Most down-to-Earth school community
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Anonymous
I disagree about Maret. It is an excellent school academically, but there is a lot of very visible wealth. It was not easy for my kids: we don't have extra $ (drive old, beat up cars, have old, beat up house, etc), and many of their peers were jetting of on Swiss skiiing holidays or flying off to spend long weekends at their palatial nantucket summer homes. Made my kids feel very poor. No one was mean about it, but there was a LOT of conspicuous wealth and consumption. |
Anonymous
I think you define down-to-earth differently than I do. Lots of people, and thus families, in this area have a fair amount of wealth and go to the schools w are talking about:Maret, SFS, NCS/STA, GDS. I don't expect people to live below their means to be down-to-earth. Please, take a Swiss ski vacation if you can and like, as long as you don't roll your eyes at my taking my kids to Liberty "mountain" an hour away. Our Maret friends with wealth are just as down-to-earth as anyone else when it comes to not taking life too seriously, loving their kids, and enjoying all kinds of people from all walks of life. And the proof is in the pudding, because the Maret grow up to be thoughtful and articulate and kind. |
Anonymous
Oh dear. Serious anger and self esteem issues. Hope your life improves, really do. |
Anonymous
This has been our experience as well as a moderate-income family at Maret. You've explained it perfectly. |
Anonymous
Don't be ridiculous. Just not rolling over for some put-down troll. |
Anonymous
| Back to OP's question. Last night I went to a choral concert at Sidwell. I was struck by two things: first, it was the most diverse crowd at any event I have attended recently and (2) everyone was dressed casually and happy with the cookies and soft drinks served as refreshments. By UP the kids are choosing their own friends and interests, and the parents who rubbed me the wrong way in middle school seem to be over themselves. The UP really is a nice, down-to-earth community. The seniors are getting a little misty-eyed thinking that their stays at the school are about over. |
Anonymous
Another vote for SSFS. This is our child's first year and it has been such a breath of fresh air---wish we had considered it sooner! |
Anonymous
New PP here following this one. It looks like you were the put down troll. The poster asked a question which you dismissed as political axe grinding and a hijack, which they explained, was not. I think you're in the wrong here, very rude, very up your own backside. You should take a break. |
Anonymous
Right. The guy who started it with the "sweetheart" and the "hon" is the victim. Right. |
Anonymous
Nice try. I have a doctorate from Harvard. F off. Sure you do hon, just like every other loser who says that here. Not your hon and by no stretch of the imagination a loser, and I certainly do. The diploma's hanging on the wall right behind me. If you want to pretend I'm lying because you can't stand to be wrong, then that's your prerogative. I'll just continue knowing the truth. Now go back to your little cave, sad person. I saw a diploma hanging on the wall at the animal vet's office once. But other than that, who hangs their diploma on the wall behind them anymore? 
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Anonymous
Sure you do hon, just like every other loser who says that here. Not your hon and by no stretch of the imagination a loser, and I certainly do. The diploma's hanging on the wall right behind me. If you want to pretend I'm lying because you can't stand to be wrong, then that's your prerogative. I'll just continue knowing the truth. Now go back to your little cave, sad person. I saw a diploma hanging on the wall at the animal vet's office once. But other than that, who hangs their diploma on the wall behind them anymore?
I thought the same thing. 
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Anonymous
| OP, as you can see, you will receive lots of feedback on this forum. Some is helpful to you and your child. Some is just plain childish. Hope you find value in the former and are not discouraged by the latter. Good luck in your search. |
Anonymous
BWAHAHA! Maret is not down to earth. Have you been to their auction? Have you seen the cars that pull up at pickup? Have you heard the kids talk about all their traveling? After school activities like fencing, horseback riding, sailing? Being down to earth is not just about wearing jeans, FFS. |
Anonymous
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I am not sure why having money automatically precludes someone from being down to earth. In fact, I'd argue that anyone who decides a family is not down to earth merely because they take nice vacations, drive nice cars, and participate in expensive extracurriculars is the not down-to-earth one.
Now, if those families were turning their noses up at our Hondas and vacations to Florida, sure. I'd agree- not down to earth. But that's never been the case, and I have a hard time understanding the logic behind ruling out people on the basis of their income. |
Anonymous
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I'll share our experiences as a a family that did receive FA from two of the talked about schools. At Maret, it seemed like parents that shared interests connected, and level of wealth did not matter. We drove relatively new, inexpensive cars, and no one cared. Once my DC's friend stayed overnight in our modest home and remarked, "You have cute home." When we visited her home, it was a world away, but her parents kept asking how we made their daughter feel so loved and at home in our house. To them and to us, it did not seem to matter what size house they own. They were just happy that their DD had good friends and a kind 2nd family to be with sometimes.
At Maret, we went to all the events (homecoming, games, the auction), and we fit in with all the other adults. We sat with our family and friends, ate, drank, and had a good time. In our many years there, we didn't feel the wealthiest families cared about your finances or cars or size of home. They cared about their own. No snubs or snobbery, just kind, loving people at Maret. At Sidwell, it was the same. Although for our youngest DC, we joined the US community. Even now, the big parties and dinners I remember were events for fun, down-to-earth conversations. People just did not care what you have or don't have. Teens at Sidwell are just like teens everywhere; they want expensive cars and trips; they want fancy jeans, but at the same time, they could care less about shoes and everyday clothing they wear to class. Yes, there are many well-connected, wealthy people there, but they care about their children and their families, not what you're doing next year or next month. If you feel comfortable within yourself, and raise your children to feel comfortable within themselves, won't all of you make friends and fit in with the families that share your interests and values? I think that's how it worked us us at both schools. |