When to go private from DCPS

[Anonymous]

The pp is absurd. Plenty of the top kids at our big 3 high school came in 9th. Many from DCPS. Some of the big 3 middle schools have not been rigorous enough post covid to prepare kids for their own high schools and it’s a real issue that parents and kids talk about.

Also, when we were looking at this when our kids were in pre-k, there were things everyone told us etc that simply aren’t true now that they are in high school.

All that said I’d get them at least through elementary school in public.

Supplementing can be anything from extra reading at home to different activities. But don’t make it a grind. You want them to love to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to echo chaos was part of our decision to move as well. The level of chaos intensifies each year.

What do you mean by “chaos”? What’s an example?

My daughter always complained in DCPS about how loud her 3rd grade classroom was and how much time they spent getting materials together and explaining an assignment before starting. I learned at back to school night that there were several kids with behavior issues in her class who couldn’t sit still and would constantly interrupt. The teacher told me in our parent teacher conference that she spent most of her time with those kids and my quiet, studious daughter didn’t need any attention. Moving to private meant. Y daughter got her share of the teacher’s attention and she didn’t constantly waste time waiting for other kids to settle

Sure, but smart kids can and do learn in all sorts of environments. They don't need the "can hear a pin drop" classroom and a ton of individual attention. In fact, I would say that learning in the midst of some chaos is good for kids.

My own kids attended DPCS through 8th grade and moved to Big3 schools for high school (STA/NCS/Sidwell). They were (and are) near the top of their private school classes and this is despite spending all of elementary and middle school in large and sometimes crazy DCPS classrooms where they likely got very little individual attention (while many of their high school classmates sat in quiet Beauvoir or St Pats or Norwood etc classes.) In the end, it didn't matter and they're doing incredibly well.

Then your kids are complete outliers. You must know that public school 8th graders (without big sports hooks) are highly unlikely to be admitted to sidwell, STA, NCS in 9th grade. Also Maret. GDS has slightly better odds.

Then, your kids (multiple?) rising to the very top of their respective Big3 classes by graduation is just flat out rare. Nobody at the top quartile in my kids’ recent graduating classes at Sidwell came from public in 9th. That includes MCPS amd DCPS. The entire top tier was comprised of kids already at sidwell well before 9th or admits from strong k-8s

Don’t mislead OP. The 9 year DCPS deficit is real. You can’t get back those foundational years

The unhooked public school kids joining our kid's Big 3 class in MS or HS are very strong academically, and they have to be given the numbers and the admissions process. They have no problem hanging with the lifers. That doesn't answer the question of whether a kid who wouldn't be that strong academically going through public school would be if they went to a top private school. But there is no question that kids going through the public elementary or middle school can be top students at the most rigorous private schools in the area. Happens all the time, even if the numbers are small.

The real question is whether it's easier to get into a top private school at an earlier entry year, versus 9th. It is, but costs more.

[Anonymous]

The public school kids who joined our Big3 class are also among the strongest students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to echo chaos was part of our decision to move as well. The level of chaos intensifies each year.

What do you mean by “chaos”? What’s an example?

My daughter always complained in DCPS about how loud her 3rd grade classroom was and how much time they spent getting materials together and explaining an assignment before starting. I learned at back to school night that there were several kids with behavior issues in her class who couldn’t sit still and would constantly interrupt. The teacher told me in our parent teacher conference that she spent most of her time with those kids and my quiet, studious daughter didn’t need any attention. Moving to private meant. Y daughter got her share of the teacher’s attention and she didn’t constantly waste time waiting for other kids to settle

Sure, but smart kids can and do learn in all sorts of environments. They don't need the "can hear a pin drop" classroom and a ton of individual attention. In fact, I would say that learning in the midst of some chaos is good for kids.

My own kids attended DPCS through 8th grade and moved to Big3 schools for high school (STA/NCS/Sidwell). They were (and are) near the top of their private school classes and this is despite spending all of elementary and middle school in large and sometimes crazy DCPS classrooms where they likely got very little individual attention (while many of their high school classmates sat in quiet Beauvoir or St Pats or Norwood etc classes.) In the end, it didn't matter and they're doing incredibly well.

I just don’t understand why you would choose that environment for your kid if you have options otherwise?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to echo chaos was part of our decision to move as well. The level of chaos intensifies each year.

What do you mean by “chaos”? What’s an example?

My daughter always complained in DCPS about how loud her 3rd grade classroom was and how much time they spent getting materials together and explaining an assignment before starting. I learned at back to school night that there were several kids with behavior issues in her class who couldn’t sit still and would constantly interrupt. The teacher told me in our parent teacher conference that she spent most of her time with those kids and my quiet, studious daughter didn’t need any attention. Moving to private meant. Y daughter got her share of the teacher’s attention and she didn’t constantly waste time waiting for other kids to settle

Sure, but smart kids can and do learn in all sorts of environments. They don't need the "can hear a pin drop" classroom and a ton of individual attention. In fact, I would say that learning in the midst of some chaos is good for kids.

