Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we looked at them years ago, they were about to engage in a renovation. Did that happen? How did it work out? Is is still cozy?

Is there still talk about expanding out past 8th grade?

I don't think there was ever talk about expanding past 8th grade.

Renovated space is great: better common space, new middle school lab, new computer center, nice early education space, etc . Still cozy feeling. No plans to expand past 8th grade.

Anonymous wrote:When we looked at them years ago, they were about to engage in a renovation. Did that happen? How did it work out? Is is still cozy?

Is there still talk about expanding out past 8th grade?

When we looked at them years ago, they were about to engage in a renovation. Did that happen? How did it work out? Is is still cozy?

I think the admission director would be happy to answer your questions about space in K and the age issue.

As for the moving around question, our DS -- very active -- has done very well there. They move around a lot within the classrooms, play in the park, have a relationship with Results gym in the winter (and have PE there), have a nice daily break in the morning in the MS during which they can meet with teachers, talk with friends, or play outside. They also walk to many field trips on the Hill and at the Smithsonian. Starting in 5th grade they can compete in cross country, soccer and basketball against schools like Burgundy Farm, Browne Academy, etc. It's clearly not a "sports school", but our DS and many of his friends play on rec or travel teams outside of school. We have been pleased with the amount of outdoor time and really happy with the school overall. Good luck -- and enjoy your year abroad!

This is a timely thread. We loved the school but forgot to ask some questions during our tour:

Is it generally impossible to get in at K level? (Reason I ask is our family is moving away for one year only next year, abroad, and we are really interested in starting at CHDS when we return to the Hill). Additionally, we have a August 30 birthday boy. So we are very much considering a delayed start. I had this question during the tour but was hesitant to ask it before learning their philosophy on same. If I wanted to place a VERY young 5 (as in 5 years one day!) in the PK program, would they accommodate? I think this would be particularly useful, if we felt confident this would be possible, we would probably enroll him in a local school (not his language) rather than an ex pat school to get total language. But I'd hesitate to put him into today's K after that experience, if that makes sense. Finally, I hear no gym, no sports, but do they get the kids up and out to move around? What is the activity level?

thanks for any information. We have friends at the school who LOVE it, and I intend to ask them as well, but I"d love to hear from others, too. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:If you mean the HS class of 2012, the link above (07:23) also lists those.

It does.

Impressive by any measure.

If you mean the HS class of 2012, the link above (07:23) also lists those.

I know CHDS ends at 8th grade.

But I know they publish eventual college placement somewhere.

Can someone do that for the class of 2012?

Anonymous wrote:It probably relates to the very poor administration and the quality of teachers. The school exists because the local public school is possibly worse than CHDS. If CHDS was located in NWDC its doors would have closed already.

If you live in the area then you have limited choices and you do what you need to do. If you live elsewhere then you have other choices that are exceedingly better. The school AD said they strive to be what a public school should be - she wasn't kidding. Whether you think that's good or not, when you're paying over $20k it's not very impressive.

Ask the AD about their attrition and enrollment success. Ask them how qualified their early childhood teachers are - do they have experience beyond two years at a daycare like setting for example.

Good luck.

very strange comment from someone who does not have a child in this school. my son's pre-K teachers had 50 years of combined teaching experience (20 of which were in CHDS) between them...how is that for early childhood teachers?

Anonymous wrote:do they use Everyday Math?

yes, but only as a baseline...they add a lot of their own in the math program. In 2010 upper grades math teacher Yvette Yamagata received Presidential Math and Science Teachers Award.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do CHDS grads regularly go onto STA/NCS or Landon/Holton?

I think CHDS is more of a feeder to Sidwell, GDS, Maret, Burke, Field than those schools.

Can someone post exmissions for 2012?

It's on their web site.

http://www.chds.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&nid=627187

This is a very impressive summary of "exmissions." Thanks for the link.

do they use Everyday Math?

My DD and DS went to CHDS for 10 years starting in 2001 in pre-K. They both thrived their, and we loved it as parents. It's a great inclusive, nurturing academic environment with a more alternative focus. My ds and dd loved the small class sizes (19-22 students w/2 teachers) and the field education program. There were years where they went on a field trip a week on average. Chds had a large number of extremely dedicated lovely teachers and a great parent community. About 4-5 years ago (when my kids were in 8th grade) the school had a lot of troubles like a bad principal, lots of new teachers, and problems with the administration. DD and DS still enjoyed their last year and went on to great high schools.

There are some downsides that may be dealbreakers for some: lack of space, lack of sports teams, price, not the most technologically up to date, very liberal. Being in the middle of the hill in an old DCPS building, the school just does not have the space that certain NW elementary schools have. They don't have a gym, auditorium or sports fields, and the sports teams are unorganized and practices sporadic at best. The tuition is high and keeps increasing. Over all, a great low pressure learning environment that many seem to love.

We live in a suburban school district that gets rave reviews and have still chosen CHDS for our DC: small classes, an environment that truly fosters a love of learning, great use of the city, and a strong middle school curriculum/approach that prepares students to figure out how to approach and solve difficult problems are just a few of the reasons. We have used both suburban public and private schools for our kids, depending on what we thought they needed at each stage to continue to develop as students and citizens. I know that's what we all want for our kids -- and there are obviously multiple ways to get there. For us, CHDS has been an important part of that journey.