Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a public school parent but would choose Lowell in a heartbeat if I could afford it. DCPS & charters have to deal with the PARCC and common core standards, plus the teaching to the test that goes along with that. I'd much prefer to send my child to a very good private. Financially, that's not an option for us.

I am a fan of montessori and abhor the PARCC and common core standards. So I would choose Lee and then next year apply for a private montessori that goes to higher grades: Aidan or Christian Family Montessori. LAMB is not real montessori.

If montessori is not a big deal for her, I would go with Lowell.

I understand that LAMB is not certified as Montesorri school, but given their strong, consistent academic and linguistic results, I'm glad that they've chosen to be flexible. I prefer a bit of flexibility and fantastic results rather than rigid adherence to Montessori. I don't know anything about Lee as I was not interested in changing schools and it's a relatively new, untested program right? But I'm sure it's a fine school.

I also agree that it would be a crime if your sister took a LAMB spot knowing they were planning an early exit. Please don't do that! Either way all your choices sound good, and I'm sure you can't go wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a public school parent but would choose Lowell in a heartbeat if I could afford it. DCPS & charters have to deal with the PARCC and common core standards, plus the teaching to the test that goes along with that. I'd much prefer to send my child to a very good private. Financially, that's not an option for us.

I am a fan of montessori and abhor the PARCC and common core standards. So I would choose Lee and then next year apply for a private montessori that goes to higher grades: Aidan or Christian Family Montessori. LAMB is not real montessori.

If montessori is not a big deal for her, I would go with Lowell.

Both those private Montessori schools go to 6th grade. Lee will go to 6th grade by the time her kid is ready for those higher grades. no reason to go private just to go to higher grades. Lee is likely to add a middle school and actively considering working with other Montessori schools to open a public Montessori high school by the time the first co-hort is ready for it.

I think PP is saying to go private in order to avoid PARCC and testing, but just saying to find one that goes through 6th grade. Irrelevant to her that the charters go to 6th.

I don't know anything about the other schools but I know a lot about Lowell. Lowell is not a Sidwell even though it costs the same. There are behavior problems because the kids don't respect the teachers, there are no consequences and they are a lot of entitled children there. (They call them by their first names)

Do your research on Lowell. My child attended there (not a behavioral issue) and we pulled him out. There is no way I would recommend that school. Other privates maybe but not Lowell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a public school parent but would choose Lowell in a heartbeat if I could afford it. DCPS & charters have to deal with the PARCC and common core standards, plus the teaching to the test that goes along with that. I'd much prefer to send my child to a very good private. Financially, that's not an option for us.

I am a fan of montessori and abhor the PARCC and common core standards. So I would choose Lee and then next year apply for a private montessori that goes to higher grades: Aidan or Christian Family Montessori. LAMB is not real montessori.

If montessori is not a big deal for her, I would go with Lowell.

Both those private Montessori schools go to 6th grade. Lee will go to 6th grade by the time her kid is ready for those higher grades. no reason to go private just to go to higher grades. Lee is likely to add a middle school and actively considering working with other Montessori schools to open a public Montessori high school by the time the first co-hort is ready for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Idk even if I had enough money to where it did not make a difference, I would love to attend a great charter and used $30k on an awesome family trip every year. Imagine being at LAMB and every summer go to a new Spanish speaking country for a month. How awesome would that be? Always somewhere you can spend the money IF you have option of LAMB or any other great charter. Lee it too new for me to assess. Maybe after 2-3 years.

If a person has enough income where $33k truly "doesn't matter," then taking great trips is part of your life anyway. You do private AND the trips every year.

There's a difference from someone that can swing it easily and spending $30k a year just on vacations. To even consider charters/public they are not Bill Gates types.

Lowell and I wouldn't even waste a minute second-guessing myself. This isn't even a close call!

Anonymous wrote:I am a public school parent but would choose Lowell in a heartbeat if I could afford it. DCPS & charters have to deal with the PARCC and common core standards, plus the teaching to the test that goes along with that. I'd much prefer to send my child to a very good private. Financially, that's not an option for us.

I am a fan of montessori and abhor the PARCC and common core standards. So I would choose Lee and then next year apply for a private montessori that goes to higher grades: Aidan or Christian Family Montessori. LAMB is not real montessori.

If montessori is not a big deal for her, I would go with Lowell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would try a charter and switch to private if it doesn't work out. You can join a private later but that is less likely to be a possibility at a charter. That said joining lamb if you are not pretty committed will mean they can't fill the space of you leave for K or a letter year.

I don't think you know how admissions works at top privates. There are entry years, and after that it's very hard to get in.

Yes but aren't K and 3rd often entry years? Those are often very hard years to get into charters (impossible for LAMB).

For many schools, PK, not K, is the entry year.

Anonymous wrote:Have a child at Lee with a classmate whose parent works at a private school. Parent basically felt what we were getting wasn't too different from a private school education. Sure there are some more resources, but at $30K a year, you can provide other resources. We love Lee. If language is important, then I'd suggest LAMB. Personally, money no object or not, I don't see the point of paying that much for early childhood education. High school, sure. Middle school OK. A 3 or 4 year old? Nope. Put that money away for college, summer camp and a great vacation.

I've also spoken to Lee parents who moved their kids to Lee from private Montessori schools. They are very happy to have made the move. A surprising number of kids were previously in private at Lee.

Have a child at Lee with a classmate whose parent works at a private school. Parent basically felt what we were getting wasn't too different from a private school education. Sure there are some more resources, but at $30K a year, you can provide other resources. We love Lee. If language is important, then I'd suggest LAMB. Personally, money no object or not, I don't see the point of paying that much for early childhood education. High school, sure. Middle school OK. A 3 or 4 year old? Nope. Put that money away for college, summer camp and a great vacation.

OP here, thanks for all of the feedback! I am pointing her to this thread hoping that she will get some clarity. It is her choice, but I'm still hoping that she chooses one of the charters even though her family can afford private. Especially in preschool. I agree that she should not take a spot at LAMB if she is not in for the duration. I'm thinking if they end up at Lee or LAMB, they will love it and stay put...that's what I have been telling her during this process anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In many ways, charter schools like Lee and LAMB are effectively a lot like private schools without the fees.

Given that PK education is relatively unimportant for a kid from an educated affluent family background it seems extremely foolish to pay for something you can get for free.

This. I would do private for K and up.

That would be really crappy to do at a school like LAMB when that spot is effectively wasted for someone who really wanted to be there

Obviously your sister's choice, but please don't choose LAMB if going to leave at K! We don't get to replace that child with someone who wants to be there the whole time.

Plus one billion!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In many ways, charter schools like Lee and LAMB are effectively a lot like private schools without the fees.

Given that PK education is relatively unimportant for a kid from an educated affluent family background it seems extremely foolish to pay for something you can get for free.

This. I would do private for K and up.

That would be really crappy to do at a school like LAMB when that spot is effectively wasted for someone who really wanted to be there

Obviously your sister's choice, but please don't choose LAMB if going to leave at K! We don't get to replace that child with someone who wants to be there the whole time.

Anonymous wrote:LAMB takes no one after prek-4 and had 3 prek4 slots for about 275 applicants.

Please do not take a LAMB spot if you don't plan on sticking it out. Of course you're free to leave any time, but since they don't take anyone after PK4 it would be such a shame to waste that spot if you already have a foot out the door. So many people would love to enroll their child there, please don't waste the spot.

Lowell School. My experience there was extremely positive.