Sidwell vs. Georgetown Day School -- pros and cons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats OP—two great choices. Maybe consider the daily schedules and how that fits for your family. I have a kid at GDS so I only know their schedule. They are on a block schedule with 75 minute classes. HS starts at 8:45am—they have a class then community time, then another class, followed by lunch and two classes after lunch. After school sports /programs are optional. Many HS kids hang out in the forum or gym after school. The classes are every other day (so they don’t have homework assigned one day and due the next which is nice). GDS generally does not have homework over breaks.
GDS has busses that drop off at school at 8am (lots of kids hang in the forum or library until 8:45am when school starts). The busses leave school around 3:40. You pay by the day so we always use the morning bus, and either use the afternoon bus or carpool home if staying for sports, drama, buddy program, etc. School closed around 8pm.

Thank you, this is super helpful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would love to hear thoughts as well. My kid was accepted for 9th so interested in the upper school experiences at both

+1 and STA but I know the differences there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats OP—two great choices. Maybe consider the daily schedules and how that fits for your family. I have a kid at GDS so I only know their schedule. They are on a block schedule with 75 minute classes. HS starts at 8:45am—they have a class then community time, then another class, followed by lunch and two classes after lunch. After school sports /programs are optional. Many HS kids hang out in the forum or gym after school. The classes are every other day (so they don’t have homework assigned one day and due the next which is nice). GDS generally does not have homework over breaks.
GDS has busses that drop off at school at 8am (lots of kids hang in the forum or library until 8:45am when school starts). The busses leave school around 3:40. You pay by the day so we always use the morning bus, and either use the afternoon bus or carpool home if staying for sports, drama, buddy program, etc. School closed around 8pm.

Thank you, this is super helpful!

That is a nice schedule

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats OP—two great choices. Maybe consider the daily schedules and how that fits for your family. I have a kid at GDS so I only know their schedule. They are on a block schedule with 75 minute classes. HS starts at 8:45am—they have a class then community time, then another class, followed by lunch and two classes after lunch. After school sports /programs are optional. Many HS kids hang out in the forum or gym after school. The classes are every other day (so they don’t have homework assigned one day and due the next which is nice). GDS generally does not have homework over breaks.
GDS has busses that drop off at school at 8am (lots of kids hang in the forum or library until 8:45am when school starts). The busses leave school around 3:40. You pay by the day so we always use the morning bus, and either use the afternoon bus or carpool home if staying for sports, drama, buddy program, etc. School closed around 8pm.

Thank you, this is super helpful!

That is a nice schedule

DC has a similar schedule (not GDS) and LOVES it. It was definitely part of the decision between DC’s top two choices for HS a couple years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no material differences. Let your kid pick. Those who say they are very different are way too immersed in the insular world of the expensive DC private school scene.

It truly does not matter.

Not true. Personally, I would never send a boy to GDS.

Why?

Because he doesn't need a steady diet of how horrible and oppressive he is, simply because he is a male. And because their sports program is embarrassingly weak, across the board. And no one seems to care, which is a problem in and of itself.

This is also our view and why we left in. We are a very progressive family but I don't need my son's school day focused on: "Because he doesn't need a steady diet of how horrible and oppressive he is, simply because he is a male.". This comes from the TOP down and trickles into the entire school. This happens a lot less at Sidwell, and a bit more at Maret.

I do worry about this for my son as well. Any sense at this point of what type of leader they might be seeking to replace Russell?

Our white son does not feel oppressed at GDS. Learning history and observing life using a broader lens is not the same as pointing fingers and he knows this.

Also our son's experience at GDS. No feelings of oppression. Generally, he's having a fantastic high school experience and loves the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no material differences. Let your kid pick. Those who say they are very different are way too immersed in the insular world of the expensive DC private school scene.

It truly does not matter.

Not true. Personally, I would never send a boy to GDS.

Why?

Because he doesn't need a steady diet of how horrible and oppressive he is, simply because he is a male. And because their sports program is embarrassingly weak, across the board. And no one seems to care, which is a problem in and of itself.

This is also our view and why we left in. We are a very progressive family but I don't need my son's school day focused on: "Because he doesn't need a steady diet of how horrible and oppressive he is, simply because he is a male.". This comes from the TOP down and trickles into the entire school. This happens a lot less at Sidwell, and a bit more at Maret.

I do worry about this for my son as well. Any sense at this point of what type of leader they might be seeking to replace Russell?

Our white son does not feel oppressed at GDS. Learning history and observing life using a broader lens is not the same as pointing fingers and he knows this.

Also our son's experience at GDS. No feelings of oppression. Generally, he's having a fantastic high school experience and loves the school.

Same here. This "concern" is wildly overblown. My son has had a great experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats OP—two great choices. Maybe consider the daily schedules and how that fits for your family. I have a kid at GDS so I only know their schedule. They are on a block schedule with 75 minute classes. HS starts at 8:45am—they have a class then community time, then another class, followed by lunch and two classes after lunch. After school sports /programs are optional. Many HS kids hang out in the forum or gym after school. The classes are every other day (so they don’t have homework assigned one day and due the next which is nice). GDS generally does not have homework over breaks.
GDS has busses that drop off at school at 8am (lots of kids hang in the forum or library until 8:45am when school starts). The busses leave school around 3:40. You pay by the day so we always use the morning bus, and either use the afternoon bus or carpool home if staying for sports, drama, buddy program, etc. School closed around 8pm.

Thank you, this is super helpful!

That is a nice schedule

Would love a Sidwell person to post their schedule too!

[Anonymous]

SFS HS parent, school starts at 8AM, block schedule with some breaks throughout the day, so every day is slightly different. Not every class meets ever day.

Lunch is 12PM, the day is generally done around 3PM.

If they play a sport, practices generally go ~3:30-5/5:30PM, although that can vary by sport and season. If they have an away game, that time will likely go later. Kids who do theater or chorus will be there later, some other activities daily.

I always enjoy seeing kids around when I go for athletic events. My child loves the school, is good about using break times for homework which helps manage commitments on days when sports runs late (and is far better than I would have ever been).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SFS HS parent, school starts at 8AM, block schedule with some breaks throughout the day, so every day is slightly different. Not every class meets ever day.

Lunch is 12PM, the day is generally done around 3PM.

If they play a sport, practices generally go ~3:30-5/5:30PM, although that can vary by sport and season. If they have an away game, that time will likely go later. Kids who do theater or chorus will be there later, some other activities daily.

I always enjoy seeing kids around when I go for athletic events. My child loves the school, is good about using break times for homework which helps manage commitments on days when sports runs late (and is far better than I would have ever been).

Thank you! What about homework over breaks?

[Anonymous]

When you get the offer, if you do, ask the administrators

[Anonymous]

Unless your kid’s a bit of a weirdo in the nicest possible way to really emo hang out behind the school building way, this isn’t even a choice. And you all know it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SFS HS parent, school starts at 8AM, block schedule with some breaks throughout the day, so every day is slightly different. Not every class meets ever day.

Lunch is 12PM, the day is generally done around 3PM.

If they play a sport, practices generally go ~3:30-5/5:30PM, although that can vary by sport and season. If they have an away game, that time will likely go later. Kids who do theater or chorus will be there later, some other activities daily.

I always enjoy seeing kids around when I go for athletic events. My child loves the school, is good about using break times for homework which helps manage commitments on days when sports runs late (and is far better than I would have ever been).

Thank you! What about homework over breaks?

Not PP - but parent of recent grad (so others can weigh in on whether this changed this year) - Sidwell has midterm exams are after winter break - so it is not a true break from work. There were no breaks completely free of homework.

[Anonymous]

GDS eliminated mid-terms and instead has a “minimester” week where kid select among a variety of experiential learning experiences. Some examples are a Harvard Model Congress trip, golf, social justice tracks, ethnic cuisine, baking, etc. The list of choices is pretty long so there seems to be something for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SFS HS parent, school starts at 8AM, block schedule with some breaks throughout the day, so every day is slightly different. Not every class meets ever day.

Lunch is 12PM, the day is generally done around 3PM.

If they play a sport, practices generally go ~3:30-5/5:30PM, although that can vary by sport and season. If they have an away game, that time will likely go later. Kids who do theater or chorus will be there later, some other activities daily.

I always enjoy seeing kids around when I go for athletic events. My child loves the school, is good about using break times for homework which helps manage commitments on days when sports runs late (and is far better than I would have ever been).

Thank you! What about homework over breaks?

Not PP - but parent of recent grad (so others can weigh in on whether this changed this year) - Sidwell has midterm exams are after winter break - so it is not a true break from work. There were no breaks completely free of homework.

Sidwell does have exams after winter break, but there is no expectation or pressure from the school that they study then. Some crazed parents probably do make their kids study over break, but that's on them. The school builds in plenty of time with work days/ reading days etc in the January exam schedule to do all required studying. Plus, exams only count for a minimal part of the final grade.

As a parent, I prefer it this way. I would hate to see them try to cram in exams before Christmas break, which is now a more relaxed time period. And they'd most likely have to start school before Labor Day to do this, which we would hate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no material differences. Let your kid pick. Those who say they are very different are way too immersed in the insular world of the expensive DC private school scene.

It truly does not matter.

Not true. Personally, I would never send a boy to GDS.

Why?

Because he doesn't need a steady diet of how horrible and oppressive he is, simply because he is a male. And because their sports program is embarrassingly weak, across the board. And no one seems to care, which is a problem in and of itself.

This is also our view and why we left in. We are a very progressive family but I don't need my son's school day focused on: "Because he doesn't need a steady diet of how horrible and oppressive he is, simply because he is a male.". This comes from the TOP down and trickles into the entire school. This happens a lot less at Sidwell, and a bit more at Maret.

I do worry about this for my son as well. Any sense at this point of what type of leader they might be seeking to replace Russell?

They'll never change. It's built into the culture at GDS. They're actually proud of it.