Eaton versus Hearst (moving to DC from abroad)
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Anonymous
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Hello! I have to move from the UK to DC for work in August and will have a daughter entering 1st grade. I have some specific questions about Eaton and Hearst, as we are attempting to move into one of those schools’ in-boundary areas . I know that there’s no substitute for going to visit the schools, but we need to make a decision on housing relatively soon (we've found a great rental in the Hearst area for August, but would need to sign the lease now!), and we won’t be able to visit the schools prior to the start of the semester.
1. Both schools seem great, but since we’re coming from the UK and will be returning abroad after five years, I’m wondering if we should be concerned about the differential between the schools in the percentage of students who are at the proficient and advanced level. Do both schools (and more specifically Hearst) provide enough support for children who need more challenging work? 2. If you actually have experience with both of the schools, I’d be interested in any differences in their academic focus and ethos. 3. I’ve read on forums that Eaton’s physical plant needs upgrading, while Hearst is finishing reconstruction—any thoughts on which school provides a better physical environment (it’s hard to tell from the few photos online)? 4. Simply put, if you had the choice move IB Eaton or IB Hearst, which one would you choose? At the risk of sounding rude, please avoid turning this into a discussion about OOB versus IB--I'd rather learn more about what each school offers. Finally, I know that the best answer may be the differences are inconsequential, but I'm still curious to know more about the differences. Many thanks! |
Anonymous
| We ranked Hearst over Eaton. Hearst is smaller (class sizes of 20, at Eaton for K+ it was 25; only 2 classes/grade at Hearst, more at Eaton). Eaton was also in bad shape in terms of the actual building relative to Hearst (which is brand new, with construction finishing up this August). If you break out test scores by demographics, they're pretty similar, so that didn't concern us at all--it seems like kids do well at both schools. In the end, I thought that my child would do fine at either school, but that I thought the smaller school experience at Hearst was better. |
Anonymous
| We toured both and preferred Eaton. But they are both excellent! |
Anonymous
OH, good heavens, this is a bit of an overstatement. They are both lovely old schools in old, established neighborhoods. Neither has the country club suburban feel, but so what? Eaton's building is fine OP and certainly not in "bad shape" as compared to Hearst. |
Anonymous
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I think you will find few people who actually have experience at both schools. But I also believe that whichever school you choose you'll be at a great school. You probably are already reaching out to folks at the schools directly, but I would strongly recommend that you do that. You can contact the Hearst PTA president directly at president1@hearstes.org if you want to chat with her. And you can easily google (I won't post her personal contact info) Eaton's HSA President's email.
I will say that we have been extremely happy at Hearst. We love how small it is, what a close knit community it has, and how great our experiences have been with the teachers and staff. No school is perfect, but it has been a wonderful experience for us. That said, I know quite a number of folks at Eaton and other than being upset about their feeder switch to Hardy (which is not the bad thing as folks make it out to be, but I understand how they feel) these people are very happy too. |
Anonymous
| Hearst is a great school and strong community even without the new buildings. OP, you say you may move in 5 years, but if you end up being here for even one year of middle school, Deal is much better. |
Anonymous
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I'd say they are both pretty good choices. Hearst has more out-of-boundary students, has more lower income students whose parents are making an effort to bring them from all over the city. There is a terrific program of optional aftercare activities, a spanking new building, a city rec center and beautiful soccer field lined with old oak trees...Eaton has an older facility but also more white kids, fewer kids on subsidies, and higher test scores which may indicate more effective teaching but may be related to the 45% inbound population who live in a relatively expensive part of town and have parents with more resources. It is in a nice part of town with a very cute city playground/rec center nearby (Macomb). For me, Cleveland Park where Eaton is located is an easy neighborhood to live in, there is the little strip of restaurants, the Metro, but Hearst is also walking distance (if a bit of a stretch) from two Metro stops. It's located right across the street from Sidwell Friends where the president's daughters go to school so there are Secret Service vehicles parked visibly near it.
Not sure what the deal is with Eaton now in terms of feeding to which middle school? Hardy or can students choose Deal? |
Anonymous
| Eaton no longer feeds Deal. |
Anonymous
| Eaton has a wonderful focus on international ties that I think might help your child to "fit in" coming from abroad. Each grade level adopts a country, and really studies that country throughout the year - from penpals to food festivals and more. We moved to Eaton almost five years ago. It's quite charming, and wonderfully appropriate for a child who is aware of different cultures. The international focus was one of the reasons we selected the school, and we found it to be incredibly welcoming and warm. And strong academically. I would happily choose Eaton again. |
Anonymous
| Hearst is on a serious upswing. With the new buildings, small class sizes, and path to Deal it will be among the fabled "JKLMM" group in a few years. With the switch to Hardy, some are predicting a decline in IB students at Eaton, which would be sad. |
Anonymous
| They are both great schools. Just find a home that you like. |
Anonymous
| Is Eaton a SEM school? Or Hearst? |
Anonymous
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Eaton parent. I have no clue about Hearst. What I can say about Eaton is that:
Active Parent Group- that through a lot of hard work raises money to support extra positions that make a tangible difference in the school. Class sizes are often smaller than you would think due to extra supports at the high and low by reading, math specialists that are supplemented by 3 other positions that assist in Science and curriculum based field trips. Amazing arts programming - Our art/music teachers are also actual artists and musicians and it shows in how the kids perform and produce. The annual school musical is also a great experience for 4th & 5th graders. Yes children in 2nd and earlier grades will be going to Hardy and not Deal, but at the risk of creating a flame war, many of us are dedicated to making that an amazing option on par with Deal. |
Anonymous
Hearst is fully renovated. I didn't say that Eaton was in bad shape overall--but it absolutely is relative to Hearst. It is fine, but nothing like Hearst, which now has phenomenal facilities. |
Anonymous
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Two great schools. You cannot go wrong. Our kids go to Eaton, and we love it, but I bet I would say the same thing if my kids went to Hearst. Here is what I love the most about Eaton:
-It has a top-notch teaching roster, led by a well-loved administration. -Music and arts are very impressive. The two new music teachers put on a winter concert with the kids, and it was spectacular. -A hard-working and enthusiastic parent organization. They work to raise a lot of money for fantastic extras at the school, and they know how to get down at the auction. -A truly international student body. There are kids from all 8 wards of the city, including lots of children of World Bank and embassy parents. In terms of Hardy vs. Deal, I think that both are good schools. Our children will still have the choice to attend either when they graduate from Eaton, and we have not made a firm decision on where they will go. Hardy causes a lot of controversy on this site, but if middle school is a factor in your decision of which elementary school to choose, it couldn't hurt to attend open houses (I know, it sounds silly for 1st grade). Good luck with your decision, and if you decide to go to Eaton, please reach out to the HSA. We would love to welcome you to the community. |