Potomac Schools - Cut Throat? (Cabin John: top schools, live, military)

[0227]

We are moving to Potomac, MD and have heard that Winston Churchill HS is "cut throat and competitive." Is this true, and if so, is it the parents, the kids, or both? Also, is there a qualitative difference between Cabin John MS and Herbert Hoover MS?

[tercel95]

Cutthroat meaning that there are a lot of smart kids that go there... We are talking numerous kids that take tons of AP classes and get straight A's, 5.0 GPA's, etc... But that is a good thing, if your kid is smart it helps to have other smart kids in classes with them...

[macroy]

A good book to read to get a sense of what these school are like is "The Overachievers". It was written by a Walt Whitman alumni and profiles what the students endure at top schools. While she profiles Whitman students (one of the three "W" schools in MoCo that has been considered the cream over the years), she does make clear that the competitiveness is consistent across all top schools in the nation.

I don't think its cut-throat in terms of students sabotaging others to get ahead (no more than other schools that is) - but it is definitely competitive; in terms of both parent involvement and student's attitudes. As tercel95 indicated, you're talking multiple AP classes, and various community and after class activities.

I believe Hoover kids all go to Churchill... and Cabin John kids are split between Churchill and Wootton.

[0227]

Thanks for the replies and book suggestion. Our kids have been in private (religious) schools and this is our first time enrolling them in public school. We are excited about the move back to Potomac (we lived there when they were in preschool) but we just don't know what to expect. Both of our children will be in middle school (Hoover), which is huge compared to what they have experienced. Not only that, but the schools they attended focused on behavior and social conventions over and above academic competition and acheivement.

Does anyone have a sense about comportment at (Potomac) public schools? I feel so ignorant asking this question, but not having had experience (except my own many years ago) with public schools today, I admit to being a little afraid of "the real world." Would it be fair to say that the academic competition at these type of schools puts a brake - in a way - on "misbehavior?" Is it possible that kids who are focused on doing well academically (and not at the expense of each other, as you say) are less likely to be rude, socially exclusive, and unfriendly? (Or am I totally out of touch on this issue and/or way too worried about nothing?!)

I am really interested to hear what others with some insight and experience think about this issue and thank you in advance for your response!

[tercel95]

Every experience will differ but your kids will probably have to deal with cliques and rude people at public school... On a different note your kids will also have to deal with those things in the real world...

I am a huge opponent of private schools... Unless you send your kids to the most expensive and exclusive private schools you are essentially paying to take opportunities away from them... Public schools have more opportunities for your kids to take advanced classes, take different extra-curricular activities, and specialize in specific subjects...

I have seen a lot of kids become socially crippled not just from private schools but from the attitudes of parents that put their kids in private school to "protect" them...

As long as you work with your kids and teach them that there are rude people out there and that it is called life they will do fine... The opportunities at public school especially in Potomac are unmatched by most private schools...

[0227]

I really appreciate hearing your honest thoughts and opinions. It seems as if you have a lot of experience and I am grateful that you are so willing to share it. We have come to similar conclusions regarding public vs. private schools, particularly with regard to the range of class levels available and the exposure to greater community within which they live. You are right, the world is full of all kinds of people and we have the responsibility to expose our kids to the world at large and how to cope with the great variety of people that they may encounter.

In the private schools we have experienced, it felt as if everyone, especially the parents, were content to exist in a "bubble" which had its cliques and rudeness as well - perhaps in excess of any public school! We are glad, however, that we did send our kids to these schools while they were young. Through a welll structured and enforced social code of conduct, they learned how to regard adults, how to behave in class, how to treat others kindly, and how to be who they are as individuals without diminishing another. We hope that the values driven education they garnered will help them to weather the storms that they may experience wherever they go.

Thank you!

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by 0227

I really appreciate hearing your honest thoughts and opinions. It seems as if you have a lot of experience and I am grateful that you are so willing to share it. We have come to similar conclusions regarding public vs. private schools, particularly with regard to the range of class levels available and the exposure to greater community within which they live. You are right, the world is full of all kinds of people and we have the responsibility to expose our kids to the world at large and how to cope with the great variety of people that they may encounter.

In the private schools we have experienced, it felt as if everyone, especially the parents, were content to exist in a "bubble" which had its cliques and rudeness as well - perhaps in excess of any public school! We are glad, however, that we did send our kids to these schools while they were young. Through a welll structured and enforced social code of conduct, they learned how to regard adults, how to behave in class, how to treat others kindly, and how to be who they are as individuals without diminishing another. We hope that the values driven education they garnered will help them to weather the storms that they may experience wherever they go.

Thank you!

I'm sure your kids will do fine with a realistic parent such as yourself... I'm glad that unlike a lot of parents that send their kids to private school that you can't protect your kid from the real world, it only ends up hurting them in the long run... I did a year at a private military school and while I loved the military aspect the academics were seriously lacking which is usually the case...

There are plenty of options for kids in public schools to reinforce positive behavior... I did JROTC in high school and loved it... Most of my friends to this day are friends that I met in JROTC... Wearing a uniform where you get to wear your awards really gives kids a sense of pride in what they do... Also many sports hold kids accountable for their performance off the field as well... Not to mention that private schools would never have the budget to support music and computer programs the way public schools do...