SOMD private schools

[libertytyranny]

Anyone have any pros/Cons, tips etc to the local (St. Mary's) private school options (elem)?

Im getting ready to start visiting them, so any insight is welcome. I am frustrated at the lack of non religious private school options, but since we are zoned for Park Hall, private is how we are going if I cant get a transfer request approved.

Thanks!

 

[Gilligan]

Chesapeake Charter in Great Mills seems to be well regarded. No personal knowledge though.

My youngest son went to Leonard Hall JNC for his middle school years, so we could get him out of Spring Ridge.

 

[libertytyranny]

Chesapeake Charter in Great Mills seems to be well regarded. No personal knowledge though.

My youngest son went to Leonard Hall JNC for his middle school years, so we could get him out of Spring Ridge.

Charter school is a JOKE. And a lovely means test added this year removes all appearances of it being a fair lottery. I'm so bitter about it.

 

[black dog]

I have a few friends that also went to Leonard Hall and their children have / and also attend there.
They all speak highly of the school.
My son lives in Leonardtown and he attends out of district at Chopticon, I believe he has gotten a good education there.
I got a little $hitty with the bus people and they put a stop a block from where he lives for his first 3 years of HS.
He has driven himself his senior year.

 

[GURPS]

And a lovely means test ....

:shrug:


Aptitude Test ?

 

[libertytyranny]

:shrug:


Aptitude Test ?

Nope, means test. If your child qualifies for free or reduced lunch, they are put in a seperate lottery.

 

[Restitution]

Charter school is a JOKE. And a lovely means test added this year removes all appearances of it being a fair lottery. I'm so bitter about it.

Tried to get my daughter into there. The selection process is a huge joke!

Filled out the "lottery" application. Was told that it is a totally RANDOM selection process. On the application it asked for race (Caucasian, black, Asian, etc.)

When I asked why a totally "random" lottery needed to know my race, I was told it they only used it for "reporting data" and not for selection.

YEAH..... RIGHT!

 

[Clem72]

Charter school is a JOKE. And a lovely means test added this year removes all appearances of it being a fair lottery. I'm so bitter about it.

You say that, but according to their published data only 7.5 percent of that school is eligible for free or reduced lunch (vs 82 percent at Carver, less than a mile away).

*edited to update numbers.

 

[Restitution]

You say that, but according to their published data only 11 percent of that school is eligible for free or reduced lunch (vs 82 percent at Carver, less than a mile away).

The POINT is that selection is supposed to be RANDOM. Not based on finances, race, creed, aptitude, etc.

It is supposed to be completely unbiased and random!

 

[Clem72]

The POINT is that selection is supposed to be RANDOM. Not based on finances, race, creed, aptitude, etc.

It is supposed to be completely unbiased and random!

Eh? Not according to their Charter. It's supposed to be Founder's Children->Employee's Children->Siblings->Lottery, with up to 35% of the lottery coming from the list of students that qualify for free/reduced lunch.

They said specifically that their enrolment is supposed to match county demographics (because they are open for enrolment county wide), however they are heavily skewed towards white/no-reduced lunch. They likely got pressure from the county to force greater enrolment from disadvantaged students.

In any case, the only thing RANDOM about the entire process is the selection from the list, which is done by Judge Densford. Getting on the list, or getting selected before the list is not random.

And given that they estimate they have 20 openings a year for more than 400 applications, you are going from a 5% chance to a 3% chance.

I have a grandchild that will be slated to go to Carter if they don't get in on the lottery (so fat chance given her parents are employed), so I am also interested in options for non-religious based private schools or just any particular options to avoid Carver (short of them selling their house and moving I suppose).

 

[Restitution]

Eh? Not according to their Charter. It's supposed to be Founder's Children->Employee's Children->Siblings->Lottery, with up to 35% of the lottery coming from the list of students that qualify for free/reduced lunch.

They said specifically that their enrolment is supposed to match county demographics (because they are open for enrolment county wide), however they are heavily skewed towards white/no-reduced lunch. They likely got pressure from the county to force greater enrolment from disadvantaged students.

In any case, the only thing RANDOM about the entire process is the selection from the list, which is done by Judge Densford. Getting on the list, or getting selected before the list is not random.

And given that they estimate they have 20 openings a year for more than 400 applications, you are going from a 5% chance to a 3% chance.

I have a grandchild that will be slated to go to Carter if they don't get in on the lottery (so fat chance given her parents are employed), so I am also interested in options for non-religious based private schools or just any particular options to avoid Carver (short of them selling their house and moving I suppose).

So, in effect... it is NOT a Charter school. It is a legacy and under-privileged school only?? :shrug:

 

[Gilligan]

I have a few friends that also went to Leonard Hall and their children have / and also attend there.
They all speak highly of the school.

I was very happy with LHJNA. Unfortunately for the OP, it's only middle and high school grades.

 

[Clem72]

So, in effect... it is NOT a Charter school. It is a legacy and under-privileged school only?? :shrug:

Maybe you should have attended a Charter school yourself and improved your reading comprehension. If the closest public school (less than 1 mile away) has an enrolment that is 82 percent disadvantaged, and this school has an enrolment that is 7.5% disadvantaged, how in the hell do you come to the conclusion that this school is an "under-privileged school only".

 

[blacklabman]

I have a few friends that also went to Leonard Hall and their children have / and also attend there.
They all speak highly of the school.
My son lives in Leonardtown and he attends out of district at Chopticon, I believe he has gotten a good education there.
I got a little $hitty with the bus people and they put a stop a block from where he lives for his first 3 years of HS.
He has driven himself his senior year.

