Anonymous
11/04/2025 07:32
Subject: Re:Holton- feeder schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We have a LS daughter at Holton. Girls truly come from everywhere — she has girls in her grade from multiple DCPS/MCPS/Virginia public schools, BVR, Concord Hill, PDS, WIS, St. Pats, River, NPS — the list goes on.
Her grade grew significantly in 4th and they add a bunch of girls every year through 7th grade and then again at 9th.
Holton has been great for our daughter and there are a lot of BVR families there who didn’t want to do NCS.
We are no longer at Holton, but we found that while families came from all over, in recent years more and more families are coming from close-in Bethesda. It made it hard to make friendships b/c most families were not willing to travel outside the Bethesda area. We had raised this concern years ago when were were accepted, and we were assured that families were from everywhere (as the prior post suggests) but we did not find this to be the case. We had 2 kids at Holton, and the same was true in both grades
But that’s not a Holton specific problem. The vast majority of kids at any school live geographically close to the school because why would a parent want to drive across town to drop a kid off at school? We live in NW DC and I’m not sending me kid to Capitol Hill Day bc it makes no sense logistically.
I think Holton actually does better than most because 40% of girls take the bus. But in general, most people pick a school relatively close to their house for ease.
Anonymous
11/03/2025 16:57
Subject: Re:Holton- feeder schools
Anonymous wrote:We have a LS daughter at Holton. Girls truly come from everywhere — she has girls in her grade from multiple DCPS/MCPS/Virginia public schools, BVR, Concord Hill, PDS, WIS, St. Pats, River, NPS — the list goes on.
Her grade grew significantly in 4th and they add a bunch of girls every year through 7th grade and then again at 9th.
Holton has been great for our daughter and there are a lot of BVR families there who didn’t want to do NCS.
We are no longer at Holton, but we found that while families came from all over, in recent years more and more families are coming from close-in Bethesda. It made it hard to make friendships b/c most families were not willing to travel outside the Bethesda area. We had raised this concern years ago when were were accepted, and we were assured that families were from everywhere (as the prior post suggests) but we did not find this to be the case. We had 2 kids at Holton, and the same was true in both grades
Anonymous
10/29/2025 14:12
Subject: Holton- feeder schools
Yeah it’s a range of schools. But Primary Day for 3rd and NPS for 7th usually have big contingents. Otherwise, it’s a mix of private and public schools.
Anonymous
10/29/2025 13:42
Subject: Holton- feeder schools
It is common for 10-12 girls from Primary Day to be accepted to Holton for 3rd grade. Due to school size issues during Covid, the incoming size of the 3rd and 4th grade class differs each year. Other schools are bigger feeders at 6th, 7th, and 9th.
Anonymous
10/29/2025 13:27
Subject: Holton- feeder schools
Anonymous wrote:It’s a really easy school to get into for 4th, likely the easiest.
Not this year. Teachers and admin received an email that there will likely be very, very few spots for 4th bc current 3rd grade is large (unless the school decides to add a third classroom for 4th grade which they have not traditionally done).
Anonymous
10/29/2025 13:20
Subject: Holton- feeder schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:BVR Family here. We will need to think about this in a few years and are also thinking NCS isn't for us. What are you excited about Holton that you're not finding in NCS?
Well I liked that it was closer to us. My daughter refused to go there, however, and parents don’t want to hear this, but it is an actual anecdote, because in Bethesda we see the almost adult girls in their strange belt skirts constantly and she called them toddlers and tiaras like. She thought it was super weird. It’s also a very suburban, isolated school. Some want that. My daughter liked how NCS was close to other schools and a boys school. To each their own. They’re really more alike than different.
It sounds like your daughter has found a place where she belongs. But daughter refused to apply to NCS because she thought all the NCS girls she had met (from her ECs) were mean.
That’s weird and seems like you’re just trying to have some tit for tat, right? Very on brand though.
The “actual anecdote” about your daughter’s comment about the H uniform just reminded me of DD’s refusal to apply to NCS. At the time, I thought it was irrational. But when I see comments like yours, I understand better.
Oh, please. The uniform is ridiculous and everybody who sees it on a regular basis knows it well. Get over it or change it, but accept that other people find it nonsensical.
Anonymous
10/28/2025 15:06
Subject: Holton- feeder schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:BVR Family here. We will need to think about this in a few years and are also thinking NCS isn't for us. What are you excited about Holton that you're not finding in NCS?
Well I liked that it was closer to us. My daughter refused to go there, however, and parents don’t want to hear this, but it is an actual anecdote, because in Bethesda we see the almost adult girls in their strange belt skirts constantly and she called them toddlers and tiaras like. She thought it was super weird. It’s also a very suburban, isolated school. Some want that. My daughter liked how NCS was close to other schools and a boys school. To each their own. They’re really more alike than different.
It sounds like your daughter has found a place where she belongs. But daughter refused to apply to NCS because she thought all the NCS girls she had met (from her ECs) were mean.
That’s weird and seems like you’re just trying to have some tit for tat, right? Very on brand though.
The “actual anecdote” about your daughter’s comment about the H uniform just reminded me of DD’s refusal to apply to NCS. At the time, I thought it was irrational. But when I see comments like yours, I understand better.
Anonymous
10/28/2025 14:50
Subject: Holton- feeder schools
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:BVR Family here. We will need to think about this in a few years and are also thinking NCS isn't for us. What are you excited about Holton that you're not finding in NCS?
Well I liked that it was closer to us. My daughter refused to go there, however, and parents don’t want to hear this, but it is an actual anecdote, because in Bethesda we see the almost adult girls in their strange belt skirts constantly and she called them toddlers and tiaras like. She thought it was super weird. It’s also a very suburban, isolated school. Some want that. My daughter liked how NCS was close to other schools and a boys school. To each their own. They’re really more alike than different.
It sounds like your daughter has found a place where she belongs. But daughter refused to apply to NCS because she thought all the NCS girls she had met (from her ECs) were mean.
That’s weird and seems like you’re just trying to have some tit for tat, right? Very on brand though.