9th grade parents what do you like and not like about the school you selected

[Anonymous]

These posts make me so sad. Parents at these schools please encourage your daughtes and sons to be more inclusive especially of new kids.

I don't think that inclusion can be 'taught' as forming a clique is an inherent tendency found in every human being. With smaller schools, that tendency gets highlighted easier.

[Anonymous]

My kid is quite social but it still took until the fall of 10th grade for him to have real friends outside of school.

I talked to a decent number of friends about this and most of their kids had a similar experience. It takes time for friendships to develop and it's even harder when kids are super busy like they all are.

[Anonymous]

My DC is at Bishop Ireton and is having a great experience. Kind kids, solid teachers, and a nice community of genuine families.

Getting involved with a fall sport has been very helpful for making friends quickly outside of classes. DC has found the students from the feeder schools to be inclusive and welcoming to all.

We are very pleased with the academics thus far, with the only downside for us has been the traffic on Duke Street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
These posts make me so sad. Parents at these schools please encourage your daughtes and sons to be more inclusive especially of new kids.

I don't think that inclusion can be 'taught' as forming a clique is an inherent tendency found in every human being. With smaller schools, that tendency gets highlighted easier.


But they won't or don't see it (the moms). We had to leave an episocpal private because of this. Yes, took it to headmaster. Yes, took it to teachers. I even gave examples of how other schools handled the problem. zero. nada, action. And my best friend at that school was mom to one if the worst girls, followed by a teacher's nasty, arrogant daughter (never, ever go to a school where faculty kuds can attend free. The school can easily work out an exchange with a sister school)

[Anonymous]

Field
Pros - excellent teachers, friendly kids, and much more

Cons - kids on cell phones during lunch. Hard to make friends that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
These posts make me so sad. Parents at these schools please encourage your daughtes and sons to be more inclusive especially of new kids.

I don't think that inclusion can be 'taught' as forming a clique is an inherent tendency found in every human being. With smaller schools, that tendency gets highlighted easier.

But they won't or don't see it (the moms). We had to leave an episocpal private because of this. Yes, took it to headmaster. Yes, took it to teachers. I even gave examples of how other schools handled the problem. zero. nada, action. And my best friend at that school was mom to one if the worst girls, followed by a teacher's nasty, arrogant daughter (never, ever go to a school where faculty kuds can attend free. The school can easily work out an exchange with a sister school)

Was this SSSAS?

[Anonymous]

Second (or third that) -- please encourage your kids to not only "be nice" to the incoming new students, but also to actively engage them and invite them to participate. My child is a new student this year and although everyone has been "nice" it is not the same as being kind and inclusive. Talk to them at lunch, invite them to sit with you in class, and try to get to know them. You may have more in common than you think. And I'd hate to think we are all raising a bunch of jerks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Second (or third that) -- please encourage your kids to not only "be nice" to the incoming new students, but also to actively engage them and invite them to participate. My child is a new student this year and although everyone has been "nice" it is not the same as being kind and inclusive. Talk to them at lunch, invite them to sit with you in class, and try to get to know them. You may have more in common than you think. And I'd hate to think we are all raising a bunch of jerks.

My point is that we cannot force anyone to forge human bonds with others. Yes, we can and should teach our children civility and kindness, and certainly strive to do the same ourselves, but teaching them 'inclusion'? I think considering any type of small private schools for their children, this topic should be a sobering element for any parent to take seriously, especially if they believe their children may have difficulty making new friends in any social setting.

I also agree with one of the PPs who pointed out the toxic impact of teachers' children being in the mix -- the enormous dis-service the presence of those children at their schools have upon the overall quality of other students tends to get exacerbated if the school is rather small in size to begin with. That, I think, should be another issue parents should consider (though often slips under the radar) carefully in choosing the right school for their children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second (or third that) -- please encourage your kids to not only "be nice" to the incoming new students, but also to actively engage them and invite them to participate. My child is a new student this year and although everyone has been "nice" it is not the same as being kind and inclusive. Talk to them at lunch, invite them to sit with you in class, and try to get to know them. You may have more in common than you think. And I'd hate to think we are all raising a bunch of jerks.

