If you live in NOVA and send your kids to private why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

Not PP but can see what they mean rent mortgage everything is expensive if one has lets say a $2500 rent budget and makes 120k after student loans food car note nothing left and that house or apartment is probably in a bad school district anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

I mean have you seen the price of homes lately🤣🤣🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

First part 100% yes.

Second part, just no. Meridian High School is a great size and has a great culture. Academics are good but nothing on par w/ those privates. We know families there—nice, well rounded kids but academically would never get in or do well at a top private. Their parents would say the same.

It’s a great school but it is not equivalent to a top private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

I mean have you seen the price of homes lately🤣🤣🤣

To some of us, public schools are like public housing. Either pay for it yourself or get an inferior mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

I mean have you seen the price of homes lately🤣🤣🤣

To some of us, public schools are like public housing. Either pay for it yourself or get an inferior mess.

The point is that it can be difficult for people to pay for private school when many bought homes in good neighborhoods, usually planning to send kid to public. It’s not fair for all the rich people to pull their kids out of the system.

We bought in an excellent district. I don’t believe in sequestering rich kids away to private, so we send our kid to public even though we could comfortably afford private. We stuck it out for several years, supplemented at home, did outside math, respectfully raised concerns about curriculum and classroom behavior, and I volunteered countless hours helping to run PTA events including big fundraisers to help teachers (They don’t need it, district is rich.), STEM and science nights. I finally just gave up and we are switching this year.

Public education is a very, very different animal from when I was growing up. I went to a crappy poor school in a town where lots of girls get pregnant or do drugs and drop out. I learned to read at school. I was given advanced spelling lists and also allowed to read after completing math work. Everyone learned to spell, read, and write. Problem kids were sent to the principal, and parents yelled and sometimes spanked their kids. Schools now cannot dole out consequences and neither do parents. Teachers are stuck teaching to the bottom, and the rest of the kids are stuck on screens and ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

I mean have you seen the price of homes lately🤣🤣🤣

To some of us, public schools are like public housing. Either pay for it yourself or get an inferior mess.

The point is that it can be difficult for people to pay for private school when many bought homes in good neighborhoods, usually planning to send kid to public. It’s not fair for all the rich people to pull their kids out of the system.

We bought in an excellent district. I don’t believe in sequestering rich kids away to private, so we send our kid to public even though we could comfortably afford private. We stuck it out for several years, supplemented at home, did outside math, respectfully raised concerns about curriculum and classroom behavior, and I volunteered countless hours helping to run PTA events including big fundraisers to help teachers (They don’t need it, district is rich.), STEM and science nights. I finally just gave up and we are switching this year.

Public education is a very, very different animal from when I was growing up. I went to a crappy poor school in a town where lots of girls get pregnant or do drugs and drop out. I learned to read at school. I was given advanced spelling lists and also allowed to read after completing math work. Everyone learned to spell, read, and write. Problem kids were sent to the principal, and parents yelled and sometimes spanked their kids. Schools now cannot dole out consequences and neither do parents. Teachers are stuck teaching to the bottom, and the rest of the kids are stuck on screens and ignored.

What’s not fair about people leaving public? We don’t have school vouchers here so it’s not like we are taking our tax money that would have gone to public schools. If anything, we are freeing up limited resources that can be used for the remain. Do you know how much your property taxes will increase if all families returned to public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

First part 100% yes.

Second part, just no. Meridian High School is a great size and has a great culture. Academics are good but nothing on par w/ those privates. We know families there—nice, well rounded kids but academically would never get in or do well at a top private. Their parents would say the same.

It’s a great school but it is not equivalent to a top private.

That's what PP said. "it is no match for <list of top privates>"

But +1 for the first part. Was talking to someone recently who wanted to move from their well-regarded FCPS elementary because they were hating on the education but didn't want to go private. Told them Falls Church was their best bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

First part 100% yes.

Second part, just no. Meridian High School is a great size and has a great culture. Academics are good but nothing on par w/ those privates. We know families there—nice, well rounded kids but academically would never get in or do well at a top private. Their parents would say the same.

It’s a great school but it is not equivalent to a top private.

I think you misunderstood. PP’s point was that Falls Church offers the best public options but even those do not compare to the top privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys underestimate how hard it is to go private in a hcol area most people have to tough it out in a public school I know i did and my kid might too.

Huh? Can you explain what you mean by "hard"?
- one of the private school families in a hcol area

I mean have you seen the price of homes lately🤣🤣🤣

To some of us, public schools are like public housing. Either pay for it yourself or get an inferior mess.

The point is that it can be difficult for people to pay for private school when many bought homes in good neighborhoods, usually planning to send kid to public. It’s not fair for all the rich people to pull their kids out of the system.

We bought in an excellent district. I don’t believe in sequestering rich kids away to private, so we send our kid to public even though we could comfortably afford private. We stuck it out for several years, supplemented at home, did outside math, respectfully raised concerns about curriculum and classroom behavior, and I volunteered countless hours helping to run PTA events including big fundraisers to help teachers (They don’t need it, district is rich.), STEM and science nights. I finally just gave up and we are switching this year.

Public education is a very, very different animal from when I was growing up. I went to a crappy poor school in a town where lots of girls get pregnant or do drugs and drop out. I learned to read at school. I was given advanced spelling lists and also allowed to read after completing math work. Everyone learned to spell, read, and write. Problem kids were sent to the principal, and parents yelled and sometimes spanked their kids. Schools now cannot dole out consequences and neither do parents. Teachers are stuck teaching to the bottom, and the rest of the kids are stuck on screens and ignored.

