Most Rigorous Elementary School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are paying $40K for school, it should be for criteria you want. Nothing wrong with wanting an advanced curriculum.

The free market disagrees with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter attends one of the top private schools in DC. She is currently in Kindergarten, but I am not satisfied with their curriculum. The school presented itself as being very rigorous, which is why my husband and I chose it. However, it turns out they use the same curriculum as the public schools. No offense to public schools, but as a teacher myself, I know that they often adapt their curriculum to accommodate the lowest level in the class.

We were promised that our daughter would be challenged, but that hasn’t been the case. Given that we’re paying over $40,000 for a private school education that mirrors what public schools offer, we feel it’s not worth the investment. As a result, I’ve started homeschooling her in Reading and Math after school, and she’s been doing exceptionally well.

We are now looking for a more rigorous private school. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you.

Try Christ Episcopal School. In particular, they have an exceptional language arts program.

Ummm, no, this is not the way. Christ Episcopal School (CES) thrives on parents who have never ever been in private school and think any alternative to public school is amazing. It’s not until you leave there and go to ANOTHER private school that you figure this out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Montessori for that young....but eventually you need to bite the bullet and figure out how to offer your child academic stimulation outside of class if they want it - or find a magnet public or maybe a language immersion option.

+1.

[Anonymous]

My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

Agreed! I know not everyone gets a choice, but I think skipping a grade really sets kids up to be simultaneously behind socially and not challenged enough academically later on. To me it is better to find a school that matches their intellectual pacing within their actual age group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

Also wonderful to hear he remains happy here cause the only negative feedback we heard (from actual people, not DCUM) were the middle school years weren't great and where kids struggled (if at all)... but also middle school just tends to be a sucky time in life development 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

Also wonderful to hear he remains happy here cause the only negative feedback we heard (from actual people, not DCUM) were the middle school years weren't great and where kids struggled (if at all)... but also middle school just tends to be a sucky time in life development 😂

Yes, precisely, our goal was to avoid skipping ahead, as we were concerned about the potential for social issues down the road! Middle school is always challenging, and at WIS the problem is compounded by the fact that the kids both move to the upper campus and get real grades for the first time in 6th grade. So multiple adjustments have to happen all at once. I'm not sure anyone enjoys any middle school, but so far so good on that front at WIS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

Also wonderful to hear he remains happy here cause the only negative feedback we heard (from actual people, not DCUM) were the middle school years weren't great and where kids struggled (if at all)... but also middle school just tends to be a sucky time in life development 😂

Yes, precisely, our goal was to avoid skipping ahead, as we were concerned about the potential for social issues down the road! Middle school is always challenging, and at WIS the problem is compounded by the fact that the kids both move to the upper campus and get real grades for the first time in 6th grade. So multiple adjustments have to happen all at once. I'm not sure anyone enjoys any middle school, but so far so good on that front at WIS!

Literally, not a single school that had a middle school didn't have someone mention middle school being rough when we talked to people about their school experiences 🤣 I feel like that's why people "flee" public schools in middle school... it is just a hard age!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

Also wonderful to hear he remains happy here cause the only negative feedback we heard (from actual people, not DCUM) were the middle school years weren't great and where kids struggled (if at all)... but also middle school just tends to be a sucky time in life development 😂

Yes, precisely, our goal was to avoid skipping ahead, as we were concerned about the potential for social issues down the road! Middle school is always challenging, and at WIS the problem is compounded by the fact that the kids both move to the upper campus and get real grades for the first time in 6th grade. So multiple adjustments have to happen all at once. I'm not sure anyone enjoys any middle school, but so far so good on that front at WIS!

Literally, not a single school that had a middle school didn't have someone mention middle school being rough when we talked to people about their school experiences 🤣 I feel like that's why people "flee" public schools in middle school... it is just a hard age!

Unfortunately, switching schools at that point doesn't really help, and possibly even compounds the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was a self-taught reader in pre-k, and public kindergarten wasn't cutting it. So I moved my child to WIS to add in the challenge of learning a new language. Can't recommend enough!

My son just got into WIS pre-school for the fall and he is very language/early reader strong, so I'm thrilled seeing this because that is exactly why I thought it would be the best fit for him! 🙌

That's so great! My child is now in the middle school, and remains very happy there. It's such a terrific way to challenge advance kids without skipping them up a grade!

Also wonderful to hear he remains happy here cause the only negative feedback we heard (from actual people, not DCUM) were the middle school years weren't great and where kids struggled (if at all)... but also middle school just tends to be a sucky time in life development 😂

Yes, precisely, our goal was to avoid skipping ahead, as we were concerned about the potential for social issues down the road! Middle school is always challenging, and at WIS the problem is compounded by the fact that the kids both move to the upper campus and get real grades for the first time in 6th grade. So multiple adjustments have to happen all at once. I'm not sure anyone enjoys any middle school, but so far so good on that front at WIS!

Literally, not a single school that had a middle school didn't have someone mention middle school being rough when we talked to people about their school experiences 🤣 I feel like that's why people "flee" public schools in middle school... it is just a hard age!

Unfortunately, switching schools at that point doesn't really help, and possibly even compounds the issue.

I think you're right on that one...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter attends one of the top private schools in DC. She is currently in Kindergarten, but I am not satisfied with their curriculum. The school presented itself as being very rigorous, which is why my husband and I chose it. However, it turns out they use the same curriculum as the public schools. No offense to public schools, but as a teacher myself, I know that they often adapt their curriculum to accommodate the lowest level in the class.

We were promised that our daughter would be challenged, but that hasn’t been the case. Given that we’re paying over $40,000 for a private school education that mirrors what public schools offer, we feel it’s not worth the investment. As a result, I’ve started homeschooling her in Reading and Math after school, and she’s been doing exceptionally well.

We are now looking for a more rigorous private school. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you.

Try Christ Episcopal School. In particular, they have an exceptional language arts program.

Ummm, no, this is not the way. Christ Episcopal School (CES) thrives on parents who have never ever been in private school and think any alternative to public school is amazing. It’s not until you leave there and go to ANOTHER private school that you figure this out.

We toured 8 private schools and choose CES. Yeah, its not fancy by any means and facilities could be much better but they are focused on the right things. Other schools would brag about every kindergartener getting their own iPad while CES purposely has no screen time until 4th, etc. Not everyone needs football fields and VR headsets for their 6-10 year olds...

[Anonymous]

OP, I just wanted to tell you I get where you’re coming from.

I want a beautiful supportive of SEL environment for my kids (ages 4 and 5), but I also want teachers to be able to challenge my kids in reading, math, problem solving, etc. Not “challenge” to the point of stress or tears, but to the depth of their intellect and excitement.

If you’re not getting this in private with that price tag, I understand why you are looking to move your child!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter attends one of the top private schools in DC. She is currently in Kindergarten, but I am not satisfied with their curriculum. The school presented itself as being very rigorous, which is why my husband and I chose it. However, it turns out they use the same curriculum as the public schools. No offense to public schools, but as a teacher myself, I know that they often adapt their curriculum to accommodate the lowest level in the class.

We were promised that our daughter would be challenged, but that hasn’t been the case. Given that we’re paying over $40,000 for a private school education that mirrors what public schools offer, we feel it’s not worth the investment. As a result, I’ve started homeschooling her in Reading and Math after school, and she’s been doing exceptionally well.

We are now looking for a more rigorous private school. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you.

wow- you looking for what ???