Reply to Are scholarship kids treated different at top privates?

Forum Index » Private & Independent Schools

Reply to "Are scholarship kids treated different at top privates?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think that most people know at my children's school. First, you know if you volunteer on certain committees, like the annual giving fund. Not only that, but you know how much each family has donated in the past several years. It makes me a little queasy.

More than that, people pay a lot of attention to the children who go to aftercare. I've heard dozens of comments like, "I have so-and-so over for many playdates after school because I just feel so HORRIBLE that she's at the school for 12 hours a day. . . ."

I don't think the teachers treat the children differently, but there is a LOT of conspicuous consumption at my children's private school, and it's supposedly the down-to-earth school.

In all, it's tough. But it's also tough for us - people who sacrifice to send our kids there without FA. We simply don't have the wealth that most other families have. I notice it, and it's exhausting. My children are beginning to notice it too.

I don't know if it's worth it. Time will tell. 
[/quote]

I think this varies by school. At my kids K-8 I was on the Board of Trustees and led Annual Giving and had no information about who was on aid.  Yes, the donation levels are public but there are plenty of wealthy people who chose not to give a lot so I wouldn't make any assumptions based on that.

The aftercare comment is odd too. My kids were always in aftercare. We have very high household income and were big donors.  Many of the kids in aftercare had parents in high powered jobs. I would never assume that just because someone was in aftercare that they were on aid. Never occurred to me. [/quote]

When my family used aftercare we didn't notice that the children with nannies/HHI attended.  This probably also depends on the age of the child and varies by the school's culture.

Annual Giving - I wonder how the "ask" is decided upon on the first year of giving.  Certainly, the annual giving committee isn't asking each family for $50.  The peer-parents who are sending out annual giving letters or making annual giving calls are aware of each family's giving levels, top to bottom.  Surely they can assume based upon the first year's giving levels who is receiving aid.  Peer parents, who are chairing the annual giving campaign at our school, have access overall to who is giving what and can assume how deep or empty pockets  are based upon their perception of lifestyle, profession, and neighborhood-home ownership.  The development office provides additional details, confidentially, of course.[/quote]

I think it probably does vary by the school's culture so maybe something to be aware of in finding a good fit for a school.  At our school many/most families with 2 working parents used the aftercare program regardless of HHI.  Probably 75% of my DCs class was in aftercare for at least part of the time, mine were there until 6 pm every day.  We never had a nanny, and obviously I didn't stay home (that's where our high HHI comes from), so kids were always in day care/aftercare.

As to the ask, at least at our school that was developed by the Development Office.  The parents would see the ask amount if they were doing the phonathon but that's it.  I suppose people can make all the assumptions they like about that but I have found that assumptions are very often wrong.  The public disclosures are also pretty limited in terms of details.  Yes it identifies the big donors but it usually cuts off at $500or $1000 so reading the report you don't know if someone gave $500 or $5.

Other schools may very well be different.
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics