11:43, I think 9:54's point is that if PP's NCS DD is partying with GDSers then perhaps she is also imbibing in drugs and illegally procured alcohol.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, St. Albans/NCS is a strong, well rounded #1 school. GDS is a fair #4 or 5.

Yes, I agree.

My DD is a NCS alum who met many GDS students at parties over the years, and also I've heard it from several parents of kids who attended and currently attend GDS that the drug culture there is quite strong. This is in comparison to other independent schools in the area who have their fair share of issues with substance abuse. This I find really disturbing and can't understand why parents aren't outraged by it: During lunch breaks, a good number of GDS students purchase alcohol from the homeless who sell newspapers outside of a Tenley-neighborhood liquor store, they get loaded and then return to school. Apparently, the homeless have been making money off these kids for years.

Hmm, so these are the kids your NCS daughter partied with?

Students from independent schools in the area attend many of the same dances and parties.

We've been a GDS family for 5 years (2 kids in the Lower School) and absolutely LOVE it! Academically it is top notch, it has an incredible art department, staff is diverse and very well prepared and the administration is very open and supportive of students and parents.
I don't really know about the sports aspect in HS, but my kids have a strong and varied PE class 4 days a week at the elementary level and that is really all I want at this point.
We love the progressive philosophy of the school and how they teach about values like equality, respect, civil rights, ethics and every person's responsibility on making the world a better place.
Every time my husband and I visit (and we do visit quite a lot) we always come back saying how we wish we had gone to school at GDS.
It might not be the school for the OP or other PPs but there is no need to be negative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, St. Albans/NCS is a strong, well rounded #1 school. GDS is a fair #4 or 5.

Yes, I agree.

My DD is a NCS alum who met many GDS students at parties over the years, and also I've heard it from several parents of kids who attended and currently attend GDS that the drug culture there is quite strong. This is in comparison to other independent schools in the area who have their fair share of issues with substance abuse. This I find really disturbing and can't understand why parents aren't outraged by it: During lunch breaks, a good number of GDS students purchase alcohol from the homeless who sell newspapers outside of a Tenley-neighborhood liquor store, they get loaded and then return to school. Apparently, the homeless have been making money off these kids for years.

Hmm, so these are the kids your NCS daughter partied with?

Anonymous wrote:I took the suggestion of searching GDS as well. i am surprised that so many people dislike the school. i thought it was top-tier until i read the negative comments.

The people who hate the school seem to know very little about it. They're categorically opposed to some aspect (e.g. calling teachers by their first names), opt out (fair enough -- it's clearly not a match), and then spew all sorts of garbage about the school. Believe what you want to believe. Sometimes I think that the visceral reaction comes from the fact that GDS threatens a certain sort of world-view -- one that sees excellence as a product of hierarchy and constraint. And that's even before we get to the issue of whether a commitment to diversity raises or lowers academic standards.

Anonymous wrote:I agree, St. Albans/NCS is a strong, well rounded #1 school. GDS is a fair #4 or 5.

Yes, I agree.

My DD is a NCS alum who met many GDS students at parties over the years, and also I've heard it from several parents of kids who attended and currently attend GDS that the drug culture there is quite strong. This is in comparison to other independent schools in the area who have their fair share of issues with substance abuse. This I find really disturbing and can't understand why parents aren't outraged by it: During lunch breaks, a good number of GDS students purchase alcohol from the homeless who sell newspapers outside of a Tenley-neighborhood liquor store, they get loaded and then return to school. Apparently, the homeless have been making money off these kids for years.

Anonymous wrote:It sucks.

You Suck!

If you believe the posts from the GDS search?

I agree, St. Albans/NCS is a strong, well rounded #1 school. GDS is a fair #4 or 5.

Anonymous wrote:I took the suggestion of searching GDS as well. i am surprised that so many people dislike the school. i thought it was top-tier until i read the negative comments.

I would say that it is top tier academically, but its culture is distinctive enough that people either love it or hate it -- sort of the other side of the coin from St. Albans, which similarly has a strong enough identity to produce visceral feelings in prospective parents/applicants.

Doubtful! Excellent academic program. Bump the sports program. Not alot of Larry Birds, Tom Bradys, Michael Jordan or David Bechams from the metro area! Please get off the sports kick, your DC is not going to support your Bentley, G5, and St. Bart dreams, unless they're successful at real job. Try prepping them for real life, send DC to GDS.

I took the suggestion of searching GDS as well. i am surprised that so many people dislike the school. i thought it was top-tier until i read the negative comments.

What is VBA?

Anonymous wrote:The Obamas also considered GDS when they were looking for DC private schools.

In all fairness, their choice may have had just a little to do with ability to have good education and best possible security - Sidwell is certainly better situated for the security portion than GDS Lowe school - and they have the experience too

22:32 -- Good one!