Forum Index
»
Private & Independent Schools
Holton Arms Reception...what are your thoughts?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| We attended the Holton Arms reception yesterday evening. It was great! They really planned a wonderful event for the new applicants and my DD is even more excited to attend! Everything was so student- centered, even the foood! They really impresesed a lot of the parents I spoke with (some were on the fence) and they are now more excited than their DDs!! I would love to hear from other parents who attened and get your thoughts! |
Anonymous
| I'm always interested in the food at schools. In what way was the food at the reception "student-centered"? And do you think the food was representative of what is served in the dining hall? |
Anonymous
|
The food was a mix for kids & adults. Crudite, cheese & crackers, mini-quiches, mini-quesadillas, chicken nuggets, tiny pizzas, and cookies. Water and juice.
It was decent party food - my DD loved it and I enjoyed it as well. But I don't think it is representative of their standard food - which apparently consists of a salad/sandwich bar, ice cream bar, choice of about 10 kinds of juice, hot entrees, and bowls of fresh fruit for snacking. The standard food is apparently amazing. The reception was very nice. The teachers and current students we met were lovely. -- Bright, sweet, and genuinely enthusiastic about the school and what they were teaching/doing. Holton-Arms is the only school we toured that comes close to instilling a magical feeling. And everyone we spoke to who had met my DD at some point in the application process remembered her ... not just the teachers, but also students who had spent just a bit of time with her. She felt very special and at home there. She also made a couple of friends in the breakout session for her class. We are all the more excited to be joining the school in September. It was our first choice and it is a first-rate place. |
Anonymous
| Can I just say that this is exactly the kind of reaction that is wonderful to hear! Not because Holton is the "best" school in the area - no school is the best school in the area - but because it clearly is the best school for your DD and your family. Congratulations! |
Anonymous
| 11:24 by "student-centered" food, I mean food the kids want to eat! Mini pizzas, chicken nuggets etc. My child was certain she was not going to eat a thing until she saw the spread and as much as it was not what I wanted to eat I was delighted to see the kids having a good time and helping themselves to all the treats! I also have heard it is not an actual glimpse of the lunch menu! Of course there were so many other things that made the evening special, but that was just one thing I noticed! I guess I am a bit of a foodie! |
Anonymous
| Wow!! This makes it even harder to accept that my DD did not get accepted. It really was the only school that we thought had that magical feeling thus we only applied there. I am glad that your DDs will get the chance to experience such an awesome school. : ) |
Anonymous
| PP I am sorry that your DD did not get an accept this year, If she was waitlisted I encourage you to call the school and talk with the AD! I spoke to a few parents who have not made a choice so there is a strong chance your DD could still get in! If you feel strongly about the school let them know! All schools want to accept families that really want to be there! I say fight! You may be surprised at the result!! Don't go quietly!! They had a record applicant year, so I am sure it was hard for them to accept all qualified applicants! |
Anonymous
| I can't believe they served such awesome food! This is definitely my first choice now! Yay! Yay! Mini food for my mini me is soooo good - will definitely get him into the best college! |
Anonymous
| I wasn't aware that they had a record applicant year this year. It is my understanding that she was rejected not waitlisted. Although, I am still waiting on a formal letter from the school. |
Anonymous
|
11:24 here. Well, I think it's good that Holton invites the admitted students to the welcome reception and offers food appealing to children. Whether a school invites the students in addition to their parents says a lot about its culture, specifically how it views its students.
In contrast, I went to a reception for new parents of students admitted to the middle school of Sidwell where the new students themselves were not invited and the food served was very fancy cocktail fare fussily displayed with orchids and food sculptures. That the students themselves were not invited to the welcome party was telling, I think, of the culture there. |
Anonymous
| We were there too and I was impressed that the admission people remembered our family and came up to talk. They seemed genuinely interested in our daughters (we have both admitted). The girls felt immediately welcomed and made new friends on the spot. The head of school somehow knew who we were and also stopped by to chat! DDs came out feeling very proud to be considered Holton girls. And the choir performance was quite amazing too. |
Anonymous
Wow - these were our sentiments exactly! Admissions people remembered our daughter and also one of the teachers who she met on her visit - walked up to us, embraced my DD and told us what our DD shared when she visited the school. All the current parents were very warm and welcoming and the girls are truly incredible ambassadors for the school - polite, warm, welcoming, smart and talented (we love the chorus). On the food - we loved it too, but one of the girls did share that is not standard fare for the cafeteria  We learned about things like the Breakfast Club and home-work zone (neither of which we learned during the application process) - both things which I am sure will make balancing our lives easier. I have to agree - there is something about Holton that feels "magical" and to the PP whose DD did not get accepted this year, when the dust settles I would suggest calling the school and trying to find out what you can do to increase her chances of admission the next time.
|
Anonymous
I take it you are trying to be funny! If so, you look like a jackass because there are no "hims" at Holton, it's an all GIRL school!! Yay Yay!!! |
Anonymous
I'm pretty sure Sidwell's MS parents' reception is tonight at 7. That's what they confirmed when I was in the admissions office this morning. From my perspective, kid events for kids and parent events for parents. But they can and perhaps should happen simultaneously. My kids spent a whole day at the school last week and loved it. They don't want to attend a reception tonight. |
Anonymous
| PP It is very obvious you are a new parent! Perhaps the person was talking about LAST year!! No need to get snarky!! |