[ThisTimeAround]

Thanks for the information, everyone. My kids currently attend a smaller, faith based prived school where we live. I'm neither for nor against public education as a whole; rather, what works best for my kids. My oldest has attended private school out of necessity and the younger two eventually began simply because it was easier to have everyone in one location/one schedule. I'm open to public education but continually reading on this forum that education is the lowest priority in NV, that the schools are "awful", and many other disbarging comments regarding the education in that area- I opted to inquire about private schools.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Define world-class school. Seriously. We have this same argument over and over. In what bizarro-world reality is Meadows "world class?"

Eton is world class. Choate Rosemary Hall is world class. Deerfield is world class. Meadows is a step up from the basic "nice area" Las Vegas school. Nothing more.

By your logic, Hyundai is a "world class" car.

Any school that does over 20% National Merit Semi-finalist is world class. I am sure there are a few other great private schools that do...but Meadows is of that class.

As OP points out the reason he is looking at private schools is the various jerks on this list that denigrate public schools past all reasonableness.

So you want to spread your garbage to Meadows as well?

[Everdeen]

Originally Posted by ThisTimeAround

Thanks for the information, everyone. My kids currently attend a smaller, faith based prived school where we live. I'm neither for nor against public education as a whole; rather, what works best for my kids. My oldest has attended private school out of necessity and the younger two eventually began simply because it was easier to have everyone in one location/one schedule. I'm open to public education but continually reading on this forum that education is the lowest priority in NV, that the schools are "awful", and many other disbarging comments regarding the education in that area- I opted to inquire about private schools.

The Faith Lutheran Schools are excellent schools. I have a colleague whose kids attend there, he coaches there, and has tried to get a teaching position there for quite a while. He absolutely loves it. My own children went to one for preschool and kindergarten and I was very pleased with it. Unless you are Catholic, of course. Then you would want one of those. The others that that were mentioned that are not faith based are every bit as good.

There are some excellent (not snooty excellent; just excellent) public schools here as well. It really depends on the neighborhood and some of the magnet secondary schools are top schools in the country. The district as a whole sucks. Not only that, but they have a shovel and diggin' deeper.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by lvoc

Any school that does over 20% National Merit Semi-finalist is world class. I am sure there are a few other great private schools that do...but Meadows is of that class.

As OP points out the reason he is looking at private schools is the various jerks on this list that denigrate public schools past all reasonableness.

So you want to spread your garbage to Meadows as well?

What you seem to forget, or more likely not know, is that the score required to be a National Merit semi-finalist differs from state to state. The score required in Nevada is one of the lowest in the country. Were they held to the same standard as say, Massachusetts or California, there would be a lot fewer National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists in Nevada, and from Meadows.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

What you seem to forget, or more likely not know, is that the score required to be a National Merit semi-finalist differs from state to state. The score required in Nevada is one of the lowest in the country. Were they held to the same standard as say, Massachusetts or California, there would be a lot fewer National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists in Nevada, and from Meadows.

Yes it makes a difference. If it were a very sensitive function CA might well end up cut out of it also.

Really it probably would effect the numbers in a minor way. 20% however would still be an excellent score.

Note that many suggest the National Merit is a poor guide. And UofC does not allow its use in acceptance decisions..

So a poor standard. But about the only one available.

As an aside I got my national merit in NY...which is right up there next to MA.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by lvoc

Any school that does over 20% National Merit Semi-finalist is world class. I am sure there are a few other great private schools that do...but Meadows is of that class.

As OP points out the reason he is looking at private schools is the various jerks on this list that denigrate public schools past all reasonableness.

So you want to spread your garbage to Meadows as well?

Get over yourself. My beef is with calling something "world class" when it isn't. Let's use automobiles as a comparison. The Porsche 911 is a great car. Nobody would be particularly upset if they won one in a sweepstakes. But it's not a supercar like a Bugatti Veyron or a Pagani Zonda. Calling a Porsche 911 a "supercar" simply doesn't work. (Except for maybe the GT-3, I can see calling that one a supercar. But it would be near the bottom run of the supercar hierarchy.)

