I think as time goes on and the learning loss in public schools becomes more apparent, people will realize staying in public (or returning to public) was wrong decision. MCPS is too big and bureaucratic to effectively address this. They are making an attempt, but just listen to their BOE meetings and you might just run fast.

I meant to add that one of their solutions will most likely be to shuffle kids around schools for equity. They will dilute any excellent schools by shifting students from poor performing schools to high performing schools and the bar will be set low everywhere.

Both of these are true. We live in a W cluster and got out after the Spring 2020 covid fiasco. Not going back to classrooms that are too large, impersonal education that caters to the troubled kids and those having trouble and ignores the quiet and the high flyers, and a Board of Education and Central Office at MCPS that can't even fix simple things like lead in water fountains let alone deal with consequences for problem HS students.

Our children are getting a better education (still APs and still getting 5s) in private.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

And the W schools are still better than any private school in the area.

I think tap water is as good as bottled water for your health.
But my opinion doesn’t matter for the customer who wants bottled water.
Your opinion doesn’t matter for people who want private education.
You should appreciate them for making the public schools less crowded.

As one who has children in both public in mcps and private here, I can honestly say that private is not as wonderful as thought it would and should be.
Especially considering the cost, I have frequently found it difficult to justify. Of course, there are few advantages but it’s so minimal. My neighbor send her children to Catholic school only because it’s Catholic, another neighbor has an image to keep up-academics is not their primary reason for private.
I believe what rouses many parents up on here is the automatic assumption that private is inherently better in contrast to public and that is just not always true as I unfortunately learned.

I think as time goes on and the learning loss in public schools becomes more apparent, people will realize staying in public (or returning to public) was wrong decision. MCPS is too big and bureaucratic to effectively address this. They are making an attempt, but just listen to their BOE meetings and you might just run fast. They just go in circles and produce fancy powerpoint and video presentations but never implement anything. It is a disaster.

I meant to add that one of their solutions will most likely be to shuffle kids around schools for equity. They will dilute any excellent schools by shifting students from poor performing schools to high performing schools and the bar will be set low everywhere. Just wait.

If they do that even more of the affluent will leave MCPS for private school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

And the W schools are still better than any private school in the area.

I think tap water is as good as bottled water for your health.
But my opinion doesn’t matter for the customer who wants bottled water.
Your opinion doesn’t matter for people who want private education.
You should appreciate them for making the public schools less crowded.

As one who has children in both public in mcps and private here, I can honestly say that private is not as wonderful as thought it would and should be.
Especially considering the cost, I have frequently found it difficult to justify. Of course, there are few advantages but it’s so minimal. My neighbor send her children to Catholic school only because it’s Catholic, another neighbor has an image to keep up-academics is not their primary reason for private.
I believe what rouses many parents up on here is the automatic assumption that private is inherently better in contrast to public and that is just not always true as I unfortunately learned.

I think as time goes on and the learning loss in public schools becomes more apparent, people will realize staying in public (or returning to public) was wrong decision. MCPS is too big and bureaucratic to effectively address this. They are making an attempt, but just listen to their BOE meetings and you might just run fast. They just go in circles and produce fancy powerpoint and video presentations but never implement anything. It is a disaster.

I meant to add that one of their solutions will most likely be to shuffle kids around schools for equity. They will dilute any excellent schools by shifting students from poor performing schools to high performing schools and the bar will be set low everywhere. Just wait.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You seem offended the wealthy are abandoning your beloved crowded public “w” school.

And the W schools are still better than any private school in the area.

I think tap water is as good as bottled water for your health.
But my opinion doesn’t matter for the customer who wants bottled water.
Your opinion doesn’t matter for people who want private education.
You should appreciate them for making the public schools less crowded.

As one who has children in both public in mcps and private here, I can honestly say that private is not as wonderful as thought it would and should be.
Especially considering the cost, I have frequently found it difficult to justify. Of course, there are few advantages but it’s so minimal. My neighbor send her children to Catholic school only because it’s Catholic, another neighbor has an image to keep up-academics is not their primary reason for private.
I believe what rouses many parents up on here is the automatic assumption that private is inherently better in contrast to public and that is just not always true as I unfortunately learned.

