Washington Episcopal School - feedback needed

[Anonymous]

Thank you for these informative comments, very helpful!

[Anonymous]

How does WES give feedback to parents? Are there parent conferences scheduled yearly? Written grades/report cards? And more importantly, can students and parents make an action plan to address challenge areas together with teachers? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does WES give feedback to parents? Are there parent conferences scheduled yearly? Written grades/report cards? And more importantly, can students and parents make an action plan to address challenge areas together with teachers? Thanks!

- 4 report cards a year (5 if new student)
Parent-teacher conferences with report cards in Q1
Personal comments with report cards in Q2
Ordinary report cards in Q3 and Q4

- Written progress reports for struggling students

My son had a B- in Girgis' MS math and she emailed us immediately. He then went to the weekly after-school math lab study hall every week, and worked with her. He's in high school now.

[Anonymous]

WES does not have an online grade book like the school older DC attended so you do not see scores for all assignments and tests, but teachers are very good at communicating issues and working with students. The student needs to follow through with the extra help, but teachers are always willing to help a kid who is willing to work. Parent-teacher conferences twice a year with whichever teachers you need to meet with are informative and reminders of how much these teachers care and know our kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WES does not have an online grade book like the school older DC attended so you do not see scores for all assignments and tests, but teachers are very good at communicating issues and working with students. The student needs to follow through with the extra help, but teachers are always willing to help a kid who is willing to work. Parent-teacher conferences twice a year with whichever teachers you need to meet with are informative and reminders of how much these teachers care and know our kid.

You're probably an alum family.

All of the classes use Google Classroom. BUT, teachers are not required to use it as a grade book, and there are 2-3 teachers in the MS who don't post grades on there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WES does not have an online grade book like the school older DC attended so you do not see scores for all assignments and tests, but teachers are very good at communicating issues and working with students. The student needs to follow through with the extra help, but teachers are always willing to help a kid who is willing to work. Parent-teacher conferences twice a year with whichever teachers you need to meet with are informative and reminders of how much these teachers care and know our kid.

You're probably an alum family.

All of the classes use Google Classroom. BUT, teachers are not required to use it as a grade book, and there are 2-3 teachers in the MS who don't post grades on there.

I’m PP and we are actually a current family. Meant to say that while they do use google classroom it’s a very different system than something like veracross that is more of a true open grade book. Google Classroom has all the assignments but I’m not sure it has grades? In all honesty I don’t follow that closely because I want my kid to manage their own work and communication from teachers has been excellent. We tracked more closely with older DC because of some learning differences and they needed more support (than what they were getting at school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WES does not have an online grade book like the school older DC attended so you do not see scores for all assignments and tests, but teachers are very good at communicating issues and working with students. The student needs to follow through with the extra help, but teachers are always willing to help a kid who is willing to work. Parent-teacher conferences twice a year with whichever teachers you need to meet with are informative and reminders of how much these teachers care and know our kid.

You're probably an alum family.

All of the classes use Google Classroom. BUT, teachers are not required to use it as a grade book, and there are 2-3 teachers in the MS who don't post grades on there.

I’m PP and we are actually a current family. Meant to say that while they do use google classroom it’s a very different system than something like veracross that is more of a true open grade book. Google Classroom has all the assignments but I’m not sure it has grades? In all honesty I don’t follow that closely because I want my kid to manage their own work and communication from teachers has been excellent. We tracked more closely with older DC because of some learning differences and they needed more support (than what they were getting at school).

PP did you feel like your kid with learning differences got the support they needed from the school (of course, in the end it's the student/parents that have to figure out what the kid needs). Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WES does not have an online grade book like the school older DC attended so you do not see scores for all assignments and tests, but teachers are very good at communicating issues and working with students. The student needs to follow through with the extra help, but teachers are always willing to help a kid who is willing to work. Parent-teacher conferences twice a year with whichever teachers you need to meet with are informative and reminders of how much these teachers care and know our kid.

You're probably an alum family.

All of the classes use Google Classroom. BUT, teachers are not required to use it as a grade book, and there are 2-3 teachers in the MS who don't post grades on there.