My point is that we cannot force anyone to forge human bonds with others. Yes, we can and should teach our children civility and kindness, and certainly strive to do the same ourselves, but teaching them 'inclusion'? I think considering any type of small private schools for their children, this topic should be a sobering element for any parent to take seriously, especially if they believe their children may have difficulty making new friends in any social setting.

I also agree with one of the PPs who pointed out the toxic impact of teachers' children being in the mix -- the enormous dis-service the presence of those children at their schools have upon the overall quality of other students tends to get exacerbated if the school is rather small in size to begin with. That, I think, should be another issue parents should consider (though often slips under the radar) carefully in choosing the right school for their children.

At my child's school they were excited to get new kids. The grade got about 60 new kids and the ones who had already been with each other for many years have been excited to expand their friend groups (especially girls).

But are you and PP serious that you are giving parents advice to avoid schools where the teachers' kids attend? That is utter BS. If you have had one or two bad apples that's unfortunate but it is so insulting to imply that all teachers' kids are bad apples and that people who have poured more blood, sweat and tears into a school than a parent can ever imagine don't deserve to have their child there - not just for quality of education but work/life balance. That opinion to me is gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second (or third that) -- please encourage your kids to not only "be nice" to the incoming new students, but also to actively engage them and invite them to participate. My child is a new student this year and although everyone has been "nice" it is not the same as being kind and inclusive. Talk to them at lunch, invite them to sit with you in class, and try to get to know them. You may have more in common than you think. And I'd hate to think we are all raising a bunch of jerks.

My point is that we cannot force anyone to forge human bonds with others. Yes, we can and should teach our children civility and kindness, and certainly strive to do the same ourselves, but teaching them 'inclusion'? I think considering any type of small private schools for their children, this topic should be a sobering element for any parent to take seriously, especially if they believe their children may have difficulty making new friends in any social setting.

I also agree with one of the PPs who pointed out the toxic impact of teachers' children being in the mix -- the enormous dis-service the presence of those children at their schools have upon the overall quality of other students tends to get exacerbated if the school is rather small in size to begin with. That, I think, should be another issue parents should consider (though often slips under the radar) carefully in choosing the right school for their children.

At my child's school they were excited to get new kids. The grade got about 60 new kids and the ones who had already been with each other for many years have been excited to expand their friend groups (especially girls).

But are you and PP serious that you are giving parents advice to avoid schools where the teachers' kids attend? That is utter BS. If you have had one or two bad apples that's unfortunate but it is so insulting to imply that all teachers' kids are bad apples and that people who have poured more blood, sweat and tears into a school than a parent can ever imagine don't deserve to have their child there - not just for quality of education but work/life balance. That opinion to me is gross.

I find calling others' point of view 'gross,' as a sign of lacking maturity. I cannot speak for the PP whose post brought the negative impact teachers' children could have on the overall school culture as to whether he/she was ultimately urging parents not to dismiss any school that has teachers' children attending it. I can tell you of my point I was trying to raise -- it is ONE of many impactful issues one must consider when deciding if a school is a good fit for their family and their child as each school seems to handle it differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second (or third that) -- please encourage your kids to not only "be nice" to the incoming new students, but also to actively engage them and invite them to participate. My child is a new student this year and although everyone has been "nice" it is not the same as being kind and inclusive. Talk to them at lunch, invite them to sit with you in class, and try to get to know them. You may have more in common than you think. And I'd hate to think we are all raising a bunch of jerks.

My point is that we cannot force anyone to forge human bonds with others. Yes, we can and should teach our children civility and kindness, and certainly strive to do the same ourselves, but teaching them 'inclusion'? I think considering any type of small private schools for their children, this topic should be a sobering element for any parent to take seriously, especially if they believe their children may have difficulty making new friends in any social setting.

