When/how do Holton girls socialize with boys?

[Anonymous]

I realize that there is not much socializing going on in the lower school. What about middle and upper? I heard there is a lot of pressure to join Ms. Simpson cotillion (whatever the heck it is) to meet Landon boys. I am hoping to hear that there is more natural integration of such interaction built into the curriculum and sports. Please enlighten!

[Anonymous]

OP, I mean this kindly, but I think Holton may not be right for you. If you are the poster from the other thread whose daughter is old enough to have an informed opinion, you need to defer to your child on this.

Those of us who believe there continues to be high value in single-sex education for girls do not agonize over the social life. It is not as if she would be going to a remote convent.

I do not have a child at Holton or NCS (mine are too young), but I am a big believer in single-sex education for girls. It appears you are not. If you decline to listen to your daughter's preferences (because it sounds like she may believe in it), then you will have to sort that out with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I mean this kindly, but I think Holton may not be right for you. If you are the poster from the other thread whose daughter is old enough to have an informed opinion, you need to defer to your child on this.

Those of us who believe there continues to be high value in single-sex education for girls do not agonize over the social life. It is not as if she would be going to a remote convent.

I do not have a child at Holton or NCS (mine are too young), but I am a big believer in single-sex education for girls. It appears you are not. If you decline to listen to your daughter's preferences (because it sounds like she may believe in it), then you will have to sort that out with her.

Holton is an isolated single-sex school. NCS is on one side of the Cathedral and STA on the other. There are co-curricular classes, activities, and athletics. Far different environment than Holton. Parents should be concerned about the social life and how the girls deal with boys.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think you have a valid question and if you don't get much help here you could ask the school (and maybe you can tell some stuff from the website). Some questions would be: are arts offerings (chorus, other singing g oups, drama, orchestra/instrumental groups) typically co-ed with Landon at either the middle or upper school? Are there any teams, such as swimming, track, or cross-country, in which the Landon boys train with the Holton girls (or at least are in position to come into contact with them)? Are there any classes (probably in the upper school, I'd think, and probably electives) in which Holton or Landon students can cross-register at the other schools? I don't know the answers to these, or I'd help out, but it's not unreasonable to directly ask the school or current families; I don't think they will think you are a "traitor" to single-sex education! Or maybe some nice Holton DCUM posters know the answer.

[Anonymous]

I think the answer to the first few questions is yes - I believe even some of the school buses are co-ed. Regarding cross-registration in classes with Landon - I believe this was discontinued a couple years back. To 12:26 - I take it your DD goes to NCS which is fine, I don't understand why the disdain for Holton in your post. OP wasn't asking for you to compare Holton with NCS - don't get why this had to be a reason to start the Holton v. NCS war. I believe there is another thread for that if you feel the need to go down that path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I mean this kindly, but I think Holton may not be right for you. If you are the poster from the other thread whose daughter is old enough to have an informed opinion, you need to defer to your child on this.

Those of us who believe there continues to be high value in single-sex education for girls do not agonize over the social life. It is not as if she would be going to a remote convent.

I do not have a child at Holton or NCS (mine are too young), but I am a big believer in single-sex education for girls. It appears you are not. If you decline to listen to your daughter's preferences (because it sounds like she may believe in it), then you will have to sort that out with her.

I am the OP but I don't know which thread you are referring to. Yes, my DD wants to go Holton too and I feel it is a good fit for her academically. So I think all girl classroom is perfectly fine; however, I am concerned about how she is going to learn to interact with boys and whether there will be a natural integration of boys (versus artifical like that cotillion - sounds so formal, unnatural and frankly nauseating to me).

[Anonymous]

I am a new parent and I can't lie I wondered about the exact thing! I am a firm believer in Sinle Sex education, however it is something you have to think about! I will make sure I keep my DD in co-ed activities on the weekends and during the summer! It will all work out OP you just have to take the needed steps to make sure she gets the needed exposure to opposite sex!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I mean this kindly, but I think Holton may not be right for you. If you are the poster from the other thread whose daughter is old enough to have an informed opinion, you need to defer to your child on this.

Those of us who believe there continues to be high value in single-sex education for girls do not agonize over the social life. It is not as if she would be going to a remote convent.

I do not have a child at Holton or NCS (mine are too young), but I am a big believer in single-sex education for girls. It appears you are not. If you decline to listen to your daughter's preferences (because it sounds like she may believe in it), then you will have to sort that out with her.

