WIS - is it truly academically superior to all other than Sidwell?
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Anonymous
| I've heard good things about st P's and Maret as well. WIS parents do tell |
Anonymous
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Wow, are you new to the area?
WIS is nowhere in the league of Beauvoir/NCS/STA, GDS, Maret, Potomac, St. ANselm's OR Sidwell. It is a second tier school. |
Anonymous
Ehm, may be YOU are new to the area... The IB Diploma program, which is offered only at WIS, is considered much more challenging and thorough than any other course work at the other schools you mention. And WIS students complete it in addition to the bilingual track... |
Anonymous
| It is the only IB private HS program in DC-aHC in Md has one as well. I will say that while they are an awesome community and lovely school, the English reading and writing skills of the 2 MS kids I know there and what they are learning specifically in math and science as compared to my kid in a second tier private middle is inferior. I have a feeling that may have to do with the fact that they are also learning these things in another language, but am not sure, but regardless, you cannot compare it to a Cathedral school or Sidwell-that are completely different schools with different goals, and while I would probably prefer my child to go to WIS over Sidwell, Sidwell is definitely academically superior in traditional terms. |
Anonymous
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WIS is a very different learning environment to other non-IB, non-immersion schools. I wouldn't try to compare it. I think you need to look for yourself at the IB results at WIS and compare it with other IB schools to see how WIS fares. IB is HARD at upper levels. I don't think it's suited for every kid since it relies not just on the kid being bright but also being self motivated.
Parents who prioritize WIS in school selection are probably looking for something different than the other schools. For us it was language immersion (life long skill in a global world - anywhere can teach them math, english, etc. imo) and focus and research on critical thinking and analytical behavior in primary years that I didn't see highlighted as much at other places. I want a school do teach them how to think. Not what to think. Also we are a multinational family and IB diplomas are an advantage if you apply to european schools and jobs. Do you want sidwell because you think it's a golden ticket to an Ivy, because other's comments have convinced you it's best somehow? Admittedly, I'm more a nonconformist than most but for schools you really have to investigate options yourself and put blinders on to ignore outside social pressure. |
Anonymous
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There is an IB program at BCC - a public HS in Montgomery County.
WIS is not academically on par with Sidwell, GDS, Cathedral School or Maret/Potomac. It does serve the international community and has an interesting, diverse student body. |
Anonymous
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WIS is a good school, but too difficult to compare to the others in the area, as its focus on creating global citizens ... the primary school focus is on languages.
The primary school principal is leaving, as is the Head of School, in one year. Good riddance to the primary school principal--the school is filled with poorly trained teachers protected by a strong Union--but the upper school has a better reputation than the lower school. Good luck...just tour the schools and make a decision on what works for your family. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
There's an IB program at Eastern High School on Capitol Hill. |
Anonymous
| This claim is sort of a DCUM schools version of Trump's dumbass wiretapp claim. Totally false, but gets people talking. |
Anonymous
| not in Washington DC BUT the IB program exists in Arlington VA in public school (APS) Primary years at Randolph Elementary School from there Middle years Program is at Jefferson Middle School and the IB diploma is at Washington-Lee |
Anonymous
| Good Counsel has an IB Program |
pbraverman
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I don't like to compare schools on measures like "academics" — there are just too many moving parts. I think it's tempting to say we know The Rankings, as if there are any rankings in the first place that mean anything at all, or any meaningful distinction between, say, Yale and Stanford that can be measured and assigned a number. The more I've learned, the more I've realized that most students can be happy at many different schools. More important: the more resilient the child, the more likely his or her school career will be positive. In the history of DC schools, no child ever got a crappy education because she went to WIS instead of another DC school.
As for whether WIS might fit your family: The school, as others have noted, has something of a monopoly on the IB program (insofar as anybody can apply — my own child is about to complete an IB program but it's a public school, so it's only open to students in our boundary). If that kind of learning appeals to your family, WIS is a great option and provides more opportunities than any student can take advantage of, as well as unmatched international diversity. If you want an IB curriculum, you like your tour, and your children are fortunate enough to have the family means to attend independent school, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to apply. Peter _____________________ Disclaimer: The anonymity here makes me uncomfortable; it's easy to be uninformed, personal, or simply mean-spirited if people don't identify themselves. For that reason, I have an account so you know whose words you're reading. I have more than 20 years' experience as a teacher and administrator in independent schools, and I have counseled hundreds of students in finding their next schools. I hope I can be helpful to some folks. If you don't like something I've said, you're in good company — there's a long line of past students and parents ahead of you.  If you want to chat further, please feel free to contact me offline: peter <at> arcpd <dot> com
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Anonymous
NP (who doesn't have a kid at WIS or any other IB school). None of the other IB programs mentioned, except Eastern, are in DC proper. And if you want a top-notch IB education for your child, would you send them to Eastern? |
Anonymous
WIS parent here. Who told you WIS was superior? Were they talking overall or just upper school and IB diploma? Did they have personal experience? Just curious. I think WIS middle and upper school are solid academically and socially positive. The lower school was not great under the (thankfully) outgoing principal. A new elementary leader can only improve the lower campus. The head of school is retiring due to longstanding medical issues. It should be an orderly and well-managed transition. I wouldn't be concerned. Maret has a strong reputation and I liked it, personally. (My spouse thought it was too American. lol!) But we are multinational family and need more intensive language and IB diploma for flexibility. If the international element is not important for you, then it's not worth trying to compare WIS to other non-IB options. HTH |