Catholic vs Private (Vienna area)

[Anonymous]

Looking for personal experience in PreK through 2nd grade that can help with a decision. St Mark, OLGC, Flint Hill or Nysmith for a couple of bright, social kids.

[Anonymous]

We are in Vienna. We looked at Flint Hill and Green Hedges, but ended up sending dc to Congressional. Our child is absolutely in love with school. The option for bus service really helps.

[Anonymous]

St mark is smaller than OLGC with Lower student teacher ratio (OLGC is actually as high as public). Posted test scores by year are not differentiated (except 4th grade math score), though Similar aggregate scores mask the fact st mark allows for students with learning differnces, on the other hand larger classes at OLGC make averages more meaningful. OLGC is older and larger and thus more well know. Younger means nice and newer facilities but more attention to debt and facilities expense... Ie fundraising.

Flint hill and nysmith are completely different tuition bracket. Great facilities (especially flint hill) and even lower student teacher ratios. Lots of postings on these 2 schools though lots of pot shots from anonymous public school zealots disguised as other than that.

[Anonymous]

Disagree, test scores are different. St marks starts similar and sometimes slightly lower than OLGC but above average but progressively and consistently higher in higher grades. The exclamation point in on the high school placement test: st mark is pretty clearly higher.

[Anonymous]

It's all about class sizes. St mark significantly smaller than OLGC. Even smaller at flint hill and nysmith. That's the issue with public, they are so good in area everyone moved there and crowded the schools, simply can't keep the attention on the individual student so you teach to the average and to the test.

[Anonymous]

What is the class size at St. marks? We are considering sending our 2nd grader who is overwhelmed/distracted by her class size of 29 at FCPS (7 of whom do not speak English) there next year?

[Anonymous]

It is difficult to understand these responses. Many are filled with grammar mistakes. I thought catholic schools stressed grammar.

[Anonymous]

Class size doesn't matter. Catholic school for hundreds of years is proof and data supports it. Quality of teacher in the classroom does. It's a crap shoot at both private and parochial.

[Anonymous]

Very odd mix of schools OP. What about Green Hedges? Langley? Potomac?

Nysmith and Flint Hill are night and day in their approaches to early childhood education.