Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my kids graduated from GDS. Our neighbors (and friends) kid graduated from Maret. 10 years ago it would have been a close call, but preferred GDS due to its emphasis on mission. That is no longer the case. Leadership that came in in 2010 has alienated many faculty and families. My kids hung on for continuity, but very glad they are out.

Alienated how?

It’s SJW/ hate the world, new age curriculum on steroids now.

Alienated because Russell Shaw, the HOS is a pathological liar and the rest of the administration has to cover for him. He hired a child molester after being warned by everyone who dealt with him.

Wait, what?!! as the parent of a small child a GDS this is really worrisome. Is the person (not Shaw) still at GDS? do they have anything to do with the Lower School kids?!

Anonymous wrote:How do they compare academically? Which do you see is more rigorous in the upper school years?

Both are excellent. “More rigor” is not a meaningful basis of comparison between them.

Maret is very broad academically and in the upper school there are multiple academic levels kids are at- but there is a bit of nurturing ( teachers will nudge students who are cruising and not working). Not sure if GDS is like that or more for a self starter?
Maret ‘s HOS is leaving in 2023 and over the last 5 years there have been significant faculty changes with the “old guard” retiring. Not sure what the new Maret will look like.

How do they compare academically? Which do you see is more rigorous in the upper school years?

The social justice warrior culture is huge and somewhat out-of-control at GDS. IF that's your thing, then by all means go. If not, look elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who actually attend one of the schools and maybe applied to both or have friends who attend the other, what are the major, pertinent differences? We will go through the admissions process for both and try and learn for ourselves but also looking for feedback from others to help make a decision should we have one to make.

Both schools are safety schools. You will probably get into both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my kids graduated from GDS. Our neighbors (and friends) kid graduated from Maret. 10 years ago it would have been a close call, but preferred GDS due to its emphasis on mission. That is no longer the case. Leadership that came in in 2010 has alienated many faculty and families. My kids hung on for continuity, but very glad they are out.

Alienated how?

It’s SJW/ hate the world, new age curriculum on steroids now.

Alienated because Russell Shaw, the HOS is a pathological liar and the rest of the administration has to cover for him. He hired a child molester after being warned by everyone who dealt with him.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maret, it’s not a constant hot mess like GDS.

How much $$$ you wanna put down on that?

Seconded. Maret is basically Potemkin school.

Anonymous wrote:NP, and long-time DCUM participant - Note that this is the time of every year when some parents engage in games to shit-post certain schools, either because they are feeling the pain of their kid getting rejected in the past or because they hope to discourage competition from enrolling. You see this especially with schools like Maret, Sidwell, and GDS. Treat all such shit-posts with caution.

This is true. Yet, there seems to be a dedicated group who just want to target GDS for some reason throughout the year.

Anonymous wrote:Both my kids graduated from GDS. Our neighbors (and friends) kid graduated from Maret. 10 years ago it would have been a close call, but preferred GDS due to its emphasis on mission. That is no longer the case. Leadership that came in in 2010 has alienated many faculty and families. My kids hung on for continuity, but very glad they are out.

Alienated how?

It’s SJW/ hate the world, new age curriculum on steroids now.

NP, and long-time DCUM participant - Note that this is the time of every year when some parents engage in games to shit-post certain schools, either because they are feeling the pain of their kid getting rejected in the past or because they hope to discourage competition from enrolling. You see this especially with schools like Maret, Sidwell, and GDS. Treat all such shit-posts with caution.

Both my kids graduated from GDS. Our neighbors (and friends) kid graduated from Maret. 10 years ago it would have been a close call, but preferred GDS due to its emphasis on mission. That is no longer the case. Leadership that came in in 2010 has alienated many faculty and families. My kids hung on for continuity, but very glad they are out.

Anonymous wrote:Maret, it’s not a constant hot mess like GDS.

How much $$$ you wanna put down on that?

I would go Maret over GDS.

Our others kids aren't at GdS and their private schools have nowhere near the chronic admin, process, or decision making issues as GDS.
It’s the constant lack of preparation or obvious planning items when having calls, emails, or doing things that disturbs us. Don’t have the info, don’t have the right people on the call, everything at the last minute, didn’t think of that, everything needing to be done 2-4 times before getting it semi-workable, ignoring poignant parent questions. And this was before Covid as well.