Thoughts on River

[Anonymous]

Anybody have thoughts on River School they would like to share? I did look at old threads etc but they are a couple years old and was hoping for some mor ecurrent feedback. Strengths and weaknesses anything people would like to share, DC was admitted for their 3 yr old program and on paper it seems like a good fit for our DC but could use real life stories to help flush out the whole picture and help us decide.
TIA

[Anonymous]

Our doctor's kid goes to River and likes it for her active little girl. They were going to switch to Beauvoir or whatever...kid didn't get in...so they'll stay at River.

[Anonymous]

bump....any thoughts at all????

[Anonymous]

We're a long-time River family
Pros: nice community because it's a fairly small school, so you really get to know everyone. I'm close to many moms I've met here over the years -- it's a good mix of families. Fabulous teachers (2 in every classroom). I think the quality of teaching is very high -- and I like the emphasis on language. Location is great for us.

Cons: Facility is not so great. The classrooms are a bit small (but they have small classes to help that), and the outdoor space is limited. The kids don't seem to mind, but if you look at the Beauvoir campus it is obviously much different.

The other factor is the mission of the school to integrate children with hearing loss. I have watched children with hearing loss start at age 2 who have done so well it really is moving. At a certain level, it's nice to be a part of that.

Happy to answer more specific questions.

[Anonymous]

We are a long time River family also - totally agree with everything that 10:47 said. The facility only becomes a bummer with the older children - esp if you have an active child who wants more space to run around - plus I think it limits the number of times they go outside. The teachers are amazing - so creative - and the kids learn a ton, and have a blast.

[Anonymous]

Post from another current family.

Our daughter is in the younger program and will be a part of the 3's next year. This past year has been amazing for our daughters. At that age, there is plenty of outdoor space, etc. She gets so excited about each new unit they do in school. I have always thought our daughter was quite verbal but the growth in her vocabulary this past year has been amazing. She loves her little friends and teachers and can't quite understand why she can't get go to school every day. These are all great signs in my book.

[Anonymous]

Also a current RS parent. We have been there many years and have been very happy. DC loves the school and has developed many close friendships over the years. The facility is small, but they recently did a renovation of certain areas and it is a great improvement. I have never heard my DC complain about the outdoor space but it is the only school DC has attended. Good luck with your decision but I don't think you can go wrong with RS especially at the preschool level. In my opinion it is one of the best, if not the best, preschool n the District.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies - very helpful. I was getting cold feet just b/c it seemed like there were so many negative posts when I looked at the archives here at DCUM. Not trying to give them too much focus bit can I ask about some of them just too see if there has been improvements...

1. what about exmissions?
2. specifically if I have a very active DC. I am concerned we might want to switch earlier than 3rd to get him a school with more resources for him to be active etc - is there still a sense that RS wants students to stay so much that they are not supportive on exmissions before 3rd?
3. can I ask where your DCs ended up after RS?
4. I am so glad to hear your comments that RS is a tight community where you get to know the other moms - that was actually a big concern for me since I had heard that no one attnds the parents meetings and there are few opportunities to get to know the other parents. Can any of you comment on the monthly parent meetings - are they poorle attended? How have you gotten to know other parents - anything school related or is it just afterschool palydates etc?
5. I have a few more questions but need to run - will try to follow up with more later if you all are willing!

TIA

[Anonymous]

1. exmissions: The school would like everyone to stay until 3rd, but I think in the last year or two have accepted the fact that it isn't going to happen and have greatly improved their attitude. It is a fairly young school (10 years old), do they just dealt with the issue for the first time a few years ago and they didn't handle it with much tact.
2. In terms of their "support" -- if you stay until 3rd they will actively be involved in the application process, lobby the schools on your child's behalf, etc. Depends on whether that is important to you I suppose, I don't think other schools care that much.
3. The school is pretty small, so I would I out myself identifying my DS, but I can say I know children who have left before 3rd who are at Sidwell, Maret, Beauvoir, GDS, and St. Patricks (as well as public school).
4. The best friends I made were the first year, when the kids were 2-3 and you met everyone on the birthday party circuit, field trips (they do not have a bus, so field trips are all parent-volunteers as drivers). I work full-time, so am not as involved in the school as others, but always felt like when I did volunteer for something it was appreciated. If you volunteer to help on a project with some other people (like the auction) you will quickly meet them. The parents association meetings are really for room parents, there is no expectation that anyone else be there. There are also playdates, or we often tried to sign our kids up for the same activities so they would see each other outside of school. Honestly I miss the closeness and support now that I have a DS in a bigger school.

