Reply to Country Day School of Mclean vs Langley School (preschool program)

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[quote=Anonymous]CDS K Parent here.

CDS is, in many ways, an amazing place.  It's true, though, that there have been some challenges with the school recently so I'll do my best to offer a balanced view, as well as provide some comparisons to Langley's program.  (I looked at Langley as well and have several friends there, so comparisons are informed, but not first-hand.)

As others have discussed previously, the outdoor spaces and parent community at CDS are incredible.  The best aspect, though, in my view, is that it is consistently a warm, loving, happy place.  Teachers and staff are always smiling and my DC LOVES school, has lots of friends, and the school does an outstanding job of preparing young children to learn and respect class routines, treat each other with kindness, and put forth one's best efforts.  The school overall effectively uses positive discipline with the kids and models appropriate behavior.

The school prioritizes lots of open play and physical activity, which I believe many preschools in the area fail to do, and I think is critically important for young children.  My DC was on the slower end of the curve to walk and climb, etc and now is becoming a passionate athlete.  I attribute much of that to all the wonderful outdoor time at CDS.  The school also is developmentally appropriate for all needs of children.  There is NO problem coming into the school with a child that isn't potty trained, which IMO, is appropriate.  All kids develop on their own timetables and CDS is GREAT about supporting that.  The parent/curriculum resource is fantastic, helping families manage any issue with their child (potty training, behavior, LD, whatever).

Langley, I've heard, offers less outdoor/open play time.  I don't know about parent support but the LS head seems strong so I imagine the support is there if needed.

CDS is very careful with all medical conditions, food allergies, and the like.  Staff is well-trained to handle emergencies and the school is well-organized.  As with all schools, probably, the school could be a bit better explaining all the traditions and activities to new families. Snacks also could be better/more varied (often Goldfish and apples).

As for the academics, CDS seems less rigorous than Langley, at least with reading.  As an example, the Letterland language arts curriculum is used at both schools.  At Langley, LL is introduced in the 3s, whereas at CDS it is introduced at the 4s classes.  In a side-by side comparison of K with Langley friends, Langley was blending letters and writing more in journals when CDS K was still going through individual Letterland letters.  In addition, Langley appears to differentiate more in terms of offering challenges, assessing children, etc and also appears to offer more specialist support.

One frustration with CDS is that there really needs to be an additional language arts specialist.  She's great, but focuses her time on working with the advanced readers and the struggling ones in K.  The ones in the middle stay with their main teachers.  She also works with all of the 4s classes so is just spread really thin. It's my understanding that the need for an additional language specialist was raised last year by the frustrated K parents, and that issue has not been addressed this year either.

As with most traditional schools, CDS uses packaged curriculums and tailors somewhat.  Personally I think the curriculum could be richer than it is, especially with science.  The natural habitats around the school offer so many opportunities to observe and interact with wildlife.  While open playground play is so important, I have observed the teachers chit-chatting on the grounds and wonder if they are attuned to moments when they could highlight nature, bring into the classroom, etc.   Along those lines, I'd like to see the teachers spending more time building on teachable moments/inquiry-based work, rather than "teaching a lesson to" kids. Much of the recent research on early childhood development shows that children (really, everyone) learn best when they have some role in shaping what they are learning.

The K staff had a major overall last year, and the school also changed the curriculum quite a bit, presumably in response to the upset parents last year.  It's too soon for me to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum in terms of prep for elementary,  but I will say that our year has improved quite a bit since the beginning of the year.  The school IMO did not do a fantastic job of assimilating all the new staff (K and earlier classes from what I have heard from friends) into CDS's culture, traditions/events.  In K, the teachers seemed a bit lost (and disorganized) at first, but they have since gotten their footing and communications and planning have improved.

Class sizes in K are very small (I think under 12 for each of the three classes, each with 2 teachers) but are very boy-heavy.  I think all the classes have at 7-8 boys.  Earlier in the year, especially, the teachers seemed to struggle in managing the dynamic of lots of rambunctious boys.  It's my understanding that this was also a concern last year. There also was some inconsistency in discipline approaches across the K classes.  I will say, however, that I do think the teachers are doing a better job and are quicker to intervene when a child is disruptive.

On a really positive note, the K teachers have recently been introducing innovative and exciting social studies units to the children.  They all went to Great Falls to learn about community helpers, visiting local businesses and learning more about how a community functions.  It was excellent.  Last week, the staff took the children to the National Gallery, where a parent took the children on a tour, highlighting the works of artists that the children have been learning about in art class.  The children made their own art next to one of the exhibits (Matisse, I believe) and then did a bus tour of DC, where the children did a scavenger hunt of landmarks and learned more about the city.  Really, really great.  I'm also generally observing more project work and journaling recently in the classroom, more opportunities for ideas and creativity and writing.

In terms of leadership, I've heard mixed feedback on the head of school at Langley and great things about the LS head at Langley. The head of school at CDS is relatively new - started a few years ago - and can be a bit polarizing with parents, and it is rumored, with staff.   The transition with the new staff this year hasn't been as smooth as it should have been, and some of the parents have been disappointed with the new hires.   Our experience in K has turned around quite a bit for the positive (after a rocky start), but I'll be honest that many parents are concerned that the head isn't on top of things.  The school has made several renovations in recent years, and while needed, they have been a major distraction for her.

In the final analysis,  CDS and Langley are both very good schools.  Langley is quite a bit more expensive but offers more classroom time, more academic rigor, more differentiation, and more specialist support.  CDS has more of a developmental approach, emphasizing an individual child's timetable a bit more.  It has been a good fit more my DC who is very bright but needs to do EVERYTHING only when emotionally ready.  I do hope that  the school/leadership does learn to be more reflective, open to outside ideas and best practices from other schools, and responsive to feedback from parents.

In evaluating the two options, it also is important to think about your elementary plans a bit, especially if you think you may want to go to private school.   If have a child (especially boy) with a summer b'day I'd probably go to CDS, as I think it offers the most flexibility, as you can do the transitional K and then repeat K in public school or private school if that is right for your DC.  It also can buy you a second year at applying to the privates if your DC doesn't get in the first time if you apply in the 4s.

If you apply to Langley - which also has the reputation of being a fantastic community - the bonus is that you can stay all the way through 8th grade.  There are lots of benefits with a K-8 education, and if your public options aren't great at the MS level especially, that should be a factor for you.

If you are interested in Potomac for the lower grades, CDS is a good place to be. CDS is considered somewhat of a "feeder" school to Potomac, but there are many CDS families that ultimately end up at Langley as well.

Hope this helps.

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