um, the income that they take into "consideration" is $40k a year....

Anonymous wrote:Yes, totally. There are other financial decisions aside from staying at home. That is just one consideration and probably not what the majority of the parents do. Sorry about the original comment - I wrote it quickly -and it is just among the choices. In fact- it is one that gets on our nerves more quickly in the private setting because we compete for aid with folks who choose to have one adult not work!

No, you don't. Financial Aide takes the number of work-able adults in a home into the equation. If a parent chooses to stay home, that adult's potential earning potential is part of the consideration. If there are infants in the home, or small children under school age, that can mitigate the earning potential of the parent at home but there is an aid reduction if a parent who could work but chooses not to is in the picture.

Yes, totally. There are other financial decisions aside from staying at home. That is just one consideration and probably not what the majority of the parents do. Sorry about the original comment - I wrote it quickly -and it is just among the choices. In fact- it is one that gets on our nerves more quickly in the private setting because we compete for aid with folks who choose to have one adult not work!

Anonymous wrote:balance being a stay at home mom or dad vs. working and paying for some private. good luck!

I'm trying to see DC stay at home parents through your eyes. You seem to think that DC public schools are filled with families with one parent WOTH and one parent is SAH. In my experience, this is actually a miniscule population at DCPS-- and such a set up is actually more common in private school families! I don't know anyone who is "enjoying" SAH parenting but could easily go back to work if they just cared enough about private schooling. I like your vison that people have a choice in the matter (i.e., DC parents can afford private schooling-- the SAH parent just needs to get a job), but it strikes me as naive.

Anonymous wrote:When people say catholic schools, I think they are talking about "parochial" schools, not independent schools that are catholic. So Avalon is not in the group of Catholic schools that are not a good value--neither is Stoneridge.

Avalon/Brookwood, Gonzaga, Washington Jesuit Academy, St John's, represent many excellent choices at very reasonable tuition compared with independent schools

Anonymous wrote:The dc charters don't measure up to Montgomery or fairfax county

That's why my kid is in regular DCPS, and we already went through it here in DCUM that top DC kids outscore all kids in the country.

dc privates are amazing- if you can afford them. it is all based on your own values plus some reality. do i think a pair of designer shoes is better then ones from target? no? do i think produce from wholefoods is better then safeway? most of the time, yes. do i think an education in smaller classes without pressures of testing and an inefficient system is better then one at a dc public? yes! do i think there is a value in grit and having kids learn to deal with less then the best? yes? but when my kid is super young and super impressionable and just forming himself-- if i can do him justice - it is private for now. i may switch in hs or even junior high if i get more confident in the offerings and my kid is leaning towards it. make your own decisions. read the research. balance being a stay at home mom or dad vs. working and paying for some private. good luck!

When people say catholic schools, I think they are talking about "parochial" schools, not independent schools that are catholic. So Avalon is not in the group of Catholic schools that are not a good value--neither is Stoneridge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^not a good value in comparison to a good public or charter.

depends on which one you pick. My child had a very good experience and ended up with a much more classical humanities based education, rich in history, literature, art and music, than what was offered at DCPS.

This sounds great to me; which school was it? (And I'm impressed by buying a house at age 21!)

Avalon

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^not a good value in comparison to a good public or charter.

depends on which one you pick. My child had a very good experience and ended up with a much more classical humanities based education, rich in history, literature, art and music, than what was offered at DCPS.

This sounds great to me; which school was it? (And I'm impressed by buying a house at age 21!)

Anonymous wrote:Most Catholic schools (grade school not independent high schools) fall at the absolute bottom of the school heap, under publics and privates. They tend to have terrible teacher-student ratios. The instruction is sub par and there is religious dogma coloring the academics. The facilities are poor and old. Just a bad choice all around.

Agree 100% and speaking from experience. You would do much better for your child sending them to a top public school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^not a good value in comparison to a good public or charter.

depends on which one you pick. My child had a very good experience and ended up with a much more classical humanities based education, rich in history, literature, art and music, than what was offered at DCPS.

Which would be great if such fields offered jobs that enabled one to earn enough to pay rent in a major Eastern city.

You seem to be confusing education with job training.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^not a good value in comparison to a good public or charter.

depends on which one you pick. My child had a very good experience and ended up with a much more classical humanities based education, rich in history, literature, art and music, than what was offered at DCPS.

Which would be great if such fields offered jobs that enabled one to earn enough to pay rent in a major Eastern city.

Said child just bought a house, at the age of 21.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^not a good value in comparison to a good public or charter.

depends on which one you pick. My child had a very good experience and ended up with a much more classical humanities based education, rich in history, literature, art and music, than what was offered at DCPS.

Which would be great if such fields offered jobs that enabled one to earn enough to pay rent in a major Eastern city.

That's ambitious of you to want to go straight to work from HS, but I'll wager the PP intends for her children to go to university first.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The dc charters don't measure up to Montgomery or fairfax county

Our charter is a much better fit for us than the schools in either of these districts.

Have you tried them?