Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 08:37     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just move to Fairfax and attend a public school. I don't think you'll find most privates to fit your vibe. On the other hand, I have a cousin who definitely does fit your description and she sent her kids to Fairfax Public Schools (and went there as well) and they've worked well for her and for her family.


As someone who left FCPS, the system is a mess. Adding extra 3 hour early dismissals for elementary schools on a pretext and then keeping them after promising families they wouldn't. The Hayfield football scandal. The boundary change mess that has managed to offend literally every possibly type of constituency. The school board is more focused on using the position as a stepping stone and the central office is incompetant. And I wouldn't call the system right of center by any stretch of the imagination, unless you have a time machine to take you back to the late 90s.


+1. There's a small handful of FCPS schools that are well-liked, mostly because they have good administrators, e.g., Chantilly High School, and families who are ready and able to go to battle when there's a serious issue, e.g., Woodson parents pushing back when the School Board tried to make it an IB school years ago. Leadership at the top is a mess and that filters down.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:58     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not Potomac. Pretty progressive school.


(Laugh) About half the time on DCUM, Potomac School is labeled progressive or liberal politically. The other half of the time, it is labeled conservative or MAGA on DCUM.

OP might want to visit schools and form their own opinions. The ultra-left posters here on DCUM label most things as right-wing. The ultra right-wing posters here label most things as left-wing.


Potomac has had its share of Republicans of all stripes for decades. Conservatives won’t send their kids to public school if they are rich enough to avoid it. There’s plenty of Republican money in NoVa, particularly McLean (unfortunately). Where do you think these people send their kids? Potomac and STA/NCS.

Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:57     Subject: Re:Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:Depending on what you're looking for, there are a host of classical Christian schools that are pretty middle of the road (Rivendell, Tyndale), mainstream schools (National Presbyterian, Beauvoir, Nysmith), and Catholics (St. Anselm's, Stone Ridge, Bishop O'Connell) that may be of interest to you.


In my world, Rivendell is pretty far from the mainstream. It is a good fit for some, but not for most families.

Westminster in Annandale has a much better claim to be politically/socially middle of the road while having a classical (and non-religious) curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:53     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:SE is SE DC, right?

There's a recently founded Classical Christian school here: Capitol Hill Christian Academy.

https://www.capitolhillchristianacademy.org/


Classical Christian academy is code for taking the kids to anti abortion rallies.


Whereas FCPS considers student participation in pro abortion or anti-semitic rallies as an excused absence. Pick your poison.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:53     Subject: Re:Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:I would not assume all the Catholic schools (which, though Catholic, are not all run by the Catholic church and include a very broad range) are more conservative. Some of the parents may be, but certainly not the curriculum with an almost universal focus on social justice, caring for the poor, etc.
You may have noticed that both the current and previous pope have taken issue with the current administration and vocally corrected the vice president on Catholic theology.


Ew, how dreadful!
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:51     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:As someone who left FCPS, the system is a mess. Adding extra 3 hour early dismissals for elementary schools on a pretext and then keeping them after promising families they wouldn't. The Hayfield football scandal. The boundary change mess that has managed to offend literally every possibly type of constituency. The school board is more focused on using the position as a stepping stone and the central office is incompetant. And I wouldn't call the system right of center by any stretch of the imagination, unless you have a time machine to take you back to the late 90s.


Sadly, I agree with most of the above.

FCPS really was very good academically in the 1990s. Serious deterioration started in FCPS when we switched to an elected school board (filled with partisan board members) who are trying to use it to get to a higher political office.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:45     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:What on earth is a moderate Republican in today’s environment? That doesn’t exist.


A dying breed to be sure, but we do still exist. Most of us have not been happy with *any* Congress or any Presidential administration this century.

Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:43     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:Not Potomac. Pretty progressive school.


(Laugh) About half the time on DCUM, Potomac School is labeled progressive or liberal politically. The other half of the time, it is labeled conservative or MAGA on DCUM.

OP might want to visit schools and form their own opinions. The ultra-left posters here on DCUM label most things as right-wing. The ultra right-wing posters here label most things as left-wing.
Anonymous
Post 07/23/2025 22:49     Subject: Southern Family Privates
What on earth is a moderate Republican in today’s environment? That doesn’t exist.
Anonymous
Post 07/23/2025 20:32     Subject: Re:Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would consider National Presbyterian School. No MAGA hats but pretty moderate families.


We wear our MAGA hats there, nobody has said a word.


No, they have enough old fashioned ettiquette to know better than to talk politics or money. Rest assured you are being judged..... negatively.

100%
No one will say anything, OP, but some may not get back to you when you try to arrange playdates.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2025 18:27     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Episcopalian schools will be too progressive for you. My DH's family is an old Southern Episcopalian family but they are moderate, leaning progressive.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2025 18:26     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Yes to NCS
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2025 18:25     Subject: Southern Family Privates
No to St. Patrick's - too liberal. Same with Potomac. No to SSSAS.
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2025 18:18     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Private schools that will be fine for country club conservative types are:

In DC:

St. Patrick’s
NPS
St. Albans
Gonzaga
Visitation

In VA:

SSSAS
Several of the Catholics - DJO, Ireton, etc.

In Maryland:

Landon
Georgetown Prep
SAES
Bullis
Holy Child
Stone Ridge
WES
Norwood
Anonymous
Post 07/22/2025 16:17     Subject: Southern Family Privates
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just move to Fairfax and attend a public school. I don't think you'll find most privates to fit your vibe. On the other hand, I have a cousin who definitely does fit your description and she sent her kids to Fairfax Public Schools (and went there as well) and they've worked well for her and for her family.


As someone who left FCPS, the system is a mess. Adding extra 3 hour early dismissals for elementary schools on a pretext and then keeping them after promising families they wouldn't. The Hayfield football scandal. The boundary change mess that has managed to offend literally every possibly type of constituency. The school board is more focused on using the position as a stepping stone and the central office is incompetant. And I wouldn't call the system right of center by any stretch of the imagination, unless you have a time machine to take you back to the late 90s.

+1