So many kids are leaving George School this year. They are on their fourth educational model in 4 years, students are disengaged and unhappy, they cancelled the junior prom because of a disciplinary issue in the winter involving seniors (not juniors), they cancelled and then un-cancelled the 99 year football program after it got written up in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Head of School just quit. The money they received 15 years ago is also about to run out. My kid is a freshman day student this year and we may apply out next year. Buyer beware…
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calling @gardenstategal
So, on a couple of these things…
The head announced he will be leaving after 8 years at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Is that “quitting”?
The school, like many, went through several schedule iterations during covid. I can imagine that this was frustrating for the kids who were there through all, or even some, of them. If you are considering George, you know what you are getting (barring another pandemic!), and you should consider if you think it will be a good fit for you. This poster has only experienced the current schedule and doesn’t seem to like it.
The families and recent grads i know – even the ones who endured covid at George – are happy, like the coomunity and education, etc… That doesn’t mean everything is perfect for everyone all the time. And at every school, George included, there are kids who find they would be happier elsewhere. The poster sounds like they may be in that camp. Wishing their kid happiness wherever they land!
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Patrick Durbin, Choate’s chief financial officer, testifying before the Wallingford (CT) Planning and Zoning Commission last month. Durbin was advocating the need to build a brand new multi million dollar admissions building on campus:
“Across our industry, projections have proven true. Decreased enrollments, paired with inflation and COVID, are just some of the factors that have forced the closing of at least six boarding schools in recent years.”
The HOS was quite besieged on a lot of fronts – faculty, parents, kids, board. And the schedule change was not just the covid disruptions other schools had. They went from the covid year to having one half of classes on alternating days to having a 7 term “mod” schedule that is wreaking havoc with foreign language, math and music especially – and they are talking about more “changes” for next year! My kid had her last math class in early March and will not have math again until mid-september. The string ensemble could not hold a spring concert because they had not been able to rehearse together since December. And let’s not talk about the 23 kids who had disciplinary action all at one time – and then had to go through it a second time because the administration messed up. Look, we had heard GREAT things about GS – that’s why we came – we had heard wonderful things from alums and recent grads as well. But things are a mess right now – we know this first hand. Maybe the new head will straighten things out in two years or whenever, but right now, I would not make the same choice again.
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Dismissive and presumptive reply. Yes we are current parents, BUT, we are also Quakers who have had our kids in Quaker education for their entire lives. We also know GS alums and recent grads who loved the school, but we are sharing a concern about the current state of the school from our personal experience.
Please do some more research on the module system, particularly the Cambridge School of Weston and/or the Madeira School.
(My experience has been with CSW. )
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I know GS used those schools as models. I’m speaking out of real experience as a current parent who has seen the pros and cons. I have a math kid who loves music and world language (Spanish) and she has been ill-served. CS kids are also complaining about the disruption. I get the theory, but in practice, it’s a fail.
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Do they not have a bridge plan in place for those “off” terms of foreign language and math? I know at Miss Porter’s they require students to be doing weekly math and foreign language work when they don’t have math or foreign language that term. For exactly the reason so they don’t forget or slide backwards due to not having math for 2-3 terms. I specifically asked that question during open houses because that would definitely pose a big issue if they don’t have a plan in place.
They don’t have any bridge plans – teachers plead with their students to do what they can, but then wind up spending a lot of time reviewing when students come back months later. This schedule was the brainchild of the now-departing head of school’s strategic plan – which is making parents wonder if the educational model will change yet again when he leaves. I have no doubt the school will find its way – but I do think it’s important for prospective parents/students who are thinking of attending in the next few years to dig beyond the school’s marketing materials and their past reputation in making a decision. No doubt it will still be a great choice for some kids, but people should ask the hard questions.
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I actually raised the concern of big break in time for studying foreign language due to Mod System at CSW when I visited. One of their long-time language teachers said “we find it is fine, and we just review if we need to” It seemed like they just dealt with the learning loss and didn’t seem to have put much thought into that issue, I assume as other benefits of the system are good. There was no “bridge” system that they shared.
I am not necessarily pro or con for Mod system, it is wonderful for some things, not so good for others and will entirely depend on how implemented! I have had people warn me off it depending on kids learning styles, and highly recommend it for other kids…
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Agree – any system will have its pros/cons, work well for some kids and not others. Ultimately, it’s about asking questions and knowing your kid. The mod system is new at GS, so there are still kinks to work out, which I’m sure they will, assuming they stay with it. I think the learning loss issues are perhaps more acute when kids start taking AP and IB classes – not having a subject for months before the exam is something they will need to deal with.
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and transitions between systems are SOOOO hard on everyone, especially teachers.
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I hear you on this one. When my kid was there (pre-mod), they always complained about two things. The first was that AP and IB exams were at the beginning of May so they had less than a full school year to cover the material AND it was really a drag to continue with the class after the exams, especially if they ended up covering material that had been on the exam.
