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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Man 7 pages trying to convince everyone it’s a happy place. Yipes[/quote]

I’d like to point out that saying ‘I wouldn’t describe Sidwell as a happy place ‘ is not the same as saying ‘ Sidwell is a miserable place. ‘

It’s an intense culture from student and from teachers - and it does not equate to a happy, joyous culture. If you are looking for genuine fun mixed into high level academics it’s not the place. Other do this balance better. In my opinion the intensity is higher than needed but it’s not going to change - it is what it is and the school will be the first to say a certain type thrives there.  (And if argue their definition of thrive is weighted more to academic outcome than to whole child growth)

Some kids self select into this by being intense themselves. Families self select into it by placing a perception of seriousness equals better academics or by merely chasing prestige. Teachers self select by wanting also wanting prestige and then some by competing to have hardest class label. Not every student, family, teacher fits into the above description of the self selection category but placing enough of these types all into the equation has an outcome. It’s not one of happiness. But it doesn’t mean every is miserable either.

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Sidwell is not a prison. Everyone who is there is choosing to be there…unless and until they leave. If you choose to stay, and you’re unhappy with the school culture, that’s on you. [/quote]

You fail to understand- ‘saying you wouldn’t describe Sidwell as a happy place’ doesn’t mean it’s a miserable place. It’s a serious place. And who said I was unhappy ? Our child chose it for a reason and succeeded - and would choose again - they would not describe it as a ‘happy place’.  [/quote]

Some students, including my daughter, would describe Sidwell as both a happy and academically challenging place. Comments, such as yours, fail to acknowledge that two things can be true at the same time. There are students who are happiest in serious and academically challenging environments. For my daughter, Sidwell is her happy place. She is not alone.[/quote]

❤️[/quote]

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