Does anyone on Capitol Hill send their kid to an elementary in upper NW?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain to me the issues the schools have that make a school untenable by 2nd grade when it was great in ECE? Is it simply that the UMC kids leave by then or is there something else going on?

I don't know if this is true for all schools but I can share our experience. We started in PS3 at a HRCS. It was wonderful. Diverse classroom (race, socio-economic, language) and they used kindness and soft voices to communicate needs and wants to kids. That was great for several years. Then 1st or 2nd grade happened and the kindness and squishy stuff had to give way to actual learning. Our school was ill quipped. The ED hid behind "equity" as a shield and anyone who questioned the low expectations or increasing behavioral issues was softly labeled a racist. As kids got older and hormones kicked in, the ECE approach did not work, but they were so committed to "equity" and their "approach" that, absent a violent act in school, kids were left in classrooms to distract and create havoc. Admins were nowhere to be found and teachers either lacked the tools or support from the top to abate the descent. Kids figured out there were no consequences so most days pickup was stories about all of the kids who acted out or the classes that didn't teach the subject because the teachers had lost all control. Starting in 2nd or 3rd grade the black families started to leave. These were the kids at the top of the class whose parents were NOT ok with poor behavior and disrespecting school being equated with "equity". We lost POC to GDS, Sidwell and other parochial and private schools. As those kids left the backfilled kids were not steeped in the culture of the school so even that cultural backstop failed (kindness, civility, community). More often than not the kids who came in were behind, so we traded high performing kids for low performing kids. A cohort that was evenly distributed with a material group of top performers became a few (2, maybe 3) working ahead of grade level and teachers triaging behavioral issues and kids a grade or two behind. Kids at the top were put in the corner in front of educational computer programs and/or became assistant teachers. As this happened in 3rd, more kids left by 4th. The cycle accelerated. Behavioral issues got worse (hormones' kicked in harder, kids got bigger and those who got frustrated by unsuccessful academic progress acted out more regularly and were treated like 6 year old's with zero consequences). We had a kid in a class attack another kid during class and all they did was remove the attacker for a moment and then have him come back and apologize to the victim in public moments later. The school did not tell us our kids witnessed an assault in class. When the issue was raised they hid behind privacy laws. No one asked for the assailant's name, but our kids witnessed violence in the classroom and the school was concerned almost exclusively with making sure the attacker was made to feel better. Nary a thought for the kids whose concept of safe spaces was shattered. Of course the attacker was back in class that same day. I could recount similar stories from that and other grades. By 5th grade the Latin and BASIS attrition decimated what was left of the high performing cohort. At our school, anyone who suggested unchecked behavioral issues were an increasing problem was labeled a racist.

We finally escaped before MS started. The middle school that our ES fed into started this January on a staggered start with 6th, 7th and 8th graders coming back separately to try and reset the significant behavioral issues. Too little, too late.

NP. I don't want to speak for this poster, but this was our experience at TRY. We also (thankfully, blessedly) escaped by MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain to me the issues the schools have that make a school untenable by 2nd grade when it was great in ECE? Is it simply that the UMC kids leave by then or is there something else going on?

