Visi Performing Arts Problematic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I don't think she's awful. She's honest. Every kid isn't a star - I don't care how hard they try. My mom was an elementary school theatre director and she could take any kid and turn them into one who could deliver a stellar performance. These are high school students - the bar should be higher. That is what people expect at Visi.

No, she’s awful. She could have delivered her critique of the adults without ripping into the kids (awful, painful, embarrassing). Her daughter’s schoolmates. It’s high school, not Broadway. Kids are there to have fun and learn and try something new and be themselves without fear that some godawful parent is sitting out there beyond the footlights judging them for it.

OP is awful and should be embarrassed for herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Visi 19 years ago! It’s theater program has never ever been it’s selling point! Academics, sports, clubs, faith, service and community yes.
I am so SORRY but you, as a parent, did not do your homework. if your daughter really is so interested about theater wouldn't you have gone to one of their productions or actually met the dance/theater teacher. They have shadow days. Your daughter could have shadowed once of the dance classes.
I played lacrosse and actually met the coaches, etc So many red flags.
This thread is done. Sorry. On to the next

Is your name Jeff? No. So take a seat. DP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I don't think she's awful. She's honest. Every kid isn't a star - I don't care how hard they try. My mom was an elementary school theatre director and she could take any kid and turn them into one who could deliver a stellar performance. These are high school students - the bar should be higher. That is what people expect at Visi.

No, she’s awful. She could have delivered her critique of the adults without ripping into the kids (awful, painful, embarrassing). Her daughter’s schoolmates. It’s high school, not Broadway. Kids are there to have fun and learn and try something new and be themselves without fear that some godawful parent is sitting out there beyond the footlights judging them for it.

OP is awful and should be embarrassed for herself.

+1

[Anonymous]

OP since you mentioned music, I wouldn’t rely on any school exclusively (public or private) if your child is a talented musician, unless it’s specifically a magnet school for the performing arts. By highschool the majority of kids who seriously play an instrument are studying with a top teacher through a private studio or possibly a music school like Levine. They’re participating in one of the big youth orchestras like AYPO or MCYO, maybe entering competitions, and for sure practicing a lot. Many still participate in their school orchestras or bands, which then gives them a path to audition for all-states etc, but the school ensembles typically wouldn’t be the most challenging of the ensembles they perform with, although there could always be exceptions!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell me more about the math. We've talked to the math department and heard they have an advanced math track that allows girls to take Calculus BC their junior year. Is this not true?

Being able to take AP Calc (either AB or BC) in 11th should be “standard advanced” and available at any reputable private school in this area. If Visi doesn’t even have that, it does not deserve even the academic reputation that it has. I’d honestly be shocked if it doesn’t have a track for AP Calc in 11th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP since you mentioned music, I wouldn’t rely on any school exclusively (public or private) if your child is a talented musician, unless it’s specifically a magnet school for the performing arts. By highschool the majority of kids who seriously play an instrument are studying with a top teacher through a private studio or possibly a music school like Levine. They’re participating in one of the big youth orchestras like AYPO or MCYO, maybe entering competitions, and for sure practicing a lot. Many still participate in their school orchestras or bands, which then gives them a path to audition for all-states etc, but the school ensembles typically wouldn’t be the most challenging of the ensembles they perform with, although there could always be exceptions!

Or even just taking classes at School of Rock. But they aren’t relying on in-school instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell me more about the math. We've talked to the math department and heard they have an advanced math track that allows girls to take Calculus BC their junior year. Is this not true?

Being able to take AP Calc (either AB or BC) in 11th should be “standard advanced” and available at any reputable private school in this area. If Visi doesn’t even have that, it does not deserve even the academic reputation that it has. I’d honestly be shocked if it doesn’t have a track for AP Calc in 11th.

It does have this track.

[Anonymous]

Ok their math assurances better be legit. Let me know before we hit that submission button tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok their math assurances better be legit. Let me know before we hit that submission button tomorrow.

There’s no guarantees your daughter will qualify for this track. Did they assure you your daughter would be on that track?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok their math assurances better be legit. Let me know before we hit that submission button tomorrow.

They have the classes. Whether your child places into an advanced track isn’t something they can know for sure until you do placement testing.

[Anonymous]

Attacking the messenger (she is awful; time to end this conversation; etc.) does not overcome the disorganized and low quality performing activities the school offers and the apparent lying by adults to a child (the worst part). This is fundamentally disturbing. They need to make changes.

[Anonymous]

How does an annual performing arts trip get cancelled 2 years in a row? I see it promised on their web site. This is post COVID and the school tour business looks to be healthy, as evidenced by the tons of educational tour busses that again clog DC streets.

[Anonymous]

Yes, OP, you are awful. Even awful people can post multiple times about the same thing.

Posters are rightly defending kids you attacked out of the gate in your first post so quit playing the victim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Attacking the messenger (she is awful; time to end this conversation; etc.) does not overcome the disorganized and low quality performing activities the school offers and the apparent lying by adults to a child (the worst part). This is fundamentally disturbing. They need to make changes.

It’s still hard for me to believe they actively lied (vs overhyped or put a spin on). Did they tell you they had dance classes when they don’t? That they have full time staff when they don’t? Those things would be lies but also easily disproven if you’d looked at a course catalog or a staff directory. Did they tell you they had a great performing arts department? Clearly that’s subjective—they do have some outlet for all of the things your daughter wanted, and clearly they implied they options were better or stronger than they were, which sucks, but selling the school is their job and really checking out the activities your child wants in a school is yours.

Absolutely sounds like they did some shady fast-talking but I’m sceptical of your claim that they outright lied to your daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attacking the messenger (she is awful; time to end this conversation; etc.) does not overcome the disorganized and low quality performing activities the school offers and the apparent lying by adults to a child (the worst part). This is fundamentally disturbing. They need to make changes.

It’s still hard for me to believe they actively lied (vs overhyped or put a spin on). Did they tell you they had dance classes when they don’t? That they have full time staff when they don’t? Those things would be lies but also easily disproven if you’d looked at a course catalog or a staff directory. Did they tell you they had a great performing arts department? Clearly that’s subjective—they do have some outlet for all of the things your daughter wanted, and clearly they implied they options were better or stronger than they were, which sucks, but selling the school is their job and really checking out the activities your child wants in a school is yours.

Absolutely sounds like they did some shady fast-talking but I’m sceptical of your claim that they outright lied to your daughter.

There is no deception. It's called marketing, people; these private schools spend $$$ on slick marketing campaigns. That clearly work! It's up to us as potential parents to perform due diligence to discern if the schools' claims have merit.