My own kids attended DPCS through 8th grade and moved to Big3 schools for high school (STA/NCS/Sidwell). They were (and are) near the top of their private school classes and this is despite spending all of elementary and middle school in large and sometimes crazy DCPS classrooms where they likely got very little individual attention (while many of their high school classmates sat in quiet Beauvoir or St Pats or Norwood etc classes.) In the end, it didn't matter and they're doing incredibly well.

Then your kids are complete outliers. You must know that public school 8th graders (without big sports hooks) are highly unlikely to be admitted to sidwell, STA, NCS in 9th grade. Also Maret. GDS has slightly better odds.

Then, your kids (multiple?) rising to the very top of their respective Big3 classes by graduation is just flat out rare. Nobody at the top quartile in my kids’ recent graduating classes at Sidwell came from public in 9th. That includes MCPS amd DCPS. The entire top tier was comprised of kids already at sidwell well before 9th or admits from strong k-8s

Don’t mislead OP. The 9 year DCPS deficit is real. You can’t get back those foundational years

The unhooked public school kids joining our kid's Big 3 class in MS or HS are very strong academically, and they have to be given the numbers and the admissions process. They have no problem hanging with the lifers. That doesn't answer the question of whether a kid who wouldn't be that strong academically going through public school would be if they went to a top private school. But there is no question that kids going through the public elementary or middle school can be top students at the most rigorous private schools in the area. Happens all the time, even if the numbers are small.

The real question is whether it's easier to get into a top private school at an earlier entry year, versus 9th. It is, but costs more.

Our experience has been the opposite with public kids coming in at 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The public school kids who joined our Big3 class are also among the strongest students.

All of the kids I know from public that go to the Big 3 schools supplement heavily. Many people make public work, but public alone isn’t enough to be competitive in math or writing from what I have seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to echo chaos was part of our decision to move as well. The level of chaos intensifies each year.

What do you mean by “chaos”? What’s an example?

My daughter always complained in DCPS about how loud her 3rd grade classroom was and how much time they spent getting materials together and explaining an assignment before starting. I learned at back to school night that there were several kids with behavior issues in her class who couldn’t sit still and would constantly interrupt. The teacher told me in our parent teacher conference that she spent most of her time with those kids and my quiet, studious daughter didn’t need any attention. Moving to private meant. Y daughter got her share of the teacher’s attention and she didn’t constantly waste time waiting for other kids to settle

Sure, but smart kids can and do learn in all sorts of environments. They don't need the "can hear a pin drop" classroom and a ton of individual attention. In fact, I would say that learning in the midst of some chaos is good for kids.

My own kids attended DPCS through 8th grade and moved to Big3 schools for high school (STA/NCS/Sidwell). They were (and are) near the top of their private school classes and this is despite spending all of elementary and middle school in large and sometimes crazy DCPS classrooms where they likely got very little individual attention (while many of their high school classmates sat in quiet Beauvoir or St Pats or Norwood etc classes.) In the end, it didn't matter and they're doing incredibly well.

I just don’t understand why you would choose that environment for your kid if you have options otherwise?

Because private school is $55k a year? 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The pp is absurd. Plenty of the top kids at our big 3 high school came in 9th. Many from DCPS. Some of the big 3 middle schools have not been rigorous enough post covid to prepare kids for their own high schools and it’s a real issue that parents and kids talk about.

Also, when we were looking at this when our kids were in pre-k, there were things everyone told us etc that simply aren’t true now that they are in high school.

All that said I’d get them at least through elementary school in public.

Supplementing can be anything from extra reading at home to different activities. But don’t make it a grind. You want them to love to learn.

Name your high school then. Because I know 2 of the actual big3 barely admit any DCPS 8th graders anymore. As iin no more than 5 or 6 at the most. That’s not “many”

Or were you talking about Burke or SJC ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to echo chaos was part of our decision to move as well. The level of chaos intensifies each year.

What do you mean by “chaos”? What’s an example?

My daughter always complained in DCPS about how loud her 3rd grade classroom was and how much time they spent getting materials together and explaining an assignment before starting. I learned at back to school night that there were several kids with behavior issues in her class who couldn’t sit still and would constantly interrupt. The teacher told me in our parent teacher conference that she spent most of her time with those kids and my quiet, studious daughter didn’t need any attention. Moving to private meant. Y daughter got her share of the teacher’s attention and she didn’t constantly waste time waiting for other kids to settle

Sure, but smart kids can and do learn in all sorts of environments. They don't need the "can hear a pin drop" classroom and a ton of individual attention. In fact, I would say that learning in the midst of some chaos is good for kids.

