Beauvoir or Key School??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've heard through acquaintances that there is nothing more stressful than to be in 5th grade at Key. It means that you haven't figured out your child's options and time is ticking. Not judging, just saying. I have heard plenty of stories of normal, nice families who feel like last-man-standing because all of their kid's friend have moved on to private or have another option by 5th grade. I guess there is a reason the 5th grade only has a total of 27 kids. That says a lot!

Thank You for your post and for being honest.

[Anonymous]

Does Beauvoir still do pairings of experienced and new/assistant teachers in the classrooms? Or have they now moved to two fully experienced teachers in each classroom?

[Anonymous]

There are two directing teachers in PreK classrooms; a directing teacher plus an associate teacher in K-3rd classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are two directing teachers in PreK classrooms; a directing teacher plus an associate teacher in K-3rd classrooms.

Is it still the case some associate teachers become directing teachers after three or four years - such that the total years of teaching experience in some classrooms is...3 or 4 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are two directing teachers in PreK classrooms; a directing teacher plus an associate teacher in K-3rd classrooms.

Is it still the case some associate teachers become directing teachers after three or four years - such that the total years of teaching experience in some classrooms is...3 or 4 years?

No, after their associate teacher exp. they typically go on to further their education. Our's was an associate for 2 years and then went to get a Masters Ed at Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Also I think lots of those Key kids don't go to Hardy but they don't go to Big 3/5 etc. schools either--much WES, Holy Trinity, OLV, Field, etc.

[Anonymous]

OP here: It would be interested to see where most of the Key kids end up, bc we really only want to do Cathedral Schools and don't want public after Key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also I think lots of those Key kids don't go to Hardy but they don't go to Big 3/5 etc. schools either--much WES, Holy Trinity, OLV, Field, etc.

I think that's right. Kids from key go to many schools. Some, with family connections/high-profile parental jobs may go to the "big 3" (and, would regardless of whether they went to Key or any other school), plenty go to other schools. To the pp who suggested that there was no strife in the 5th grade and that the kids go to their 1st choice, I say: baloney. Of course, everyone claims the school their child is headed to is the "1st choice" -- what else would one say? No one publicized that they tried to get into NCS for years and couldn't. No, they say, yes Little Flower was our first choice and was the best fit. Everyone smiles and knows the truth. Nothing wrong with that. But, that doesn't change the fact that 5th grade at key is a stressful year because no one wants to be stuck at Hardy. Judge it or whatever, that is the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also I think lots of those Key kids don't go to Hardy but they don't go to Big 3/5 etc. schools either--much WES, Holy Trinity, OLV, Field, etc.

I think that's right. Kids from key go to many schools. Some, with family connections/high-profile parental jobs may go to the "big 3" (and, would regardless of whether they went to Key or any other school), plenty go to other schools. To the pp who suggested that there was no strife in the 5th grade and that the kids go to their 1st choice, I say: baloney. Of course, everyone claims the school their child is headed to is the "1st choice" -- what else would one say? No one publicized that they tried to get into NCS for years and couldn't. No, they say, yes Little Flower was our first choice and was the best fit. Everyone smiles and knows the truth. Nothing wrong with that. But, that doesn't change the fact that 5th grade at key is a stressful year because no one wants to be stuck at Hardy. Judge it or whatever, that is the case.

You make an excellent point PP. Know one is going to admit that they pined for NCS and it didn't work. They will smile and say they wanted Field all along... I think people have a way of convincing themselves that their only option is the "right" one.

[Anonymous]

Key parent here again. I only know the independent school choices for 12 of the current 5th graders. Nine of those got their first choice -- preferences I knew about before acceptance letters were mailed, so the parents are not putting a happy face on an unwanted outcome. Don't know about the rest, but I have no reason to believe my sample is skewed. Also, many of the other students have chosen to go to public schools, or are moving so did not apply to any independent schools.

Over the last couple of years, I can think of the following independent schools students attended after Key: Edmund Burke, GDS, Holton Arms, Field, NCS, OLV, Potomac, Sidwell, St. Patrick's, Waldorf, and WES. I do not claim this list is complete, but you get the idea that it is diverse.

Just trying to stick to the facts here, not trying to mislead anyone with "baloney."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Beauvoir still do pairings of experienced and new/assistant teachers in the classrooms? Or have they now moved to two fully experienced teachers in each classroom?

stop trolling. Deal with the yield that you have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Key parent here again. I only know the independent school choices for 12 of the current 5th graders. Nine of those got their first choice -- preferences I knew about before acceptance letters were mailed, so the parents are not putting a happy face on an unwanted outcome. Don't know about the rest, but I have no reason to believe my sample is skewed. Also, many of the other students have chosen to go to public schools, or are moving so did not apply to any independent schools.

Over the last couple of years, I can think of the following independent schools students attended after Key: Edmund Burke, GDS, Holton Arms, Field, NCS, OLV, Potomac, Sidwell, St. Patrick's, Waldorf, and WES. I do not claim this list is complete, but you get the idea that it is diverse.

Just trying to stick to the facts here, not trying to mislead anyone with "baloney."

So of 27 kids in the 5th grade, 9 got the school that they wanted, 3 their 2nd , 3rd or 4th, 5th choice, and the remaining 15 will be moving so that their kids can attend a better public school. You don't list an STA accpet above. Was there not a single one in the class of 27 or did none apply ? Also, of the 12 friends you know who applied to Sidwell, how many got in from the 27 5th graders at Key in the recent year you speak of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are two directing teachers in PreK classrooms; a directing teacher plus an associate teacher in K-3rd classrooms.

Is it still the case some associate teachers become directing teachers after three or four years - such that the total years of teaching experience in some classrooms is...3 or 4 years?

No, after their associate teacher exp. they typically go on to further their education. Our's was an associate for 2 years and then went to get a Masters Ed at Harvard.

Yeah, and she was a great teacher too. Keep in mind at Beauvoir the kids go out for science, and for IT, and break into small groups for math and reading based on level. The two teacher model allows for this. Many , many schools use a lead and a junior teacher( those who can afford it in their budget/ or choose to use their money to lower the student: teacher ratio)

[Anonymous]

We know 2 boys who went from Key to STA last year, but from 4th. Another friend, who kept their son at Key for 5th, was WL at STA this year. It stinks because he is a GREAT kid but it was the wrong year.

Regardless of what anyone says, getting into STA from any school, other than Beauvoir, is a gamble. Our DS got into STA from another private, with a great track record for placement at STA, but we knew damn well it was still far, far, far from assured and he had almost perfect grades, high testing scores and great recs. The reality is, as qualified as our DS is, He was extremely fortunate to get in to STA since he didn't attend B and we do not have family members who went to STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know 2 boys who went from Key to STA last year, but from 4th. Another friend, who kept their son at Key for 5th, was WL at STA this year. It stinks because he is a GREAT kid but it was the wrong year.

Regardless of what anyone says, getting into STA from any school, other than Beauvoir, is a gamble. Our DS got into STA from another private, with a great track record for placement at STA, but we knew damn well it was still far, far, far from assured and he had almost perfect grades, high testing scores and great recs. The reality is, as qualified as our DS is, He was extremely fortunate to get in to STA since he didn't attend B and we do not have family members who went to STA.

Was that school by chance, St Pats, where the Head of School used to work in high level admnin at STA ?