Anonymous
Post 02/09/2018 11:48     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:It’s a little unrelated, but since it keeps coming up, I want to weigh in on the private vs. public school teacher situation. I can only speak for myself, but I fall into a few categories. I have multiple degrees and was originally a professional in another field. I am fully licensed and began my teaching career in public school. I felt the public system was turning me into a cog in a wheel and not taking advantage of my skill set. I also wasn’t getting my needs for autonomy and creativity met, and I thought the school system could do better by students. I was lucky because I had a high-earning partner and could make the shift to private, though as it turned out it wasn’t much of a financial hit. My own kids are in both public and private schools at the moment, but none are at the school where I teach. If they were, I’d get no tuition remission because my family’s income is too high. The boost for private school teachers is that the school that employs them will leave out their teaching income when calculating financial aid. That’s how my school handles it, anyway. I think parents who say “the teachers at public are more highly qualified” are a.) incorrect and b.) not adequately factoring in the degree to which burnout and excessive paperwork can destroy some teachers’ passion for the job. So many public school teachers are delivering completely prescribed curricula that doesn’t take advantage of their creativity. Some are stuck and some can leave.

I'm currently looking at several independent schools, and the school that has impressed me most is a school where teachers have some autonomy and runway in tailoring their own curriculum, taking advantage of their own unique creativity and passion. I agree that this is hard to find in public and, frankly, even in many "selective" privates that feel pressure to conform to what people are used to seeing. It takes courage as a school to be different.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2018 11:38     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
It’s a little unrelated, but since it keeps coming up, I want to weigh in on the private vs. public school teacher situation. I can only speak for myself, but I fall into a few categories. I have multiple degrees and was originally a professional in another field. I am fully licensed and began my teaching career in public school. I felt the public system was turning me into a cog in a wheel and not taking advantage of my skill set. I also wasn’t getting my needs for autonomy and creativity met, and I thought the school system could do better by students. I was lucky because I had a high-earning partner and could make the shift to private, though as it turned out it wasn’t much of a financial hit. My own kids are in both public and private schools at the moment, but none are at the school where I teach. If they were, I’d get no tuition remission because my family’s income is too high. The boost for private school teachers is that the school that employs them will leave out their teaching income when calculating financial aid. That’s how my school handles it, anyway. I think parents who say “the teachers at public are more highly qualified” are a.) incorrect and b.) not adequately factoring in the degree to which burnout and excessive paperwork can destroy some teachers’ passion for the job. So many public school teachers are delivering completely prescribed curricula that doesn’t take advantage of their creativity. Some are stuck and some can leave.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2018 11:02     Subject: Sidwell tuition increase
Unfortunately, I think the board is really focused on one thing -- raising $$ to build out the Washington Home site and consolidate the campuses. I don't mind if the board is focused on fundraising, but they need to find a way to keep Bryan Garman focused on current school issues.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2018 10:54     Subject: Sidwell tuition increase
Our school increased by an even higher percentage. Over 10% over the last two years. I guess they're trying to outdo Sidwell in one category.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2018 10:45     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The teachers are already paid well beneath teachers at Public schools. However, privates don't have to worry about losing them because the teachers are uncertified so the public wouldn't hire them anyways.


Their loss.


Most private school teacher, at least the ones I am familiar with, might be unlicensed, but have advanced degrees and left other professions to go into teaching - lawyers, PhD's etc.


Is this so that they can put their own kids through these schools for a reduced tuition?


Why do so many assume ulterior motives? First of all, many schools do NOT offer tuition remission. Secondly in my experience at schools that do have tuition remission, the teachers that left careers in law, etc. to teach did not even have children. They switched careers because they really loved the calling and lifestyle. To be around bright, motivated kids and help inspire them.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2018 10:29     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The teachers are already paid well beneath teachers at Public schools. However, privates don't have to worry about losing them because the teachers are uncertified so the public wouldn't hire them anyways.


Their loss.


Most private school teacher, at least the ones I am familiar with, might be unlicensed, but have advanced degrees and left other professions to go into teaching - lawyers, PhD's etc.