The second thing was that with less seat time than their global counterparts because of the school calendar, they had to do a fair amount of summer reading and work to actually be ready for the exam in May. It felt lousy to “waste” that time in May post-exam and then to have to make up for it with a mountain of the next year’s work in July/August.
When I look at the sample schedules on the website, they say that they will finish classes that have exams in mod 5 or 6, so that does address the issue of completing the class before the exam, and the “gap” to the exam is at most 5 weeks. That seems good! It does, though, mean that the students will be moving through a ton of material in the mods when they have these classes. I can see how this could be overwhelming and stressful for some. I can also see how others might find it easier to focus with fewer other obligations. There are colleges that do one class at a time (Colorado College is probably the best known), and there are kids who LOVE it. I would never have been one of them, but it clearly works for others.
The other thing I noticed in the sample schedule is that kids can now start the next year’s class in that last mod of the prior year. That does provide more seat time (which is a problem all US schools struggle with for the IB) and might relieve some of that summer pressure. But it does, as you point out, give kids some time to forget what they learned over the summer so they’ll still have to invest in review. This seems like an improvement but nobody’s actually gone through the exams with this “early start” arrangement and won’t until next year, so the jury is still out as to how helpful it will be.
It’ll be interesting over time to see how the schedule works for kids taking those exams. I can see pros and cons for everyone involved and hope that they’ll continue to tweak as these become apparent. It does seem like a big adjustment for everyone, even new freshmen, especially on the heels of the pandemic, which exhausted and stressed everyone.
I truly hope it works for you (and anyone else who is questioning whether this is good for their learning style) and that maybe you can reap the benefits of some of the travel and other things that the schedule has enabled.
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Yeah, well, I’m speaking out of real experience with the mod system BOTH as a former student and a parent.
Took Geometry the first 3 mods of my freshman year. The gap for me was not a factor. My math education under the module system was more than adequate preparation for engineering school.
Took foreign language for 2 double block mods per year for 4 years. Also did a mod off campus in an exchange program. I was far more fluent in college than my peers who had taken 4 conventional years of foreign language.
My non-math kid take advantage of the scheduling flexibility of the mod system to take 2 years of math classes in one year.
My impression is that my kid’s foreign language education has suffered a bit due to COVID, rather than the mod system. Virtual and blended learning is tough. Among other things. But this year my kid was able to spend a mod abroad, so I’m optimistic.
It’s not for everyone. But no system works for everyone.
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I am not one to chime into forums like this, but I came upon this post and felt compelled to provide some additional insight. I have had two George School students - one who recently graduated and one who is a current student. While my children are incredibly different from one another, both have been tremendously gifted by their GS education. There are a few things I wanted to note:
First, the current Head of School did not “quit” - he is of the age/stage of career in which he was keenly aware he had room for one more position in his professional life, and he made a personal career decision while also giving the gift of a full year’s notice to allow GS to find its next HOS. This gift of time shows just how deeply he cares for the school and its students and how committed he is to this community. I have always been impressed by the HOS. He has faced very difficult situations in his tenure at GS (e.g., COVID, a car hitting several students off campus, a significant disciplinary issue, struggles within the football program) and has done so with grace, successfully leading the school through it all. Given the significant efforts currently underway to find the next GS HOS, I have no doubt the individual who fills his shoes will be just as impressive as he has been.
The funding referred to above was a sizable gift ($128.5 million) that was designed to be spread over 20 years’ time. GS has been an incredible steward of this funding and has invested it wisely. Undeniably, the benefits of that gift will be enjoyed for many generations to come.
The disciplinary incident that occurred this year definitely had an impact on the school and involved not just seniors, but members of the junior and sophomore classes as well. One of the reasons one might choose a school like George is its commitment to developing citizens who not only strive to make good decisions, but also to accept accountability when they falter, which they inevitably will. The school has acknowledged that they came down too hard, and mistakes were made. I appreciate an institution that learns from and acknowledges its mistakes and seeks to improve based on what was learned. Of course, in a school where half of students are boarders, the school has a tremendous responsibility to keep its students safe, and it takes that responsibility very seriously.
The GS football program had reached a point that those in small schools across the country have reached in recent years - significant safety concerns, due to a shortage of varsity-caliber players. Missteps were made by staff/administration, but they worked with the school community and, as we know, the program will continue, with a talented new coach at the helm. Personally, I would applaud the school for being willing to see this process through, rather than simply declaring “It’s cancelled - we are not debating this.” I understand that there are several football players who have decided to transfer out, and I certainly do not fault them for that.
