some sort of problem or a behavioral issue or something that is driving this unusual behavior. The Catholic High Schools have formal and informal relationships with the parish schools that allow the to screen out kids that might be problems.

Right, the only reason a Catholic would send their child to Sidwell over Gonzaga is because they have "behavioral issues." I am a product of these Catholic schools and the attitude of these MoCo meatheads is all you need to know about why my kids won't be going near them.

So, you dislike the group so much that you want to put as much distance as possible between your kids and you and them.

Given the way you feel, that seems reasonable. It's a free country.

But the vast majority of Catholics don't feel that way. They like being part of the community and want their kids to be included. They rarely ever even consider these Independent schools.

Why that bothers anyone is a mystery to me. It's just the way things are in DC.

In other cities, there isn't this Berlin Wall between the two.

[Anonymous]

PP something tells me you are a DC life.

Went to Prep or Gonzaga. settled back in DC right after college. and work for the family company or Daddy's drinking buddy You seem to have a very jaded perspective on life.

I'm Catholic and quite frankily I could care less where other Catholic families choose to send their son or daughter. Whatever makes them happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP something tells me you are a DC life.

Went to Prep or Gonzaga. settled back in DC right after college. and work for the family company or Daddy's drinking buddy You seem to have a very jaded perspective on life.

I'm Catholic and quite frankily I could care less where other Catholic families choose to send their son or daughter. Whatever makes them happy.

You can't have it both ways. Either you are in or you are out.

You don't care where others send their kids. But others do. They view it as a primary indicator as to whether you are "us" or "them".

It doesn't make you a bad person. But it does speak volumes about lots of things.

[Anonymous]

Very interesting info about Gonzaga


http://www.gonzaga.org/document.doc?id=8439