Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes, this school sounds like a very toxic environment!

Episcopal has gone downhill since Rob Hershey left as Head of School. As other senior administrators and teachers have left, the environment has turned from a welcoming, southern charm/polite, and academically-rigorous boarding school into a mess of scandals and young and inexperienced teachers. The new head, Charlie Stillwell, cannot take a firm stance on any issue unlike Hershey and thus the campus has gotten a little out of control. The "Health Center" and "Board" practically own him which leads to his immoral and arbitrary decision-making.

Anonymous wrote:Episcopal kids and TC kids sometimes hang out together - there was some dating between the two schools in pre-Covid times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is episcopal like from parents/students who have attended there? Did you like it, why? Do episcopal students normally hangout with other dmv private/public schools? Thanks!

I heard from someone who attends that their football games start like clan rallies - people in hoods, burning torches.

There is a strong legacy culture. Looking at the Black@ehs account was kind of crazy. Frankly, I wouldn't go there unless I was white and protestant. Many families have been going there for generations and do not want any type of change. If I had a girl wanted to stay in the DC metro area, I'd look at Madeira. Boy maybe Mercersburg or St. James. Those schools seem more open and have more diversity even in the white population.

I thought she was kidding about the robes and flames. Nope.

In other news, I was at a fancy DC fundraiser ladies who lunch even and a lot of women were from NYC, all knew each other and used the event on a Thurs. to have a weekend in DC to visit their kids. They did not seem to work. WHy didn't their kids go to a fancy day school in NYC? I was not even born MC so this...1% thing freaked me out a little. Still confused.

Anonymous wrote:Yikes, this school sounds like a very toxic environment!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems dead, but here's my hot take on Episcopal: the school has a rampant sex issue. My daughter graduated a few years ago. One year, students were required to take an anonymous survey about their sex/drug/etc lives that many other schools administered. Episcopal ranked nearly the highest for sexual activity, particularly among the freshman.

The normalcy of sex between freshmen was concerning as a parent. Romance is an important part of adolescent development, but, at the age of 14, common intercourse is a little troublesome. Especially given what my daughter told me: students have to "hook up" in a classroom or the woods where they won't be seen. She said that most of her female classmates didn't particularly want to have sex, but that "getting with" a popular boy boosted their social status. Or they were simply pressured into it.

Though I found the faculty very helpful, they were available to call about my daughter's progress 24/7, they neglected sex. If a student was caught, they were issued detention and forced to call a parent on speakerphone with the male dean in the room. Teachers were paid to patrol the campus on golf carts in search of "hookups." This paints a ghastly image of what sex is supposed to be in the teenage mind: a "behavioral issue" or reason to gain something artificial. Some students realized this and began placing used condoms on teachers' desks.

Other than the sex problem, my daughter found the school academically enriching and enjoyable. The campus is beautiful and a Professor from Stanford visits every year to research in Bryant Library's rare book collection. The school helped my daughter get a prestigious internship in her intended field and offered many AP courses, which are taught at "Harkness Tables." That's what makes Episcopal one of the best academic schools in the DMV. But, if you send your child to Episcopal, have a meaningful conversation about sex first.

This has been a problem for YEARS! It is concerning that it is not addressed. Many of the students come from families where sex is stigmatized and do not receive proper sex ed.

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems dead, but here's my hot take on Episcopal: the school has a rampant sex issue. My daughter graduated a few years ago. One year, students were required to take an anonymous survey about their sex/drug/etc lives that many other schools administered. Episcopal ranked nearly the highest for sexual activity, particularly among the freshman.

The normalcy of sex between freshmen was concerning as a parent. Romance is an important part of adolescent development, but, at the age of 14, common intercourse is a little troublesome. Especially given what my daughter told me: students have to "hook up" in a classroom or the woods where they won't be seen. She said that most of her female classmates didn't particularly want to have sex, but that "getting with" a popular boy boosted their social status. Or they were simply pressured into it.

Though I found the faculty very helpful, they were available to call about my daughter's progress 24/7, they neglected sex. If a student was caught, they were issued detention and forced to call a parent on speakerphone with the male dean in the room. Teachers were paid to patrol the campus on golf carts in search of "hookups." This paints a ghastly image of what sex is supposed to be in the teenage mind: a "behavioral issue" or reason to gain something artificial. Some students realized this and began placing used condoms on teachers' desks.

Other than the sex problem, my daughter found the school academically enriching and enjoyable. The campus is beautiful and a Professor from Stanford visits every year to research in Bryant Library's rare book collection. The school helped my daughter get a prestigious internship in her intended field and offered many AP courses, which are taught at "Harkness Tables." That's what makes Episcopal one of the best academic schools in the DMV. But, if you send your child to Episcopal, have a meaningful conversation about sex first.

Anonymous wrote:This thread seems dead, but here's my hot take on Episcopal: the school has a rampant sex issue. My daughter graduated a few years ago. One year, students were required to take an anonymous survey about their sex/drug/etc lives that many other schools administered. Episcopal ranked nearly the highest for sexual activity, particularly among the freshman.

