The only thing that is toxic is having an anonymous observation about 600+ kids and their parents and assuming they are somehow monolithic.

The culture and makeup of the student body and parents is by and large no different than that of the majority of the population at any private or "W" school in Montgomery County.

Having not grown up here, the entire "DC Professional Class" has some particular characteristics for sure, but even that is highly variable.

The school admin and teachers do a good job and the students themselves are a good combination of highly motivated, hard working, and fun. Both of our daughters are in grades that have a wide mix of personalities, good school spirit, and very hardworking kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would appreciate any thoughts on the student and family culture of Holton-Arms.

One word... toxic.

Students: Smart, ambitious and rich

Parents: Smart, rich, competitive and entitled.

Anonymous wrote:Would appreciate any thoughts on the student and family culture of Holton-Arms.

One word... toxic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a family friend that has run a tutoring company here for 15+ years. It’s not the Holton girls school that is the biggest customer by far…. And if you really want to do some real diligence on schools, their culture, and happy or sad students, talk to the tutoring co owners.

Who is the biggest customer?

Yes, please dish! Culture, not biggest customer. I care about the happy/sad part most.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arrogant parents, arrogant students.

Are you sure you are talking about Holton???? The parents are far from arrogant. The school does not foster arrogance or accept it from the parents or their students.

+1000

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arrogant parents, arrogant students.

Are you sure you are talking about Holton???? The parents are far from arrogant. The school does not foster arrogance or accept it from the parents or their students.

At school events, I frequently get the idea that many parents are trying to win the meeting.

Hah, at the Holton parents events I've been to outside the school day, they're lucky if half of parents show up. There's no big competition going on.

How competitive is 9th grade admissions from well regarded private schools?

That’s great to hear. DD is at a K-8 and while we have a few years before we have to think about HS, there’s something about all girls—when done well—that I think can be so great.

Holton seems nice. I have never run into a Holton student or group of students walking around town and thought "Oh boy, this could be interesting." The ladies seem friendly and polite. I see a lot of the magnets on cars but, as we love to make generalizations of this forum, I don't have a negative reaction to them and I have never been yelled at by an HA car. School seems nice and I am glad we have it in the community.

But genuinely, I am glad that we have most of the school choices in the community. I would assume that all of the schools are different and cater to different students/girls/boys. And you know what? I am glad that our area still has great single sex school options as well.

Anonymous wrote:We have a family friend that has run a tutoring company here for 15+ years. It’s not the Holton girls school that is the biggest customer by far…. And if you really want to do some real diligence on schools, their culture, and happy or sad students, talk to the tutoring co owners.

Who is the biggest customer?

Anonymous wrote:What if you have a kid who wants to enter for 9th grade and has already taken Algebra 2?

They would just go into pre-calculus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arrogant parents, arrogant students.

Are you sure you are talking about Holton???? The parents are far from arrogant. The school does not foster arrogance or accept it from the parents or their students.

At school events, I frequently get the idea that many parents are trying to win the meeting.

We have a family friend that has run a tutoring company here for 15+ years. It’s not the Holton girls school that is the biggest customer by far…. And if you really want to do some real diligence on schools, their culture, and happy or sad students, talk to the tutoring co owners.

Anonymous wrote:Arrogant parents, arrogant students.

Are you sure you are talking about Holton???? The parents are far from arrogant. The school does not foster arrogance or accept it from the parents or their students.

I don’t think anyone was criticizing students who need tutors. They were merely speaking up against the statements that every single Holton student gets a tutor because it’s so competitive. Simply not true.