Anonymous
03/01/2025 17:07
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Depending on what you are looking for, EH is going to be similar size to SH by next year - their enrollment was 415 this year, and due to a smaller 8th grade class that is moving to high school this summer, their projected enrollment is 500+ for next year. IMO, higher enrollment does mean things are a bit busier, but it also means more funding, more clubs and sports, more advanced classes, and more electives/arts.
Zero chance I’d choose EH over SH and OP isn’t even asking about EH.
... The subject of the thread mentions Eliot Hine as a consideration...
OP here. Yes...I am thinking EH but am primarily interested in the other two. Happy to get impressions of EH as well however.
It's okay to Latin Boost. To be honest, I would love to send my kid to Latin - I think it would be a great fit and would take care of the high school problem. But I'm being realistic about our lottery chances for an only child with no sibling preference and no equitable access preference. I am not anti-Basis by any means, it's been great for some of my friends' kids. But I don't think it's the right fit for my particular kid.
I am not counting on application high schools since yes, my kid is fairly smart but not a genius. But I wouldn't totally count them out either. Kid is still in ES (obviously) but I imagine will apply when the time comes. We are saving for private as a high school backup, but are trying to avoid going that route for middle if possible. We live in center city so SH and Francis are both commutable to. My impression is that both are worth a serious look. Curious if a) that's true and b) one is preferable to the other?
Thank you for the answers - keep them coming!
I know there’s a website somewhere that shows how many kids are in DC at various ages. My impression is that depending on the ages of your kids, the Latin lottery may be easier than it was for those of us who already went through the lottery because many people moved out of DC during the pandemic, and also fewer people are choosing to raise kids in DC
Anonymous
03/01/2025 16:59
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Depending on what you are looking for, EH is going to be similar size to SH by next year - their enrollment was 415 this year, and due to a smaller 8th grade class that is moving to high school this summer, their projected enrollment is 500+ for next year. IMO, higher enrollment does mean things are a bit busier, but it also means more funding, more clubs and sports, more advanced classes, and more electives/arts.
Zero chance I’d choose EH over SH and OP isn’t even asking about EH.
... The subject of the thread mentions Eliot Hine as a consideration...
OP here. Yes...I am thinking EH but am primarily interested in the other two. Happy to get impressions of EH as well however.
It's okay to Latin Boost. To be honest, I would love to send my kid to Latin - I think it would be a great fit and would take care of the high school problem. But I'm being realistic about our lottery chances for an only child with no sibling preference and no equitable access preference. I am not anti-Basis by any means, it's been great for some of my friends' kids. But I don't think it's the right fit for my particular kid.
I am not counting on application high schools since yes, my kid is fairly smart but not a genius. But I wouldn't totally count them out either. Kid is still in ES (obviously) but I imagine will apply when the time comes. We are saving for private as a high school backup, but are trying to avoid going that route for middle if possible. We live in center city so SH and Francis are both commutable to. My impression is that both are worth a serious look. Curious if a) that's true and b) one is preferable to the other?
Thank you for the answers - keep them coming!
I prefer SH. Harder classes than Francis, and you would have Eastern as a backup high school, instead of Cardozo.
The only tricky thing is that Francis is on an upward trajectory, so it's harder to say which will be better in 5 years.
Anonymous
03/01/2025 16:40
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Depending on what you are looking for, EH is going to be similar size to SH by next year - their enrollment was 415 this year, and due to a smaller 8th grade class that is moving to high school this summer, their projected enrollment is 500+ for next year. IMO, higher enrollment does mean things are a bit busier, but it also means more funding, more clubs and sports, more advanced classes, and more electives/arts.
Zero chance I’d choose EH over SH and OP isn’t even asking about EH.
... The subject of the thread mentions Eliot Hine as a consideration...
OP here. Yes...I am thinking EH but am primarily interested in the other two. Happy to get impressions of EH as well however.
It's okay to Latin Boost. To be honest, I would love to send my kid to Latin - I think it would be a great fit and would take care of the high school problem. But I'm being realistic about our lottery chances for an only child with no sibling preference and no equitable access preference. I am not anti-Basis by any means, it's been great for some of my friends' kids. But I don't think it's the right fit for my particular kid.
I am not counting on application high schools since yes, my kid is fairly smart but not a genius. But I wouldn't totally count them out either. Kid is still in ES (obviously) but I imagine will apply when the time comes. We are saving for private as a high school backup, but are trying to avoid going that route for middle if possible. We live in center city so SH and Francis are both commutable to. My impression is that both are worth a serious look. Curious if a) that's true and b) one is preferable to the other?
Thank you for the answers - keep them coming!
Anonymous
03/01/2025 10:00
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Depending on what you are looking for, EH is going to be similar size to SH by next year - their enrollment was 415 this year, and due to a smaller 8th grade class that is moving to high school this summer, their projected enrollment is 500+ for next year. IMO, higher enrollment does mean things are a bit busier, but it also means more funding, more clubs and sports, more advanced classes, and more electives/arts.
