Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart has provided our daughter with an excellent academic and extra-curricular environment to learn and grow. The curriculum is excellent. We were very happy with our son's high school but find that Stone Ridge has a curriculum that allows the students to drill deeper into each subject. The student:teacher ratio is great. The faculty are engaged and really care about their students. They encourage each student to do their best. Stone Ridge provided an opportunity for our daughter to play a varsity sports and assume a leadership role in student government. Our daughter has a wonderful circle of friends who are supportive, hardworking and focused young ladies. We have every confidence that our daughter will be ready to go to any college of her choosing at the end of the four years. Most importantly, Stone Ridge has reinforced our family values through the school environment, value for leadership and community service.
—Submitted by a parent

Please save your daughter and do not send her here. I am a recent graduate of this school and I can say I have had the worst experience I could imagine. The girls were awful. Very cliquey and exclusive. There is alot of bullying going on throughout the upper school. Other alumnae from over the years that I have run into actually agree with my opinion. I know many girls who left over the years as well. I was too afraid to transfer because freshman year was so terrible, I thought it would happen all over again somewhere else. The academics cant be beat, some professors do need to be fired, however. The community involvement is also fantastic. However, the arts and theatre programs are in dire need to be revamped. There is no legit theatre. The sports also need to be improved as well. I hated this school and I am not alone. The price for the school does not make up for the actual school. I am still reeling from the awful social tension and exclusion as well as poor administrative guidance.

I'm going to be graduating from Stone Ridge this year and have been attending the school since I was a freshmen. I can honestly say that Stone Ridge has been a miserable experience. The administration is useless, focusing more on the new brand theme (which is aweful) than actually focusing on student needs. The academics are strong, but the athletics, drama, arts, and any other extracurricular activities are weak. The best thing I can say about Stone Ridge is the Social Action community service program. It provides a good opportunity for girls to be involved and volunteer in the greater community. The tuition at Stone Ridge is outrageous for what the students receive. Too many girls are on finacial aid, which is why the school can't afford anything. The girls are immature and can't grow out of the cliques they've been in since middle school. Stone Ridge isn't going to last much longer.

My daughter, Michelle Wiss, is agraduate of Stone Ridge, and is the successful, enlightened woman she is because of the Sacred Heart philosophy of "educating the whole child".
—Submitted by a parent

I attended Stone Ridge starting in 7th grade, until I left the school halfway through 11th grade. Coming from a DC Public Elementary, I needed a more structured academic environment, as well as higher standards. Stone Ridge did provide these things, but at a serious cost. From the onset, I was constantly bullied for not listening to the same music, having different taste in clothing and accessories, and for being an individual. The school did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to fix the clique problem, and I have other friends who left for the same reasons. The extracurricular activities are seriously lacking, and there isn't any support of individuality. I would NEVER send my daughter there, and have strongly cautioned people against it. The experience I had at the DC Public high school that I transferred to was so much better than 4.5 years at SR.

Great school, My daughter loves it here I think this is the best independent school in DC area, both catholic or non.
—Submitted by a parent

I am not satisfied with this school. I expected different things to be higher than others. The girls were very clique (more than other school's I've attented), and very exclusive. This is partially due to the girls coming in from middle school into the high school. While the academics are good they can be rigorous and I feel I dont have enough time to do other things outside of school which I enjoy and have a passion for. I am excited to finally graduate and leave the school. I wish my experience there was more pleasant but I regret to say that it was definatly subpar. If I could do it again I would apply and go elsewhere.
—Submitted by a student

SIX-R S: Stone Ridge provides the 6-R's (Readin', 'Ritin', 'Rithmatic, Respect, Religion, Reality)... forgive the colloquial liberties. My daughter has been almost 10 years at SR and our experience has been nine stars out of ten.
—Submitted by a parent

This year marks my daughters four year at Stone Ridge and there has never been a day she wakes up and doesn't want to go to school. The summer break is too long. She has good friends, teachers, and faculty. I believe a child's attitude towards her school is on of the best indicators of a school done right.
—Submitted by a parent