I also agree with one of the PPs who pointed out the toxic impact of teachers' children being in the mix -- the enormous dis-service the presence of those children at their schools have upon the overall quality of other students tends to get exacerbated if the school is rather small in size to begin with. That, I think, should be another issue parents should consider (though often slips under the radar) carefully in choosing the right school for their children.

At my child's school they were excited to get new kids. The grade got about 60 new kids and the ones who had already been with each other for many years have been excited to expand their friend groups (especially girls).

But are you and PP serious that you are giving parents advice to avoid schools where the teachers' kids attend? That is utter BS. If you have had one or two bad apples that's unfortunate but it is so insulting to imply that all teachers' kids are bad apples and that people who have poured more blood, sweat and tears into a school than a parent can ever imagine don't deserve to have their child there - not just for quality of education but work/life balance. That opinion to me is gross.

I find calling others' point of view 'gross,' as a sign of lacking maturity. I cannot speak for the PP whose post brought the negative impact teachers' children could have on the overall school culture as to whether he/she was ultimately urging parents not to dismiss any school that has teachers' children attending it. I can tell you of my point I was trying to raise -- it is ONE of many impactful issues one must consider when deciding if a school is a good fit for their family and their child as each school seems to handle it differently.

Agree the previous post was overheated. BUT

Depending on how teachers and administrators handle it having teachers in a class mix can be a nightmare. In my younger son’s grade we have a couple administrators’ kids and teachers’ kids. One of the teachers and one of the administrators have been blatant about the fact that they are buddies with some parents.

Where does that leave the rest of the parents when conflicts or issues involving the children of teachers or administers and their friends? So messed up and unprofessional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Second (or third that) -- please encourage your kids to not only "be nice" to the incoming new students, but also to actively engage them and invite them to participate. My child is a new student this year and although everyone has been "nice" it is not the same as being kind and inclusive. Talk to them at lunch, invite them to sit with you in class, and try to get to know them. You may have more in common than you think. And I'd hate to think we are all raising a bunch of jerks.

My point is that we cannot force anyone to forge human bonds with others. Yes, we can and should teach our children civility and kindness, and certainly strive to do the same ourselves, but teaching them 'inclusion'? I think considering any type of small private schools for their children, this topic should be a sobering element for any parent to take seriously, especially if they believe their children may have difficulty making new friends in any social setting.

I also agree with one of the PPs who pointed out the toxic impact of teachers' children being in the mix -- the enormous dis-service the presence of those children at their schools have upon the overall quality of other students tends to get exacerbated if the school is rather small in size to begin with. That, I think, should be another issue parents should consider (though often slips under the radar) carefully in choosing the right school for their children.

At my child's school they were excited to get new kids. The grade got about 60 new kids and the ones who had already been with each other for many years have been excited to expand their friend groups (especially girls).

But are you and PP serious that you are giving parents advice to avoid schools where the teachers' kids attend? That is utter BS. If you have had one or two bad apples that's unfortunate but it is so insulting to imply that all teachers' kids are bad apples and that people who have poured more blood, sweat and tears into a school than a parent can ever imagine don't deserve to have their child there - not just for quality of education but work/life balance. That opinion to me is gross.

I find calling others' point of view 'gross,' as a sign of lacking maturity. I cannot speak for the PP whose post brought the negative impact teachers' children could have on the overall school culture as to whether he/she was ultimately urging parents not to dismiss any school that has teachers' children attending it. I can tell you of my point I was trying to raise -- it is ONE of many impactful issues one must consider when deciding if a school is a good fit for their family and their child as each school seems to handle it differently.

Agree the previous post was overheated. BUT

Depending on how teachers and administrators handle it having teachers in a class mix can be a nightmare. In my younger son’s grade we have a couple administrators’ kids and teachers’ kids. One of the teachers and one of the administrators have been blatant about the fact that they are buddies with some parents.

Where does that leave the rest of the parents when conflicts or issues involving the children of teachers or administers and their friends? So messed up and unprofessional.

No doubt! People's knee-jerk reaction is usually to "protect their own." That is why the school size, the governance structure, the school's policies regarding conflicts of interest and potential nepotism (or lack thereof) matter.