Is this so that they can put their own kids through these schools for a reduced tuition?
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2018 21:06     Subject: Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Whitman Free
B-CC Free
Blair Free
TJ Free
WJ Free
Wooton Free
Churchill Free


Private Public’s let’s not kid ourselves, there are no free rides in this area.


What does that mean?



Cost to buy house in these areas, plus the additional costs for enrichment so your DC can go beyond the test-based curriculum in high elem, MS and lower HS. What really surprises me is the number of neighbors in our NWDC neighborhood who bail for the close-in MoCo for the schools and end up sending their kids to private anyway. Ouch. If I'm going to pay for private, I might as well be able to get to my 9:30 meeting from home in 10 minutes.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2018 20:14     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:1. Sidwell Administration is top-heavy and provide insufficient value for money.

2. Super rich parents are seeing the school is in fundraising mode and they are making their demands known, including through this board. The tragedy is when the super rich parents say “Jump”, the craven administrators say “How high?”. Seeing it happen now. Tragic.


Examples?
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2018 19:28     Subject: Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Whitman Free
B-CC Free
Blair Free
TJ Free
WJ Free
Wooton Free
Churchill Free


Private Public’s let’s not kid ourselves, there are no free rides in this area.


What does that mean?

Anonymous
Post 02/05/2018 19:05     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
1. Sidwell Administration is top-heavy and provide insufficient value for money.

2. Super rich parents are seeing the school is in fundraising mode and they are making their demands known, including through this board. The tragedy is when the super rich parents say “Jump”, the craven administrators say “How high?”. Seeing it happen now. Tragic.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2018 18:16     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The teachers are already paid well beneath teachers at Public schools. However, privates don't have to worry about losing them because the teachers are uncertified so the public wouldn't hire them anyways.


Their loss.


Most private school teacher, at least the ones I am familiar with, might be unlicensed, but have advanced degrees and left other professions to go into teaching - lawyers, PhD's etc.


Yes, and that makes them qualified to teach because ... why?
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2018 18:06     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you're truly "middle class" you shouldn't be attending this school in the firs place.

Face it. Private school is for rich people, period. Don't believe anyone who tries to tell you otherwise.


Garman admitted so much at last year's state of the school speech - he presented figures showing that ~20-30 years ago a typical private school could be afforded by the top 3 quintiles of income, and the distribution of students reflected that. Now, by comparison, it's affordable only to the top quintile and some of the 2nd quintile, again reflected in student populations.

I guess his stated concern isn't reflected in actual action.



What action do you propose? Keep tuition the same and make program cuts? Keep tuition the same and pay teachers less relative to their peers at other public and private school (which probably means losing said teachers)? I think if there was a clear action to take he would have done it already, but there isn't an obvious solution. Or even a non-obvious one.


The teachers are already paid well beneath teachers at Public schools. However, privates don't have to worry about losing them because the teachers are uncertified so the public wouldn't hire them anyways.


+1

And teachers tend to be married to high earners, because in addition to the mediocre pay, the benefits are paltry. And there is no tuition remission.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2018 19:12     Subject: Sidwell tuition increase
The nice thing is at every grade there are families who have exhausted themselves at trying to make their public school experience work. So they leap at any empty seats. The churn at the schools is always categorized as bad fit, but the churn to publics is almost always about dollars.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2018 19:04     Subject: Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:Whitman Free
B-CC Free
Blair Free
TJ Free
WJ Free
Wooton Free
Churchill Free


Private Public’s let’s not kid ourselves, there are no free rides in this area.
Anonymous
Post 01/31/2018 18:35     Subject: Re:Sidwell tuition increase
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The teachers are already paid well beneath teachers at Public schools. However, privates don't have to worry about losing them because the teachers are uncertified so the public wouldn't hire them anyways.


Their loss.


Most private school teacher, at least the ones I am familiar with, might be unlicensed, but have advanced degrees and left other professions to go into teaching - lawyers, PhD's etc.