If you choose private for the small class size, realize that a small class may be very stifling and be the worst thing for their social life and social development.

Anonymous wrote:Good privates are much better at teaching writing skills than publics, even really good publics. I went to a big three and it’s depressing to see how little high quality writing instruction my kids get at their top Montgomery County high school.

OP here and this is a big concern. Clear writing goes hand in hand with clear thinking.

Good privates are much better at teaching writing skills than publics, even really good publics. I went to a big three and it’s depressing to see how little high quality writing instruction my kids get at their top Montgomery County high school.

Anonymous wrote:MoCo schools give the privates a beat-down every year

Define "beat-down" (and please don't tell us you're talking about a 20-minute quiz show because that means zilch).

Anonymous wrote:MoCo schools give the privates a beat-down every year

Only some of the moco schools though.

MoCo schools give the privates a beat-down every year

Anonymous wrote:OP here, learning a lot thanks to all the PPs.

Someone mentioned school shootings. There are on my mind, even if they are very rare generally. Not sure a private school is less likely to be a target though; don't these seem to have a pattern of former students who were bullied coming back for "revenge," and aren't privates known to be pressure cookers more so than public schools?

Having neighbourhood friends seems like it would be a big plus, at least in a pandemic, but then so much time is spent in school that perhaps this effect is marginal.

--

In terms of academics, are privates more rigorous on average, or is the fact that no one is "below grade," as a PP noted, a function of their family background?

Part of it but also because privates can pick their students and kick out those with learning issues that they don't want to support.

Anonymous wrote:I’m in private to avoid the public horror stories that can really set kids back. For instance ACPS messed up the online Chinese AP exam. Computers weren’t able to load exam. Kids didn’t take it and I believe no tests were available again. Year-long sub churning in Spanish classes in another school. I don’t want this crazy stuff happening to my kid.

ACPS being a dumpster fire doesn’t mean that Whitman or Langley are also dumpster fires. Just like with independents, quality varies greatly by school.

I’m in private to avoid the public horror stories that can really set kids back. For instance ACPS messed up the online Chinese AP exam. Computers weren’t able to load exam. Kids didn’t take it and I believe no tests were available again. Year-long sub churning in Spanish classes in another school. I don’t want this crazy stuff happening to my kid.

We just went from public to private and it's our first experience with private. The academics are more rigorous, the kids are way ahead of where the majority were in public, and the behavior of the teachers and staff is much more professional. In public there were always a couple of crazy people around - teachers who did crazy things, administrators who behaved unprofessionally - the usual things that happen when people can't be fired and know it. In private everyone is much friendlier, more willing to work parents, and so far there hasn't been any of the unprofessional behavior we experienced occasionally in public.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, learning a lot thanks to all the PPs.

Someone mentioned school shootings. There are on my mind, even if they are very rare generally. Not sure a private school is less likely to be a target though; don't these seem to have a pattern of former students who were bullied coming back for "revenge," and aren't privates known to be pressure cookers more so than public schools?

Having neighbourhood friends seems like it would be a big plus, at least in a pandemic, but then so much time is spent in school that perhaps this effect is marginal.

--

In terms of academics, are privates more rigorous on average, or is the fact that no one is "below grade," as a PP noted, a function of their family background?

Maybe on average, but, on average, the top cohort at a W or a top FCPS school will be as rigorous if not more rigorous especially in math.

Interesting, thank you! What is W?

MoCo schools: Walt Whitman, Winston Churchill, Thomas Wootton and Walter Johnson

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, learning a lot thanks to all the PPs.

Someone mentioned school shootings. There are on my mind, even if they are very rare generally. Not sure a private school is less likely to be a target though; don't these seem to have a pattern of former students who were bullied coming back for "revenge," and aren't privates known to be pressure cookers more so than public schools?

Having neighbourhood friends seems like it would be a big plus, at least in a pandemic, but then so much time is spent in school that perhaps this effect is marginal.

--

In terms of academics, are privates more rigorous on average, or is the fact that no one is "below grade," as a PP noted, a function of their family background?

Maybe on average, but, on average, the top cohort at a W or a top FCPS school will be as rigorous if not more rigorous especially in math.

Interesting, thank you! What is W?

Anonymous wrote:OP here, learning a lot thanks to all the PPs.

Someone mentioned school shootings. There are on my mind, even if they are very rare generally. Not sure a private school is less likely to be a target though; don't these seem to have a pattern of former students who were bullied coming back for "revenge," and aren't privates known to be pressure cookers more so than public schools?

Having neighbourhood friends seems like it would be a big plus, at least in a pandemic, but then so much time is spent in school that perhaps this effect is marginal.

--

In terms of academics, are privates more rigorous on average, or is the fact that no one is "below grade," as a PP noted, a function of their family background?

Maybe on average, but, on average, the top cohort at a W or a top FCPS school will be as rigorous if not more rigorous especially in math.

OP here, learning a lot thanks to all the PPs.

Someone mentioned school shootings. There are on my mind, even if they are very rare generally. Not sure a private school is less likely to be a target though; don't these seem to have a pattern of former students who were bullied coming back for "revenge," and aren't privates known to be pressure cookers more so than public schools?

Having neighbourhood friends seems like it would be a big plus, at least in a pandemic, but then so much time is spent in school that perhaps this effect is marginal.

--

In terms of academics, are privates more rigorous on average, or is the fact that no one is "below grade," as a PP noted, a function of their family background?

Anonymous wrote:Private is better. We tried public and I truly wish it weren’t true but for us the academics are superior. More differentiation, more advanced curriculum, more support when needed. Better.

LOL