The normalcy of sex between freshmen was concerning as a parent. Romance is an important part of adolescent development, but, at the age of 14, common intercourse is a little troublesome. Especially given what my daughter told me: students have to "hook up" in a classroom or the woods where they won't be seen. She said that most of her female classmates didn't particularly want to have sex, but that "getting with" a popular boy boosted their social status. Or they were simply pressured into it.

Though I found the faculty very helpful, they were available to call about my daughter's progress 24/7, they neglected sex. If a student was caught, they were issued detention and forced to call a parent on speakerphone with the male dean in the room. Teachers were paid to patrol the campus on golf carts in search of "hookups." This paints a ghastly image of what sex is supposed to be in the teenage mind: a "behavioral issue" or reason to gain something artificial. Some students realized this and began placing used condoms on teachers' desks.

Other than the sex problem, my daughter found the school academically enriching and enjoyable. The campus is beautiful and a Professor from Stanford visits every year to research in Bryant Library's rare book collection. The school helped my daughter get a prestigious internship in her intended field and offered many AP courses, which are taught at "Harkness Tables." That's what makes Episcopal one of the best academic schools in the DMV. But, if you send your child to Episcopal, have a meaningful conversation about sex first.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've spent the last thirty years affiliated with Episcopal, both as a student and parent. Don't put much thought into recent articles -- the High School truly is a magical place. The first time I stepped foot on campus, in the Fall of '91, I was welcomed with a cup of sweet tea and timeless southern charm. Every student and teacher offered a "Good Afternoon" while walking past our tour, though not in the disingenuous, high-pitched voice I'd become accustomed to at my DC K-12. People were polite, sincere, and truly cherished the Episcopal community: I knew I'd found my home. My sons loved the High School just as much and we even shared the same language teacher. Episcopal really is one big family. Sure, like any other school community, we face our challenges, but ultimately what sets Episcopal apart is our ability to support and help each other grow in the face of such adversity. Give Episcopal a chance and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Great college placement too, if that's more your concern.

Wtf

Positivity, my friend. The importance of a tight-knit community is not emphasized enough on this site, especially at boarding schools, where students' well-being is placed in the hands of teachers and the administration.

Correct. Because most parents assume the responsibility for their childrens' well-being, as opposed to putting them in the hands of strangers for those critical years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've spent the last thirty years affiliated with Episcopal, both as a student and parent. Don't put much thought into recent articles -- the High School truly is a magical place. The first time I stepped foot on campus, in the Fall of '91, I was welcomed with a cup of sweet tea and timeless southern charm. Every student and teacher offered a "Good Afternoon" while walking past our tour, though not in the disingenuous, high-pitched voice I'd become accustomed to at my DC K-12. People were polite, sincere, and truly cherished the Episcopal community: I knew I'd found my home. My sons loved the High School just as much and we even shared the same language teacher. Episcopal really is one big family. Sure, like any other school community, we face our challenges, but ultimately what sets Episcopal apart is our ability to support and help each other grow in the face of such adversity. Give Episcopal a chance and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Great college placement too, if that's more your concern.

Wtf

Positivity, my friend. The importance of a tight-knit community is not emphasized enough on this site, especially at boarding schools, where students' well-being is placed in the hands of teachers and the administration.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've spent the last thirty years affiliated with Episcopal, both as a student and parent. Don't put much thought into recent articles -- the High School truly is a magical place. The first time I stepped foot on campus, in the Fall of '91, I was welcomed with a cup of sweet tea and timeless southern charm. Every student and teacher offered a "Good Afternoon" while walking past our tour, though not in the disingenuous, high-pitched voice I'd become accustomed to at my DC K-12. People were polite, sincere, and truly cherished the Episcopal community: I knew I'd found my home. My sons loved the High School just as much and we even shared the same language teacher. Episcopal really is one big family. Sure, like any other school community, we face our challenges, but ultimately what sets Episcopal apart is our ability to support and help each other grow in the face of such adversity. Give Episcopal a chance and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Great college placement too, if that's more your concern.

Wtf

Anonymous wrote:I've spent the last thirty years affiliated with Episcopal, both as a student and parent. Don't put much thought into recent articles -- the High School truly is a magical place. The first time I stepped foot on campus, in the Fall of '91, I was welcomed with a cup of sweet tea and timeless southern charm. Every student and teacher offered a "Good Afternoon" while walking past our tour, though not in the disingenuous, high-pitched voice I'd become accustomed to at my DC K-12. People were polite, sincere, and truly cherished the Episcopal community: I knew I'd found my home. My sons loved the High School just as much and we even shared the same language teacher. Episcopal really is one big family. Sure, like any other school community, we face our challenges, but ultimately what sets Episcopal apart is our ability to support and help each other grow in the face of such adversity. Give Episcopal a chance and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Great college placement too, if that's more your concern.