Danielle Gottesman: The public school perspective
The transition from middle school to high school can be challenging for incoming freshmen. Whether a student is from a feeding middle school or it’s a student’s first time ever going to a public school, the different adjustments that come along with a public high school have the potential to be overwhelming.
In certain middle schools, the entire grade feeds into a single high school. However, other middle schools may face the option of splitting the student community into multiple schools. For these schools, the amount of time it takes for each student to get settled in can fluctuate.
For the students who end up at the same high school as almost all of their middle school classmates, finding familiar faces can feel less challenging. According to freshman Morgan Braniff, finding friends for group projects and sports teams is easier when the people involved are familiar faces. “Group projects are easier [because] it’s easier to find people to team up with, and collaborate. Collaboration is easier, and being on a sports team is easier knowing most of the people from middle school,” Braniff said.
For students from feeding middle schools, the educational adjustment might seem like a smaller gap as well. Students can pick up where they left off from middle school as the curriculum, assignments and the way topics are taught are made with the intention to match. “A lot of the assignments are very similar, and often some of the material from Frost’s curriculum can be reused. And I also know a lot more of the people here,” Braniff said.
For students from middle schools that split and feed into different high schools, it can be a struggle to adjust without the rest of their grade. Having to separate from the peers that you’ve seen every day for three years can feel difficult, but it’s important to remain in touch. “Being at Cabin John helped me grow because it showed me that all friends have to move eventually. It’s important you keep in touch with them,” Churchill freshman Jordan Isenberg said.
Coming from a school where almost everyone ends up at the same place can help in managing and moderating expectations. According to freshman Nick Sriram, coming from a feeding middle school helped in preparing for the academic standards and extracurriculars of high school. “Frost definitely prepared me for high school, like, in academics and extracurriculars, it really prepared [me] for the high school experience.There are a lot of advantages, I feel like I get more academic priority and my grades [are] a lot better,” Sriram said.
Having a split middle school might not mean losing all your friends in the process. According to freshman Rocco Candiello, even though his school was split among different high schools, his experience was less challenging than that of a completely new student as he entered high school with his friends. “I think my experience would be easier because I did have friends and I feel like for a new student, it would be hard coming to a new environment and figuring stuff out,” Candiello said.
Coming from a public middle school can have benefits that aid in the preparation for attending a public high school in the future. According to Candiello, attending a public middle school helped in regulating the educational and social changes of high school in the future. “I feel like [at Cabin John] there was a lot of structure there that helped me prepare for the workload and the social aspect,” Candiello said.
Meenakshi Puram: The private school perspective
Going from a private school to a public school brings about a number of changes regarding different aspects of school such as academics, social life and rules. It can take time to find your people and feel comfortable in the new school environment, but there can also be good outcomes of the switch.
At private schools, the student population is much smaller than that of a public school. At public school, there are more friend groups and clubs to be a part of, so they have more opportunities to find a group of people they connect with, rather than just hanging out with certain people because there are a small number of students. “There are more opportunities to meet new people than at private schools, mostly because there are more people to meet,” Montgomery Blair freshman and former Sandy Spring Friends School student Leila DeBacker said.
The bigger student population size, however, has its downsides and may not be for everyone. It can be overwhelming and a bit scary at first. It can also be hard to find a close-knit community and share school pride. “Because it’s so big, it’s harder to have a strong sense of community,” DeBacker said.
Academics usually vary depending on the school. Certain private schools are laid back and aren’t that academically demanding, so when coming to a public school, students might struggle or find the work tough. Other schools have a rigorous curriculum, and so it can feel relieving to not have so much work to do. “The regular level of academics at my old school, [Holton-Arms], was higher than the regular level here,” freshman Savannah Collins said.
The curriculum is also quite different. The schools are similar in graduation requirements, but the public high schools follow the curriculum the county provides, whereas the private schools follow their own syllabus. “The curriculum is more interesting and engaging in private,” Atholton freshman and former SSFS student Keenan Quarles said.
Private schools prepare students mainly for continuing at that school. Due to differences in teaching, students may not feel ready for the work in public school. “My private school only really prepared me for…staying in private school,” Collins said.
There are more minor differences in rules and campus life between public and private schools. A number of private schools require uniforms or have a dress code, which can be a nice change when going to public school, as you can wear whatever clothes you want. “I’m able to express myself more and be more comfortable in my style,” Collins said.
Public schools have more security protocols, which means more security guards and police officers in the school and around the area. While private schools still have security, they tend not to be as visible as in a public school. “Public schools are much more strict than private schools. There are actual security officers,” DeBacker said.
Ultimately, there are both advantages and disadvantages of going from a private school to a public high school and coming in from a feeding middle school. High school can present challenges, but also bring successes for students, regardless of what school they came from.
