Anonymous
Post 03/18/2026 15:08     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The reason I wouldn’t be excited about public for high school if my kid had the chance for private is the amount of time spent on standardized tests. I work with public and charter schools throughout the city, and even in a school like Walls, their ranking in the city matters. And so not only is your kid spending unnecessary hours prepping for and taking standardized test that don’t even matter for their own learning and growth, but the teachers have this stress pulling at them too. instead of thinking, how can I get my students really into this content that will give them an enriching academic and life experience? they are thinking about that stuff.


The brightest kids don't spend much time prepping for standardized tests, because standardized tests are typically easy for this group. Therefore teachers do have lots of time to give them engaging content.


That’s not typically what happens in a public school classroom and you know it. Those bright kids are seated in the back of the class and either given busy work or ignored.
I personally have a combined 18 years of experience with DCPS to back this up (in “the best” WotP public schools). That’s why we moved our children to private schools for high school.

But the poster isn't talking about bright kids in DCPS generally, but about kids at SWW. Did you have kids at Walls? I wouldn't find it strange if teachers there don't have to spend a ton of time teaching to the test (except for AP's), because all the kids there are selected from a pool of high performers.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 19:49     Subject: Re:Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:If DC doesn't get into Sidwell or BIM, we will consider SWW.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/


Stop it, BIM Booster! 🙄

Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:59     Subject: Re:Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
If DC doesn't get into Sidwell or BIM, we will consider SWW.

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:03     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The reason I wouldn’t be excited about public for high school if my kid had the chance for private is the amount of time spent on standardized tests. I work with public and charter schools throughout the city, and even in a school like Walls, their ranking in the city matters. And so not only is your kid spending unnecessary hours prepping for and taking standardized test that don’t even matter for their own learning and growth, but the teachers have this stress pulling at them too. instead of thinking, how can I get my students really into this content that will give them an enriching academic and life experience? they are thinking about that stuff.


The brightest kids don't spend much time prepping for standardized tests, because standardized tests are typically easy for this group. Therefore teachers do have lots of time to give them engaging content.


That’s not typically what happens in a public school classroom and you know it. Those bright kids are seated in the back of the class and either given busy work or ignored.
I personally have a combined 18 years of experience with DCPS to back this up (in “the best” WotP public schools). That’s why we moved our children to private schools for high school.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 14:09     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:The reason I wouldn’t be excited about public for high school if my kid had the chance for private is the amount of time spent on standardized tests. I work with public and charter schools throughout the city, and even in a school like Walls, their ranking in the city matters. And so not only is your kid spending unnecessary hours prepping for and taking standardized test that don’t even matter for their own learning and growth, but the teachers have this stress pulling at them too. instead of thinking, how can I get my students really into this content that will give them an enriching academic and life experience? they are thinking about that stuff.


The brightest kids don't spend much time prepping for standardized tests, because standardized tests are typically easy for this group. Therefore teachers do have lots of time to give them engaging content.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 13:53     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
It depends on the kid. My oldest kid, attending a Big 3, would have hated Walls. The second kid, also attending a Big 3, might have liked Walls, but is thriving where she is.

Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 11:43     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:SWW decisions will come out Friday 3/29. Question for families already accepted and enrolled at privates: assuming you are accepted at SWW, do you see yourself choosing SWW over the private high school in which you are already enrolled? How would you compare SWW with the area's top private high schools? (You don't need to remind me that SWW is free, I know that.)


No, and you should read this thread to see why declining a Big 3 spot for Walls is a bad idea: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1272252.page
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 09:55     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Just declined TJ for Big3. Not a hard choice for us.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 09:06     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
The reason I wouldn’t be excited about public for high school if my kid had the chance for private is the amount of time spent on standardized tests. I work with public and charter schools throughout the city, and even in a school like Walls, their ranking in the city matters. And so not only is your kid spending unnecessary hours prepping for and taking standardized test that don’t even matter for their own learning and growth, but the teachers have this stress pulling at them too. instead of thinking, how can I get my students really into this content that will give them an enriching academic and life experience? they are thinking about that stuff.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2025 15:34     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What did you decide?


OP's kid is finishing sophomore year in college now. If they chose Walls, they spent half of high school on line.


Ha- funny. Asking the parents who revived the thread this year.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2025 15:09     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:What did you decide?


OP's kid is finishing sophomore year in college now. If they chose Walls, they spent half of high school on line.
Anonymous
Post 05/06/2025 14:37     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
What did you decide?
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2025 08:40     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC is at a Big3. No. No interest in SWW. It’s no TJ.


Ugh. No to TJ too. My kids are at top privates because we want them to have a great experience in school. Neither SWW nor TJ offer the sense of community, sports, wide range of ECs, kids with wide range of interests and an overall great hs experience that the great privates in our area do. Just not the same.
Can you elaborate
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 22:10     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Anonymous wrote:Depends on the kid! I am a parent of SWW grad and a big 3 grad. SWW wouldn’t have liked private and vice versa. SWW kids were a cut above, though, academically and without any of the tutoring and supports the private kids have. It is inspiring.

SWW grad is very sporty and yes there are no athletic facilities on site. But it is part of the charm and as a result that child knows how to find a team / field / gym wherever they are.

On the other hand, private school kid loves the convenience and ease of top of the line everything. This DC sees a very different world.


There’s absolutely nothing charming about not having on-site athletic facilities. You’re trying too hard.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2025 21:41     Subject: Would you choose School Without Walls over the private HS in which your DC is accepted?
Depends on the kid! I am a parent of SWW grad and a big 3 grad. SWW wouldn’t have liked private and vice versa. SWW kids were a cut above, though, academically and without any of the tutoring and supports the private kids have. It is inspiring.

SWW grad is very sporty and yes there are no athletic facilities on site. But it is part of the charm and as a result that child knows how to find a team / field / gym wherever they are.

On the other hand, private school kid loves the convenience and ease of top of the line everything. This DC sees a very different world.