There have been multiple changes in academic schedules in recent years, some of which were brought about by COVID and some of which were the result of a planned, multi-step transition to the new academic model that is now in place. The new educational model is one used by other successful schools, and it is grounded in research. Is it perfect? It is not, but I do not know of an academic model that IS perfect. I, too, was concerned about the breaks between subjects over the course of a school year, but I found it to be a non-issue thus far. And there are many supports in place that students can avail themselves of, if they so wish. For instance, my student felt her schedule had too much of a gap for one of her subject areas, so she requested an adjustment to her schedule, which was accommodated. She also took advantage of regular consults (i.e., one-on-one meetings with teachers) in her language and math - something that could not be more accessible to students at GS. In addition, she took advantage of structured supports for her foreign language that were put in place to help bridge a gap she had at the start of her school year. For her AP courses, the new model allowed all content to be covered prior to exams without the waste of weeks of classes after the exams were over (in the final mod, students are scheduled for courses in which there are no AP or IB exams). In addition, for her AP classes, regular review sessions were provided in the evening for students toward the end of the year, particularly those who may have had a several-week gap between the end of their course and the exam date. Students are informed of the supports available to them, but it is up to them to take advantage. George School teaches students to be self-advocates and to be in charge of their own destiny, and there is a lot of communication that occurs only with students, not with parents (depending on where you come from, this can take some getting used to - it did for me!). Something I have noticed is that when there is an issue parents are upset about, it can sometimes boil down to a lack of communication between student and parent (they are teens, after all). My advice to GS parents is to read the GS Daily that comes to your email inbox each day, ask your student questions/engage in conversations about areas of interest, reach out to the school about any concerns, and encourage your child to advocate for what they need and take advantage of the resources available to them. Learning to do this will serve them well in college and beyond.
In many ways, I have found that George School mimics the college experience, and the adjustments that need to occur in freshman year are part of that. Students will be pushed outside of their comfort zone, and they will not be happy all the time, particularly in their first year (and when our kids aren’t happy, we parents aren’t happy). My oldest entered GS as a very shy kid who did not know how to steer his own ship. Freshman year was a challenge!! But he graduated not only with an incredible academic foundation, but as a strong leader and as the kind of citizen our world needs now more than ever. He earned a scholarship for his first-choice college, received extensive credit for his IB and AP courses, and is excelling at one of the country’s top universities. But above all, he is happy, and he looks back on his days at GS with great fondness and an appreciation for how his time there allowed him to flourish.
“Goodness of fit” is important, and GS will not be the right place for everyone. But the demand for the George School education continues to grow. For those with first year students or those considering GS for their child’s education, prepare to have your child stretched in ways you have not yet imagined. Growth does not occur when we are comfortable. For those who stay the course at GS, I have yet to meet someone who is not profoundly grateful for the opportunity which they were afforded. “Disengaged” and “unhappy” would be the LAST words I would use to describe a George School student. It is one of the most vibrant communities I have ever seen.
Wishing all students and families success in whatever path they take. Kudos to all parents who passionately pursue what is best for their specific child.
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Ah! I realized that in my comments above, I neglected to mention some of the WHY behind the new academic model. Simply put, it allows so much more flexibility than more traditional models. For instance, a multi-sport varsity athlete can take advantage of a study abroad mod that does not conflict with her sports. A student coming from a weaker background in a subject can “level up” to accelerate his progress. For instance, if a child enters the school placing into French 2, he could take that course and then follow it up with one mod of Intensive French 2, so that he could then move to Intensive French 3 within the same year and be prepared for the more rigorous content. If a child wanted to take AP Calc AB but was nervous, she could first take one mod of regular calc to prepare. If a student wished to explore several possible areas of interest BEFORE college, he could do so, with lower investment of time that is not going to interfere with other courses he wants to take. Flexibility is the key!
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I have no doubt a lot of thought went into the model and it all sounds great in practice. But the facts on the ground/implementation have been subpar. There is a lot of unhappiness among the faculty — many feel they were dropped into this model without support and on the heels of two extremely difficult years. Kids report that teachers are frustrated and often run out of ways to fill the time as students lose focus in 2 hour blocks. My daughter will be starting calculus this fall and her last math class was in early march. They failed to make time for groups like orchestra to practice — kids have to give up their lunch period if they want to participate. What kind of school doesn’t make time for orchestra? The mod system also doesn’t not always play nicely with the IB diploma program requirements. It’s just a real mess right now.
As for the Head leaving, he is a very nice man but the situation is a more complicated. The Board was not happy with his leadership and he did not feel supported by the Board. The highly visible incidents in discipline, safety, athletics, etc have led to a lot of handwringing and the sense that it was time for new blood. Current HOS also lacked faculty support.
We know so many people like you with kids who graduated before us who were so happy with GS. If you are a current parent though, you know how much unhappiness there is right now. The current situation is not great and it’s OK acknowledge that. There ARE a lot of unhappy, disengaged GS students and families — but many are afraid to speak up for fear of being shouted down or having their concerns invalidated. If that’s not you/your kid, I’m very happy for you — consider yourself lucky, but please do not try to negate the experience others might be having. We will stick it out but have been very disappointed with our experience. I truly hope the new head can right the ship. I agree that fit is paramount. We picked GS and felt it was a good fit before they completely upended the entire program, tried to cancel major sports programs and had enormous discipline roundups. It’s just a different place than we thought it would be.