I don't know if this is true for all schools but I can share our experience. We started in PS3 at a HRCS. It was wonderful. Diverse classroom (race, socio-economic, language) and they used kindness and soft voices to communicate needs and wants to kids. That was great for several years. Then 1st or 2nd grade happened and the kindness and squishy stuff had to give way to actual learning. Our school was ill quipped. The ED hid behind "equity" as a shield and anyone who questioned the low expectations or increasing behavioral issues was softly labeled a racist. As kids got older and hormones kicked in, the ECE approach did not work, but they were so committed to "equity" and their "approach" that, absent a violent act in school, kids were left in classrooms to distract and create havoc. Admins were nowhere to be found and teachers either lacked the tools or support from the top to abate the descent. Kids figured out there were no consequences so most days pickup was stories about all of the kids who acted out or the classes that didn't teach the subject because the teachers had lost all control. Starting in 2nd or 3rd grade the black families started to leave. These were the kids at the top of the class whose parents were NOT ok with poor behavior and disrespecting school being equated with "equity". We lost POC to GDS, Sidwell and other parochial and private schools. As those kids left the backfilled kids were not steeped in the culture of the school so even that cultural backstop failed (kindness, civility, community). More often than not the kids who came in were behind, so we traded high performing kids for low performing kids. A cohort that was evenly distributed with a material group of top performers became a few (2, maybe 3) working ahead of grade level and teachers triaging behavioral issues and kids a grade or two behind. Kids at the top were put in the corner in front of educational computer programs and/or became assistant teachers. As this happened in 3rd, more kids left by 4th. The cycle accelerated. Behavioral issues got worse (hormones' kicked in harder, kids got bigger and those who got frustrated by unsuccessful academic progress acted out more regularly and were treated like 6 year old's with zero consequences). We had a kid in a class attack another kid during class and all they did was remove the attacker for a moment and then have him come back and apologize to the victim in public moments later. The school did not tell us our kids witnessed an assault in class. When the issue was raised they hid behind privacy laws. No one asked for the assailant's name, but our kids witnessed violence in the classroom and the school was concerned almost exclusively with making sure the attacker was made to feel better. Nary a thought for the kids whose concept of safe spaces was shattered. Of course the attacker was back in class that same day. I could recount similar stories from that and other grades. By 5th grade the Latin and BASIS attrition decimated what was left of the high performing cohort. At our school, anyone who suggested unchecked behavioral issues were an increasing problem was labeled a racist.

We finally escaped before MS started. The middle school that our ES fed into started this January on a staggered start with 6th, 7th and 8th graders coming back separately to try and reset the significant behavioral issues. Too little, too late.

NP. I don't want to speak for this poster, but this was our experience at TRY. We also (thankfully, blessedly) escaped by MS.

+100. Same here--left a few years ago, but my DS has friends who still attend. It's downright alarming how far that school has fallen....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

My kids are now in 2 different middle schools, but we've been at a total of 3 private schools since leaving DCPS. Believe it or not, there are/have been multiple CH families at each of them and I'm sure they aren't crazy about the commute either, but they do it. Carpooling never worked for our family, but there are families who live on CH (and beyond) who find a way to make it work for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

I’m very curious where your kids went. We are zoned for Watkins. We have played the lottery twice to get into other schools but so far no luck. Are you saying your kids went through Watkins? People with older kids don’t get it- it is so different now to try to get into schools OOBs on the Hill. It’s very very difficult. I am so sorry if you feel like my family’s personal choice is attacking your kids but it’s not. I don’t really care that your kids are bilingual math geniuses. Watkins isn’t an option for our family. We can’t get into any other schools on the Hill. Why do you care what we do? I answered PPs question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

Which Capitol Hill DCPS though? We are in K at a CH DCPS and really unhappy and trying to leave. But it's not L-T/Maury/Brent/Peabody. If we could get a spot in one of those schools, that would be great, but if we can't we will wind up looking at privates (and charters, but I'm skeptical) because our DCPS is not cutting it and only gets worse as the grades go up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

I’m very curious where your kids went. We are zoned for Watkins. We have played the lottery twice to get into other schools but so far no luck. Are you saying your kids went through Watkins? People with older kids don’t get it- it is so different now to try to get into schools OOBs on the Hill. It’s very very difficult. I am so sorry if you feel like my family’s personal choice is attacking your kids but it’s not. I don’t really care that your kids are bilingual math geniuses. Watkins isn’t an option for our family. We can’t get into any other schools on the Hill. Why do you care what we do? I answered PPs question.

New poster who doesn't care what you think or do as long as you take your posts to a private school board. This is not the appropriate forum for posts like yours.

[Anonymous]

once again the privileged seeking the places for privilege

[Anonymous]

I’m very curious where your kids went. We are zoned for Watkins. We have played the lottery twice to get into other schools but so far no luck. Are you saying your kids went through Watkins? People with older kids don’t get it- it is so different now to try to get into schools OOBs on the Hill. It’s very very difficult. I am so sorry if you feel like my family’s personal choice is attacking your kids but it’s not. I don’t really care that your kids are bilingual math geniuses. Watkins isn’t an option for our family. We can’t get into any other schools on the Hill. Why do you care what we do? I answered PPs question.

