Culture at St Stephens and St Agnes SSSAS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lovely, tight-knit supportive community- high retention rate for teachers and administrators, strong academics and strong sports and arts. Love this school and community! The extensive bus service ensures that there are kids from all over the DMV area.

Strong academics and sports? As compared to where? ACHS? LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lovely, tight-knit supportive community- high retention rate for teachers and administrators, strong academics and strong sports and arts. Love this school and community! The extensive bus service ensures that there are kids from all over the DMV area.

+1
It’s been the perfect choice for DC. Couldn’t be happier.

Well. Could do with a change of Technical Director for the theater program, but it’s her first year. Hopefully next year will be better. The kids are doing a good job of advocating for improvements. If nothing else, the experience could make a good college essay.

Everything else has been wonderful.

[Anonymous]

It’s a great community of nice families but the mean girl culture is real, and the school seems to actively do things to make it worse (like constantly evaluate girls appearance and give detention for an inch of skin showing).

The academics are fine, but it’s a lot of hand holding, which is good for some kids and less so for others.

The middle school is the weakest and it doesn’t help that the head of school is literally never there. I doubt she realizes how bad it is. I also heard it’s gotten worse with the new MS director, who doesn’t seem to do much of anything to address issues that pop up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:*Caveat that the US seems to be a better experience all around.*

LS and MS are very homogenous and if girls don’t fit a specific type, they don’t fit in. It is known as a mean girl culture and the reputation is earned. Boys seem to have a different, more positive experience.

This has not been our experience at all, nor the experience of any of the families I speak to regularly. The LS is a very caring and supportive environment. Sometimes the girls are a little too nice. Administration has quickly and thoroughly addressed any major issues that did arise. There are some instances of mean girl behavior, but I don't see it as any worse than what any school sees.

Things I've heard about the MS have always concerned me, so I basically interrogate every MS parent I meet. Overall, I hear positive things about the MS, and nothing more than standard MS issues that you would find anywhere.

[Anonymous]

The MS is definitely the weak link. Many 8th grade families leave, year after year there are many applying out for 9th.

[Anonymous]

We came in 9th. It has been very good so far. Lots of opportunities and engaged staff. We have not experienced bullying or anything negative as far as student dynamics. We have another child at another major Virginia private and it is absolutely as academically rigorous if not more so. Definitely a culture that expects good grades and lots of school involvement. As are not handed out easily. If you want a cushy low key high school experience, look elsewhere. Our child wanted all the things and is thriving doing it all at a high level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a great community of nice families but the mean girl culture is real, and the school seems to actively do things to make it worse (like constantly evaluate girls appearance and give detention for an inch of skin showing).

The academics are fine, but it’s a lot of hand holding, which is good for some kids and less so for others.

The middle school is the weakest and it doesn’t help that the head of school is literally never there. I doubt she realizes how bad it is. I also heard it’s gotten worse with the new MS director, who doesn’t seem to do much of anything to address issues that pop up.

I see the head of school at the MS almost every week. Should she spend more time there? Perhaps. However, it is absolutely false to say she is “literally never there.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a great community of nice families but the mean girl culture is real, and the school seems to actively do things to make it worse (like constantly evaluate girls appearance and give detention for an inch of skin showing).

The academics are fine, but it’s a lot of hand holding, which is good for some kids and less so for others.

The middle school is the weakest and it doesn’t help that the head of school is literally never there. I doubt she realizes how bad it is. I also heard it’s gotten worse with the new MS director, who doesn’t seem to do much of anything to address issues that pop up.

I see the head of school at the MS almost every week. Should she spend more time there? Perhaps. However, it is absolutely false to say she is “literally never there.”

Where do people hear these things- I see her all the time as well. Where do these rumors start?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a great community of nice families but the mean girl culture is real, and the school seems to actively do things to make it worse (like constantly evaluate girls appearance and give detention for an inch of skin showing).

The academics are fine, but it’s a lot of hand holding, which is good for some kids and less so for others.

The middle school is the weakest and it doesn’t help that the head of school is literally never there. I doubt she realizes how bad it is. I also heard it’s gotten worse with the new MS director, who doesn’t seem to do much of anything to address issues that pop up.

I see the head of school at the MS almost every week. Should she spend more time there? Perhaps. However, it is absolutely false to say she is “literally never there.”

Where do people hear these things- I see her all the time as well. Where do these rumors start?

Been there for many years and I have my issues with the school sometimes but the head of the school is very visible, accessible, and involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a great community of nice families but the mean girl culture is real, and the school seems to actively do things to make it worse (like constantly evaluate girls appearance and give detention for an inch of skin showing).

The academics are fine, but it’s a lot of hand holding, which is good for some kids and less so for others.

The middle school is the weakest and it doesn’t help that the head of school is literally never there. I doubt she realizes how bad it is. I also heard it’s gotten worse with the new MS director, who doesn’t seem to do much of anything to address issues that pop up.

I see the head of school at the MS almost every week. Should she spend more time there? Perhaps. However, it is absolutely false to say she is “literally never there.”

Where do people hear these things- I see her all the time as well. Where do these rumors start?

Been there for many years and I have my issues with the school sometimes but the head of the school is very visible, accessible, and involved.

Showing up at MS chapel is not the same as being present. I also thought she was much much more visible at the LS than she is at the MS.

But even if she is present, it’s true that the MS has a lot of problems and the admins attitude toward girls is just one of them.

[Anonymous]

We will be a new family at SSSAS - what is the administrations attitude toward girls?

[Anonymous]

+1