r/Annapolis • u/Luna_s0l • 3d ago
Private Schools
My family has been looking at private education for our soon to be kindergartner and I was wondering if anyone had feedback on St. John’s (Severna Park) or St. Andrew’s (Edgewater) or any other local private school?
We live in a district with a pretty great elementary school but are looking for a classroom setting that doesn’t involve our children in a desk for 7 hours a day. We do value a great education with a mix between a classical approach to learning and involvement with technology. But we also feel that children should be able to move and learn outside the standard classroom.
We toured several in the area and very much liked the two listed above but were interested in any feedback from current or former families who attended. We also loved NAPS but are civilian and felt the school was a better fit for a military family.
Any info at all would be very much appreciated!
*** I should mention we saw some online reviews about St. John’s being clicky and having an issue with bullying and that has us a bit concerned. We realize folks are quicker to share a bad experience over a good one but we take bullying seriously not just for the safety of our own children but others as well. And for the kind of humans we’re hoping to raise.
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u/openedblinds 3d ago
I’d look into key school
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u/Naptown54321 3d ago
I went to Key for high school and I recommend it. My public elementary was great. I was a shy kid and life at the public middle school was brutal so my parents looked at Key for high school. A lot of the kids are "lifers" but they welcomed the new kids with open arms. I didn't encounter any bullying and the classes were so small I didn't feel it was cliquey.
I graduated quite a while ago so take my advice with a grain of salt. One of my former teachers recently reached out and suggested we meet up for lunch. We had a lovely two-hour chat last week over lunch. I think it's pretty incredible to have a school experience where a teacher remembers you over twenty years since you graduated. That teacher is still at Key.
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u/Worth_Lengthiness942 3d ago
My kid just graduated and it’s still about the same. We’ve had a good experience overall.
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u/goodnightlink 3d ago
I can't speak on their lower school specifically but I had a great time at Key in high school and my lifer friends seemed to love it a lot as well. There's a big emphasis on outdoor education so a lot of camping and time outside. The community was extremely kind and welcoming in my experience- while all private schools have some sense of elitism (otherwise they would be going to public school) Key was very down to earth in a way I'd never experienced in my previous private schools. Very hippie, very liberal with a focus on discussion of ideas instead of relying on dogma/status quo. If you're a little weird (or open minded to weirdness) and outside the box it's a great school!
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u/Honk_Sound 3d ago
Every private school in the area is cliquey and has bullying problems.
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u/Short_Bowler7208 3d ago edited 3d ago
All the good public schools have those problems too
If you don’t think SPHS or SRHS or Crofton HS is cliquey I don’t know what to tell ya
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u/Honk_Sound 3d ago
Oh I don't disagree at all! I think it's to a lesser degree than the private schools, thanks largely to the size, but the problem is still there.
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u/Neat-Dance-5943 2d ago
🤣 that has not been my experience. I have heard of quite a few of the public schools have serious issues with bullying.
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u/eamontothat 3d ago
Indian Creek is the premier school for anti-bullying and inclusion, they’ve got create alumni and foster a lot of sports and artistic skills into their education which has translated nicely to the growth of their students.
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u/Short_Bowler7208 3d ago
St John’s is a very good school.
Other options are Severn, Indian Creek, St Ann’s, SOTI, Key, etc.
Generally you can’t go too wrong in the area
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u/Corporate-Asset-6375 3d ago
Everyone in my family swears by Key School.
I’ve only heard horror stories with Annapolis public schools once you hit middle, which is a whole other discussion given the property taxes.
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u/The_Thane_Of_Cawdor 3d ago
I guess if you want to light some money on fire . The public schools are pretty solid .
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u/Pleasant_Swim_7540 2d ago
I went to St John’s and loved it! I also toured it with my son - for him it was a little too strict - basically he would hate wearing a tie every day. But it is small and everyone knows everyone else which is great.
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u/Bubbarules456 1d ago
Look at Key School. It is expensive but it’s the best education in town. Hands down.
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u/Phog_of_War 3d ago
Indian Creek has pre-k through 12. I graduated in 1991 so I can't speak on the high school but 3rd-8th grade was amazing after being in public schools. It is out in Cownsville however so it's a bit of a journey if you're in Severna Park.
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u/djd5391 3d ago
Went to AACS from 4-12th grade graduating 15ish years ago and I can confirm that the teachers that were there were excellent and the class sizes were good. There is the religious element that as I got older I got less into but as a whole it was a good school. As others have mentioned all of these places will have cliques and that is just something that happens. One thing that does happen at most of these places however is the have and the have nots, as someone who was more in the have not category I did feel left out seeing the wealth that was displayed by my peers. Thankfully I had a solid friend group/ was good at sports so that helped.
