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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thanks for these answers! Am I right that "Blair or TJ (if math and science interest), OR RMIB, Walls, Stanford Online" are all high school options?

Would be interested to know what the academically outstanding elementary schools are. I like what I am seeing about "personalized instruction" at Maret but hard to tell if what's in brochures is just marketing. Since I wasn't raised in DC I'm curious for the informal knowledge/reputation. Thanks for the help.

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You're not getting it. There exists ZERO school that will boast about its advanced academic curriculum for its early grades. It's not done. They want children to "develop at their pace" and "have fun".

Please understand this in the right context. At the secondary level, this area, like all wealthy and educated metropolitan areas, turns into a cutthroat competitive environment where ambitious parents push their kids to take the most advanced classes to create the best profile for very selective colleges. Some families strategize from 6th grade onwards. So schools do their best to tone all that down and pretend they're relaxed, at least during the elementary years. Otherwise the race would be on, like it is in NYC, from birth. DC doesn't want to be like NY.

So behind this relaxed facade, what you have are some parents who truly buy into the "learn at their own pace" schtick; some parents who know there's going to be an arms race later, are resigned to it and try to have fun before it starts; and some parents who are chomping at the bit to push their kids as soon as possible (including a few who have naturally precocious children who need academic challenge). But if you walk into an Open House, are you going to see that breakdown? Of course not! The veneer of sunshine and rainbows will be on full display.

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