PP- this is 20:46. Thank you for your post. What a great idea! I will call the school and see if she can visit for part of the day. I definitely appreciate small class sizes. My DD attends another DC private with small classes so I appreciate the benefits. Does your child/children find the curriculum challenging enough? My DDs current school has very strong academics (we are leaving due to finances- too many tuition hikes) and I'm hoping that St Ann's will continue to develop her love of learning. Thank you again.

Anonymous wrote:Any current St Ann's parents willing to comment on the academics? I recently toured the school and was underwhelmed by the facilities. But I realize that I can't judge the quality of the education by that alone. My DD would be in 1st grade.
My other option is Janney which appears lovely but I'm concerned about class size. DD is bright, artistic, reserved/shy and I'm concerned that Janney might be too big and chaotic.
I need to make a decision quickly- and I know I'm obsessing
I appreciate any feedback parents can offer.
TIA!!

'

Hi Tia,

The first grade teacher is wonderful. She used to specialize in title 1 reading, so those kids are extremely proficient!
One of the best things about St Anns is that the younger grades get to do amazing things: like switch classes to go to science lab! The class sizes are one of the best parts about St Anns. Who else can say that their child gets one on one attention every single day? It's incredible.
If you'd like for DD to judge, you should set up an appointment for DD to shadow the first grade classroom for the morning/afternoon and see if they like it!
Hope this helps!

Any current St Ann's parents willing to comment on the academics? I recently toured the school and was underwhelmed by the facilities. But I realize that I can't judge the quality of the education by that alone. My DD would be in 1st grade.
My other option is Janney which appears lovely but I'm concerned about class size. DD is bright, artistic, reserved/shy and I'm concerned that Janney might be too big and chaotic.
I need to make a decision quickly- and I know I'm obsessing
I appreciate any feedback parents can offer.
TIA!!

I have heard St. Ann's is in danger of closing. Does anyone know if that is true?

Anonymous wrote:The school sounds great. How diverse is it? And by that I mean is there actually diversity (good balance of races/ethnicities/nationalities), not whether there are merely high numbers of minority students. Thanks

I think I know what you are getting at. A school that is all-African-American is not a diverse school.
But St. Ann's is a diverse school.
St. Ann's is mainly African-American, but it has a lot of students from both eastern and western countries in Africa, students from Central America and South America, Australian, southern and northern Asian students, even Eastern European students. There are Caucasian students, too. I would bet that the students at St. Ann's are able to speak more than a dozen different languages.

In response to the diversity question:

The student body at St. Ann's Academy is predominantly African-American, but has everything: Caucasian, Latino, and Asian. In addition to the racial diversity, the school has national diversity as the school draws students from several embassies. Finally, there are many non-Catholic religions, including some non-Christian ones, represented at the school.

While these aspects of diversity are great, what I find most appealing about the student body at St. Ann’s is the socio-economic diversity. Few schools offer this level of diversity, which I think it important for children to be exposed to.

-EG

Urban does not have to equal ugly, PP.

Anonymous wrote:seems like all of the parochial schools have horrible outside space: Blessed Sacrament, St Augustine, OLV, and Holy Trinity. What is up with this? This is actually a big turnoff and part of why we are not applying to these schools. Combined with the large class sizes (with the exception of OLV), if you were to remove the religious component you might as well go public.

Please remember that these schools are in the CITY in an URBAN setting. Some of us actually find that appealing. Sound like you would be more comfortable in a cul de sac in Reston.

The school sounds great. How diverse is it? And by that I mean is there actually diversity (good balance of races/ethnicities/nationalities), not whether there are merely high numbers of minority students. Thanks

Anonymous wrote:What is the PreK/K environment like? What are their classrooms like? Almost every parochial I have been in puts the young kids in the ugliest classrooms.

The pre k is downstairs but the kindergarten classroom is right upstairs. It is actually the first classroom when you walk into the building. Everything is decorated beautifully with plenty of windows. Take a tour and see for yourself! The kindergarten teacher is new this year and could not be better! Every morning I see the class run up and great her, bursting with energy to start the day. The pre k teachers are wonderful and have been an essential part of the St Ann's community for years. The faculty is fantastic, highly qualified, and brimming with passion for education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:seems like all of the parochial schools have horrible outside space: Blessed Sacrament, St Augustine, OLV, and Holy Trinity. What is up with this? This is actually a big turnoff and part of why we are not applying to these schools. Combined with the large class sizes (with the exception of OLV), if you were to remove the religious component you might as well go public.

I also wish the grounds were more appealing but understand that parishes have limited capital to spend and many of these schools occupy a constrained, urban site. Most families who choose Catholic elementary schools focus more on the intangibles that cannot be found in a public school beyond academic rigor: faith-based education with an emphasis on core values and ethics, tight-knit community, small school size, and lack of teaching to a test. It depends on what your priorities are...

I posted earlier about touring St. Ann's. You hit the nail on the head with your comment about the intangibles. For me, I have been thinking less about the small playground and more about the graduates attending good high schools. I worry about the public high schools in DC, not the elementary schools.

What is the PreK/K environment like? What are their classrooms like? Almost every parochial I have been in puts the young kids in the ugliest classrooms.

Anonymous wrote:seems like all of the parochial schools have horrible outside space: Blessed Sacrament, St Augustine, OLV, and Holy Trinity. What is up with this? This is actually a big turnoff and part of why we are not applying to these schools. Combined with the large class sizes (with the exception of OLV), if you were to remove the religious component you might as well go public.

I also wish the grounds were more appealing but understand that parishes have limited capital to spend and many of these schools occupy a constrained, urban site. Most families who choose Catholic elementary schools focus more on the intangibles that cannot be found in a public school beyond academic rigor: faith-based education with an emphasis on core values and ethics, tight-knit community, small school size, and lack of teaching to a test. It depends on what your priorities are...

seems like all of the parochial schools have horrible outside space: Blessed Sacrament, St Augustine, OLV, and Holy Trinity. What is up with this? This is actually a big turnoff and part of why we are not applying to these schools. Combined with the large class sizes (with the exception of OLV), if you were to remove the religious component you might as well go public.

I recently toured St. Ann's, and the indoor facilities looked great. There were smart boards in the classrooms, a beautiful art room (I loved the classical music playing softly in there), a nice science lab that they actually appear to use, up-to-date computer lab, and an old but decent gymnasium. Limited outdoor space does appear to be a problem there. They have a small playground. I have a child in middle school. I am attracted to a few things: The Tenleytown Red Line stop is across the street, the students are as diverse as in any school I have been in, and the kids go on to good high schools.
As for a principal scandal or an Olivia Pope rumor (whoever that is), I have no idea.