New STA parent seeking advice, suggestions, or just plain "I wish I had known X" info

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is interesting. I have been thinking STA would be a great fit for my DC but a bad fit for the parents for the same reasons: we are of modest means. Do the parents seriously expect you to bring a bottle of $150 wine? I find that hard to believe. Wouldn't they be welcoming if you came with a $15 bottle of wine?

It gives the most financial aid in the area (along with Sidwell). Lots of rich people but plenty of folks of modest means. Nobody will be checking the labels on bottles of wine -- sounds nice that people are inclusive!

[Anonymous]

Why would someone invite you to a party and expect you to bring a $150 bottle of wine, or rather why would you feel obligated to? Is this some sort of a fundraiser? Or is that what is considered a passable hostess gift?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would someone invite you to a party and expect you to bring a $150 bottle of wine, or rather why would you feel obligated to? Is this some sort of a fundraiser? Or is that what is considered a passable hostess gift?

Nobody expects anybody to bring $150 bottles of wine to ANYTHING in DC. This is not a conspicuous consumption town that way. Stop worrying. Either go with the $20 bottle of wine or decline. No worries.

[Anonymous]

Take a nice plant or homemade fudge instead. A hostess gift does not have to be expensive to be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is some crazy talk about homecoming on the NCS thread. Do the boys really take the homecoming experience that seriously? STA moms, do you really care whether your son goes or not?

Lots of STA mom chatter heard over the past week. I do not know about the boys, but these boys' moms take this shit seriously. Measuring out how pretty the date is, how fancy the pre-party will be, and whether the cool kids will be at the after party. It is high school for these moms all over again.

How much of the school is made up of these craven souls? Is it a big enough proportion so that it affects the whole atmosphere?

[Anonymous]

Quite sickening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quite sickening.

Don't believe everything you hear. And remember that it is the students who go to school, not their parents.

[Anonymous]

So the boys are less superficial than their mothers? Not usually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the boys are less superficial than their mothers? Not usually.

Well yikes, holy misanthrope, Batman!

The parents I have met are generally nice and often very bright and interesting, and the kids generally smart, funny, and nice kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the boys are less superficial than their mothers? Not usually.

Hey, don't put yourself down!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known how difficult it was to transition to C Form from outside of Beauvoir. We're fine now, it just took much longer than I expected, and there were many speed bumps on that transition road.

What was hard about it and how are things going five years later?

[Anonymous]

Is this still the case"

Quote from 2009

"I wish I had fully understood how athletics permeate nearly every aspect of life at STA, and if your DS is not "into sports," he's simply not going to fit in with his fellow-students, the faculty, and much to my horror, the other families."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this still the case"

Quote from 2009

"I wish I had fully understood how athletics permeate nearly every aspect of life at STA, and if your DS is not "into sports," he's simply not going to fit in with his fellow-students, the faculty, and much to my horror, the other families."

There are plenty of kids who are very arts focused, for example, or are great students who are non-sporty in the sense of traditional team sports. But it is an all-boys' school and sports do permeate the school culture more than might be the case at some co-ed schools. Lots of kids have fantasy football teams and on "free dress" days there are lots of Redskins or Premier League Soccer jersies, so watching sports is clearly a key downtime activity.

However, I would strongly disagree that the faculty will not be excited about a bright, non-athletic student. Although many faculty coach, certainly not all do; moreover, it would also be a mistake to assume the faculty who coach don't value the students on their intellectual merits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known my DS better - he is not an athlete and not a "boys' boy." I'm not saying he is bullied, because he is not. But being around these athletic "boys' boy" has left him a victim of sorts, losing any semblance of self-confidence.

Has this changed for you over the years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few posts ago a poster indicated that it was difficult for her DS because he did not go to Beauvoir and did not actively pursue sports. How hard is it for non-Beauvoir kids to fit in at STA? Our DS does not attend Beauvoir (we were waitlisted). Our DS will plan to apply to STA for 4th grade from his current non-Beauvoir school. Will it be tough for him to enter without the Beauvoir experience? Our DS is pretty outgoing, confident and likes sports.

Fast forward. Are you at STA now? If so, how's it going? Did the transition go well?