Anonymous wrote:Learn to take yourself, and your child, very, very seriously. Absolutely no humor permitted in your life at all now, especially when it comes to discussing "the B."

Still bitter about that rejection letter I see? Don't you think it is time now to get over your anger with Beauvoir and move on? Yes, it is the hardest school in DC to get into so obviously there will be many people rejected and unfortunately many haters who have a vengeance against the school so they start all sorts of threads filled with untruths. You may want to consider seeing a therapist for your anger issues - really b/c it is not normal.

(1) If you want to enjoy your child's Beauvoir experience, don't read this board.

(2) Yes to volunteering in the classroom. Just so you know how it's done, on back to school night, they will put out sign up sheets for everything: Lunch helper, morning reader, field trips, etc. I think some of the greatest things to sign up for are the class parties (halloween, December, Valentines day, end of year). I usually did a craft in the classroom, and I really got to know all the kids in the class that way (for sure I signed up for one party each year).

(3) Don't EVER do carpool for pickup. Not only is it faster to do walk in, you get to see what has happened that day in the class by walking in. It's a great way to feel connected.

Learn to take yourself, and your child, very, very seriously. Absolutely no humor permitted in your life at all now, especially when it comes to discussing "the B."

If both parents work and you find it hard to make it to any school time events, make one event a priority - Bookfair. It is really noticable when kids don't have a parent there with them. Also if you cannot make it, let someone know and they will assign an adult to walk around with your child.

Alum family that still smiles whenever we hear about Beauvoir. Phenomenal learning and social environment. Faculty, staff, families, just top notch! I really enjoyed reading to the class. I would just say to volunteer in the classroom as much and as often as you can. I'm a working mom and still made the time.

Enjoy Beauvoir!

Welcome! It's a great place. You will get a call from a buddy family and do use them as a resource for any questions you have over the summer!

how about make sure to not let your kid go to the potty without sweeping the area for any video devices first?

Anonymous wrote:The Beauvoir secret handshake and code will only be revealed to you during your second year. We can't trust it to newcomers....

Done during a ritualistic cleansing, where the newly initiated must don hooded lime green robes (so Big Bows must be removed) and cite the Beauvoir Life Principles, while ingesting lobster rolls . . . .

My best piece of advice - ignore nearly all of the Beauvoir-related posts on DCUM. Most are from rabid lovers and haters. Both of the species are repulsive, and possibly even crazy.

The Beauvoir secret handshake and code will only be revealed to you during your second year. We can't trust it to newcomers....

carpool line gets much better as the year goes along - people seem to spread out when they arrive (some coming at 2:40 to be first in line; others arriving at 3:15...)

we love beauvoir - but i can't think of any great tips right now!

Sounds like practical advice for going to any school. But #1 re: carpool at pickup is definitely true! Walking in is so much faster than the darn carpool line.

Welcome!
Current Beauvoir mom here. Practical things I wish I'd known:

1) walk-in (classroom) pick-up is MUCH easier than carpool during the first few weeks of school when everyone is getting used to the afternoon pick-up system. Plus, it's fun to familiarize yourself with new faces at the school. Also, since you've already parked the car, consider going to the school's playground after dismissal. Many families do this and it's a great way to meet other folks. (Make sure you bring snack--the kids are ravenous at the end of the school day--more on this later)

2) dress your kids in practical, casual, washable clothes and sneakers or other rubber soled shoes. They get very dirty (paint, dirt, food splatters) during the school day. The only exception is for days when there is a Chapel service (about 3 times a year).

3) pay attention to what days your kids have PE--if they're not in sneakers that day (one of my kids went through a Crocs only phase) it will be harder to participate fully in PE

4) feed your kids a nutritious breakfast. the school tries to balance kid-pleasing foods with nutritious options, and there is usually a parents meeting at the start of the year to gauge parent preferences on the menu. In addition to the "real" offerings (protein entree, hot veg, hot starch) there is salad, cheese slices, turkey, PBJ and plain jelly sandwiches at every meal. BUT, kids are kids and when left to make their own choices, let's just say my kids eat a lot of PBJ at school instead of trying the asparagus. So we may take a supplemental cheese stick or yogurt tube in the car and then load up on fresh fruits and veggies at breakfast and dinner.

5) Volunteer--it's a great way to meet people and play a role in the school. They have opportunities for everyone, from weekly commitments to one-off opportunities where you can help out for 15-20 minutes (e.g., stapling artwork to a wall for an art teacher)

6) recognize that most families are pretty laid back and friendly!

I don't think there are any secrets or bits of advice except just be yourself and you will be fine. Not sure if all of these Beauvoir questions are coming from the same person, but the best resources are to ask other parents at the school. (You can't be sure that posters on here are actually Beauvoir parents). You can call the admissions office to ask for parents to speak with. Good luck!

Are there really secrets to going to these schools? We attend a second-tier school, and I don't feel like I know any special things that aren't told to the new parents. The only things I can think of are "make sure and enter from this road at carpool time" and "remember to bake the birthday cupcakes from scratch because of the nut allergies".

It sounds like you're very anxious about it - don't you think there will be lots of other new families in the same boat - the fun part is meeting each other and figuring out your new school together. Our school has several social events during the summer and at the beginning of school so the kids and parents get more comfortable there.

I know there are many Beauvoir threads out there. I spent hours wading through the morass, and still found little in the form of good, practical advice. So here, goes. If you are a current or recently former B family, please let us know what you wish you had known when you first started. Any other practical advice would be appreciated.

TIA.