Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does flint hill offer a nurturing supportive environment?

Potomac hands down over Flint Hill.

Potomac is the opposite of nurturing and supportive. It’s a pressure cooker and they pride themselves on that.

I know people like to talk about that and maybe for some it is. For our family and a close friend's kids it was not. Our kids were not top of the class and we put no pressure on them for a certain level of college acceptance. The LOVED their experience at Potomac. It really can be about so much more than academics if you choose to look at it that way. Our kids loved the sports, arts, clubs, community feel, school spirit, the teachers and staff, and the opportunities for fabulous assemblies, trips, and all of the fun traditions throughout the year. The teachers were, almost to a person, incredible supportive and willing to give extra help when needed. So here are two other families experiences in when our children never reported feeling like they were in a "pressure cooker." Was it challenging? Yes. Were they well prepared for college? Yes. Did they learn how to be independent learners and to advocate for themselves? Absolutely. No regrets!

Flint Hill has a nurturing environment for most kids and there are so many positives and things we like. However, they are super strict and don't put up with any nonsense so just know that going in. Discipline and consequences are real. Several students expelled quickly from my child's class. Girls have things much easier than boys. The girls dress like slobs and get away with it but boys are much more restricted on what they can wear. Admin has tried to even the playing field on dress code making more gender neutral but it hasn't worked. Also, administration will always take the girls' side on any type of free speech and boys are sick of getting in trouble for everything they say. And, no, I'm not talking about harassment but girls are free to say many things that boys can't say. The boys are stifled and are afraid to say much of anything for fear of getting in trouble. So, for some it's hurting and for others it's constraining.

Anonymous wrote:How do these two schools Art Departments compare?

Flint Hill has a great art program. Excellent studios where students have their area for building their portfolio. Every year some kids go to art schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does flint hill offer a nurturing supportive environment?

Potomac hands down over Flint Hill.

Potomac is the opposite of nurturing and supportive. It’s a pressure cooker and they pride themselves on that.

Anonymous wrote:does flint hill offer a nurturing supportive environment?

Potomac hands down over Flint Hill.

does flint hill offer a nurturing supportive environment?

How do these two schools Art Departments compare?

Anonymous wrote:When we switched our children from Flint Hill to another area private, one of the first differences I noticed was that the teachers looked so much happier at the new private school -- and not a fake, plastered-on smile but genuinely happy. After volunteering at the school and speaking with teachers, I have learned that my initial impressions were correct. The teacher morale at Flint Hill is abysmal due to the administration. Perhaps things will change now that the Upper School and Lower School directors have "retired." They both were in way over their heads, and I hope that positive changes will be made with new administrators put in place. However, I suspect that it will be more of the same thing with just different faces in charge, which is a pity. Flint Hill could be so much more than it is.

We fully agree. FH is so convenient to us, but we chose to drive our DD into MD every day for a better school. We would have loved the convenience of FH, but we weren't going to short change our DD.

When we switched our children from Flint Hill to another area private, one of the first differences I noticed was that the teachers looked so much happier at the new private school -- and not a fake, plastered-on smile but genuinely happy. After volunteering at the school and speaking with teachers, I have learned that my initial impressions were correct. The teacher morale at Flint Hill is abysmal due to the administration. Perhaps things will change now that the Upper School and Lower School directors have "retired." They both were in way over their heads, and I hope that positive changes will be made with new administrators put in place. However, I suspect that it will be more of the same thing with just different faces in charge, which is a pity. Flint Hill could be so much more than it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a parent and teacher at both schools. There are some incredible teachers, students, and families. That said, teacher morale is very low for those that have remained. This is primarily to administrators and how they run things/treat teachers. Grade inflation is rampant as that is what some parents demand. There is a place for your child to excel and to be challenged and successful at each school. However, it is getting harder for colleges to discern the difference between that child and another who is not at that level. To be fair, this is happening at most schools. I would argue Potomac provides a better academic experience but the students struggle more with mental health issues. Flint Hill lost the LS and US head last year and the head of school will be leaving this next year, so I suspect there will be a lot of change in vision in the near future.

I've heard this from multiple families. The kids are pushed so hard, they break. So sad.

What are some examples of how they are pushed? I have a kid with an application in with Potomac now and I’m curious.

Anonymous wrote:I have been a parent and teacher at both schools. There are some incredible teachers, students, and families. That said, teacher morale is very low for those that have remained. This is primarily to administrators and how they run things/treat teachers. Grade inflation is rampant as that is what some parents demand. There is a place for your child to excel and to be challenged and successful at each school. However, it is getting harder for colleges to discern the difference between that child and another who is not at that level. To be fair, this is happening at most schools. I would argue Potomac provides a better academic experience but the students struggle more with mental health issues. Flint Hill lost the LS and US head last year and the head of school will be leaving this next year, so I suspect there will be a lot of change in vision in the near future.

I've heard this from multiple families. The kids are pushed so hard, they break. So sad.

Anonymous wrote:I have been a parent and teacher at both schools. There are some incredible teachers, students, and families. That said, teacher morale is very low for those that have remained. This is primarily to administrators and how they run things/treat teachers. Grade inflation is rampant as that is what some parents demand. There is a place for your child to excel and to be challenged and successful at each school. However, it is getting harder for colleges to discern the difference between that child and another who is not at that level. To be fair, this is happening at most schools. I would argue Potomac provides a better academic experience but the students struggle more with mental health issues. Flint Hill lost the LS and US head last year and the head of school will be leaving this next year, so I suspect there will be a lot of change in vision in the near future.

Mental health meaning anxiety? Why? And does the school help students through this?