Both of my daugters graduated from SR, having started in the lower school. Our family is African American and we have had a wonderful experiece. My daughters have been nurtured and encouraged to be who they are in all facets of their life. The school has increasing put an emphasis on diversity, which has been great for the entire community. My daughters have received a top-notch education, spiritual development and are confident, well-spoken, and courageous young ladies, ready to take on the world. I could not be happier or prouder. J McGlockton
—Submitted by a parent

I am a minority student of a lower socio-economic background that attended Stone Ridge for high school. Stone Ridge is a phenomenal school. It encourages young women to think independently and to develop leadership skills that benefit both themselves and the broader community. Additionally, it provides fantastic aid packages to students who cannot afford to attend otherwise. During my time at Stone Ridge, I was encouraged to take an active role in my classes, to think creatively and 'outside the box,' and to challenge myself by taking upper level courses that have prepared me for a rigorous undergraduate program. My class was particularly close; we did not have any of the stereotypical 'cliquey' problems associated with private schools. Stone Ridge works to shape the entire person - not only educating us in the academic sense but also encouraging us to take an active role in society. I highly recommend it.
—Submitted by a student

The best way to find out about stone ridge is not by talking to the current students, but by talking to the girls who transferred out of stone ridge. fine for lower grades but high school has a very low success rate.
—Submitted by a parent

Please look at the overall student retention rate prior to enrolling your daughter in this school. There has to be a reason why so many students leave the school especially minority students. It absolutely has nothing to do with academics. This advice is for minorty parents considering enrolling your daughters in this school. If your child is quiet and submissive, she will do fine at Stone Ridge however if your child is bright, vocal and condident, she may become discouraged. There is obvious disparity at this school. Those families who contribute financially will do especially well at this school...those who don't...beware!
—Submitted by a parent

We transferred our two daughters to Stone Ridge this year, entering 2nd and 5th grades, and we couldn't be happier. They are being challenged academically, but are able to keep up and are not overwhelmed. They are both doing well socially as well -- they love going to school! We are not Catholic and we have not had any concerns with the religious aspects of the education either. The teachers and administation are top notch as are the facilities. I highly recommend this school.
—Submitted by a parent

Very strong academic program and excellent mechanisms to instill ideals of public service into students. There is some degree if cliqueishness among the girls and the school does not do as much as it could to ensure more inclusiveness socially.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to Stone Ridge for 14 years (pre-K through 12th grade) and can honestly say that it was the best and most challenging educational experience I've encountered thus far (and I have gone to college, graduate school, and law school). I still keep in touch with the wonderful women who were in my class and considered them some of my closest friends. It is true that some girls can be cliquey during high school, but that is the case everywhere.
—Submitted by a former student

My daughter has loved Stone Ridge and has a great group of friends there. Only downsides are a weak music program - no instrumental music except handbells. Overall teachers are quite good but not all.
—Submitted by a parent

I completely disagree with the first review. Teenage girls, as a rule, are cliquey and find comfort in groups of people that are similar to themselves. Stone Ridge is a caring environment, and my daughter has never expressed any unhappiness at the school. As a former Alumna, I can only extol the great experience that I had at Stone Ridge. The ground are beautiful, and the teachers are dedicated to creating an atmosphere of exciting learning for the girls. For example, my daughter always raves about how interesting her Latin III class is because the teacher combines the classical texts (such as Caesar's Gallic Wars and Catullus) with analytical texts to help the girls understand the historical context of the events they are translating. The education these girls recieve is phenominal, and they enter the world prepared to take on the challenges of college and adult life.
—Submitted by Antonia Gambino, a parent

Stone Ridge is one of the best schools in the Washington metropolitan region (if not the best). I firmly believe in a solid education, and Stone Ridge has clearly shown their capabilities to do so. My daughter used to go to a school that was extremely cliquey. Now she says that no one at the school will exclude you from their group, even if you are not close friends. Also, she is an excellent swimmer and is excited about the team's (2005-2006) flawless record. I am impressed with the facilities overall. (She also tells me that now SR is offering an AP Computer Programming class and hopes to take it next year!) I recommend this school for any girl who has a drive to be the best they can.
—Submitted by Nora Merritt, a parent

Do your daughter a favor and keep her out of this school. The girls are cliquey and not kept in line, as they most certainly should be. It is a school for priveledged children, and has a good educational system. But it won't be worth putting your daughter through complete agony.
—Submitted by a parent