Anonymous wrote:Public school just sort of sucks. Most people do not realize this and people don't want to insult you. Moving to be in a "good" public school is not something I would ever consider.

I have to agree. There are exceptions if the public is a test-in/need to apply type magnet school or if there is some other loop hole with really great special programs where high achieving kids can be challenged. But that isn’t most public schools, especially K-8

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school just sort of sucks. Most people do not realize this and people don't want to insult you. Moving to be in a "good" public school is not something I would ever consider.

Compared to good privates, I agree. I’m always confused when non religious people pay to send their kids to a $hitty Catholic school. (Not saying all are, but the ones by me are.)

Probably bc there is less out of control behavior. That may be worth it, even if the academics aren’t rigorous.

Anonymous wrote:I envy people who are so rich, private school cost does not register. I feel sorry for people who live in small, ugly houses so their child can attend private. that’s just foolish.

+1

And stupid. You don’t get that much value from private. Many public school kids make it to college and top, prestigious colleges too. You do not have to go to privat to go to a good college.

Yale School of Law
Yale graduate
MCPS graduate

I envy people who are so rich, private school cost does not register. I feel sorry for people who live in small, ugly houses so their child can attend private. that’s just foolish.

Define good. We bought where we could afford.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school just sort of sucks. Most people do not realize this and people don't want to insult you. Moving to be in a "good" public school is not something I would ever consider.

Compared to good privates, I agree. I’m always confused when non religious people pay to send their kids to a $hitty Catholic school. (Not saying all are, but the ones by me are.)

Private school parents have to talk up private schools to make themselves better about the money they are shelling out. However, it’s quite clear the educational outcomes for kids attending top publics in the area are often just as good, if not better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We always planned on private. I just wouldn’t want to say to you directly so you don’t feel bad like I am judging you for not putting your child in private or that I feel sorry for you not being able to afford it, or something ridiculous like that. I actually hate telling other families when they ask where our kids go to school. The look on their faces when I say the private school is always shock and surprise. It makes me uncomfortable. We can easily afford it but no one has any idea how much money we have and I like to keep it that way.

As a person with kids in public schools, I give you permission to tell anyone and everyone that you send your kids to private without fear that anyone gives one whit about your schooling choice. Nobody thinks you are judging them just because you say your kids are in private- people who send their kids to public are perfectly happy with their choices, and don't worry, we don't judge you for sending your kids to private either.

So you have the authority to speak on behalf of all parents whose kids are in public school? Interesting. Did I sign something I forgot about?

+1
I was wondering exactly when my opinions were relegated to this poster's who wants to speak on behalf of a bunch of anonymous strangers... she must be an aspiring politician....

Y'all need some reading comprehension lessons. "I give you permission to tell anyone.." is basically the opposite of saying that you are speaking on behalf of a group because "I" = one person. If the phrase was purporting to be on behalf of all public school parents it would be phrased "All public schools parents give you permission..."

I will give you that the next sentence with saying "Nobody thinks you are judging them..." is a bit of a generalization- it seems possibly that there are some parents who send their kids to public school who think that a person who sends their kids to private school is judging them. Seems like a waste of time to feel judgment based on the school choices of others, but certainly possible that people think this way! I personally, as a parent of children in public school have never felt that a parent who states his child goes to a private school is judging me (but wouldn't care if they were- judging people for their choices reflects poorly on the person being judgmental).

If you are new to the area, you may not know which areas have better schools. We lived in Alexandria when we first moved to the dmv. I loved living in Alexandria. I loved our neighborhood and our preschool. Almost everyone we knew when the kids were young moved. You also may not be looking for your forever home when you buy your first home.

Anonymous wrote:Our schools are great for elementary and average for middle and high. We had planned for this to be a "starter house" that we weren't in for more than 10 years, which would give us time to decide whether we would stick with these schools, but then the 2021-2023 run up in housing costs happened, so I hope average is good enough.

I'm in a similar situation with our house. I thought it was going to be our starter house but I think it's probably our forever house . The house is a little too small but we like the neighborhood. The schools are not amazing, especially the middle school.

People seem to really like private school often because of the sunk cost fallacy. And if you're enrolling your kindergartener chances are then you're committing to 13 years of private school and then private school for siblings as well

Anonymous wrote:Some people are going to do private regardless so they don't care about the schools they're zoned for

Some people thought they'd move before their kids got to K and then for whatever reason they didn't

Some people assumed that all schools in the area are good because that's what people say all the time and then they were not pleased when they discovered their actual options

Maybe the reasons many people send their kids to private (smaller class sizes, more offerings, etc.) was more appealing once they thought about it

There are tons of reasons people might send their kids to private school, and it doesn't like they're upset about sending their kids to private so why are you?

This is kind of where I/we fall. I bought our current home when I was just dating the great guy who became DH, cough, cough, last Century. School District is generally well-regarded and a new HS actually had us being rezoned there. So, basically, we lucked into a good pyramid but it can be fickle. A different school-building administration and it can go to hell-in-a-hand-basket in a very short time.

I am glad when we are done with public school, which is sooner rather than later. Despite our better-than-average experience, I wouldn't recommend it to most. I would definitely home-school (esp for ES) or private.

We bought in Aldie and I have no regrets. Our school may not be considered as good as a Great Falls school, but we could afford a nicer house here, and that matters to me!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the last few months of preschool before all little kids will go to kindergarten in the fall. Almost every families are local, so they go to their home elementary schools. I have talked to a few, and they are looking at private school because their home elementary school is not that great. Well, I don't know how much private school a year cost, but I know that we have been paying $28k a year for current preschool. It is going to cost a lot of money down the road if families decide to go private. Isn't cheaper to buy a home zoned to better school zone to begin with? Do you look at school zoning before having first kid?

It depends on the neighborhood

And on the number of kids. If you only plan on one kid, paying for private might be a better deal, it just depends on the geography.

Anonymous wrote:This is the last few months of preschool before all little kids will go to kindergarten in the fall. Almost every families are local, so they go to their home elementary schools. I have talked to a few, and they are looking at private school because their home elementary school is not that great. Well, I don't know how much private school a year cost, but I know that we have been paying $28k a year for current preschool. It is going to cost a lot of money down the road if families decide to go private. Isn't cheaper to buy a home zoned to better school zone to begin with? Do you look at school zoning before having first kid?

It depends on the neighborhood

Anonymous wrote:Public school just sort of sucks. Most people do not realize this and people don't want to insult you. Moving to be in a "good" public school is not something I would ever consider.

Compared to good privates, I agree. I’m always confused when non religious people pay to send their kids to a $hitty Catholic school. (Not saying all are, but the ones by me are.)