Reply to Parent Culture at Sidwell vs. GDS (Upper School)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We are looking at these two schools, and are wondering about the parent culture at the upper school level.

We hear that GDS is more warm and welcoming and that Sidwell tends to have more cutthroat, competitive parents.  If it is true of Sidwell, it's disappointing.  In most ways, Sidwell's culture speaks to us a bit more than GDS.  We like the spiritual dimension and the Quaker idea of "that of God in everyone."

I know the standard advice is to go talk to real people, but unfortunately the people the admissions office connects you to tend to be the school boosters.  Rarely do admissions staff connect prospective parents to people who have more nuanced or ambivalent feelings.

In search of more honest opinions, it would be awesome to hear from current parents on how they feel about the parent cultures at the GDS and Sidwell upper schools.  I'd really like to hear from two-income working parents who are not uber wealthy.

We're coming from a school that has a warm and supportive culture for both kids and parents.  Would love to find a similar environment for upper school.  [/quote]

SFS lifers - you'll be just fine and people are welcoming and want all the kids to do well.

Just a quick word on "spiritual dimension". That's great it came through loud and clear at the events, but upper school is really busy and intense and the Quaker aspects that were well-threaded through PK-8 are harder to come by in 9-12 no matter what the school does. Time demands are big, and the big inflow of new students dilutes some aspects of the culture.

Both schools have visible social justice angles and not-so visible capitalists. [/quote]

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