Zero chance I’d choose EH over SH and OP isn’t even asking about EH.
... The subject of the thread mentions Eliot Hine as a consideration...
Anonymous
03/01/2025 09:44
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Because you have a tiny chance of getting into Latin and there are no ES steps you can take to plan for Latin. Weird pointless Latin boostering in a thread where it’s utterly irrelevant.
Yeah, just mentioning it because we were in the exact same situation (Cardozo high feeder) and would never have moved elementary schools for either SH or Francis -- they simply aren't good enough. We would have gone if we hadn't gotten into a better school (BASIS Latin Hardy Deal), but luckily in the 5th grade lottery, my kid got a spot at one of those.
(Especially since for an "above average but not stellar student" you should not count getting into any application school. This OP needs to get a default path through high school for her kid.)
Anonymous
03/01/2025 09:41
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Because you have a tiny chance of getting into Latin and there are no ES steps you can take to plan for Latin. Weird pointless Latin boostering in a thread where it’s utterly irrelevant.
Yeah, just mentioning it because we were in the exact same situation (Cardozo high feeder) and would never have moved elementary schools for either SH or Francis -- they simply aren't good enough. We would have gone if we hadn't gotten into a better school (BASIS Latin Hardy Deal), but luckily in the 5th grade lottery, my kid got a spot at one of those.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 22:06
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Because you have a tiny chance of getting into Latin and there are no ES steps you can take to plan for Latin. Weird pointless Latin boostering in a thread where it’s utterly irrelevant.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 22:04
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Depending on what you are looking for, EH is going to be similar size to SH by next year - their enrollment was 415 this year, and due to a smaller 8th grade class that is moving to high school this summer, their projected enrollment is 500+ for next year. IMO, higher enrollment does mean things are a bit busier, but it also means more funding, more clubs and sports, more advanced classes, and more electives/arts.
Zero chance I’d choose EH over SH and OP isn’t even asking about EH.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 22:03
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Stuart Hobson is, I think, clearly preferable for a strong student or one interested in the arts. I have a very strong student girl who is into music and it’s been a great fit. For a shy student or one who gets easily overwhelmed, Francis may have an advantage.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 15:16
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Depending on what you are looking for, EH is going to be similar size to SH by next year - their enrollment was 415 this year, and due to a smaller 8th grade class that is moving to high school this summer, their projected enrollment is 500+ for next year. IMO, higher enrollment does mean things are a bit busier, but it also means more funding, more clubs and sports, more advanced classes, and more electives/arts.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 13:34
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Any reason you aren't considering Latin, which is probably the best middle school for an "above average but not stellar student"? We aren't there btw, but have been through this decision (also zoned for Cardozo high) and if you were my friend (maybe you are!), that would be my recommendation.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
For Francis vs SH -- SH has better academics at the top end (Geometry and National History Day), but Francis is smaller and maybe a less chaotic environment? And there is more buy-in every year from engaged parents and a push for stronger advanced work. So there is some hope for that.
We were at a Francis feeder and my main reservation with it is that they are way too dependent on screens and apps.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 13:10
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Thank you for this question. I am also curious to learn more about families’s experiences and opinions about Francis Middle School culture, academic rigor, and their after school clubs (gardening?) etc.. Thank you.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 12:48
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Anonymous wrote:A big difference is the size...150 kids per grade at SH and about a third of that at Francis.
It's more like half as many kids per grade at Francis
Anonymous
02/28/2025 12:46
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
A big difference is the size...150 kids per grade at SH and about a third of that at Francis.
Anonymous
02/28/2025 12:42
Subject: John Francis Middle vs. Stuart Hobson (or maybe Eliot Hine)
Considering elementary school feeders for both, but elementary school quality not the factor I'm interested in getting feedback on here.
Which middle is best for a somewhat above average but not stellar student? Commute similar either way. Definitely prefer Eastern hands down to Cardozo, but would likely do private or an application high like McKinley over both, so high school isn't a huge factor.
Just curious about people's experiences with these middle schools - which is better run? Which has a better teaching/administrative staff? Which offers more to a sporty kid who isn't a star athlete?
Or is it pretty much a wash? I hear mostly good things about both, tho I've also gotten some negative feedback on both.
Which middle is best for a somewhat above average but not stellar student? Commute similar either way. Definitely prefer Eastern hands down to Cardozo, but would likely do private or an application high like McKinley over both, so high school isn't a huge factor.
Just curious about people's experiences with these middle schools - which is better run? Which has a better teaching/administrative staff? Which offers more to a sporty kid who isn't a star athlete?
Or is it pretty much a wash? I hear mostly good things about both, tho I've also gotten some negative feedback on both.