I’m PP and we are actually a current family. Meant to say that while they do use google classroom it’s a very different system than something like veracross that is more of a true open grade book. Google Classroom has all the assignments but I’m not sure it has grades? In all honesty I don’t follow that closely because I want my kid to manage their own work and communication from teachers has been excellent. We tracked more closely with older DC because of some learning differences and they needed more support (than what they were getting at school).

PP did you feel like your kid with learning differences got the support they needed from the school (of course, in the end it's the student/parents that have to figure out what the kid needs). Thanks!

DC with learning differences was at another school so can’t comment on that for WES. I would be very honest with the school right up front about what your student needs and they will let you know if that’s something they could potentially accommodate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If what you want is co-ed, Episcopal, friendly community, rigorous curriculum without the burnout culture, then WES is great. But it's over in 8th.

My advice is to get all that at St. Andrew's and then avoid the Upper School admissions process by staying through 12th. SAES has a MUCH nicer campus, more competitive sports, great college placement, amazing teachers, slightly larger MS but still small, and there's are two different bus routes within a couple of minutes of WES.

Just to clarify: WES is a great school to choose if you're looking for an easy-going place for your child in Middle School. It is NOT rigorous (except for the MS Science program and some MS Math classes.) Students mostly go to St. Andrews, Bullis, Holy Child, and schools of similar academic strength - or to public schools. In recent years, there have been very few students going to Sidwell, GDS, STA, or NCS. Which is fine for most of the families at WES, who don't want those types of schools for their children. They want a more relaxed, fun environment with trips.

Could this poster elaborate? We've been very impressed by WES for middle school, but are looking for an academically rigorous environment. What does NOT rigorous mean? Thanks for shedding any light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If what you want is co-ed, Episcopal, friendly community, rigorous curriculum without the burnout culture, then WES is great. But it's over in 8th.

My advice is to get all that at St. Andrew's and then avoid the Upper School admissions process by staying through 12th. SAES has a MUCH nicer campus, more competitive sports, great college placement, amazing teachers, slightly larger MS but still small, and there's are two different bus routes within a couple of minutes of WES.

Just to clarify: WES is a great school to choose if you're looking for an easy-going place for your child in Middle School. It is NOT rigorous (except for the MS Science program and some MS Math classes.) Students mostly go to St. Andrews, Bullis, Holy Child, and schools of similar academic strength - or to public schools. In recent years, there have been very few students going to Sidwell, GDS, STA, or NCS. Which is fine for most of the families at WES, who don't want those types of schools for their children. They want a more relaxed, fun environment with trips.

Could this poster elaborate? We've been very impressed by WES for middle school, but are looking for an academically rigorous environment. What does NOT rigorous mean? Thanks for shedding any light.

7th and 8th grade workload is comparable to area privates' HS.

[Anonymous]

DC had significantly more homework than MCPS peers, but how much they took home varied depending on whether or not it was a day with study hall. The workload was comparable to older DC's at another school.

We loved our experience and wish we'd sent older DC. It was a great balance of solid academics/high expectations from teachers, but it did not feel like a cutthroat environment. DC was very well prepared for one of DCUM's favorite "top" schools. Kids from WES go to a wide variety of HS.

[Anonymous]

WES 8th grade was more rigorous than 9th grade at another private. It’s a great school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC had significantly more homework than MCPS peers, but how much they took home varied depending on whether or not it was a day with study hall. The workload was comparable to older DC's at another school.

We loved our experience and wish we'd sent older DC. It was a great balance of solid academics/high expectations from teachers, but it did not feel like a cutthroat environment. DC was very well prepared for one of DCUM's favorite "top" schools. Kids from WES go to a wide variety of HS.

Does anyone have perspective on how WES academic rigor compares to Big 3 etc. schools? We have heard that GDS and Maret middle schools are not that rigorous, but don't have a sense of the other "top" schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC had significantly more homework than MCPS peers, but how much they took home varied depending on whether or not it was a day with study hall. The workload was comparable to older DC's at another school.

We loved our experience and wish we'd sent older DC. It was a great balance of solid academics/high expectations from teachers, but it did not feel like a cutthroat environment. DC was very well prepared for one of DCUM's favorite "top" schools. Kids from WES go to a wide variety of HS.

What’s the average hw load per night?
Is there a block schedule, or study hall daily? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

What don’t people like about WES? What would you change? Seems too good to be true!