Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a few comments on this and other threads about middle school being a disaster at several elite privates. I wonder if anyone has stopped to consider that middle school is a disaster no matter where your kid goes to school because kids themselves are a disaster at that age. Middle school is tough for almost everyone, but it does get better. I think parents may want to lower their expectations about the middle school experience in general...

If I'm paying $35,000 I don't think I should be expected to lower my expectations. Particularly when the school is constantly telling me how wonderful it is. Way to go to blame the kids for the fact that the school can't get it's act together.

We have had a great middle school experience for our kids. It was a K-8 school. Well prepared and placed well. I think PK-12 schools, middle schools Potentially fall in a gap.

I’ve seen a few comments on this and other threads about middle school being a disaster at several elite privates. I wonder if anyone has stopped to consider that middle school is a disaster no matter where your kid goes to school because kids themselves are a disaster at that age. Middle school is tough for almost everyone, but it does get better. I think parents may want to lower their expectations about the middle school experience in general...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it rigorous, competitive, etc? College matriculation list looks ok...

I know a girl who left because she thought the girls were catty and exclusive.

Isn’t that every all girls private school?

Anonymous wrote:Is it rigorous, competitive, etc? College matriculation list looks ok...

I know a girl who left because she thought the girls were catty and exclusive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD in Middle School. New head still doesn't even know the names of all the kids in a division with less than 200 students. Kids really notice that stuff. Assistant Head leaving with no job to go to. Loads of meaningless activities which take away from core education. Seems that good teachers quit and go elsewhere. Lots of teacher turnover every year. Just sticking it out for high school at this point.

Meaningless activities is a good way to describe the middle school. Wednesday every other week a full day of speakers or meaningless activities - organized by assistant head, now leaving. So much wasted time, but a lot of busy work for homework. I have a strong math kid and I had to supplement as she has not even been exposed to basics and we saw it in the ERB year scores drop year on year UNTIL we had her use her brother’s math books. Sigh. But everything is great according to all the messaging. Think 1/3 of the teachers left last year, many of the good ones. Some of the new ones, have been really bad with seems little oversight

+1

Our family takes Catholicism seriously and we are thrilled with Stone Ridge. 2 daughters currently there- both started in 9th.

Anonymous wrote:We are not Catholic and attended a couple of admissions events. We were surprised at how conservatively religious the school is. It seemed very intense that way, and made us feel like our girls would feel like outsiders there. Holy Child seemed much more welcoming for non-Catholics.

There is nothing that is "conservatively religious" about this school. It's as liberal as it gets. Would not be a first choice for those who take Catholicism seriously.

Anonymous wrote:We are not Catholic and attended a couple of admissions events. We were surprised at how conservatively religious the school is. It seemed very intense that way, and made us feel like our girls would feel like outsiders there. Holy Child seemed much more welcoming for non-Catholics.

We’re a non-Catholic Stone Ridge family and have nothing but positive things to say about the school.

As a “naysayer” we have gone to administration. Part of the solution, is a different head of middle school. They also are in parallel are doing research on school on different fronts and some changes have been made. Same with lower school where there is a very specific enrollment issue.

I want to be optimistic. We have had more than one student at SR middle school and know many families who are just waiting to upper school and who have left.


I’m glad others have had a good experience, but for others it’s very mixed at this point, in contrast to upper school where it is universally well regarded. Hopefully the school reaches that point for the middle school

I’m a middle school parent. We have nothing but wonderful things to say about the school! We love the assistant head and head, the teachers are fantastic, the school is a strong community. Just ignore the naysayers. They should go to admin instead of voicing here. They should know that concerns are addressed and you are heard and valued at SR.

SR Upper School is amazing. I cannot say enough about it. We have been so happy. We love the block scheduling and the social action program is great. School is open to girls of all faiths but majority are Catholic (but not as many as you might think). I cannot say enough about the staff. I can't speak to the middle school but the vast majority of US teachers there are superb as is the Head of US (LOVE him).

As of now, my daughter tells me some of the 2020 matriculations include (in no particular order):

Harvard (more than one girl accepted but only one going)
Yale
Princeton
U Penn
U Chicago
Cornell
Vanderbilt
Duke
Pomona
UCLA
St Andrews (Scotland)
Kings College of London
Michigan (multiple)
U Va (multiple)
Rice
Northwestern
Johns Hopkins
Notre Dame (minimum of 2)
Boston College (many)
Georgetown (many)
Villanova (multiple)
Davidson
Washington and Lee
Wellesley
Smith
Colgate
Colby
Tufts
UT - Austin
U of Wisconsin
William and Mary
U of Maryland
College of the Holy Cross (multiple)
Tulane
Cleveland School of Music
Northeastern
Wake Forest
Haverford
NYU (multiple)
U Miami (multiple)
Bucknell
Spellman
Penn State
Syracuse
Clemson
Case Western Reserve
U of South Carolina
Alabama

This is a partial list.

Anonymous wrote:DD in Middle School. New head still doesn't even know the names of all the kids in a division with less than 200 students. Kids really notice that stuff. Assistant Head leaving with no job to go to. Loads of meaningless activities which take away from core education. Seems that good teachers quit and go elsewhere. Lots of teacher turnover every year. Just sticking it out for high school at this point.

Meaningless activities is a good way to describe the middle school. Wednesday every other week a full day of speakers or meaningless activities - organized by assistant head, now leaving. So much wasted time, but a lot of busy work for homework. I have a strong math kid and I had to supplement as she has not even been exposed to basics and we saw it in the ERB year scores drop year on year UNTIL we had her use her brother’s math books. Sigh. But everything is great according to all the messaging. Think 1/3 of the teachers left last year, many of the good ones. Some of the new ones, have been really bad with seems little oversight

DD in Middle School. New head still doesn't even know the names of all the kids in a division with less than 200 students. Kids really notice that stuff. Assistant Head leaving with no job to go to. Loads of meaningless activities which take away from core education. Seems that good teachers quit and go elsewhere. Lots of teacher turnover every year. Just sticking it out for high school at this point.

Anonymous wrote:Lower School is good but expensive for what it is.

Middle School is a disaster.

Upper School is generally considered excellent.

Pick your poison.

+1. Middle school got better with new head of middle school. But still a long way to go. Overpriced. Core academics really subpar. Yes some bright spots but overall your kid ends up behind in key areas , yet she did a lot of busy work. Not on par with other private middles schools. Social situation was a bit of lots of the flies for girls as head/assistant head were not on top of it but seems a bit better People send girls to middle school to make sure they get to upper school without admissions stress.

Lower school is over priced and very small grade size.

Agree upper school is generally excellent.