Anonymous wrote:If you are a parishioner it’s far more common for you to have applied at the entry year. If that’s PK, then there will likely be few spots open for K. Hopefully you are a very active parishioner, baptized your kids there, attend Mass, clearly show your intent to stay the remainder of the years - THOSE are the ones who get the handful of spots.

We're going to try for a PK spot at HT this year.

I've been tithing to Saint Matthews since 2008, we were married there and DS was baptized there. I also tithe to St. Pats and we had joined the church before the pandemic thinking we might use them for school, but since the insurrection I really don't feel comfortably sending DS to school that close to the Capitol. Plus idk how much longer I will last on the Hill anyways. I'm a product of 12 years of Catholic school and did my undergrad at CUA.

Give it to me straight-- what do you think our chances are for getting a spot at HT? 100% happy to join the parish and tithe there as well, plus be super active. We are going to the open house next month.

thanks!

D

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But back to the topic at hand, I'd rank OLV first choice, Little Flower #2, HT far #3.

How would you rank them against nearby MCPS, FCPS, APS schools?

NP here. I have friends/family at all schools listed above. This is how I would rank -

1) HT
2) APS
3) LF
4) FCPS
5) OLV
6) MCPS (only ranked last because of the large class sizes)

scratching my head on HT as #1. Not known for great academics or facilities, or a welcoming community. Super location and church overall, but as a school…. Meh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But back to the topic at hand, I'd rank OLV first choice, Little Flower #2, HT far #3.

How would you rank them against nearby MCPS, FCPS, APS schools?

NP here. I have friends/family at all schools listed above. This is how I would rank -

1) HT
2) APS
3) LF
4) FCPS
5) OLV
6) MCPS (only ranked last because of the large class sizes)

Anonymous wrote:But back to the topic at hand, I'd rank OLV first choice, Little Flower #2, HT far #3.

How would you rank them against nearby MCPS, FCPS, APS schools?

But back to the topic at hand, I'd rank OLV first choice, Little Flower #2, HT far #3.

Dumb Ox or Sons of Thunder spirit gear would sell out fast though. My 5th grader would flip. Infinitely cooler than Little Flower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Um it’s not “branding.” It’s the name of a saint. WTH?

Let's review some other saint's nicknames to make the point you are missing:

St. Thomas Aquinas' nickname: "the Dumb Ox"
St. Joan of Arc's nickname: "the Maid of Orleans"
St. Anthony's nickname: "the Hammer of Heretics"
the disciples James and John, nicknamed (by Jesus) "the Sons of Thunder"
and the list goes on.

When used as a chosen name of a parish or school, we **are** talking about branding. Just because it is a saint's nickname doesn't make it a "good name" for a school or church community. You are kidding yourself if you think Dumb Ox School, Maid of Orleans Academy, Hammer of Heretics High School, or Sons of Thunder School just because they are all rooted in saint nicknames.

It's not disrespectful to say that one of these nicknames is a goofy name for a school. Little Flower **does** sound like it could be the competing daycare for Little Acorn Patch and if you don't get that I think you are missing the point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Um it’s not “branding.” It’s the name of a saint. WTH?

Yes, of course many (most?) Catholics would recognize it as the nickname for St. Therese. Does not change the fact that to non-Catholics, it will not come across as a Catholic (or even religious) name, and for those it doesn't ring a bell with, it would more likely sound like a name of a non-denomination daycare/preschool than a PK-8 school.

Little Tree, Little Folks, Little Cottage, Little Ambassadors, Little Explorers, Little Acorn Patch, Little River, Little Oaks, Little Genius, Little Hands, Little Scholars, Little Lambs, Little Rocketeers... I wish I was making this list up, but a quick google search shows they are all preschools in this area.

So? Why should a Catholic school (or a parent sending their kid there) care about people who don't understand the name of their school?

NP. Lifelong Catholic and lifelong Catholic schools for me ... K-8, 9-12, went to a Catholic university and a separate Jesuit grad school - but all in other parts of the country, so LF school is new to me. I did not know St. Terese was called The Little Flower until a few months before the pandemic when we went to a baptism at the church. Had I been seeking a list of Catholic grade schools and someone sent me a list including Holy Trinity, Our Lady of Victory, Little Flower, and others in the area, I would not have thought of LF as a Catholic school and like PP would have thought someone was including it on the list for my toddler child.

It's fine if you think I'm a bad Catholic for not knowing that. I'm sure you are a perfect Catholic in all ways! Good for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Um it’s not “branding.” It’s the name of a saint. WTH?

Yes, of course many (most?) Catholics would recognize it as the nickname for St. Therese. Does not change the fact that to non-Catholics, it will not come across as a Catholic (or even religious) name, and for those it doesn't ring a bell with, it would more likely sound like a name of a non-denomination daycare/preschool than a PK-8 school.

Little Tree, Little Folks, Little Cottage, Little Ambassadors, Little Explorers, Little Acorn Patch, Little River, Little Oaks, Little Genius, Little Hands, Little Scholars, Little Lambs, Little Rocketeers... I wish I was making this list up, but a quick google search shows they are all preschools in this area.

So? Why should a Catholic school (or a parent sending their kid there) care about people who don't understand the name of their school?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Um it’s not “branding.” It’s the name of a saint. WTH?

Yes, of course many (most?) Catholics would recognize it as the nickname for St. Therese. Does not change the fact that to non-Catholics, it will not come across as a Catholic (or even religious) name, and for those it doesn't ring a bell with, it would more likely sound like a name of a non-denomination daycare/preschool than a PK-8 school.

Little Tree, Little Folks, Little Cottage, Little Ambassadors, Little Explorers, Little Acorn Patch, Little River, Little Oaks, Little Genius, Little Hands, Little Scholars, Little Lambs, Little Rocketeers... I wish I was making this list up, but a quick google search shows they are all preschools in this area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Um it’s not “branding.” It’s the name of a saint. WTH?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Then you do not believe in the Catholic saints. There are many Catholic schools around the world named "Little Flower" in honor of St. Therese. Why would you be in the market for a catholic school if you don't comprehend this fact? Bizarre.

- Former catholic-in-name-only who attended a "Little Flower" school halfway around the world.

Correct. Even my father went to one in Chicago!

Anonymous wrote:I can not say enough good things about Holy Trinity. It is a community of educators, leaders, and families that is warm and caring.

I second what the previous HTS'er parent said above.

Also, the administration is very accessible. Questions are answered quickly, they care about and know each child at the school. Covid was so difficult, and they seemed to work around the clock.

Please check out HTS...you will be so happy you did. Good luck.

Sorry PP, but you are not looking closely enough at the school. Your children must be in lower school and I bet you are a relatively new family to the school.

Please do your own review -- too many parents just look at the surface. What is the quality of the curriculum and the teachers? You are paying for an education, not a fraternity for you and/or your children.

I can not say enough good things about Holy Trinity. It is a community of educators, leaders, and families that is warm and caring.

I second what the previous HTS'er parent said above.

Also, the administration is very accessible. Questions are answered quickly, they care about and know each child at the school. Covid was so difficult, and they seemed to work around the clock.

Please check out HTS...you will be so happy you did. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would not have been offered a spot at LFS in pre-k. Filled abs waiting list for last two years

You missed what I was saying. For any grade BUT pre-K, and maybe K, the “little flower” branding is not great.

Then you do not believe in the Catholic saints. There are many Catholic schools around the world named "Little Flower" in honor of St. Therese. Why would you be in the market for a catholic school if you don't comprehend this fact? Bizarre.

- Former catholic-in-name-only who attended a "Little Flower" school halfway around the world.