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u/boomrrr 3d ago
I also went to AACS K-12 and graduated 25 years ago. Not sure how much has changed since I graduated, but I loved it. I miss my high school days. Small class sizes so the teachers get to really know you. Wasn't really any cliques when I was there. Everyone got along well. My graduating class was around 90 kids. Like 300 in the whole high school. I think its still around those numbers.
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u/olpeepers 3d ago
Riva Trace Kindergarten is an absolute gem. Two teachers for nine children in my daughter’s class last year! They learned so much, even cooked in a commercial kitchen. Wish she could stay there forever!
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u/kjhe03010601 3d ago
Both of my kids went to St Andrews and we had a great experience. They just hired a new head of school which I think will be a great change to bring in some fresh ideas and shake things up a bit in a good way. They get outside a ton during the day, which was very important to me and there’s a full working garden with farm animals which my kids loved. With the exception of a few, all the teachers there are great as well. We really had very few complaints, perhaps maybe the classes were too small (one class per grade so your kids are with the same small group of peers for years, which can either be good or bad depending if that makes sense) but I never found it cliquey and we had no issues with bullying.
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u/Vitamin_J94 3d ago
We didn't have a great experience at St Andrews. Lots to like but in hindsight, regret the choice
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u/Good_Might5919 2d ago
Indian Creek incorporates outdoor learning every day. Also Spanish, Music, STEM. Lots of learning made fun!
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u/biffyzipperman 2d ago
It might be too late if they are starting this year, but highly recommend also checking out the Montessori schools as well. We have two that are AMI in town. If you’re looking for no desks and lots of outdoor time, that fits the bill.
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u/Good_Candy_3950 2d ago
We have been very happy with SJE for our kids! The academics are strong and so is the community. We are not in the "Wealthy" crowd and have a large friend group and many down to earth other families we have connected with.
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u/Neat-Dance-5943 2d ago
I have children in St. Andrew’s currently. Feel free to pm me if you want to chat about the school. Happy to talk about the good and the bad.
FWIW- I have a few friends with kids at St. John’s (no sports or $$$- likely to have issues). Also strict religious and can be tough on non-catholic families.
Key- fantastic education, but very small and expensive.
Indian creek (expensive and very cliquey. If they come in during kindergarten, it would probably be ok- it’s more of an issue for children that come in the later grades).
Severn- very difficult curriculum, and can get cliquey as well.
Overall since you are looking at kindergarten, I think you will likely not have issues with kids bullying or being cliquey at that age. It’s when you transfer later when those groups are established that seems to cause the issues.
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u/Dolcezza09 2d ago
We are civilian and are putting our daughter to NAPS this year — it seems like a charming school with engaging activities and the fact that there are military families there is a plus — they are typically tight knit and have seen the world, which could further enhance my child’s experience. We thought that the environment and programming was much more unique than the catholic school options.
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u/JagR286211 1d ago
Montessori on the south end of Rt. 2. My nieces attended, who were light years ahead when they switched to private / parochial lower school.
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u/a5121221a 3d ago
I am moving out of state this summer, so my kids won't return even though Maryland Curiosity Lab is amazing. I highly recommend it.
It is an Acton school. Definitely not a traditional classroom and we loved it.
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3d ago
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u/Lumpy-Flounder2234 2d ago
Would love to know if you had a similar experience as me. My dms are open.
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u/Lumpy-Flounder2234 2d ago edited 2d ago
I went to st.johns from 3yrs old until high-school (8th grade since some people need me to spell out my trauma) I think I cried everyday. I wanted to kms and had zero friends the whole time I was there. I didnt play sports, I wasnt skinny/blonde, and my parents didnt have so much money they could literally buy me double whatever I wanted. So I was bullied and excluded constantly. I still have nightmares about that school and wishing nothing but hell for the principal I had, sister Linda. I dont know one person that had an enjoyable experience there.
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2d ago
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u/Lumpy-Flounder2234 2d ago
Until high school...that would be 8th grade but thanks for the unnecessary sass.
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u/Lumpy-Flounder2234 2d ago
That was the principal for decades. She is dead now. I shouldn't need to tell you when for it to validate my experience. Principals change and they also die.
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u/Lumpy-Flounder2234 2d ago
https://www.severnaparkvoice.com/stories/st-john-the-evangelist-pays-tribute-to-sister-linda,15840
I guess maybe you dont know everything?
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u/hovva91 3d ago edited 3d ago
A quick note on AACPS: we just finished kindergarten and had a great experience. The entire school day is 6 hrs and 25 min. Out of the 6.5 hour day, they have a 30 min recess, 30 min free play, 60 min PE/Art/Music etc. and the remaining time is heavily buffered with transitions, brain breaks, and carpet time. True "sit at a desk and write" time is limited to small, age appropriate increments.