The Heights, Mater Dei, vs Holy trinity: what’re best DC area private Catholic boysElementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our son has been at the Heights for a few years. He is an only child.. there are a few other families in his age group with only 1 child and several with only 2 or 3 kids. We are also not strict catholics. We know older families who have stayed at the Heights through graduation and others that have left for Georgetown Prep.
I am sure your son will succeed at any of these great schools. Good luck through the stressful process of choosing a school.

Do you feel like a second-class citizen being a women/mom there, or is that just a rumor ppl who hate religion perpetuate?

From my experience with The Heights, our school believes that a son’s mother is perhaps the most important person in his life. She is the one who nurtured him while the father works (in most families). There are just as many female faculty members as male (excluding teachers). The reason why the school wants only male teachers is not because we are some bigoted religious Catholics, but because the teachers grow really close with the families and serve as a mentor to the boys. It would be virtually impossible for a female teacher to assist a young boy’s parents in teaching him how to be a good father to his children, brother to his sister…

The Heights partners with an all-girls school who does the exact opposite. All female teachers for all female students.

In close, there is no negative opinion towards moms - that is spread by people hidden behind a computer screen and those with no connection to the school!

Hope this helps.

DP. I was a Heights mom. Yes, I felt that the administration and faculty ignored us moms. I had to have my husband intervene when our DS had issues. I did not feel that on any other private or public campus.

I have had the exact opposite experience.

The poor thing about these online threads is that there is no way to verify a poster. I find the line "I did not feel that on any other private or public campus." - Infers that you must have been a mother of kids at many other schools. I only know of one family with kids at 4 schools - but maybe this is a rare exception.

Must add on here that few Heights moms would be posting on a DCUM page, and even fewer would use abbreviations like "DP" & "DS". What do these mean?

DP = different poster (like NP, new poster). PP = previous poster. OP = original poster. DC/DS/DD = Dear Child/Son/Daughter, ie, their kid. DH = Dear Husband although you don’t see that one as often here because we are usually discussing kids, not spouses.

[Anonymous]

Best is what is what is best for your family. All of the schools can lead your child where they are meant to go.

[Anonymous]

Totally correct. Many young men who go to these schools will be well- prepared for life.

[Anonymous]

Those choices are middle of the pack for quality. St. Anselm's has better quality. For HS- GP + GZ. None are as good as elite privates here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How Catholic are you? We are devout and The Heights would be our top if we still lived in DC.

Catholic is how we were raised. Although we do still have faith, we do not attend church regularly. Having said this, through research, it is clear to us that it is in disputed the children raised with faith are happier. For that reason, we are looking for a school that meaningfully includes religion in its curriculum.

Or that children “raised with faith” are taught that seeking treatment for mental health issues, or speaking openly about them, is wrong. That doing so means you’re “ungrateful.” They’re taught that you need to put on a happy face all the time & suppress your real emotions.

[Anonymous]

The Heights if you want old school ultra conservative values and families. The school is unapologetically ultra conservative.

Mater Dei is a bit more modern but at the same time truly a Catholic School experience.

HT is the least rigorous academically of the three.

Best choice of the three by far is Mater Dei.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How Catholic are you? We are devout and The Heights would be our top if we still lived in DC.

Catholic is how we were raised. Although we do still have faith, we do not attend church regularly. Having said this, through research, it is clear to us that it is in disputed the children raised with faith are happier. For that reason, we are looking for a school that meaningfully includes religion in its curriculum.

Or that children “raised with faith” are taught that seeking treatment for mental health issues, or speaking openly about them, is wrong. That doing so means you’re “ungrateful.” They’re taught that you need to put on a happy face all the time & suppress your real emotions.

Ummm totally untrue. This sounds particular to your family dynamic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those choices are middle of the pack for quality. St. Anselm's has better quality. For HS- GP + GZ. None are as good as elite privates here.

St. Anselm’s always struck me to be very good academically but a bit lacking in terms of fostering school spirit and joy. Very one dimensional. Also a trek for many on this board

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the Heights properly preparing children for the actual diverse world we live in??

Lol is that a real question??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The heights is for SUPER Catholics. Like go to church daily and don’t believe in birth control.

Remaining chaste until marriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mare Dei is all boys with lots of male teachers in upper grades. Athletics are emphasized. And it has become a feeder for Georgetown Prep.

Our active, athletic, resilient boys benefitted significantly from the experience. But it wasn’t always easy for them.

Why no tennis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those choices are middle of the pack for quality. St. Anselm's has better quality. For HS- GP + GZ. None are as good as elite privates here.

St. Anselm’s always struck me to be very good academically but a bit lacking in terms of fostering school spirit and joy. Very one dimensional. Also a trek for many on this board

Happily, your perception about joy and school spirit has not been our experience, nor has our boys' experience there been one dimensional. If anything, due to the small size, they have been able to do and experience more because no avenue is really cut off to them there.

Also, it isn't an elementary school. It starts in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those choices are middle of the pack for quality. St. Anselm's has better quality. For HS- GP + GZ. None are as good as elite privates here.

St. Anselm’s always struck me to be very good academically but a bit lacking in terms of fostering school spirit and joy. Very one dimensional. Also a trek for many on this board

Happily, your perception about joy and school spirit has not been our experience, nor has our boys' experience there been one dimensional. If anything, due to the small size, they have been able to do and experience more because no avenue is really cut off to them there.

Also, it isn't an elementary school. It starts in middle school.

What are its feeders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those choices are middle of the pack for quality. St. Anselm's has better quality. For HS- GP + GZ. None are as good as elite privates here.

St. Anselm’s always struck me to be very good academically but a bit lacking in terms of fostering school spirit and joy. Very one dimensional. Also a trek for many on this board

+1, I got that impression, too