If you're zoned for Watkins, Peabody is just fine for K. No need to run to Burgundy or wherever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

And of course PP won’t name the school. Who wants to take a bet that it’s Maury, Brent or SWS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

Which Capitol Hill DCPS though? We are in K at a CH DCPS and really unhappy and trying to leave. But it's not L-T/Maury/Brent/Peabody. If we could get a spot in one of those schools, that would be great, but if we can't we will wind up looking at privates (and charters, but I'm skeptical) because our DCPS is not cutting it and only gets worse as the grades go up.

Don't listen to the private haters. We looked at privates but got lucky in the lottery for MS. I've always expected to encounter the most elitist of attitudes from private school parents in DC, but nothing compares to CH DCPS/HRCS parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kids were at a CH school some years ago for pre k/K and I LOVED it. But even though the I loved their teachers and classmates, I didn't like the behavior, language, and activity I was seeing from some of the kids in the upper grades (4-5/6), so I applied out for private. I thought about waiting a few years, but I figured they had a better chance of getting accepted to the lower grades.

They both got in to great schools and I haven't regretted the decision at all, not even once. The commute isn't great, but its a sacrifice I chose to make and one that won't last forever. Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

As a mom to a child starting ECE in CH, I'm just curious, what privates are CH families moving to for later elementary years? And then do you plan to stay private for MS and HS as well?

We looked at basically every school- including Capitol Hill Day and St. Peter’s on the Hill. We didn’t look at anything in Maryland. We looked at Potomac and Burgundy Farms in VA. If you begin to do research you’ll find a wide set of options. We are applying for K, first choice is Maret (and we find out Friday). We plan to do private through HS and will move closer to the school in a few years once we get the other 2 kids through daycare and prek (our eldest did get pre-K 3 lottery to our inbound). There were CH families at every school we looked at. Capitol Hill Day was fabulous, we didn’t end up applying because we decided we don’t like super progressive schools. I think it’s a great option if that’s your education philosophy.

You couldn't find tolerable public K on Capitol Hill? Come on, ridiculous. Capitol Hill Day just isn't fabulous. They're charging more than 30K for a campus without a gym or stage (they borrow stages from CH churches, including mine). No secret that CHD essentially admits any family that can pay where the kid isn't a discipline problem. If you want to raise a cocoon kid who may not be able to cope with the every day rough and tumble of life, keep at it, mom. We're Ivy league grads. Our kids went through a DCPS CH ES program from PreS-5th grade. They play in competitive orchestras at Strathmore, are bilingual (in a language not taught in any DC school), and compete in regional math Olympiads and pre-SCRIPPS spelling bees (and often win). Why don't you take your private school K rhapsodies to the private school threads, where they belong?

I’m very curious where your kids went. We are zoned for Watkins. We have played the lottery twice to get into other schools but so far no luck. Are you saying your kids went through Watkins? People with older kids don’t get it- it is so different now to try to get into schools OOBs on the Hill. It’s very very difficult. I am so sorry if you feel like my family’s personal choice is attacking your kids but it’s not. I don’t really care that your kids are bilingual math geniuses. Watkins isn’t an option for our family. We can’t get into any other schools on the Hill. Why do you care what we do? I answered PPs question.

New poster who doesn't care what you think or do as long as you take your posts to a private school board. This is not the appropriate forum for posts like yours.

Someone asked specifically, in this thread, what private schools CH families look at. What is your problem?

[Anonymous]

To answer the original question, is entering Hearst in the upper grades through the lottery still an option? That seems to be the one NW school that some families leave in third grade, when some private schools have more openings. I know a few Hill families that did that year's back and then had Deal as an option for MS.

[Anonymous]

watkins needs a new principal. failure to get and keep IB percentages similar to neighboring schools should be a reason to terminate the contract.