Anonymous
Post 03/07/2016 09:50     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:I think there are some serious advantages to the k-8 model. There is a quite a bit of focus on the Middle School and I do think that is Norwood's strength. The grades are large enough for your kid to find their niche. The arts are really wonderful. The kids are pretty darn nice.

Academically, it is a mixed bag. Teachers are given quite a bit of freedom with varying results. But I think that happens everywhere. Teacher variability is certainly not an issue for privates alone. But when you are paying $30000+ per year, it can be frustrating to feel you have the "less" good math, english or history teacher.

There is also an issue with study skills. Teaching notetaking, organization, study techniques is also all over the map. This should be an important feature of any superior Middle
School program.

With that, I still think the advantages outweigh issues.


This is a balanced and thoughtful post and I agree with much of what you have said. I am curious though as to what you consider the advantages which outweigh the issues. Can you elaborate a little? I only ask because we found the issues outweighed the "advantages" for us, as in there were none we could find.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2016 09:24     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
I think there are some serious advantages to the k-8 model. There is a quite a bit of focus on the Middle School and I do think that is Norwood's strength. The grades are large enough for your kid to find their niche. The arts are really wonderful. The kids are pretty darn nice.

Academically, it is a mixed bag. Teachers are given quite a bit of freedom with varying results. But I think that happens everywhere. Teacher variability is certainly not an issue for privates alone. But when you are paying $30000+ per year, it can be frustrating to feel you have the "less" good math, english or history teacher.

There is also an issue with study skills. Teaching notetaking, organization, study techniques is also all over the map. This should be an important feature of any superior Middle
School program.

With that, I still think the advantages outweigh issues.
Anonymous
Post 03/07/2016 08:23     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Not only look at the third grades comparatively - but look at both of their middle school students. Walk the hallways, talk to the older students and see what feels more like your child. There are differences between K-8 schools and those that go through high school that I think are definitively seen in the middle school years.

Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 23:13     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:You have more options for high school if you go to Norwood.


That makes no sense. You have the same options. You can leave for high school but you can also stay and not stress your child out with high school apps.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 18:12     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Haha this is totally not true. I bet I live in your DC neighborhood and we love Norwood and didn't seriously consider or apply to those 2 other schools. We looked at Beauvoir briefly and we were extremely unimpressed with the school. Also, as a general matter we preferred to not send our kids to a sectarian school in the lower grades. Norwood is an excellent, secular, K-8 school and is increasingly becoming a real first choice for people in NW DC.


You must LOVE spending time in your car!


Norwood has AM and PM bus service to NWDC.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 17:35     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In my DC neighborhood people who can't get into the DC privates like Beauvoir or St Pats go to Norwood.


Haha this is totally not true. I bet I live in your DC neighborhood and we love Norwood and didn't seriously consider or apply to those 2 other schools. We looked at Beauvoir briefly and we were extremely unimpressed with the school. Also, as a general matter we preferred to not send our kids to a sectarian school in the lower grades. Norwood is an excellent, secular, K-8 school and is increasingly becoming a real first choice for people in NW DC.



You must LOVE spending time in your car!
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 16:09     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:This totally depends on your child. If your child thrives in a smaller environment where every child is known by the HOS and teachers and surrounding community, then Norwood. If he can thrive in a much larger community where he will be well known by his classmates, lower school teachers, and lower school division director but not by the community at large, and doesn't need that smaller and nurturing environment, then Bullis. Does your son need structure? If so, then Bullis. If not, then Norwood. Does he thrive in the arts? Norwood. Does he love math and engineering?Bullis.

What about his classmates? Does he have positive peers who will be going with him to Norwood or Bullis? Or some peers with less than desirable traits who your son really needs to break away from to find himself and grow into his own person? You should talk to his teacher and current school head. They will be able to guide you.


That's just advertising. Norwood does NOT have a "nurturing" environment where teachers know the kids. Even on the website it says we don't fit the kids to one curriculum. But they do. They force round pegs into square holes repeatedly. After 6 weeks with my kid, her teacher was not able to describe her or reveal she knew her in any way at all, beyond the numbers she had crunched on some dry academic assessment. It was heart-breaking.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 14:31     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:In my DC neighborhood people who can't get into the DC privates like Beauvoir or St Pats go to Norwood.


Haha this is totally not true. I bet I live in your DC neighborhood and we love Norwood and didn't seriously consider or apply to those 2 other schools. We looked at Beauvoir briefly and we were extremely unimpressed with the school. Also, as a general matter we preferred to not send our kids to a sectarian school in the lower grades. Norwood is an excellent, secular, K-8 school and is increasingly becoming a real first choice for people in NW DC.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 14:03     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Anonymous wrote:In my DC neighborhood people who can't get into the DC privates like Beauvoir or St Pats go to Norwood.


In my neighborhood, the kids cream the likes of Beauvoir, who can't play sports but wear fancy shirts.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 13:59     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
You have more options for high school if you go to Norwood.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 13:51     Subject: Re:norwood or bulls for third grade
Bullis parent here. We love it, but my dc started in MS so I can't speak for the lower school. We've loved the arts, sports, and teachers. It's also a fun school-lots of field trips, special assemblies, and we like the uniform-it's very easy and equalizing. Bulls is also smaller than Norwood in the lower grades-20-30 per grade with two classes compared to 60 in three classes at Norwood. Bulls grade sizes jump up in middle school, but there are still no more than 16 kids per class. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 13:31     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
This totally depends on your child. If your child thrives in a smaller environment where every child is known by the HOS and teachers and surrounding community, then Norwood. If he can thrive in a much larger community where he will be well known by his classmates, lower school teachers, and lower school division director but not by the community at large, and doesn't need that smaller and nurturing environment, then Bullis. Does your son need structure? If so, then Bullis. If not, then Norwood. Does he thrive in the arts? Norwood. Does he love math and engineering?Bullis.

What about his classmates? Does he have positive peers who will be going with him to Norwood or Bullis? Or some peers with less than desirable traits who your son really needs to break away from to find himself and grow into his own person? You should talk to his teacher and current school head. They will be able to guide you.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 13:30     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
In my DC neighborhood people who can't get into the DC privates like Beauvoir or St Pats go to Norwood.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 13:17     Subject: norwood or bulls for third grade
Parent of Bullis Grad here. My child did not get into a big 3 despite sibling preference. Went to Bullis and found their inner math geek. Went to great state school in their STEM discipline and got a job offer before graduating in a very lucrative STEM field. The teachers and faculty are fantastic. The school is expanding in exciting ways. I would never choose Norwood over Bullis. Didn't even look at Norwood. Why would you want to HAVE to go through the application process for high if you have the option of a better co-Ed suburban school. They even have buses. No question hands down Bullis!
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2016 11:30     Subject: Re:norwood or bulls for third grade
Any bullis parents out there?