Tell me about Holton's lower school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All in all quite good. And they are not passive in dealing with issues. Up until last year they had a complete neurotic on the faculty but quietly dealt with it, so they do deal with things to the overall benefit of the school community.

I think I know what you are talking about. Thank heaven they dealt with that. It was almost insulting to those of us paying tuition to have that teacher there.

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding me?? The poster above knows NOTHING about LS. The fifth and sixth grades have gone totally downhill. They've lost a lot of excellent teachers over the years. There is a very high turnover rate in the lower school. The head of lower school is totally arrogant and is so rude to parents that many parents don't even bother to enter through the lower school, they go in through the upper school. This year we have two new fourth grade teachers, a new fifth grade teacher who used to teach fourth, two teachers in fifth who just started last year, and seasoned teachers in sixth with two teachers who are starting their second year. The math teacher isn't there any longer and the music teacher left. In middle school the head is leaving and there are a lot of new teachers. Parents are not happy except for third grade parents and first year parents. The math program is not as strong as the public school programs. That said, the music and language programs are excellent. The art program is excellent. No spelling instruction and very little grammar.

[Anonymous]

Please don't tell me this person is still teaching children, just at another school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't tell me this person is still teaching children, just at another school?

Not working with children and moved outside of DC area from what I understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding me?? The poster above knows NOTHING about LS. The fifth and sixth grades have gone totally downhill. They've lost a lot of excellent teachers over the years. There is a very high turnover rate in the lower school. The head of lower school is totally arrogant and is so rude to parents that many parents don't even bother to enter through the lower school, they go in through the upper school. This year we have two new fourth grade teachers, a new fifth grade teacher who used to teach fourth, two teachers in fifth who just started last year, and seasoned teachers in sixth with two teachers who are starting their second year. The math teacher isn't there any longer and the music teacher left. In middle school the head is leaving and there are a lot of new teachers. Parents are not happy except for third grade parents and first year parents. The math program is not as strong as the public school programs. That said, the music and language programs are excellent. The art program is excellent. No spelling instruction and very little grammar.

This person's views on Holton's LS are most certainly a minority (isolated?) view. To take one example, the three fifth grade teachers are an excellent teacher they moved from 4th and two other truly wonderful teachers. The girls LOVE all of them. The math specialist is still there. The new music teacher is great. The LS head is in control of the school, knows the girls well, and is very friendly and open to talking to parents. I just don't recognize the school this person is describing. The education my daughter is getting is way, way beyond what she was getting in public. It is money very well spent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are applying now for 6th grade for 2016-2017. We had hoped it would work out, but at Applicant Visiting
Day, it looked like there were about 50 girls applying for however many spots (perhaps around 10 spots)? We're discouraged! But perhaps we can apply again in the future.

Holton adds at least 15 girls, if not a few more, for 6th grade and many apply to multiple schools. If your daughter is a sting student and a nice, happy individual she should have a good shot.

[Anonymous]

Strong student

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding me?? The poster above knows NOTHING about LS. The fifth and sixth grades have gone totally downhill. They've lost a lot of excellent teachers over the years. There is a very high turnover rate in the lower school. The head of lower school is totally arrogant and is so rude to parents that many parents don't even bother to enter through the lower school, they go in through the upper school. This year we have two new fourth grade teachers, a new fifth grade teacher who used to teach fourth, two teachers in fifth who just started last year, and seasoned teachers in sixth with two teachers who are starting their second year. The math teacher isn't there any longer and the music teacher left. In middle school the head is leaving and there are a lot of new teachers. Parents are not happy except for third grade parents and first year parents. The math program is not as strong as the public school programs. That said, the music and language programs are excellent. The art program is excellent. No spelling instruction and very little grammar.

Completely agree with everything this poster wrote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding me?? The poster above knows NOTHING about LS. The fifth and sixth grades have gone totally downhill. They've lost a lot of excellent teachers over the years. There is a very high turnover rate in the lower school. The head of lower school is totally arrogant and is so rude to parents that many parents don't even bother to enter through the lower school, they go in through the upper school. This year we have two new fourth grade teachers, a new fifth grade teacher who used to teach fourth, two teachers in fifth who just started last year, and seasoned teachers in sixth with two teachers who are starting their second year. The math teacher isn't there any longer and the music teacher left. In middle school the head is leaving and there are a lot of new teachers. Parents are not happy except for third grade parents and first year parents. The math program is not as strong as the public school programs. That said, the music and language programs are excellent. The art program is excellent. No spelling instruction and very little grammar.

Completely agree with everything this poster wrote.

The poster has accurately described the Holton lower school. To top things off, an announcement just recently came out saying that the head of the upper school will be leaving this year...very sad that the only two heads of school that are effective are leaving.

[Anonymous]

Its horrible and we won't be going there ... because they rejected us.