I think as time goes on and the learning loss in public schools becomes more apparent, people will realize staying in public (or returning to public) was wrong decision. MCPS is too big and bureaucratic to effectively address this. They are making an attempt, but just listen to their BOE meetings and you might just run fast. They just go in circles and produce fancy powerpoint and video presentations but never implement anything. It is a disaster.

Family zoned in Churchill cluster here. Youngest kid (now a junior in college) attended MCPS through 8th. That's when we decided to pull him out and send to private HS. Best. decision. ever.

Second child started from K in private. Again it paid off. We sent her to a small parochial at about $10K a year. Her education was not disrupted because of covid. Was in person the entire 2020-21 school year. She will attend a pricey all girls school next year. Would never consider public again. I truly believe my son would not have gotten into his top 20 school without his private school high school education, and I believe that would be the case for my daughter as well. Plus, I don't want to have to worry about violence, school shootings, disruptions, very large class sizes, etc. Yup, worth every damn penny.

The W schools have very smart kids, no argument there.

Facilities, network for kids, food quality, and sports— are far inferior to many privates.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being smart is not everything. Plenty of highly educated types walking their dog with double N95s outside. Not being academic, but being shrewd and driven will get you very far in life and often leads to lots of wealth..

by "shrewd" you mean amoral, right? that's often what leads to lots of wealth in this country.

No, I’ll stick with the dictionary definition.

America is a great county in large part to it’s capitalist system and it’s great capitalists. Getting wealthy within the law leads to numerous benefits to society in most cases—-job creation, innovation, tax revenue etc.

Anonymous wrote:Being smart is not everything. Plenty of highly educated types walking their dog with double N95s outside. Not being academic, but being shrewd and driven will get you very far in life and often leads to lots of wealth..

by "shrewd" you mean amoral, right? that's often what leads to lots of wealth in this country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being smart is not everything. Plenty of highly educated types walking their dog with double N95s outside. Not being academic, but being shrewd and driven will get you very far in life and often leads to lots of wealth..

Neither is being rich everything.

Not everything. But it means a lot if you have your health and no substance abuse issues.

So you just agreed with me then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being smart is not everything. Plenty of highly educated types walking their dog with double N95s outside. Not being academic, but being shrewd and driven will get you very far in life and often leads to lots of wealth..

Neither is being rich everything.

Not everything. But it means a lot if you have your health and no substance abuse issues.

Anonymous wrote:An answer to original question - yes, we know two families sending their sons to Georgetown Prep instead of WJ.

Yes people do for many reasons OP

An answer to original question - yes, we know two families sending their sons to Georgetown Prep instead of WJ.

Anonymous wrote:Being smart is not everything. Plenty of highly educated types walking their dog with double N95s outside. Not being academic, but being shrewd and driven will get you very far in life and often leads to lots of wealth..

Neither is being rich everything.

Being smart is not everything. Plenty of highly educated types walking their dog with double N95s outside. Not being academic, but being shrewd and driven will get you very far in life and often leads to lots of wealth..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In a word, yes. It is very common for kids in these clusters to attend private schools.

Status is big in this area and private is one way to flaunt that. Even if it’s inferior, so long as it’s private.

You get what you pay for in life….if you want your kids to go to a school with 30+ kids per class, endless testing, central office bureaucracy, and very poor facilities—-your choice.

Yes, I pay for smaller class size and decent facility. That’s about all my tuition pays for. You think there’s no bureaucracy and testing out the wazoo in private? You would be in denial to believe that. You also are a fibber for dismissing the status factor if you are dumb as a box of rocks.

Less bureaucracy at private school, more connections, around more wealth etc.

And I might be "dumb as a box of rocks" but my net worth is in the top 1/10 of 1% for the DMV...so I'm fine being rich and dumb and having kids in expensive private schools with other rich kids.

Poor thing, please don’t brag about being dumb, either rich or poor.

Would much rather be dumb and rich than smart and poor...no apology for that.

So dumb you don’t even consider rich AND smart. No apology necessary, your embarrassment is enough punishment for you.