Anonymous
Post 06/04/2026 12:48     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.


You think they should be fretting about upper elementary now? Both of these schools are perfectly fine for upper elementary.


They are so-so at best for upper el and the middle schools are unacceptable options.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 21:05     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.


I am a teacher (and a parent of a 5th grader). Please do some research because early childhood absolutely matters.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 20:54     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.


Who hurt you?


Tell me you have ECE kids without telling me.

I don't mind that you have no experience with MS or HS and so you see the world through a limited worldview. What bothers me is that you are so very confident in your limited and myopic worldview.


I don’t understand the ECE bashing on these boards, or is it all the same one or two people? Presumably, you were there once, too, and I wonder: are you just eager to jump into any thread mentioning ECE because they “bother” you and it feels nice to you to put down ECE parents? What is so offensive about mentioning early childhood pedagogy?


Signed,

ECE parent with experience teaching MS and HS
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 20:13     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.


You think they should be fretting about upper elementary now? Both of these schools are perfectly fine for upper elementary.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 17:31     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.


Who hurt you?


Tell me you have ECE kids without telling me.

I don't mind that you have no experience with MS or HS and so you see the world through a limited worldview. What bothers me is that you are so very confident in your limited and myopic worldview.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 17:26     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.


Who hurt you?
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 15:11     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

OP has not explained how they matched at bot schools.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 15:10     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, logistics. The only way this is possible is if you ranked both on the lottery, got into the one you ranked lower (and thus placed on the waitlist for the one you ranked higher), and then received a waitlist offer from the one you ranked higher.

If this is the situation, then why did you rank one higher than the other in the lottery in the first place? You know all the factors and we don't -- relative commutes, your particular attraction to the Reggio approach at SWS, your feelings about a neighborhood school like Maury, your understanding of the vibe and aftercare offerings of each school. Presumably you've been to open houses at both?

We can't answer this for you. The are both good programs and you are insanely fortunate to be choosing between them. There is no incorrect answer. Go figure it out.


Just because they got through ranking them for the lottery doesn’t mean they can’t have more questions or can’t be unsure. Open houses only reveal so much. Asking fellow parents is part of figuring it out.

I don’t understand the condescending tone here.


Then go ask actual parents at these schools. On here anyone can respond and you are not going to get some clear concensus between these two schools. They are both good.

On here you just get stuff like someone saying "Maury, hands down" or "we've loved the Reggio at SWS." Ok. Many of the comments are from people who don't have kids at either school. How is this helpful.

Go to open houses. Talk to current parents. Search your gut, pick one, and rest assured both are fine.


Maury is also Reggio inspired in pre-k, one of the teachers has been in a book (about Reggio practices).
It’s just not official like SWS.


ECE parents are adorable. High minded discussions of pedagogy. Come talk to me in 3rd grade when some real math starts. Or 4th and 5th when hormones show us and kids act out.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 12:51     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

My son went to Maury. Yes, there were people who were pushing Eliot Hine, but those people were easily ignored. More than half the 4th grade class went to charters or private schools.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 10:07     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

My kids are at Maury and we love it, but with your info, I'd probably pick SWS so your kids are more likely to go to school together. Having 1 drop off and the same school events would be preferable to me.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 16:24     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Getting a waitlist/match at both of those schools this year makes me feel like you used up all the lottery luck you could possibly ever get. Go where you feel pretty good AND can more likely get your younger child in for PK because you can't count getting a number like that again.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 15:27     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:A look down the road - if you go to Maury, they are pushing hard for everyone to go to Eliot for MS, with the hope that eventually they may end up at Eastern. Whereas the kids all scatter to the winds from SWS, which strangely makes it less stressful to figure out the best middle school/high school for your child.

So hard to tell how many years it will take for Eastern to become a neighborhood school, but I have been waiting on it for 20+ years.


Those sanctimonious bullies are at every dc school. Don’t fall for it- dcps middle schools are not good.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 10:13     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everyone for your comments! We realize these are both good schools, just wanted to put it out there to make sure there wasn't anything we weren't considering about either school.


Both good schools and have their pros/cons, as every school will. It’s a great problem to have! One thing you said earlier that you should weigh is what exactly is the importance of sibling going to the same school starting in PK3. As an OOB student (even with sibling), you won’t have that option at Maury, as you said. If it’s top priority for you, it makes the choice a lot easier. If it’s a “nice to have but not essential,” I’d do what others have said and try and tour/talk with existing families in your network/etc. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 09:49     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

A look down the road - if you go to Maury, they are pushing hard for everyone to go to Eliot for MS, with the hope that eventually they may end up at Eastern. Whereas the kids all scatter to the winds from SWS, which strangely makes it less stressful to figure out the best middle school/high school for your child.

So hard to tell how many years it will take for Eastern to become a neighborhood school, but I have been waiting on it for 20+ years.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 09:42     Subject: SWS vs Maury for K

OP here, thanks everyone for your comments! We realize these are both good schools, just wanted to put it out there to make sure there wasn't anything we weren't considering about either school.