Anonymous wrote:I think you’ll have to call around so you can explain the specifics of your situation. We moved to the area when my daughter was entering 8th grade. Apparently it’s a thing around here where parents will try to only pay for Catholic 7th and/or 8th grade in the hope that it will help them get into a Catholic high school. We got the cold shoulder from several schools until we found one that was very warm and welcoming. Good luck.

It's a thing because FCPS middle school is only 7th and 8th grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our does because the rising 7th grade is a small grade. Other grades have more kids. It really depends.
Ours has 4 math levels starting in MS and my kid is on grade level math but the higher of those 2 groups. She had 9 kids in her math group last year, it was awesome.
We had 4 kids join in 6th from public school for MS.

What school?

I think we may be at the same school. My dc was in the bottom half of the math groups and had 11 kids in class. I love the small math classes. I think 7th has some openings because that class had a large group of boys who left for mater dei in 5th grade and still haven’t filled in those spots.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our does because the rising 7th grade is a small grade. Other grades have more kids. It really depends.
Ours has 4 math levels starting in MS and my kid is on grade level math but the higher of those 2 groups. She had 9 kids in her math group last year, it was awesome.
We had 4 kids join in 6th from public school for MS.

What school?

Forcey Christian School in Silver Spring

I think you’ll have to call around so you can explain the specifics of your situation. We moved to the area when my daughter was entering 8th grade. Apparently it’s a thing around here where parents will try to only pay for Catholic 7th and/or 8th grade in the hope that it will help them get into a Catholic high school. We got the cold shoulder from several schools until we found one that was very warm and welcoming. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:Our does because the rising 7th grade is a small grade. Other grades have more kids. It really depends.
Ours has 4 math levels starting in MS and my kid is on grade level math but the higher of those 2 groups. She had 9 kids in her math group last year, it was awesome.
We had 4 kids join in 6th from public school for MS.

What school?

Anonymous wrote:is there any DC parochial which would have a spot for a 7th grader with good grades but not advanced math? The experience in public middle has been disappointing.

Try Christ Episcopal School but call Monday morning and see.

Our does because the rising 7th grade is a small grade. Other grades have more kids. It really depends.
Ours has 4 math levels starting in MS and my kid is on grade level math but the higher of those 2 groups. She had 9 kids in her math group last year, it was awesome.
We had 4 kids join in 6th from public school for MS.

Where? Would you really enroll in Arlington? Rockville? Woodbridge?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Call them, all of k-8 have retention issues in the later years.

No they don’t. That would be a school-specific issue. Many have waiting lists, even in the upper grades.

It depends on the school, of course. Demand and Waiting Lists are longer for some than others.

But demand for spots comes from those who applied earlier bit were rejected or waitlisted, families relocating to the area with older children and from those who are attempting to leave the public schools. The latter group see the Catholic schools as a lower cost private.

Slots open up when families are transferred out of the area or the school is not seen to meet their needs, But it always seems that people looking for spots outnumber those who are giving them up,

^ *isn’t* going to know

Your best bet is to just start calling. DCUM is y going to know for sure. Even schools with waiting lists have been known to make room for an off-cycle admit if it’s the right kid in the right circumstances.

Anonymous wrote:Call them, all of k-8 have retention issues in the later years.

No they don’t. That would be a school-specific issue. Many have waiting lists, even in the upper grades.

Call them, all of k-8 have retention issues in the later years.

And that's your only reason for wanting to move your DC to a Catholic school?

is there any DC parochial which would have a spot for a 7th grader with good grades but not advanced math? The experience in public middle has been disappointing.