Chevy Chase Manor

When Principal Hedlund led the school, we were having a more positive experience. There was accountability within the staff and parents. Communication was clear and much better. Since Principal Russell has stepped in, that has all gone down hill. There’s been several safety concerns that goes unaddressed or parents aren’t aware until AFTER it’s happened. The teachers are poor communicators (especially in the 4th grade), no accountability and often show favoritism. As a parent I could not be more disappointed in the negative turn Shepherd has taken.

Lafayette is a stellar school with one of the best parent/student communities in the DC area. The teachers are extremely committed, creative, and engaging. The curriculum is appropriately challenging but also balanced (great art, music, and peace classes). Students are generally kind and inclusive. The school’s leadership and staff are supportive and run the school in an efficient manner, ensuring parents are always aware of what’s going on. My kids look forward to school everyday and feel very supported in the Lafayette community.

We’ve been very happy at Truesdell. It’s clear our daughters are thriving in the loving, supportive, and enriching learning community that the teachers and families have created here. When we started four years ago, we were a bit nervous given that the kids would be bussed to the temporary location but we very quickly came to appreciate how the family engagement has really positively shaped our experience of community. Our favorite things about Truesdell are - The whole-child focus where the teaching is rigorous and intensive in the right ways yet fun and engaging and the administration also prioritizes the physical and socio-emotional activities (soccer, ballet, Spanish club, twice a semester field trips are good examples). - The very active and engaged family teacher organization. It feels like we are part of a village that is invested in the well-being and success of every student. If parental engagement is a key indicator of student success, then we have no doubt ours kids will continue to thrive here. - The teaching staff. It could be that we’ve been extremely lucky but we’ve been impressed by the passion and genuine enthusiasm for teaching that our kids’ teachers have all shown. - The facilities: the new building really has been an upgrade and really feels like it reflects the spirit of the school. Areas for improvement: communication. Mixed or delayed messaging can be frustrating when it comes to special events or drop-off/dismissal procedure changes. I’d also add that the principal can be a bit brusque but we’ve come to appreciate how data-driven she is with her decision making on the admins priorities for the kids. Overall we have had a good experience here and feel the Truesdell pride!