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I agree that anonymous posts get tiresome. To experience any school you have to pick up the phone and make arrangements to visit. You have to meet other parents, students, faculty, and staff firsthand. The MOST important thing when considering a school is to FIND THE RIGHT FIT for your child. That might be SSSAS, it might not be. I graduated from St. Agnes, I now work here (not as a teacher), and both of my sons are enrolled. However, when I was returning to the US after 10 years in Moscow with a 5th and 7th grader 3 years ago, I had no idea where I would end up sending them. I do believe in an independent school education, so I was looking at all the options. If you are seriously considering an independent school for your child, decide what is most important to you and ask lots of questions. I wanted challenging academics, a school that is forward thinking and truly preparing students to be successful in a shrinking world. I wanted a school that can and does teach and talk about morality, ethics, leadership, and character. That requires global perspective, a sustainability program, cutting edge technology, and an administration that looks to the future. That's what I found here. My family is not Episcopalian, but my children are learning that honor, responsibility, service, and living your life ethically is universal. All faiths are welcome. The focus is on learning to live and lead intelligently, with wisdom, and compassion.
My sons certainly are not "progressive" in the sense that was implied, and I do not agree that SSSAS students are precocious. You will find children of every nature in every school. Students at SSSAS are bright, creative, team oriented, risk takers... The faculty is dedicated and passionate. They not only teach, they are coaches, advisors, club sponsors, set builders, and more. That's one of the benefits of an independent school. I would never make a major decision based on hearsay, or pass judgment based on "anonymous" postings. If you want to know what SSSAS is all about ... if you want to know what any school is all about, go to the source. I don't believe anyone not directly associated with the school can offer a valid opinion. Think about what's right for your child, and find the right fit. You may want to look at the AISGW (Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington) Web site for more information on independent schools in the Washington metropolitan area. As I said, SSSAS is one of many very good independent schools in the area. Do your research and go visit - don't rely on vague, secondhand opinions. Find the right fit.
Melissa Bloom
My sons certainly are not "progressive" in the sense that was implied, and I do not agree that SSSAS students are precocious. You will find children of every nature in every school. Students at SSSAS are bright, creative, team oriented, risk takers... The faculty is dedicated and passionate. They not only teach, they are coaches, advisors, club sponsors, set builders, and more. That's one of the benefits of an independent school. I would never make a major decision based on hearsay, or pass judgment based on "anonymous" postings. If you want to know what SSSAS is all about ... if you want to know what any school is all about, go to the source. I don't believe anyone not directly associated with the school can offer a valid opinion. Think about what's right for your child, and find the right fit. You may want to look at the AISGW (Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington) Web site for more information on independent schools in the Washington metropolitan area. As I said, SSSAS is one of many very good independent schools in the area. Do your research and go visit - don't rely on vague, secondhand opinions. Find the right fit.
Melissa Bloom
WHAT DO YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY? Good question, and one I have thoroughly considered and investigated, and am now paying for with no regrets. There are good and bad schools of any kind. It's not about public vs private. It's about what is available to you and what is the BEST FIT for your child. My parents gave their six children a choice. I experienced both, attending a highly rated elementary school through 6th, making the switch to private in 7th. I now have both of my children in a private school and wish I had been able to attend from the start. The foundation years are very important. Three of us attended different well-known private schools in the Washington, DC metro area, three attended public. When I had to consider education for my children I looked at our experiences and noted a few immediate differences between those who went private and those who went public.
The private grads had a different college experience. We were better prepared academically. Our transition from senior year of high school to freshman year in college was less stressful and more confident. We stayed in college and went straight through. Although my brothers who went public did get college degrees, none of them went straight through. The private attendees have much greater ties today to their schools, the relationships they built, and the experience they had there. My brothers who went to public are not in touch with any of their classmates or former faculty.
