Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't say more expensive in rosemont, just less square footage for the buck. Nor did I claim belle haven is snotty. Just my point - nothing to be snotty about and the claim is just untrue. SSSAS is a great environment for folks from all walks of life. Those who think differently likely hAve am axe to grind or a chip on their shoulder re money. Don't have to be rich to have agreat experience at this school - child (which should be what matters) or parents.

Former SSSAS mom. I have a chip on my shoulder about the school because my child was bullied and the administration just stood and watched. My HHI is over $2MM, so don't tell me that I felt inferior because I lacked money. The school lacked character.

Right, so you have an axe to grind. There was an "or" there.

Then why go on to say "you don't have to be rich to have a great experience." My point was that we are rich, and we still had a terrible experience at the school because of its culture. Anyone considering the school should be aware that they talk a good game about character but look away when their students bully others. We are not the only family that left because of that huge failure. I don't give a good G*ddamn about the "belle haven" or "rosemont" debate. That place is toxic no matter where you live.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn't say more expensive in rosemont, just less square footage for the buck. Nor did I claim belle haven is snotty. Just my point - nothing to be snotty about and the claim is just untrue. SSSAS is a great environment for folks from all walks of life. Those who think differently likely hAve am axe to grind or a chip on their shoulder re money. Don't have to be rich to have agreat experience at this school - child (which should be what matters) or parents.

Former SSSAS mom. I have a chip on my shoulder about the school because my child was bullied and the administration just stood and watched. My HHI is over $2MM, so don't tell me that I felt inferior because I lacked money. The school lacked character.

Right, so you have an axe to grind. There was an "or" there.

Well then you need to get out more, because there is definitely more than one school that is known as "saints in Virginia". NOVA, maybe, but in the entire state, give me a break. I know of at least 3.

Anonymous wrote:Didn't say more expensive in rosemont, just less square footage for the buck. Nor did I claim belle haven is snotty. Just my point - nothing to be snotty about and the claim is just untrue. SSSAS is a great environment for folks from all walks of life. Those who think differently likely hAve am axe to grind or a chip on their shoulder re money. Don't have to be rich to have agreat experience at this school - child (which should be what matters) or parents.

Former SSSAS mom. I have a chip on my shoulder about the school because my child was bullied and the administration just stood and watched. My HHI is over $2MM, so don't tell me that I felt inferior because I lacked money. The school lacked character.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay -- I have no in-depth knowledge of "the Saints" -- but just wanted to share the following --
Recently my car broke down in Accokeek, and I unexpectedly found myself in a Dunkin Doughnuts there for a while. Three Saints students were dropped off there -- I asked them if they went to the Saints in Virginia, and they said yes. I asked them about the length of the trip, and they said 45 minutes, but an hour and a half on the bus. They were very polite, well-spoken African American boys. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but they may be scholarship students, and this encounter raised my opinion of the school. Clearly, not every student is local since at least one bus goes to P.G. County .

This is stupid, you know there are several schools in Virginia with St. _________. And they also have, get ready for it, African American students who are polite and well spoken. Such as St. Christophers or STAB. WTF poster? You sounds like a crazy racist, because apparently only AA kids are on scholarship and live in PG County and can surprisingly have manners. You are terrible.

While I agree that the assumption that AA kids are on scholarship is stupid and appalling, I don't know of any other schools in the area where "Saints" is the team name. So generally, when someone asks "are you Saints" everyone knows they are talking about SSSAS.

Anonymous wrote:We turned down SSSAS, in part, because of this bull$hit. Not our style at all. Not into the cocktail parties where moms glare at each other, act phony nice, and then point out to their clique that so-and-so has a last season tory burch bag. The horror!

Signed,

Burgundy Farm family from Rosemont

So... you go to SSSAS cocktail parties? This does not make any sense.

Anonymous wrote:Interesting 23:08.
Not a SSSAS parent, but parent at another Alexandria school. Was your husband there before the merger with St. Agnes? I heard St. A was quite progressive when it was a girls' school, and that with the merger, there were some changes. Hopefully there is less of what you are describing now, though some that will pop up anywhere. (No one would call me an SSSAS defender.)

I Believe the bullying factor goes down at coed schools. It seems more the thing for all boy schools where the testosterone levels are not diluted.

We turned down SSSAS, in part, because of this bull$hit. Not our style at all. Not into the cocktail parties where moms glare at each other, act phony nice, and then point out to their clique that so-and-so has a last season tory burch bag. The horror!

Signed,

Burgundy Farm family from Rosemont

Anonymous wrote:9:36 Says a lot about you that you felt a need to respond to the DC poster. But you told her......BIG 3!!!! So, that's proof it's not only the SSSA parents that are insecure. The Big 3 parents from VA are as well.

There should be a new phrase, like when people who graduated from Harvard like to add it into every conversation (dropping the H bomb), perhaps dropping the Big 3 bomb.

Anonymous wrote:Okay -- I have no in-depth knowledge of "the Saints" -- but just wanted to share the following --
Recently my car broke down in Accokeek, and I unexpectedly found myself in a Dunkin Doughnuts there for a while. Three Saints students were dropped off there -- I asked them if they went to the Saints in Virginia, and they said yes. I asked them about the length of the trip, and they said 45 minutes, but an hour and a half on the bus. They were very polite, well-spoken African American boys. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but they may be scholarship students, and this encounter raised my opinion of the school. Clearly, not every student is local since at least one bus goes to P.G. County .

This is stupid, you know there are several schools in Virginia with St. _________. And they also have, get ready for it, African American students who are polite and well spoken. Such as St. Christophers or STAB. WTF poster? You sounds like a crazy racist, because apparently only AA kids are on scholarship and live in PG County and can surprisingly have manners. You are terrible.

Just read OP's actual question. OP, one of our kids started at SSSAS in 9th grade, and honestly we have not experienced what is described here. We do not live in Alexandria and have kids in multiple schools. Our family is fairly close knit, and our kids play sports so maybe we are not looking for the kind of social life for ourselves at school that some parents do. But we have met a diverse set of interesting and nice parents -- from all over. Moreover our child has met nice, diverse kids -- important to our DC when choosing a school. So I wouldn't hesitate to have a look at least!

9:36 Says a lot about you that you felt a need to respond to the DC poster. But you told her......BIG 3!!!! So, that's proof it's not only the SSSA parents that are insecure. The Big 3 parents from VA are as well.

I see the snobby, anti-VA poster has arrived. Let me quickly address your anticipated comments so you can move on to another thread.

Yes, I realize Alexandria is in Virginia.
Yes, I can afford a big house in NW DC, but choose to live in VA.
No, I don't live in a McMansion.
No, I am not racist or homophobic.
No, I am not Republican.
Yes, I have a child in a "big 3." There does not seem to be any repercussions from the commute and DC's social life is fine.
Finally, our family socializes with kind and fun families regardless of where they live, how much money in their bank account, which school their kids go to, and whether they belong to a country club or not. This is kind of point of this thread...

Anonymous wrote:Well, since we don't live in either of two areas I guess we'll be the new target in the Fall :0 Or maybe you all will be so busy sniping at each other that we'll stay under the radar, make great friends from other zip codes and get the education we're paying for.

It is highly unlikely any of these folks are actually SSSAS families. No need to give this a second thought, PP. - A Rosemont mom who has never thought twice about where someone lives unless it is to figure out logistics of a play date.

This debate between Rosemont and BH is hilarious. You people do realize that they are both in Virginia?