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Schools and Education General Discussion
Saint Stephens and Saint Agnes School
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Anonymous
| Does anyone have any experiences or thoughts they would like to share? Thanks. |
Anonymous
| I can only tell you what I ahve heard word of mouth as DC is not yet old enough to attend. PArents we know who ahve children there think it is wonderful. |
Anonymous
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No clue who these responders are, but not much different than the anonymous nature of DCUM.
http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/va/private/2089 |
Anonymous
| I have a few friends that attend and know of of few that pulled children out. My take on the whole thing is children are very progressive there, not just in education. If you want your child to stay a child for a while this is not the school for you. Again, this is just what I have heard. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks so much for the responses so far. Based on what I've heard about the school through other sources, I'm really surprised by the last poster's comments about the kids being "progressive," and about wanting our child to stay a child. Do you have any more detail? If anything, I had been concerned that the school was a bit more structured and socially conservative than we might like. Could either the PP or anyone else provide any further insights? I appreciate it. |
Anonymous
| I think by "progressive" maybe the poster means precocious? |
Anonymous
| I don't think she knows what she means.... |
Anonymous
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I am friends with a graduate of St. Agnes and she's driven, smart as heck and grew up to be a West Coast-type internet entrepreneur. Has started a couple of web 2.0 companies with her husband.
Anyway, she said it was a great school and opened doors for her, whatever that means. She went there in the 80s. |
melissau
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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 |
Anonymous
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Bumping this thread because we were accepted at St. Stephens yesterday and want to get some additional thoughts/experiences/etc. regarding the school that people would like to share.
Thanks in advance! |
Anonymous
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I am interested in the replies as well. I have a pre-schooler and live right down the road from there and have heard good things about the school. I am confused by the "junior kindergarten" though -- the website says it is for fall birthdays. Does that mean my son (march b-day) should wait to apply for kindergarten, and not junior kindergarten? I want to apply at the earliest entry point to increase our chances of getting a spot.
also, I am new to the area so I am pretty clueless about all of this-- is it hard to get into? I keep reading all these posts about sidwell, etc -- is it competitive like that? |
Anonymous
| It means your child must be four by September 30 to apply for JK. The application process begins in January. If your child is four in March, you could start the application process in January while he/she is still 3. |
Anonymous
| bump |