The OP asked a question. They did not ask for your judgment on whether they are doing the right thing with their school decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the answer to the first few questions is yes - I believe even some of the school buses are co-ed. Regarding cross-registration in classes with Landon - I believe this was discontinued a couple years back. To 12:26 - I take it your DD goes to NCS which is fine, I don't understand why the disdain for Holton in your post. OP wasn't asking for you to compare Holton with NCS - don't get why this had to be a reason to start the Holton v. NCS war. I believe there is another thread for that if you feel the need to go down that path.

Correction, there are still "cross-registration" classes with Landon and some of the girls schools. Our son has been accepted at Landon. In looking at the 2010 curriculum for the Fall, these special classes still exist. It appears they have a pretty selective process as to who gets into them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the answer to the first few questions is yes - I believe even some of the school buses are co-ed. Regarding cross-registration in classes with Landon - I believe this was discontinued a couple years back. To 12:26 - I take it your DD goes to NCS which is fine, I don't understand why the disdain for Holton in your post. OP wasn't asking for you to compare Holton with NCS - don't get why this had to be a reason to start the Holton v. NCS war. I believe there is another thread for that if you feel the need to go down that path.

Correction, there are still "cross-registration" classes with Landon and some of the girls schools. Our son has been accepted at Landon. In looking at the 2010 curriculum for the Fall, these special classes still exist. It appears they have a pretty selective process as to who gets into them.

That is good to know! Which grade will your son be going to in the fall? (or if you are not comfortable mentioning the grade, is it high or middle school?)

[Anonymous]

I went to one of the all girls schools in the area and we def socialized with boys from the local all boys schools on the weekend. Someone always had a connection at another school and then the circle would widen quickly. In my case, my cousin attended our "brother school" so we got our friends together for movies or parties, etc...it was NEVER a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the answer to the first few questions is yes - I believe even some of the school buses are co-ed. Regarding cross-registration in classes with Landon - I believe this was discontinued a couple years back. To 12:26 - I take it your DD goes to NCS which is fine, I don't understand why the disdain for Holton in your post. OP wasn't asking for you to compare Holton with NCS - don't get why this had to be a reason to start the Holton v. NCS war. I believe there is another thread for that if you feel the need to go down that path.

Correction, there are still "cross-registration" classes with Landon and some of the girls schools. Our son has been accepted at Landon. In looking at the 2010 curriculum for the Fall, these special classes still exist. It appears they have a pretty selective process as to who gets into them.

That is good to know! Which grade will your son be going to in the fall? (or if you are not comfortable mentioning the grade, is it high or middle school?)

He was accepted to 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to one of the all girls schools in the area and we def socialized with boys from the local all boys schools on the weekend. Someone always had a connection at another school and then the circle would widen quickly. In my case, my cousin attended our "brother school" so we got our friends together for movies or parties, etc...it was NEVER a problem.

OP here: thanks, this is encouraging. I hope this is true particularly for Holton girls too.

[Anonymous]

I'm a parent at a local boys' school that is not Landon. Holton middle schoolers frequently invite boys from my DS's school to their dances. My DS tells me that the invitations are announced at lunchtime and are met with groans and comments like, "Who'd want to go to a Holton dance?" My DS's school has a sister school, and it is not Holton.

I don't see why the Holton girls ever invite my DS's school when my DS's school *never* invites Holton girls to their dances. Never. Holton has Landon, so why bother inviting other boys' schools? I wish the Holton girls could know how negatively their invitation is received at my DS's school and stop issuing invitations.

Holton girls just seem to be casting too wide a net for boys, and it makes the girls look socially desperate.

Maybe some Holton parent will read this post and pass on a gentle hint to to the girls?

[Anonymous]

If I were a teacher at that school attended by PP's son, dining in what sounds like "the Refectory" (maybe I'm wrong on the school, but . . .), I would address the lunch announcement groans and comments with some discussion of basic politeness and what is the correct response to a good faith invitation. And, from knowing the age group in question, I bet they make the same groans in response to invitations from "their" sister schools -- that's what little boys do, even if they would and will enjoy the experiences. Lastly, tagging middle school girls as "socially desperate" for inviting boys to their dance (from a school at which I'm sure some of them have brothers, cousins, friends) is a less than enlightened attitude and very unfair to them. (And no, I'm not a Holton parent nor do I have any connection to the school.)