Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:George Mason vs SSSAS. Is the money really worth it?

OP- we went through a similar journey with our eldest before entering K, though different ACPS elementary school and different local private. We ended up deciding private school was not worth the substantial investment at the elementary level, and we do not regret that decision. There were definitely points of frustration in elementary school, and advocacy is needed to ensure your kids’ needs are being met, but both our kids received a great education. There are also more support services in public, that you may not anticipate needing. There are many dedicated teachers in ACPS, but of course, not all. Kid is now in a local private in middle school and they are more academically prepared than most of their peers.

Private school has typical student population- some great families, but many more kids (than public) who come from wealthy families and clearly get whatever they want. We (including kids) connected more with the ACPS community.

Biggest benefit of private for us is more individualized attention and decreased screen usage.

Considering what has been coming out for years now about the impact of screen "learning" on young brains, this is a major consideration. Personalized attention is also important to the child's social development and mental health.

It used to be that you could get both of those in public schools. Likely, you still can in some places. But your kid gets one childhood and one shot at brain development. I'd spend the money (or homeschool and supplement with tutors/enrichment classes where necessary).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being at the other end of things, I don't really see the ROI for SSSA in terms of college placement. Their graduates seem to go to very average colleges--they would get into the same or better from public schools. However, there is a big difference with respect to parent communication and interaction. So, if you need to have your hand held and get immediate responses from teachers and admin about everything, SSSA and probably many other privates are much better.

I mean, if you look at the ACHS matriculations in the Alexandria Times every year they are pretty average too.

You’re missing The Pointe. The upper middle class white kids at Alexandria city high school go onto UVA William and Mary Chapel Hill and a couple Ivy’s, just like Saint Stephen’s. But the Saint Stephen’s kids do so at a cost of $55,000 a year. Totally not worth it.

Anonymous wrote:Being at the other end of things, I don't really see the ROI for SSSA in terms of college placement. Their graduates seem to go to very average colleges--they would get into the same or better from public schools. However, there is a big difference with respect to parent communication and interaction. So, if you need to have your hand held and get immediate responses from teachers and admin about everything, SSSA and probably many other privates are much better.

I mean, if you look at the ACHS matriculations in the Alexandria Times every year they are pretty average too.

Being at the other end of things, I don't really see the ROI for SSSA in terms of college placement. Their graduates seem to go to very average colleges--they would get into the same or better from public schools. However, there is a big difference with respect to parent communication and interaction. So, if you need to have your hand held and get immediate responses from teachers and admin about everything, SSSA and probably many other privates are much better.

Anonymous wrote:George Mason vs SSSAS. Is the money really worth it?

OP- we went through a similar journey with our eldest before entering K, though different ACPS elementary school and different local private. We ended up deciding private school was not worth the substantial investment at the elementary level, and we do not regret that decision. There were definitely points of frustration in elementary school, and advocacy is needed to ensure your kids’ needs are being met, but both our kids received a great education. There are also more support services in public, that you may not anticipate needing. There are many dedicated teachers in ACPS, but of course, not all. Kid is now in a local private in middle school and they are more academically prepared than most of their peers.

Private school has typical student population- some great families, but many more kids (than public) who come from wealthy families and clearly get whatever they want. We (including kids) connected more with the ACPS community.

Biggest benefit of private for us is more individualized attention and decreased screen usage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, not even remotely worth it at $420,000.

- a guy who went to Landon K-12, but sent two kids to Maury- GW- TC

Really now? You started Landon in kindergarten?

It's BCS or Mater Dei, you pedant. You didn't know tha,t did you? LOL.

Anonymous wrote:Hi all - OP here. The tuition would obviously be a major sacrifice. And we have more than one child. Definitely not skipping a couple lattes I guess we could use the money to leave Alexandria altogether, sadly.

SSSAS offers aid in some cases up to HHIs of $300k depending on the situation so keep that in mind.

At full pay? No, probably not worth it, especially as Mason will have brand new facilities and will be one of the wealthiest schools in the system following redistricting.

But leaving is an option, too, that plenty of people take. Don’t know why some people get so bent out of shape about this. The burden isn’t on you to make underperforming schools better.

Anonymous wrote:No, not even remotely worth it at $420,000.

- a guy who went to Landon K-12, but sent two kids to Maury- GW- TC

Really now? You started Landon in kindergarten?