A whole freaking block! Must be real lazy.

 

[stgislander]

A whole freaking block! Must be real lazy.

I get pretty $h!tty when the school bus makes individuals stops at driveways that are 50-75 feet apart from each other. But that's just me.

 

[Restitution]

Maybe you should have attended a Charter school yourself and improved your reading comprehension. If the closest public school (less than 1 mile away) has an enrolment that is 82 percent disadvantaged, and this school has an enrolment that is 7.5% disadvantaged, how in the hell do you come to the conclusion that this school is an "under-privileged school only".

Just going on what I read below..... from you

Eh? Not according to their Charter. It's supposed to be Founder's Children->Employee's Children->Siblings->Lottery, with up to 35% of the lottery coming from the list of students that qualify for free/reduced lunch.They said specifically that their enrolment is supposed to match county demographics (because they are open for enrolment county wide), however they are heavily skewed towards white/no-reduced lunch. They likely got pressure from the county to force greater enrolment from disadvantaged students.

In any case, the only thing RANDOM about the entire process is the selection from the list, which is done by Judge Densford. Getting on the list, or getting selected before the list is not random.

And given that they estimate they have 20 openings a year for more than 400 applications, you are going from a 5% chance to a 3% chance.

I have a grandchild that will be slated to go to Carter if they don't get in on the lottery (so fat chance given her parents are employed), so I am also interested in options for non-religious based private schools or just any particular options to avoid Carver (short of them selling their house and moving I suppose).

So.... according to that... preference goes towards LEGACY and UNDER PRIVILEGED as I said. I definitely do not see any stipulation for kids who can afford lunch now do I??

 

[Clem72]

Just going on what I read below..... from you



So.... according to that... preference goes towards LEGACY and UNDER PRIVILEGED as I said. I definitely do not see any stipulation for kids who can afford lunch now do I??

I get it, you can only understand one data point at a time. I need to remember no nuance or complex concepts for you. Let's see if we can explain it in a manner that makes sense for you.

School enrolment is 80% white 90% non-disadvantaged in a 20% white 80% disadvantaged neighborhood.

School sets up additional lottery process that can allow up to 35% of new enrolment to be from disadvantaged students. Given that they are separate lists, and that you can only apply for one or the other list when applying for enrolment, that means greater than 65% non-disadvantaged kids will be enrolled (probably much greater when you factor in siblings and children of staff/founders) IN A DISTRICT THAT IS 80+ % DISADVANTAGED.

So, tell me again how this supports your argument that this school is for legacy and under privileged only.

And again, to make the math clear----> Setting aside 35 percent for one group is the same as setting aside 65 per for those not in that group.

 

[libertytyranny]

Eh? Not according to their Charter. It's supposed to be Founder's Children->Employee's Children->Siblings->Lottery, with up to 35% of the lottery coming from the list of students that qualify for free/reduced lunch.

They said specifically that their enrolment is supposed to match county demographics (because they are open for enrolment county wide), however they are heavily skewed towards white/no-reduced lunch. They likely got pressure from the county to force greater enrolment from disadvantaged students.

In any case, the only thing RANDOM about the entire process is the selection from the list, which is done by Judge Densford. Getting on the list, or getting selected before the list is not random.

And given that they estimate they have 20 openings a year for more than 400 applications, you are going from a 5% chance to a 3% chance.

I have a grandchild that will be slated to go to Carter if they don't get in on the lottery (so fat chance given her parents are employed), so I am also interested in options for non-religious based private schools or just any particular options to avoid Carver (short of them selling their house and moving I suppose).

It also says that enrollment decicions must be made without regard to, among other things, ancestry or socioeconomic status...in the first amendment to that charter which was this year....they added the word EXCEPT after it..as in EXCEPT when there are more applicants than spots and it then establishes the pecking order that goes on to indeed discriminate against socioeconomic status.

So what they may as well say, is that they don't discriminate, except for when they do. But as usual, they care more about equality of results than equality of opportunity. Meanwhile, those in areas with schools they would like to escape based on performance (Carter and Park hall come to mind) aren't given any consideration if they manage to feed their children without intervention. I undersand their "aim" but I am annoyed with the application and bitter at their way of reaching it.

As far as non-religious based elem schools..the short answer is none. I am concerned with the "agreements" in the catholic school handbooks, not to mention the cost. KCA is astronomical and the catholic schools are only marginally cheaper, with fairly intensive volunteer agreements and higher non-catholic tuition rates.

 

[Restitution]

Let me see if I can make this even more SIMPLE for you Clem......

I have a school ANYWHERE in the world. I set up a program for admission to that school which favors my kids, my teacher's kids, their siblings, and then I set up ANY program that changes and/or differs enrollment procedure in ANY way that provides an advantage to a group of children for ANY reason (in this case.... kids from lower income families).

Does that school provide a preference to legacy students and kids from lower income families???

 

[Restitution]

It also says that enrollment decicions must be made without regard to, among other things, ancestry or socioeconomic status...in the first amendment to that charter which was this year....they added the word EXCEPT after it..as in EXCEPT when there are more applicants than spots and it then establishes the pecking order that goes on to indeed discriminate against socioeconomic status.

Got news for ya'

The amendment might have been INCORPORATED this year but.... they have been doing that for MANY years!