Anonymous wrote:While my child is developing socially, emotionally, and academically? ABSOLUTELY. Smaller classes, differentiated curriculum, constant communication...worth every penny when they are young.

+1

No doubt that the schools in McLean are good. My only concern was the large class sizes and my children not having one on one attention in their early years. I strongly believe it is important for a child to be in a nurturing environment and I never saw that in public schools. I am also a strong believer in having a solid foundation in the early elementary years. With 30+ kids in public schools this makes it impossible. These were my reasons for sending my kinds to private schools from k-3. Now that they are in public schools. I look back and I have no regrets at all. It was worth every penny.

If you can afford to send your kids to private in the early years, do it. It is a wonderful investment in your child's education. With that said, if you can not afford it, the public schools here in fairfax county is a good alternative. Just give them at home what they may not be getting at the public school.

While my child is developing socially, emotionally, and academically? ABSOLUTELY. Smaller classes, differentiated curriculum, constant communication...worth every penny when they are young.

It so greatly depends on which private school and public school you are comparing and considering between. There are vast differences within both public and private. We came from an "excellent" private into a "excellent" public. But yet it was like day and night - the differences we saw between these two "excellent" schools were very significant. Once our child (and our family) had experienced a great private education and school environment it was difficult to accept less. We always say we would do private elementary again if we had to with no hesitation. But I know others who are thrilled with the public school and so trying a private might seem like a "lesser" experience for them and their child - even with money taken out of the equation. It is all so relative.

My recommendation to the poster: start your child in FCPS and move if/when not a fit any longer. You will know.

If it was DCPS, I would probably do private. (Disclosure: kids go private because we live in DC.) I would have to observe what goes on in McLean before deciding. I will say the growing emphasis on standardize testing is extremely concerning to me.

I would love to hear more responses where families have actually moved from private to a top-tier public ES.

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and zoned for Mclean schools. I now nothing about public schools here in the US as I didn't grow up here; I just hear that Mclean schools are supposed to be good. On the other hand I see some of the private schools in the area and cant help but wonder how much better they are. I want to hear from parents who have invested so much for elemnatry education...would you have done it if you could manage private school cost not so comfortably? What do you think your children got out of the extra tuition?

Thanks

Just finished 13 years of private. If we had to do it over again, I would just do HS. I do think my DC got the most benefit out of those years both intellectually and socially. Lower school was a complete waste of money. I know people believe about the "instilling a love of learning" but honestly plenty of kids came in in 9th grade who loved learning. All the extra music and art mattered very little. My Dc is a math/science kid.

We are in MoCo public for the other two and comparing their experiences, so far, have been as good if not better than the private in many areas. I do think some kids do benefit from smaller classes and more direct teacher contact but it is very dependant on the kid. Some kids thrive in a larger environment and are motivated with trying to connect with teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp - yes, I do. She would have been lumped in the "average" group for her entire schooling. Public schools are so big that especially for girls...if they're nice and keep quiet, no one will ever bother to notice them.

Yes, my DD, IQ 140 was "average" at public. They could not even remember her name. Doing so much better in private. OP, wait and see how you feel after you get here, and if you can afford it, put in an application to private.

I worry about this with our DD. What grade did you make the switch? Did you switch to a "top-tier" private? Or something else?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can say with certainty that the public school parents who answer questions about private schools are the most insecure and defensive of the lot.

Maybe true, but completely off-point. Which makes me wonder about your insecurity and defensiveness.

Nope, not insecure. I just shake my head at how many public school parents jump at the chance to tell everyone that public schools are superior.

Well, since the question was directly asked by OP, I'm not sure how answering it makes them insecure. Sounds like you just think no one can hold that opinion without being insecure. A little illogical.

Sounds like you've hit a nerve or two OP. You asked an honest question and people tried to give you an honest answer. Then, people pounced anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not in this area with such amazing public schools.

Private is just not worth the money unless you are seeking a religious based education or have a special circumstance.

Save the money for housing, college, retirement, etc. Spending it on expensive private education where you live is like throwing it to the wind.

Have you sent a child through a private school for the elementary grades?

No, but I went to a private school from 1st-8th grades.

We considered private for one of our kids but our local fcps is excellent so we decided against it.

The price of private elementary in this area in particular is not equal to the benefit, if you are zoned for an excellent quality fcps, as is OP.

I cannot speak for other districts in DC or MD though. Perhaps the money is worth it if you are zoned for one of those schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not in this area with such amazing public schools.

Private is just not worth the money unless you are seeking a religious based education or have a special circumstance.

Save the money for housing, college, retirement, etc. Spending it on expensive private education where you live is like throwing it to the wind.

Have you sent a child through a private school for the elementary grades?

I have for two, then shifted to FCPS. We wasted half a million on private schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can say with certainty that the public school parents who answer questions about private schools are the most insecure and defensive of the lot.

Maybe true, but completely off-point. Which makes me wonder about your insecurity and defensiveness.

Nope, not insecure. I just shake my head at how many public school parents jump at the chance to tell everyone that public schools are superior.

Ditto. OP - in case you didn't realize it, this question is loaded and you simply won't get an honest answer without people freaking out. Here is my experience - we chose a top tier private. We were in a great DCPS elementary zone, but overcrowded and it all falls apart at middle in our opinion. For our top tier private absolutely worth it. For a second or third tier private vs. Fairfax county schools - maybe not. There is simply no way to get an accurate, across the board answer to this question. Oh, and God forbid I say this - here come the public shcool moms with an inferiority complex ready to pounce all over me.

Anonymous wrote:pp - yes, I do. She would have been lumped in the "average" group for her entire schooling. Public schools are so big that especially for girls...if they're nice and keep quiet, no one will ever bother to notice them.

Yes, my DD, IQ 140 was "average" at public. They could not even remember her name. Doing so much better in private. OP, wait and see how you feel after you get here, and if you can afford it, put in an application to private.