First Preference Independent School

[Anonymous]

Are there any current Pre-K or K parents out there whose first preference school was not Sidwell, GDS, Maret or Beauvoir....but perhaps was Sheridan or St. Patrick's. Where else was your child accepted, and why did you ultimately choose Sheridan or St. Patrick's?

[Anonymous]

Why does it matter? People have a myriad of reasons for chosing a school. Why does it impact you? Honestly, some people should think for themselves and their families without polling everyone on their choices. Sorry for the rant, but this is getting so tiring! Have some confidence!!

[Anonymous]

I'm not the PP, but it does matter. The open houses, tours, and playdates simply don't provide enough information on schools to allow a fully informed decision. Hearing from other parents (especially the ones who aren't volunteering as tour guides) about their experiences at a school can tell you a lot. When we went through the preschool selection process last year I talked with every parent I could at the schools where my DC was accepted - and changed my mind on which school to send DC to based on the feedback I heard. It was absolutely the right decision, and I wouldn't have made it if I hadn't sought out the experiences of the parents at those schools.

[Anonymous]

to 10:54 -- I'm not the OP either but I wonder isn't that the point of these discussion forums -- to share ideas, experiences, etc?

If it's so tiresome to you, why don't you stop reading the forum? Why be so harsh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does it matter? People have a myriad of reasons for chosing a school. Why does it impact you? Honestly, some people should think for themselves and their families without polling everyone on their choices. Sorry for the rant, but this is getting so tiring! Have some confidence!!

I'm the OP. It matters because for obvious reasons (or at least more transparent reasons) people select Maret, GDS, Sidwell and Beauvoir as their first choice. However, I don't know anyone at Sheridan or St. Patrick's. I thought the schools were perfectly fine, though nothing particularly outstanding stood out to me. Obviously, those who chose the school as a first choice did so for a reason. I was wondering if I had missed something special, should I have the actual choice of sending my child there.

Yes, I do think you are ranting. And if you're so tired, why read the post? Better still, if you're so tired, you probably shouldn't have the energy to post especially given that your response was so very useless.

[Anonymous]

I am the ranting one. Sorry, I guess I am a bit grouchy this morning. I see your points. I will sign off on this one now.

[Anonymous]

I too think this is valuable information and would enjoy hearing others' viewpoints on this. It was a DCUM mom who gave me terrific insight into a local school that, while not one of the elites, seems to be a great fit for our family.

[Anonymous]

Kudos to 11:31 for her gracious retreat.

[Anonymous]

We chose St. Pat's. We applied to nursery and it's the only school we applied to- I taught at one of the "Big 3," but I don't think it's the right fit for my child. It's a great school, but not right for us. If we don't get in, we will try again at St. Pat's. I've been in many schools (professional development visits) and feel like I have the inside scoop on many of the independent schools (many friends who teach in them) in the area and went to St. Pat's first and have not looked back.

That said, there are tons of great schools in the area, but St. Pat's is the one where I felt the most connected.

Why did we pick it?

From an educater's prospective:

*Social curriculum as important as the academic curriculum. They nurture the whole child.
*Strong academics, but support for those kids who struggle academically.
*Small
*Nice playgrounds
*Warm, caring teachers
*Admin. seems to be in touch with the everyday goings on at the school and genuine. What you see is what you get.
*"Little engine that could" attitude. They don't try to be something that they're not.
*Awesome reading program. I have my master's in reading from UVA and love that they model their program after UVA's. They also do a ton of writing workshop which is key to me.
*Lots of recess and gym
*Focus on the arts
*Artwork hanging all over the school
*I could go on and on!!!

From A Parent's Perspective:

*Heard from a current parent that the attitude there is "What is the size of your world view, not your Hummer." We are world view people who believe that education is the #1 priority for our kids- We aren't loaded, but don't qualify for aid, so this is a BIG commitment for us and want to feel comfortable socially at a school.

*Plans to add a high school- I went to a PK-12 school and am still best friends with people I have known since I was 4. It's an amazing thing.

*What you see is what you get.

*A parent on this board wrote that she thinks St. Pat's is a gem in this area and I couldn't agree more.

*Chapel- We are not religious people, but St. Pat's does a lot of their character education through their chapels- We want our kids to grow up to be good human beings first and foremost and they will see what kindness, empathy, etc. look like through chapel.

I think that's it- I hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

PP Here- I can't believe I mispelled educator! Yikes!!!

[Anonymous]

To 12:30 PP - wow, that's a wonderful and persuasive endorsement! If you get a chance - in light of your knowledge re: many of the independent schools in the area, I'd love if you could provide information / recommendations for someone who loves most of what you say about St. Pat's but who is a bit uncomfortable w/the focus on chapel for my family?

[Anonymous]

So twice now (from 12:30 PP and the parent on the St. Patrick's thread) I've read that the St. Patrick's reading program is exceptional. Is that the key differentiator / "special factor"? Do other schools not use the same / similar reading curriculum (i.e., the UVA model)?

BTW, thanks 12:30 PP!

[Anonymous]

My first choice is Holy Trinity School in Georgetown

[Anonymous]

Why not just ask current/former parents of these schools for their feelings about these schools? Why does it matter if it was their first choice during the application process?

[Anonymous]

Although our child was accepted in many of the schools mentioned in this thread, we chose Washington International and are very happy with it. Excellent and nurturing teachers, a strong academic program leading to the IB, nice facilities, a truly multicultural and multilingual environment, and an excellent university placement after graduation.