Life isn’t fair. We have heard so many stories like your story, that we just send kids to private right away.

We live in an excellent public school district for the safe and friendly neighborhoods, but would never actually use the public schools.

It is funny watching the other families realize over time that these excellent public schools have major issues. Then by the time high school hits they all want private and complain about public.

We knew the whole time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.

Who places a huge emphasis on financial aid?
At most of the schools you listed above, 75% to 80%+ of families pay the total cost (tuition, plus fees). Walking the walk is much harder than talking the talk.

At Sidwell, 1 in 4 students in the US is on financial aid. 25%. That is MUCH higher than my local neighborhood elementary school bounded geographically by housing that costs $2M+. Sidwell US is WAY more economically diverse than most economically segregated neighborhoods.

That means 75% of US families pay full tuition at Sidwell. All of the families I know who receive FA at Sidwell are college educated professionals with graduate degrees—without exception. The UMC “economic diversity” these families bring to Sidwell is largely coming from two fed. families, college professors, and nonprofit managers.

Please pipe down with the false narrative that schools like Sidwell are educating a broad swath of families from across the economic spectrum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.

Who places a huge emphasis on financial aid?
At most of the schools you listed above, 75% to 80%+ of families pay the total cost (tuition, plus fees). Walking the walk is much harder than talking the talk.

At Sidwell, 1 in 4 students in the US is on financial aid. 25%. That is MUCH higher than my local neighborhood elementary school bounded geographically by housing that costs $2M+. Sidwell US is WAY more economically diverse than most economically segregated neighborhoods.

Btw, how much do you think the single family homes around Sidwell cost? 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.

Who places a huge emphasis on financial aid?
At most of the schools you listed above, 75% to 80%+ of families pay the total cost (tuition, plus fees). Walking the walk is much harder than talking the talk.

At Sidwell, 1 in 4 students in the US is on financial aid. 25%. That is MUCH higher than my local neighborhood elementary school bounded geographically by housing that costs $2M+. Sidwell US is WAY more economically diverse than most economically segregated neighborhoods.

Lol please look up Justice High School in Falls Church and the populations in Lake Barcroft vs Culmore neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these things you can find in good public school districts.

Most public school parents are ignorant about how bad public school education is because they have no point of comparison, especially those who are Millennials and Gen Z.

The best school district in VA is Falls Church. At the high school level, it is no match for Sidwell, NCS/STA, GDS, or Potomac.

I read this thread because I send child to one of these schools from Nova. My experience with my neighborhood cohort from is: they are just as educated — if not more so — than the private school set. This is because those schools place a huge emphasis on financial aid so there are many UMC kids. Not true in my neighborhood. Things change when you are talking about the local really great public HS which feeds from several neighborhoods. But the idea that my neighbors are stupid is ignorant. They are oft times hug believers in public schools. Nova is a big place.

Who places a huge emphasis on financial aid?
At most of the schools you listed above, 75% to 80%+ of families pay the total cost (tuition, plus fees). Walking the walk is much harder than talking the talk.

At Sidwell, 1 in 4 students in the US is on financial aid. 25%. That is MUCH higher than my local neighborhood elementary school bounded geographically by housing that costs $2M+. Sidwell US is WAY more economically diverse than most economically segregated neighborhoods.

Lol please look up Justice High School in Falls Church and the populations in Lake Barcroft vs Culmore neighborhoods.

I should note, that’s the Fairfax County part of Falls Church near Bailey’s Crossroads, not Falls Church City.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private Catholic HS. (public K-8)

Class size, terribly woke public MS (and I am a democrat), values/community service/giving back, RIGOR, rigor, more well-rounded core curriculum (really came out excellent writers!) with just as rigorous math/science (organic chem!). Peer group. Families were all invested in their kids being their and the kids were invested in being there too. Development of the 'whole' individual. Single sex education. My kids grew in so many ways and went into HS as blah writers and came out where my firstborn was getting rave reviews at a T10 on his first college papers. Very well-prepared. Got into multiple T10/20s unhooked and we didn't do anything extra (no tutors, private counselors, etc) and that wasn't even on our radar in 8th grade (not a reason for choosing private). We wanted a good, solid foundation w/ good values and outlook (giving back to others). No guns/knifes at school, no drugs/overdoses, no tolerance for bad behavior (our public HS in a wealthy area had a problem w. all of that).

Your response is making me feel hopeful! We recently decided to switch to Catholic K-8 after a couple of years in public elementary and I just don’t know if it’s the right move. I’m really hoping for a good curriculum with writing, spelling, grammar, and leveled math, as well as good values and consequences for behavior. Our public is supposed to be excellent and virtually everybody attends, and the Catholic may have slightly larger class sizes and doesn’t draw from our neighborhood at all, so I feel conflicted.

We waited until HS. We were fortunate to have a great public elementary. MS was decent--not fantastic, too easy, too teaching down to the common denominator and a little too woke--but I felt like HS were the really important years and we could save 3 years of MS $ and just pay for private HS which I felt was the most important--where their peer group and college prep mattered even more. My oldest is at an Ivy unhooked (but there was zero stress or prep or focus on college outcomes the entire time--not like our public). I cannot speak highly enough of all that the HS did for my kids and their development academically and as people.