Anonymous wrote:Its heavy on Judaism. Not as inclusive as we hoped

It's a Jewish day school. What did you expect other than a heavy emphasis on Judaism?

Its heavy on Judaism. Not as inclusive as we hoped

I had 1 kid there who did well and this is my take: Milton is a warm private school where teachers know all the kids but it caters best to kids who are already succeeding. If your child is not a strong student, or struggles with anxiety, ADHD, or similar things, then it is probably not the right school. A fair number of people I know end up removing their kids. There also have been issues with bullying in upper grades that weren't handled well.

Our kids go to Milton and we have experience with MCPS along with other private schools. Milton is light years above other options academically. Most grades have 3 classes allowing for children to mix socially. Our children all read full textbooks (whereas MCPS has moved to text excerpts), math is also tracked by ability and teachers are excellent at every level. Yes there are Jewish-based studies and Hebrew language but these add to the academics and in no way reduce the focus on science, math, or reading. There is a wide diversity of religious observance and political affiliation -- which is rare in a DC private school and refreshing. Lots of social activities and opportunities to volunteer.

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend that is took her DC out after several years, they didn't like the parents at all and felt it was too small. They did like the classes and teachers though, but it felt stifling to them and DC.

It is a somewhat smaller school with fewer than 60 students per grade, though that’s not terribly unusual for local privates. I find the parents to be a bright spot. Having worked in private schools, the Milton parents seem remarkably pleasant and community oriented. Since many families live near each other and attend the same synagogues, there’s a lot of incentive to keep interactions low drama.

I have a friend that is took her DC out after several years, they didn't like the parents at all and felt it was too small. They did like the classes and teachers though, but it felt stifling to them and DC.

It was a genius naming move. You can have cred with the Jewish community or slip into the elite boarding school community if you want.

One important note is that school takes Judaism seriously. There's Torah study, Hebrew class, and prayer every day. That time has to come out of other subjects. It made me wonder if my child would fall behind in the 3R's.

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks for the feedback! ...and chuckles. DS was spared the name of Milton!

Sorry- I should have clarified- the school is Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School here in DC.

Ha! I was the one who'd initially confused it with Milton Academy. Rest assured, I've also heard lovely things about Milton here in DC!

OP here- thanks for the feedback! ...and chuckles. DS was spared the name of Milton!

Sorry- I should have clarified- the school is Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School here in DC.

Anonymous wrote:I thought you were talking about the school in Massachusetts at first! I've heard lovely things about it. They send their graduates to a wide array of schools, so I think your kid will be challenged academically.

Me too! Milton in MA is a terrific school.

I thought you were talking about the school in Massachusetts at first! I've heard lovely things about it. They send their graduates to a wide array of schools, so I think your kid will be challenged academically.

It's a terrible name. Please give your baby a more up-to-date name than that!

It is such a lovely school!

I would characterize the academics as balanced. It’s not a pressure cooker like a big 3/5 school, but there is enough academic rigor to keep bright students engaged. For math and Hebrew, students are grouped by ability by the 3rd grade. Most math students use Math in Focus, and the advanced students use Beast Academy. In General Studies students learn research skills from an early age, and writing is a regular part of both language arts and social studies activities. There is a fair amount of project-based learning, which the kids seem to like. A unique offering of the school is design lab. In this regular special students learn problem solving skills in a maker space-type environment. I also appreciate that students get lots of opportunity for regular movement—recess, PE, and Israeli dance.

Anyone have knowledge/thoughts about how academics at Milton compares to some of the other private schools around the area? We're considering applying there in addition to some of the more well known non-sectarian schools. Obviously the Jewish Day School aspect is different from the other schools--but I'd love to know some other folks' experiences with the school. Friends of ours who have kids there seemed to just apply there because they wanted to send their kid to Jewish Day School. While we are interested in Milton because of that, we also are considering other privates. Thanks!