How is Dematha?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the problems with a school that’s so elite with sports is that if your kid isn’t a recruited athlete they probably won’t make teams or get to play. So it’s a great thing that you won’t be part of. Most people are probably better off at a school where the sports are mediocre.

Lots of opportunities for sports at DeMatha. Football has big rosters and teams at the Freshman, JV and Varsity level. Basketball is perhaps the most competitive but they do offer an intramural league in the Spring that's odd limits to any student on a basketball roster.

Otherwise, lots of other sports that are either no cut or at least less competitive to join.

My son isn't particularly athletic and hadn't previously been in any sports but very much enjoyed doing crew at DeMatha.

[Anonymous]

Quick plug for the hockey program:

https://www.dematha.org/athletics/teams/team-page/~athletics-team-id/278

[Anonymous]

My kid is playing rugby for the first time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is playing rugby for the first time!

I appreciated reading through this thread as we make a decision soon for our 8th grader. He was accepted and we like what we know so far. One question I didn’t see talked about in here is transportation. I heard there may be a shuttle/bus you could pay for separately with a few pick ups in DC. Does anybody have experience with that, or other options for kids to get to school independently? I know it is not right near the metro. The metro bus route from our house would have a few transfers so it would take awhile. We are in DC and wouldn’t be able to drive him in the mornings due to work schedules etc. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is playing rugby for the first time!

I appreciated reading through this thread as we make a decision soon for our 8th grader. He was accepted and we like what we know so far. One question I didn’t see talked about in here is transportation. I heard there may be a shuttle/bus you could pay for separately with a few pick ups in DC. Does anybody have experience with that, or other options for kids to get to school independently? I know it is not right near the metro. The metro bus route from our house would have a few transfers so it would take awhile. We are in DC and wouldn’t be able to drive him in the mornings due to work schedules etc. Thanks!

https://www.dematha.org/admissions/transportation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is playing rugby for the first time!

I appreciated reading through this thread as we make a decision soon for our 8th grader. He was accepted and we like what we know so far. One question I didn’t see talked about in here is transportation. I heard there may be a shuttle/bus you could pay for separately with a few pick ups in DC. Does anybody have experience with that, or other options for kids to get to school independently? I know it is not right near the metro. The metro bus route from our house would have a few transfers so it would take awhile. We are in DC and wouldn’t be able to drive him in the mornings due to work schedules etc. Thanks!

Lots of transportation options and the school is more accessible than you'd think (of course it all depends on where you live and what you consider accessible). We live in D.C. and our son takes Metro Bus (picks up in front of the school) to Rhode-Island Avenue Metro station and then takes Metro a few stops from there to go home.

From D.C. there are school-run shuttles from Eastern Market and Union Station. Some kids in parts of NE/NW also take the school shuttle from Downtown Silver Spring, but we found public transportation was faster for us.

Metro Bus (P10 and P10X) pick up next to the school and the nearest Metro station (Hyattsville Crossing) is about a 1 mile (20 minute) walk from school.

The school also runs a free shuttle to the College Park Metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is playing rugby for the first time!

I appreciated reading through this thread as we make a decision soon for our 8th grader. He was accepted and we like what we know so far. One question I didn’t see talked about in here is transportation. I heard there may be a shuttle/bus you could pay for separately with a few pick ups in DC. Does anybody have experience with that, or other options for kids to get to school independently? I know it is not right near the metro. The metro bus route from our house would have a few transfers so it would take awhile. We are in DC and wouldn’t be able to drive him in the mornings due to work schedules etc. Thanks!

My son takes the metro from Silver Spring daily and uses the free school bus from the College Park station. That has worked really well, and my husband calculated that is was still a bit cheaper than taking the DeMatha bus directly from Silver Spring.

DeMatha is a wonderful place! It is possible to excel in music, sports and academics (not having to pick one) in a diverse and faith-filled environment. And it is refreshingly down to earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is playing rugby for the first time!

I appreciated reading through this thread as we make a decision soon for our 8th grader. He was accepted and we like what we know so far. One question I didn’t see talked about in here is transportation. I heard there may be a shuttle/bus you could pay for separately with a few pick ups in DC. Does anybody have experience with that, or other options for kids to get to school independently? I know it is not right near the metro. The metro bus route from our house would have a few transfers so it would take awhile. We are in DC and wouldn’t be able to drive him in the mornings due to work schedules etc. Thanks!

I'm one of the PP's. I forgot to mention that the school directory and transportation office are pretty good about helping connect parents who are interested in carpooling, in case that's of interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let me be blunt. It's located in PG county. I would never send my kid to a school in that county. Maybe a decent area in DC is as much risk as I would take.

Sorry for you for missing out on wonderful people because you're too blinded by your racism and classism.

OP, lots of good, seemingly firsthand replies. I'll add that if your child has a learning disability, DeMatha offers good scaffolding and academic support. We also love that DeMatha's student body looks like America -- all of America, not just the lily white -- so is a good primer for life outside of Bethesda and, at least in our experience, lends to developing empathy.

Well said!!