Some of the things you pay for simply cannot be expressed easily - they are the intangibles. The incredible sense of belonging to a supportive community that continues past graduation, the making of lifelong relationships, the unified passion for learning, and an atmosphere that encourages and invites students to take risks and try something completely different. Like what? Like the star senior basketball player winning the lead in one of Shakespeare's most difficult plays. Some things are very tangible. The smaller class sizes do make a difference. I took a class in my senior year that shaped my future. There were only five students in that particular class. There were only five students in my son's French class in 7th grade. That's not the norm, but it is a possibility. The norm is still only 13-18 students.
Then there is the dedication and creativity of a faculty that is not bound by union rules or striving to teach to standardized testing. In the school my children attend which has over 1,000 students the teachers not only KNOW all the students, they KNOW them from different perspectives. They are teachers, advisors, coaches, tutors, and true mentors. They WILL meet your child before, during, and after school if that's what it takes to offer help when it is needed. Private schools have control of their curriculum. Most private schools offer excellent college counseling that many parents are now paying a consultant several thousand dollars to provide. It's not just about going to the top colleges, it is about finding the right fit for your child and preparing your child to be successful there. Choosing a private school is also about finding the right fit. They are all different. You have to visit and ask lots of questions. It's about laying a foundation of skills and knowledge that prepares them for college and for life. It's about inspiring a love of school and learning. It's about a meaningful mission statement that the whole community strives daily to fulfill, it's about character building, honor codes, and truly attending to every stage your child's development from k-12. It's about KNOWING your child so well that a teacher can recognize untapped talent and suggest that a student try something they would never have thought to try. It's about making an investment now in nature's greatest gift, your child. Personally, giving my child that experience and all the tools for a successful future is worth more than any other investment I could make with my money. I struggle to do it, but see on a daily basis that it is worth every cent.
The private grads had a different college experience. We were better prepared academically. Our transition from senior year of high school to freshman year in college was less stressful and more confident. We stayed in college and went straight through. Although my brothers who went public did get college degrees, none of them went straight through. The private attendees have much greater ties today to their schools, the relationships they built, and the experience they had there. My brothers who went to public are not in touch with any of their classmates or former faculty.
Some of the things you pay for simply cannot be expressed easily - they are the intangibles. The incredible sense of belonging to a supportive community that continues past graduation, the making of lifelong relationships, the unified passion for learning, and an atmosphere that encourages and invites students to take risks and try something completely different. Like what? Like the star senior basketball player winning the lead in one of Shakespeare's most difficult plays. Some things are very tangible. The smaller class sizes do make a difference. I took a class in my senior year that shaped my future. There were only five students in that particular class. There were only five students in my son's French class in 7th grade. That's not the norm, but it is a possibility. The norm is still only 13-18 students.
Then there is the dedication and creativity of a faculty that is not bound by union rules or striving to teach to standardized testing. In the school my children attend which has over 1,000 students the teachers not only KNOW all the students, they KNOW them from different perspectives. They are teachers, advisors, coaches, tutors, and true mentors. They WILL meet your child before, during, and after school if that's what it takes to offer help when it is needed. Private schools have control of their curriculum. Most private schools offer excellent college counseling that many parents are now paying a consultant several thousand dollars to provide. It's not just about going to the top colleges, it is about finding the right fit for your child and preparing your child to be successful there. Choosing a private school is also about finding the right fit. They are all different. You have to visit and ask lots of questions. It's about laying a foundation of skills and knowledge that prepares them for college and for life. It's about inspiring a love of school and learning. It's about a meaningful mission statement that the whole community strives daily to fulfill, it's about character building, honor codes, and truly attending to every stage your child's development from k-12. It's about KNOWING your child so well that a teacher can recognize untapped talent and suggest that a student try something they would never have thought to try. It's about making an investment now in nature's greatest gift, your child. Personally, giving my child that experience and all the tools for a successful future is worth more than any other investment I could make with my money. I struggle to do it, but see on a daily basis that it is worth every cent.