"World class" schools are, simply put, the best in the world. How can anyone in their right mind put Meadows in the same league as Hotchkiss, Phillips or Deerfield? And my argument for the entire time we've been tossing this particular football around is that Las Vegas is too big a metro area NOT to have a world-class school. A truly world class school -- a Kent, or a Miss Porter's or a Loomis Chaffee.

Raising the bar would do wonders to improve our community on all levels. We should also raise the bar at UNLV. We are at least in agreement that UNLV should have a prestige-level medical school. A prestige-level school of engineering wouldn't hurt, either.

Raise the freakin' bar. Quit calling Meadows world class. It's good in the same way a 911 is good. I can even see calling it a great school. But world-class? How many elite families abroad send their children to Meadows for that "world-class" education? There may be a few. But it's not like Phillips Andover or Deerfield, which truly are "world-class" schools. People don't need to Google their names because they've heard of these schools before.

[Buzz123]

We have experience with Faith Lutheran. Good schools. Grand daughter reads voraciously. And for most of my life I've heard that Bishop Gorman is the best. Best in sports anyway. Temple Beth Shalom is supposed to have a very good school too. I've known people who sent their kids to all of those.

[icecreamcake]

Originally Posted by ThisTimeAround

[snip]
I'm open to public education but continually reading on this forum that education is the lowest priority in NV, that the schools are "awful", and many other disbarging comments regarding the education in that area- I opted to inquire about private schools.

I'd recommend taking a look at some of the magnet schools if your main focus is education. Not asking you to definitely send your kid to one, but look at it as an option. As an alumni of one, I had first-hand experience on how rigorous the AP programs are and how good of an influence it can be. My school produced students that got into Harvard, Princeton, MIT, UPenn, Brown, USC, and more top schools and other Ivy Leagues. But of course, in the end, I definitely think it depends on the student themselves and what they make of their school. You can be a student at the #1 school in Las Vegas, but that doesn't mean anything if the student doesn't apply themselves.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Get over yourself. My beef is with calling something "world class" when it isn't. Let's use automobiles as a comparison. The Porsche 911 is a great car. Nobody would be particularly upset if they won one in a sweepstakes. But it's not a supercar like a Bugatti Veyron or a Pagani Zonda. Calling a Porsche 911 a "supercar" simply doesn't work. (Except for maybe the GT-3, I can see calling that one a supercar. But it would be near the bottom run of the supercar hierarchy.)

"World class" schools are, simply put, the best in the world. How can anyone in their right mind put Meadows in the same league as Hotchkiss, Phillips or Deerfield? And my argument for the entire time we've been tossing this particular football around is that Las Vegas is too big a metro area NOT to have a world-class school. A truly world class school -- a Kent, or a Miss Porter's or a Loomis Chaffee.

Raising the bar would do wonders to improve our community on all levels. We should also raise the bar at UNLV. We are at least in agreement that UNLV should have a prestige-level medical school. A prestige-level school of engineering wouldn't hurt, either.

Raise the freakin' bar. Quit calling Meadows world class. It's good in the same way a 911 is good. I can even see calling it a great school. But world-class? How many elite families abroad send their children to Meadows for that "world-class" education? There may be a few. But it's not like Phillips Andover or Deerfield, which truly are "world-class" schools. People don't need to Google their names because they've heard of these schools before.

It would appear your definition of "world class" is what Scoop says is world class. Sorry I do not agree.

The school turns out a body of students capable of any University in the world. It is a small school and therefore not competitive with larger institution catering to a non-local clientele. But it is about as good as a school can be...hence world class.

And there are a number of parents at Meadows who could sent their children to one of the snobby east coast schools but choose Meadows instead.

the only interesting criticism of Meadows was an extremely monied young couple from the Seattle area who were considering a move to Las Vegas. They were horrified and turned it down as hopelessly too structured. I wonder on their view of your "world class" places...

[Everdeen]

One thing you have to remember: the school is good due to its clientele; not necessarily the quality of education. There are teachers at local private schools who were tossed aside by CCSD. I would venture to say that most teachers here could do the job of any supposed snooty east coast school, but the reverse would not be true.

If you want a great school, enroll in one that has strict exclusionary policies. When you are paying annual tuition of $40,000, $50,000 plus, and exclude kids that can't make the grade, that's what makes them better. The only higher standards that they have that makes them better are higher exclusionary standards.