Beauvoir

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people think Beauvoir is any more conservative than say Maret or Sidwell? Honestly, I think even though you might get "artsy", you're getting the same general NW Washington-Business-As-Usual social behavior.

Our family is leaving Beauvoir for one of the above-referenced schools precisely because we are hoping we won't be getting "the same general NW Washington-Business-As-Usual social behavoir"! Now that I think about it, that was grounded on nothing but pure assumption and speculation. Help!

Anyone who has gone from Beauvoir to M or S, please say it isn't so!

[Anonymous]

I've gone from Maret to Beauvoir. The parents aren't of an entirely different mold, but on average they seem more down to earth. Both communities were very welcoming to us. Also, the teachers and teaching are in many ways similar, but there are some big differences. Maret does a lot with nurtured risk-taking as they call it.

I have a very dear friend who sends children to Sidwell. From swapping stories with her, Sidwell parents seem more like Beauvoir ones than Maret ones. But really, there don't seem to be HUGE differences.

[Anonymous]

About those cotillions. It seemed like every third grader at Beauvoir received an invite. However, not everyone is doing this or wants to do this. I know the Maret kids also go the invitations so there's really no difference in any of these schools. It's the families and the children who ultimately make the decisions about what they do after school.

[Anonymous]

The curriculum at Beauvoir is way too advanced and not developmentally appropriate in my opinion. I woundn't send my child there unless she has a birth date before December. A lot of kids at Beauvoir are given extra help ("learning resources"). Not sure why kids are being pushed -- it is supposed to be the only school in DC that caters to young children. Not too sure that they really do that. I think the administration wants to be seen as turnign out smart kids to be fed into STA and NSC. All well and good but then on the other hand so much pressure is being put on the children to excel academically beginning from pre-K.

If anyone is going there ask to see the curriculum guide. You'll see that there are month to month goals for the children. The teachers are always assessing the kids. You'll be sure to hear from them if your child is falling behind and then suddenly you'll be paying extra for tutoring. Just think after $25k you're being asked to fork out more money.

What bothers me is that it is so much about image. Happy kids (yes they really are very happy), but a lot of pressure for them to perform academically though the administration KNOWS that children develop at remarkably differernt rates especially in the early years. So if Beauvoir is supposed to be child oriented and cognizant of children's development, why do they do this nonsense? Not sure. They make the pitch that the kids that get in are the brightest. So then you get into this game of wanting your child to meet these unrealistic standards adn you worry that something is wrong with your child, etc etc. It is really not healthy. But if the school caters to children, why do so many need this extra help? The adult's expectations don't seemed to be alligned with the children's reality.

But the school is so seductive. Great facility and grounds. Interesting curriculum. So many resources for YOUR kid. Small classes. Nice families. Feeder to STA and NSC. BUT your child has a 1 in 4 chance of being labeled as the child that needs just a little extra help during school and vacations. My daughter's best friend has been in tutoring for the last two summers (she is now in 3rd grade).

Anyway, I'm sorry to have to write this. But I had higher expectations of this school.

- Jaded mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum at Beauvoir is way too advanced and not developmentally appropriate in my opinion. I woundn't send my child there unless she has a birth date before December. A lot of kids at Beauvoir are given extra help ("learning resources"). Not sure why kids are being pushed -- it is supposed to be the only school in DC that caters to young children. Not too sure that they really do that. I think the administration wants to be seen as turnign out smart kids to be fed into STA and NSC. All well and good but then on the other hand so much pressure is being put on the children to excel academically beginning from pre-K.

If anyone is going there ask to see the curriculum guide. You'll see that there are month to month goals for the children. The teachers are always assessing the kids. You'll be sure to hear from them if your child is falling behind and then suddenly you'll be paying extra for tutoring. Just think after $25k you're being asked to fork out more money.

What bothers me is that it is so much about image. Happy kids (yes they really are very happy), but a lot of pressure for them to perform academically though the administration KNOWS that children develop at remarkably differernt rates especially in the early years. So if Beauvoir is supposed to be child oriented and cognizant of children's development, why do they do this nonsense? Not sure. They make the pitch that the kids that get in are the brightest. So then you get into this game of wanting your child to meet these unrealistic standards adn you worry that something is wrong with your child, etc etc. It is really not healthy. But if the school caters to children, why do so many need this extra help? The adult's expectations don't seemed to be alligned with the children's reality.

But the school is so seductive. Great facility and grounds. Interesting curriculum. So many resources for YOUR kid. Small classes. Nice families. Feeder to STA and NSC. BUT your child has a 1 in 4 chance of being labeled as the child that needs just a little extra help during school and vacations. My daughter's best friend has been in tutoring for the last two summers (she is now in 3rd grade).

Anyway, I'm sorry to have to write this. But I had higher expectations of this school.

