OP, good for you for looking out for him and letting him be who he is. But could I gently point out that you might not want to pigeonhole your son as nerdy and quirky and not a future homecoming king just yet?

I admittedly didn't initially read your post closely enough and assumed we were talking about an older kid. But he's SO young! Don't they all have quirks at that age?

Grace Episcopal in Kensington. Quite a bunch of nerdy, quirky, nice kids go there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maret is very small, and it’s your son doesn’t fit in, he will be miserable.

Maret allows a lot of ugly social aggression to go unchecked, especially if the parents are wealthy. The school is unusually responsive to wealth, more so than other privates.

I’m not the earlier poster who said stay away from Maret, but would guess these are some of the reasons why they said stay away.

I would actually say the same thing for Sheridan. The classes are so small that it can be hard for some kids to find a cohort. My DD loved her teachers there so much but socially it was a bit of a wipeout just because she never found other girls to bond with.

Sheridan has small grade cohorts but that's where the similarity with Maret ends. There isn't the fawning over wealth that you see elsewhere, ahem. There also is not "ugly unchecked aggression," as PP put it, at Sheridan. The school counselor is all over that sort of thing at the earliest sign. I know, because my kid was on one end and then the other during our 9 years there. They nip that crap in the bud

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have multiple kids at GDS and have seen no evidence over the years that supports what you’re claiming.

Of course not. It would be unwoke to notice that African American kids are treated with kid gloves compared to other racial groups.

Except that widely available evidence suggests the complete opposite about how African American kids are treated in schools.

That’s true in schools across the US, but not at GDS. I am for evenhanded treatment based on behavior and facts, not treating any child preferentially based on race.

GDS tries to compensate for historical injustice, but they can err on the side of advocating for African American children rather than staying neutral as they look into conflicts.

I wonder if that's actually true, or if equality feels like preferential treatment if you're used to getting preferential treatment yourself.

You seem to have the GDS woke blinders on. My family is not white, and we’re not used to getting preferential treatment.

Very typical of GDS’s woke families to make this kind of assumption.

Anonymous wrote:In my experience across public and private in this region, the answer is that a “nerdy, quirky” kid will feel more at home in public. Among the wealthier set at private, families tend to discourage these traits and encourage sports, extroversion, leadership, and to a certain extent conformity. Your miles may vary.

Totally opposite experience. Being smart and intellectually engaged is rewarded at rigorous private schools. Not at publics...at all.

In my experience across public and private in this region, the answer is that a “nerdy, quirky” kid will feel more at home in public. Among the wealthier set at private, families tend to discourage these traits and encourage sports, extroversion, leadership, and to a certain extent conformity. Your miles may vary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have multiple kids at GDS and have seen no evidence over the years that supports what you’re claiming.

Of course not. It would be unwoke to notice that African American kids are treated with kid gloves compared to other racial groups.

Except that widely available evidence suggests the complete opposite about how African American kids are treated in schools.

That’s true in schools across the US, but not at GDS. I am for evenhanded treatment based on behavior and facts, not treating any child preferentially based on race.

GDS tries to compensate for historical injustice, but they can err on the side of advocating for African American children rather than staying neutral as they look into conflicts.

I wonder if that's actually true, or if equality feels like preferential treatment if you're used to getting preferential treatment yourself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:one school in particular is know as the Band of Misfits.

Which one?

GDS

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have multiple kids at GDS and have seen no evidence over the years that supports what you’re claiming.

Of course not. It would be unwoke to notice that African American kids are treated with kid gloves compared to other racial groups.

Except that widely available evidence suggests the complete opposite about how African American kids are treated in schools.

That’s true in schools across the US, but not at GDS. I am for evenhanded treatment based on behavior and facts, not treating any child preferentially based on race.

GDS tries to compensate for historical injustice, but they can err on the side of advocating for African American children rather than staying neutral as they look into conflicts.

Anonymous wrote:one school in particular is know as the Band of Misfits.

Which one?

I only have experience with Langley and I think it would be a great spot for your child. I would define my Langley child and pretty opposite from yours, but I will say that my "homecoming king" has a bunch of friends that will build a "kick ass robot" and hopefully have a job for my DS at some point! Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:one school in particular is know as the Band of Misfits.

What school is that?

Agree w Feynman reference above. There is likely space, it is not a school for every kid. They have to really love science and be very bright. But it sounds like your DS would be right in the mark there.

Anonymous wrote:one school in particular is know as the Band of Misfits.

I know that's right!

Anonymous wrote:I hate to tell you that there is not one school full of nerds or "corky" kids. School balance their student body to represent the full spectrum of talents.

Unless only one type is attracted to an extreme school or blatant FA is waved around.