SSSAS - what is the culture like currently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait....is the pissed off mom who left the school ALSO opposed to reading about racial justice? This is the same person? This is getting so good.....

It sounds like you could use some diversity and inclusion training. You enjoy the sport of attacking if someone has an opinion that is different than yours. Your approach resembles the cultural tones that a number of posters have mentioned concerns about. My guess is that you have taught your kids this same behavior which has only enabled and enhanced the bullying problem at SSSAS. Or, or you on staff at the school? Way to be part of the problem rather than the solution.

Racism isn’t an “alternative viewpoint.”
I think your invoking of Shelby Steele told us all we need to know.

Well OP, getting a feel for the culture of SSSAS? Guess how the discussions of things like capitalism or the role of the US and the Greatest Generation in WWII go in class? They only want to hear about Denmark - not starving people in Venezuela - and about the bombing of Hiroshima - not the liberation of Jews in concentration camps by US soldiers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait....is the pissed off mom who left the school ALSO opposed to reading about racial justice? This is the same person? This is getting so good.....

It sounds like you could use some diversity and inclusion training. You enjoy the sport of attacking if someone has an opinion that is different than yours. Your approach resembles the cultural tones that a number of posters have mentioned concerns about. My guess is that you have taught your kids this same behavior which has only enabled and enhanced the bullying problem at SSSAS. Or, or you on staff at the school? Way to be part of the problem rather than the solution.

Racism isn’t an “alternative viewpoint.”
I think your invoking of Shelby Steele told us all we need to know.

Well OP, getting a feel for the culture of SSSAS? Guess how the discussions of things like capitalism or the role of the US and the Greatest Generation in WWII go in class? They only want to hear about Denmark - not starving people in Venezuela - and about the bombing of Hiroshima - not the liberation of Jews in concentration camps by US soldiers.

This is patently false.

[Anonymous]

And you have completely outted yourself.
You should stop.

[Anonymous]

My experience of the culture at SSSAS is that there are lots of different kids there- some are into sports, others arts related activities or stem/robotics. I agree with the previous poster- some of the kids are extremely driven and clearly want an IVY, and others are happy to be well-rounded and do the best that they can academically, but also are busy with other activities. My daughter LOVES high school. She came from a "good" public and loves the small class size and student-teacher relationship she has at SSSAS. Re: bullying- there were far more "mean" girls in her public high school than at SSSAS.
She has a great friend group- and I have met some really lovely parents that have been welcoming since we arrived. COVID has been hard to meet new people but we are so thrilled to be a part of this community and cannot wait for things to get back to normal after Covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My experience of the culture at SSSAS is that there are lots of different kids there- some are into sports, others arts related activities or stem/robotics. I agree with the previous poster- some of the kids are extremely driven and clearly want an IVY, and others are happy to be well-rounded and do the best that they can academically, but also are busy with other activities. My daughter LOVES high school. She came from a "good" public and loves the small class size and student-teacher relationship she has at SSSAS. Re: bullying- there were far more "mean" girls in her public high school than at SSSAS.
She has a great friend group- and I have met some really lovely parents that have been welcoming since we arrived. COVID has been hard to meet new people but we are so thrilled to be a part of this community and cannot wait for things to get back to normal after Covid.

Very encouraging to hear. We are very excited to join the SSSAS community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And you have completely outted yourself.
You should stop.

Who is it?!

[Anonymous]

Interesting reading all of these posts. We were new to SSSAS in September 2019- coming from a North Arlington middle school where my son was truly slipping through the cracks.He's bright, but a bit shy and quieter. Since SSSAS, his motivation is so much better- and he definitely feels valued by the teachers and interested in his classes. He likes the kids at school and has a group that he gets together with socially- even though COVID put a damper on the social aspect for a while. Hope that turns around. The move to SSSAS was the best decision our family ever made!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Interesting reading all of these posts. We were new to SSSAS in September 2019- coming from a North Arlington middle school where my son was truly slipping through the cracks.He's bright, but a bit shy and quieter. Since SSSAS, his motivation is so much better- and he definitely feels valued by the teachers and interested in his classes. He likes the kids at school and has a group that he gets together with socially- even though COVID put a damper on the social aspect for a while. Hope that turns around. The move to SSSAS was the best decision our family ever made!

This is our experience too (we came from FCPS). Our son just up and started blossoming all around - and not an athlete or "cool kid" either.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have new thoughts to add on SSAS culture? We are looking into it for high school for our 8 child who is at a local private k-8. Kiddo is bright but not overly ambitious and doesn’t want a pressure cooker environment, succeeds in language arts/humanities and struggles a bit in math, loves performing arts and not into sports. Trying to gauge whether SSAS may be a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have new thoughts to add on SSAS culture? We are looking into it for high school for our 8 child who is at a local private k-8. Kiddo is bright but not overly ambitious and doesn’t want a pressure cooker environment, succeeds in language arts/humanities and struggles a bit in math, loves performing arts and not into sports. Trying to gauge whether SSAS may be a good fit.

My DC does not go to SSSAS, but was accepted last year and came very, very close to going. DC really liked the people there. I would say the sporty-ness, in particular LAX, was the one factor that pushed DS to a different, less sporty school that DC liked equally well, but I expect DC would have found their tribe at SSSAS if they had gone.

[Anonymous]

stay away from the US. far away.

[Anonymous]

We have one in the MS and one in the US. Both are thriving! They feel academically challenged, supported socially and are all around happier. Neither wants to return to their public school options in Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:stay away from the US. far away.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:stay away from the US. far away.

Why?

+2 We are strongly considering for our non-sporty boy. We have heard such great things in the last few years about the high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:stay away from the US. far away.

Why?

+2 We are strongly considering for our non-sporty boy. We have heard such great things in the last few years about the high school.

SSSAS parent here.

It’s a fabulous school. Really, really wonderful. Passionate, intelligent teachers, dedicated administration, kind and welcoming parents. It’s possibly the most organized school in the area (we have friends who didn’t leave the district like we did and send their kids to dc privates, and the organization and communication from St Stephens was clearly heads above others during the height of covid), and the head of school gets much of the credit for this. Obviously there are many good schools in the area, both public and private, but I have to say we could not be more pleased with St Stephens.

There are a handful of parents, especially on DCUM, who trash the school in vague terms. Search this forum and read what they have said. Most of the negative comments make it clear that these parents are anti BLM and so called critical race theory. They are, in other words, nuts, and I have never encountered these complaints IRL. The school administration and faculty lean left, and while there are many Republican families at the school they are by and large “establishment” types and not Trumpy. The few outraged Trumpy types apparently come to DCUM to complain anonymously.