- Jaded mom.[/quote/}

Have you spoken to the school about your concerns? If you are a current parent this your right; why be jaded about a situation you have complete control over has a parent. Parents are their children's number one advocate so fight for your child and stop posting your feelings anonymously on a board where we the audience can do nothing to address your concerns. Please accept my apology in advance if this post seems harsh

[Anonymous]

No one parent has complete control over a school's approach to education. Moreover, other posters have suggested that the administration at Beauvoir seems to be very confident in the rightness of the school's approach and not as responsive as some would like to parents' concerns.

I found the post interesting and informative, even if I don't take it for gospel truth; I think the rebuke was unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

To the 8:20 post from jaded mom.

I'm not offended by your advice. Your sentiment is right of course but I honestly don't think it is possible to change the system. However, I can vote -- with my feet. My best friend tried to fight the system at NPS, but she lost. It is perfectly logical that systems don't change unless there are enough people demanding that it does. The staff, the administration, the curriculum -- everything -- is alligned to deliver a particular product. You can buy it and if you don't someone else will.

As for advocating for my child. What am I supposed to advocate? Hey, don't adopt standards that are so high that you need to give almost a fifth of the kids extra help? I would sound crazy. The system is organized to deliver extra help to a set number of kids each year. The school does not put any weight on the fact that segregating children into the "help-needed" group and the "okay kids" group affects self-esteem. Perhaps it doesn't -- and then what the school is doing doesn't really matter. But I find children to be remarkably aware of what their peers are doign and how they stack up against them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've gone from Maret to Beauvoir. The parents aren't of an entirely different mold, but on average they seem more down to earth. Both communities were very welcoming to us. Also, the teachers and teaching are in many ways similar, but there are some big differences. Maret does a lot with nurtured risk-taking as they call it.

I have a very dear friend who sends children to Sidwell. From swapping stories with her, Sidwell parents seem more like Beauvoir ones than Maret ones. But really, there don't seem to be HUGE differences.

Can you please tell me more about why you moved your kid from Maret to Beauvoir?

[Anonymous]

She meant from Beauvoir to Maret.

[Anonymous]

[Have you spoken to the school about your concerns? If you are a current parent this your right; why be jaded about a situation you have complete control over has a parent. Parents are their children's number one advocate so fight for your child and stop posting your feelings anonymously on a board where we the audience can do nothing to address your concerns. Please accept my apology in advance if this post seems harsh

I am the poster that said the Jaded Mom and all parents should advocate for your children. No you may not be able to fight an entire system but you can express your feelings, thoughts, and concerns in an articulate educated manner. I am positive you are not the only parent at the school with concerns; it only takes one parent to address the elephant standing in the corner of the room and then everyone will start speaking to or about it. Sometimes we have to have courageous conversations with teachers and administrators to ensure children are first and guiding the decisions schools are making (Private and Public).

What is the protocal for filing compliants about the curriculum at Beauvoir or any other issues you may be having? I would suggest you find that out and then let your voice be heard. I am not trying to flame anyone here but the only way to bring about change in our education system private or public is to bring our concerns to the forefront.

The children are our future and we as responsible adults have to make sure we are providing the best for them even if it means bucking the system every now and then.

Signed Parent and Educator

[Anonymous]

I don't see how the "extra help" is a problem, really. Form my point of view, it seems that if each child is getting looked at closely and constantly evaluated, you are getting what you are paying for.

One reason we chose private school is for exactly this type of individulized attention. Yes, I'd like all of the individualized attention to result in only positive feedback, but that wouldn't really indicate that the school was doing anything for my child. At least if they identify areas of improvement with a fine-toothed comb, I feel as though the school is offering more than we'd be getting in most other schools.

[Anonymous]

I can't put my finger on precisely why, but these last several posts are creeping me out. Not that PPs are creepy, I meant, there seems to be something going on at B. that I was hoping to avoid until 9th grade or so. The gunning, the assessing your neighbors, the pushing to meet goals.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that because for some parents admissions into NCS or St. Albans is probably as or almost as important as admissions into certain colleges. Or maybe some parents view admissions into NCS or St. Albans as a guarantee of admisns into a certain caliber of college.

[Anonymous]

If you want your child to learn strong academics: reading, writing and math, Beauvoir is not the school for you. High teacher turnover, lots of young and inexperienced teachers. Some of them do not believe in homework, so when your kids have to apply to new schools in third grade, the parents need to either sit down and teach their kids, or alternatively seek professional help.

Highly energetic kids are not welcome, so the poor souls (mostly boys) who manage to "beat" the admissions process and get accepted, suffer through their entire stay at Beauvoir because they are expected to behave like girls.

As for diversity, you will only see it in the brochures. "Diverse" people are accepted, but once you are in, they are totally ignored and left to their own devices and end up finding solace and support from other diverse families. If one of the parents is not "diverse", it might be easier on the family.

[Anonymous]

I get very nervous when I read posts like the post above - we have an energetic boy starting at Beauvoir next year - any current parents care to give advice to a new parent of an energetic boy? is the above post true? Do boys really have a hard time there?