GDS - transitioning there in 6th or 9th grade?

[Anonymous]

We'd like to move DD to private school in 6th or 9th grade (we have mixed feelings about our middle school option - we're in MoCo but not a "W" cluster). Our top choice is GDS and while I know there is no guaranty of entry, reading the Holton thread made me wonder about something. In the Holton thread, a poster said that is was very helpful to transition to Holton by middle school because the middle school really helps prepare the kids for the rigorous courseload they will need to handle in high school. I wondered if that holds true for GDS as well - I'd love to save the money and send DD to private only for high school, but I don't want her to really struggle academically - to start "behind the eight ball" as it were. For those who have children who've gone to GDS through middle and high school, what are your thoughts? Do you see a difference between the high schoolers at GDS who came from public or a K-8 private vs. having been at GDS through middle school? Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

[Anonymous]

Our kids were at GDS starting in late LS, and watched kids coming in at MS and US. While we absolutely loved the GDS MS, and for sure it was pretty rigorous for 7th and 8th grade with some fantastic teachers and projects, I think you can save the money and come for HS, as long as your kid is getting a good grounding in math and writing in your local MS. The entry is much much bigger for HS, so easier to get in then. Some of the best students in my DDs' classes came in at HS, and I believe some came from public schools, including DC public schools. The struggles I heard about were in writing, definitely high expectations at GDS for writing, but they transition everyone together in a very structured large writing project in 9th grade, so that helps get everyone on the same level. 9th grade matters least in terms of college admissions, and so that gives a kid a year to transition (and if grades jump up in 10th-12th, then the college counselor's letter is going to mention that 9th grade weaker due to coming into GDS from a less rigorous MS).

[Anonymous]

I am not sure you can assume admission at 9th so perhaps consider that.

[Anonymous]

Yes - more admitted at 9 but also a more popular application year

[Anonymous]

OP,

Apply for MS. Folks get shut out. Remember you're up against applicants from DC-VA-MD publics and privates.

[Anonymous]

I want to know how the school has changed since the new head has taken over? I've heard there is some grumbling, and a lot of transition of faculty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the school has changed since the new head has taken over? I've heard there is some grumbling, and a lot of transition of faculty.

be more specific

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the school has changed since the new head has taken over? I've heard there is some grumbling, and a lot of transition of faculty.

be more specific

The diversity directors both left last year. Lots of teacher turnover. I know some of it comes with a general change of leadership styles when a new head comes in, it happens at every school. But seems to still be some transition bumps going on there.

[Anonymous]

The new head is fantastic at least in our opinion, and so is the new high school head. That search took two years, and in the end they convinced an internal candidate to take the job, so there was some shuffling of administrators. Some of the teachers that left went to become school heads or division heads in other privates, so left to "move up' on the job scale.

[Anonymous]

Interesting--I've heard just the opposite--that teachers/even some administrators, are leaving without having jobs lined up.

[Anonymous]

Not in the HS, at this point we are pretty far removed from the LS, maybe that is where this is happening, but the original poster asked about the MS/US where we do have current knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the school has changed since the new head has taken over? I've heard there is some grumbling, and a lot of transition of faculty.

be more specific

The diversity directors both left last year. Lots of teacher turnover. I know some of it comes with a general change of leadership styles when a new head comes in, it happens at every school. But seems to still be some transition bumps going on there.

Okay, we are in LMS. Maybe I just have head in sand, but can't ID one teacher turnover that was not connected with extenuating event - retirement, family responsibility, spouse with new job out of town. And the new LMS diversity director, from what I heard from search committee, blew folks away during campus visit.

What have you heard in the grumbling?

[Anonymous]

Coming in at 6th grade can be hard. I believe it helps if your child has a connection to GDS or knows people there. Otherwise it is not that large of an inflow year and the adjustment can be hard. Then in 7th the academics ratchet up and you have Bar/Bat Mitzvah season which creates additional social pressure, and the struggles can snowball. Entry in 9th seems easier because there is a larger group of new kids, and generally if they were able to gain admission they are able to handle the load. I don't think that not having attended the MS puts a student at a disadvantage in the HS. Others may disagree.