My own kids attended DPCS through 8th grade and moved to Big3 schools for high school (STA/NCS/Sidwell). They were (and are) near the top of their private school classes and this is despite spending all of elementary and middle school in large and sometimes crazy DCPS classrooms where they likely got very little individual attention (while many of their high school classmates sat in quiet Beauvoir or St Pats or Norwood etc classes.) In the end, it didn't matter and they're doing incredibly well.

Then your kids are complete outliers. You must know that public school 8th graders (without big sports hooks) are highly unlikely to be admitted to sidwell, STA, NCS in 9th grade. Also Maret. GDS has slightly better odds.

Then, your kids (multiple?) rising to the very top of their respective Big3 classes by graduation is just flat out rare. Nobody at the top quartile in my kids’ recent graduating classes at Sidwell came from public in 9th. That includes MCPS amd DCPS. The entire top tier was comprised of kids already at sidwell well before 9th or admits from strong k-8s

Don’t mislead OP. The 9 year DCPS deficit is real. You can’t get back those foundational years

You know damn well that your post is full of BS.
They are usually amongst the best in the class.
See, you had to mention MCPS into a discussion that has nothing to do with them, because you know they are the barometer that everyone is trying to measure up to.
We live rent-free in your head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to echo chaos was part of our decision to move as well. The level of chaos intensifies each year.

What do you mean by “chaos”? What’s an example?

My daughter always complained in DCPS about how loud her 3rd grade classroom was and how much time they spent getting materials together and explaining an assignment before starting. I learned at back to school night that there were several kids with behavior issues in her class who couldn’t sit still and would constantly interrupt. The teacher told me in our parent teacher conference that she spent most of her time with those kids and my quiet, studious daughter didn’t need any attention. Moving to private meant. Y daughter got her share of the teacher’s attention and she didn’t constantly waste time waiting for other kids to settle

Sure, but smart kids can and do learn in all sorts of environments. They don't need the "can hear a pin drop" classroom and a ton of individual attention. In fact, I would say that learning in the midst of some chaos is good for kids.

My own kids attended DPCS through 8th grade and moved to Big3 schools for high school (STA/NCS/Sidwell). They were (and are) near the top of their private school classes and this is despite spending all of elementary and middle school in large and sometimes crazy DCPS classrooms where they likely got very little individual attention (while many of their high school classmates sat in quiet Beauvoir or St Pats or Norwood etc classes.) In the end, it didn't matter and they're doing incredibly well.

I just don’t understand why you would choose that environment for your kid if you have options otherwise?

Because private school is $55k a year? 🙄

DP but adding there are awsome things about a neighborhood school. I liked that we had a real sense of community with the people that lived near us when we were with DCPS. We lost that moving to private. Private isn’t always better by default and at the high cost, in some cases staying public and supplementing is a better option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The public school kids who joined our Big3 class are also among the strongest students.

All of the kids I know from public that go to the Big 3 schools supplement heavily. Many people make public work, but public alone isn’t enough to be competitive in math or writing from what I have seen.

No one, absolutely no one takes you seriously when you posted the above.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the kid. Depends on your resources. Depends how influenced you are by peers. Our kids started with DCPS and have stayed through to graduation (Jackson-Reed). Older kid is in college. Was accepted at 18 or the 19 schools he applied to (no hooks) most with merit aide. Well adjusted, diversity in his friendships. Other son at JR now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the kid. Depends on your resources. Depends how influenced you are by peers. Our kids started with DCPS and have stayed through to graduation (Jackson-Reed). Older kid is in college. Was accepted at 18 or the 19 schools he applied to (no hooks) most with merit aide. Well adjusted, diversity in his friendships. Other son at JR now.

So you are a DCPS lifer family who just likes to troll the private school board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The public school kids who joined our Big3 class are also among the strongest students.

All of the kids I know from public that go to the Big 3 schools supplement heavily. Many people make public work, but public alone isn’t enough to be competitive in math or writing from what I have seen.

Absolutely, I know one girl who was at DCPS through 8th and is now at NCS. Her process to get there involved constant one on one after school tutoring, summer academic programs, and weekend RSM classes. The cost must have been not much less than private so I’ve never understood why they didn’t bite the bullet a lot earlier and just pay for a higher quality school at a younger age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did PK3 in DCPS and it was fine, then we visited a nice private school in the suburbs and realized how quickly the gap would grow between our kids getting fine and those kids getting something much better. Although it was a financial hit we moved them the following year. During Covid with our kids in person every day the difference was immense but even now there are just so many advantages I feel guilty I can do this for my kids.

What are the main advantages at such a young age?