Is Georgetown Day's Reputation Merited?
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Anonymous
| We are looking at private schools for our Middle Schooler. He is a very strong student academically, but does seem to feel more comfortable in a structured environment with very organized teachers (he probably would qualify as the stereotypical teacher's pet who always does his homework on time, raises his hand for everything, never breaks the rules). We've heard wonderful things about Georgetown Day's academic reputation, but are concerned that it may be a little too "free-wheeling" for our child. Of course, not all students are identical at one school, but we were wondering if a more straight-laced student would indeed feel out of place? |
Anonymous
| I think you are conflating a few things here. GDS is not particularly structured - the school teaches to the individual student and tries to make learning fun. The kids themselves are straight-laced for the most part: they do their work, want to succeed, etc., but they are allowed to express themselves. They dress how they want, walk themselves to and from classes, and have some academic freedom, even in middle school. If your son needs to be told what to wear, what classes to take, and wants everyone around him to be similar, GDS isn't the best fit for him. |
Anonymous
|
A school can be both unstructured and excellent at the same time.
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Anonymous
| OP you just need to visit. You can only rely on your own impressions. You'll have a gut feeling about whether or not your DC will be a good fit. Also, at that age the applicants spend part of a day shadowing a student so he can see for himself. |
Anonymous
| IS this for MS i.e. now, or are you thinking ahead to HS? Academically, the MS is quite structured, there is a lot of emphasis on gaining the skills to organize a large workload and break down major projects into component parts. And for that matter so is the HS. The "unstructured" reputation is more to do with giving kids responsibility for their own work and progress, and it sounds like your son is well on his way to mastering that already. He should go spend a day shadowing at the school and see what he thinks/how it feels to him, and if seems reasonable to him, apply and see if he gets in and then spend another day or two to decide. |
Anonymous
| One kid in the HS and one kid in MS. Both there since LS. The school is a lot more tradotional than the rep and the atmospherics over the first name basis with faculty. By middle school, the work starts to kick in (7th grade, especially) and markedly increases in the HS. It is a very academic school (the course catalog looks like a college) with greatly improving sports. College outplacement is what you would expect. Strong in arts. I will warn you that your kid (as will my younger one) will be dealing with the construction as the campuses merge. Also, the quotient of unpleasant parents is very high, but it's DC. |
Anonymous
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10:18 here again. As far as "structure," the kids have advisors and conferences are held and there is a math lab in the HS and they get grades and the parents have access to homework and schedules. They send alerts in HS and MS and if the kid misses a class, they are on it that day.
Not sure what else you need. |
Anonymous
| One thing that made us uncomfortable about GDS is boundaries. You call the teacher by the first name and the kids seem more informal with the teachers than at other places. We want our kids to see teachers as caring adults who guide and teach, but not as friends and equals. Some people love that aspect of GDS, just wasn't for us. |
Anonymous
I thought the same thing and it takes some getting used to. The first name thing is only a perception of friendship, because that's what we are predisposed to think. I will say they are closer to equals than in a traditional setting. The first name piece allows teachers to be more approachable. Too often students are intimidated to ask questions and it hurts there learning. |
Anonymous
| College placement stats do not lie, and GDS is probably second only to Sidwell. |
Anonymous
Can you provide that info please? |
Anonymous
| No. |
Anonymous
|
Two months into it, I would give GDS mixed reviews. I must start by saying that I still believe that GDS is the best option for my DS’s very unique needs. He is extraordinarily mature with little time for typical high school pursuits such as athletics preferring postmodern ironic literature – so he needed a stimulating environment to reach his potential. GDS provides that.
As a PP has noted, the environment is more structured than advertised (but less structured than other schools). The teachers seem to have the ability to stimulate the most talented students though they seem to be a bit constrained by some of the less mature students. Some less mature students seem to take the less structured environment as a license to engage in juvenile horse play. They are not the majority, but their presence inhibits some of the more reticent form opening up as much as they’d like. So when it comes to the student body a little more structure might be helpful. That said, my son is grateful for the lack of dogma, which he simply would not tolerate. On balance, GDS would be a good choice if your child is like mine. |
Anonymous
GDS college placement is apocryphal - the school keeps the list secret. Parents seem to be satisfied though. |
Anonymous
... or at least have enough good sense not to express their dissatisfaction here. |