[Anonymous]

I am a River School parent also - and totally agree with everything 16:27 said. Also don't want to identify myself, but my children have had classmates leave for Maret, Sidwell, Beauvoir, GDS, Potomac, and so on - I have a child at one of these schools and it wasn't an issue applying out. I still have a child at River & love it. The kids who stay all the way through got into great schools last year also (I think that was the first year they had a full 3rd grade class) - so it's nice to have that option.
Agree that most friends I've made have been when my oldest started out as a 2 year old - just seeing the parents at drop off/pick up & birthday parties and so on.

[Anonymous]

Current River parent and longtime River family too. I agree with much of what PPs said --

- overall, a wonderful, nurturing place
- our shy child was loved and supported and encouraged and has blossomed into such a wonderful kid (we now have multiple kids there)
- teachers are generally fantastic
- the school does the best it can with the facilities it has -- e.g., there's a large playground on the roof of the main building, which the kids think is extremely cool and fun.
- admission out of River is very positive. There are still some dinosaurs out there who say, isn't River the school for kids with hearing issues. Those aren't anyone in the know - while River supports kids with hearing loss and has programs to support them, there are usually only about 1 kid in each class with a cochlear implant (and we've found all those kids to be wonderful, same as the other kids).

Of course, you'll have the same "issues" you have with many other private schools -- you'll have to apply out by 3rd grade; you'll get asked to donate to the annual fund; there's an annual auction that's part of the fundraising effort (though the auction is actually extremely fun), etc.

In sum, I don't think you can go wrong, particularly at the age-level you're at with your child.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

All I know is that the River School had two TWO! police cars parked in the middle of MacArthur today at noon and two, TWO! policemen stopping traffic so parents and their children could cross the road during pick up, at their convenience.

What I want to know, Mayor Fenty, is why taxpayers' money is paying for any, much less TWO! policement to walk overindulged mothers and their children across a street that only has a speedlimit of 25 to begin with, already has a cross walk, is in a slow paced residential neighborhood and for a private school that decided to put its facility there in the first place, knowing there was no parking and no driveway for carpool pick up.

Why are the taxpayers paying for this??? and, in fact, paying to be inconveineced themselves and have to wait for these people to cross the street??? I mean really! And why isn't a private school required to pay for its own crossing guard?

[Anonymous]

hostile much!!!
not sure why 2 today but yes there is usually one there to help. just like the is one at the public school Key just down the street from RS. I believe child safety is and should be a municipal concern and worthy of police assistance. And just for the sake of history RS is located in a building that has been a school of some sort of eons. RS is not the first to use the fascility - it used to be owned by GDS. So the fact that a school has "chosen to locate there" is a natural since that is what the fascility isbest set up for.

finally the fact that Fenty uses an entire motorcade of DC cops to assist his training/bike riding means I hardly think he would think it odd that one officer helps with this. Good lord it takes 4-5 Montgomery County Police just to keep the parking lot at Whole Foods under control!

[Anonymous]

How do you know the school is not paying for this service?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I know is that the River School had two TWO! police cars parked in the middle of MacArthur today at noon and two, TWO! policemen stopping traffic so parents and their children could cross the road during pick up, at their convenience.

What I want to know, Mayor Fenty, is why taxpayers' money is paying for any, much less TWO! policement to walk overindulged mothers and their children across a street that only has a speedlimit of 25 to begin with, already has a cross walk, is in a slow paced residential neighborhood and for a private school that decided to put its facility there in the first place, knowing there was no parking and no driveway for carpool pick up.

Why are the taxpayers paying for this??? and, in fact, paying to be inconveineced themselves and have to wait for these people to cross the street??? I mean really! And why isn't a private school required to pay for its own crossing guard?

Would you rather that the police officers hang out at the local diner as usual? Great thing about DC local taxes - you don't pay them if you don't live in the city. You should think about the burbs.