Politics | 11/18/2008 1:15 pm

Developing: Obama Girls Attending Georgetown Day School? (Update)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

We may know where Sasha and Malia Obama, 7 and 10, will be attending school come January!

A tipster just revealed to us that future First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters are currently in DC doing two things: one, picking out their bedrooms in the White House, and two, putting the finishing touches on enrollment at the prestigious private school, Georgetown Day School.

Founded in 1945, the school says it’s "dedicated to providing a supportive educational atmosphere in which teachers challenge the intellectual, creative and physical abilities of our students and foster strength of character and concern for others," according to their website. GDS has grown from a school of seven students to a pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade school with more than 1,000 students and a faculty of 165 on two separate five-acre campuses in Washington, DC. It was the first integrated school in the District of Columbia.

Alumni include the novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, law professor Jamin Raskin and our very own Judith Martin!

Our calls to the school’s public relations department were not immediately returned, but we’ll keep you posted.

Update: Well, the Associated Press reports this afternoon that the Obama girls, as well as Mrs. Obama and her mother, did in fact pop into the White House to pick out their new bedrooms. And First Lady Laura Bush was more than happy to have them. Mrs. Obama’s spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, remarked: "The first lady graciously invited Mrs. Obama, her mother and the girls to visit what will be their new home. Of course, Mrs. Obama greatly appreciated this invitation to provide an opportunity for the girls to feel at home and become comfortable in this transition process."

It’s also been confirmed that Sasha and Malia toured some schools today. While there’s speculation the future first children may attend Sidwell Friends school, our source, who happens to be close to the President-elect’s inner circle, insists the Obama children will be go to Georgetown Day School because that institution’s academics more closely resemble the education they’ve been receiving in Chicago.

46 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Ms. Dee, Just about the nicest response have ever rec’d. Thank you. A Golden [he has a name already, Jack] and knowing/hoping we can help all the great kids who deserve it…and have a president intent on it. Oh happy day!!

By Delete This on 11/19/2008 5:58 pm

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Exactly! That is my question. What do you get for the money? It’s inflated.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/18/2008 9:30 pm

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My daughter is in the Theater Conservatory at Chicago’s DePaul University, which is rated the #1 Theater Conservatory in the Country (at least as of the most recent rating) and it costs roughly $35,000 per year which to me is exorbitant and that figure includes housing and food. What can a day school possibly offer to grammar school children that justifies such fees other than that they don’t have to mix with children who can’t afford it?

By DeBúrca obj on 11/18/2008 7:57 pm

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DeB, That is pretty standard private tuition in the Northeastern Corridor (in Washington alone, check out GDS’ competitors Sidwell Friends, where Chelsea Clinton went, and National Cathedral, attended by the Gore girls) — and I’ll bet it doesn’t cover everything they offer. Most schools rely on their endowment to bridge the gap. Faculty salaries, plant, and scholarships gobble it all up pretty quickly.

By Lucinda Herbert on 11/18/2008 8:10 pm

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I don’t doubt that they’re all probably about the same in price. I just think it goes to show, that all having a ton of money does, is allow people to overcharge you for something you could get for much less elsewhere, but without the “designer” label.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/18/2008 8:28 pm

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I don’t know where you can get the same for less. And, as I replied to Ms. Dee above, there is much available in the way of scholarships for the offspring of those who earn $40-$50M p.a. If a child is qualified and has an advocate, the money is available. What’s critical is to have an advocate.

By Lucinda Herbert on 11/18/2008 8:39 pm

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It all depends upon what you mean by “the same”.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/18/2008 8:47 pm

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DeB, You said “overcharge you for something you could get for much less elsewhere, but without the “designer” label” I understood that to be receiving the same, just without the label and I don’t know where you can receive the same for less — unless it’s subsidized by the government — and I can’t see how that would be the same either. What you’re paying for is small classes and individual attention, both impossible to receive at most public schools.

By Lucinda Herbert on 11/18/2008 9:01 pm

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The school the Obama children went to in Chicago is, from what I hear, rated to be one of the best, and it is about 1/2 the tuition. I know of plenty of private schools which have excellent academic reputations, small class sizes etc. which come nowhere near that tuition. So all I can assume is that in DC it’s mostly about who they will be attending with that determines the cost over a certain level.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/18/2008 9:26 pm

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DeB, The tuition at the Chicago Lab School is almost $12M for half day nursery school and over $20M for middle school (grades 5-8) students.. It has the benefit of being a division of the University of Chicago and gives preference to the children of University of Chicago employees.

By Lucinda Herbert on 11/18/2008 10:57 pm

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Right, and the school in DC ranged from over $26,000 for PreK/K to over $36,000 for 5-8.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/19/2008 7:58 am

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Barack Obama is the President of the United States, the highest office in our nation and let’s be honest, the most influential position throughout the world with all eyes on him and his actions. If he and his wife want to spend 40, 50 or $60,000 a year to educate his children and make sure that education is received in a safe and secure environment, no one should question what HE spends. This is not an area such as “clothing” that should be questioned in terms of what is spent. We are literally talking about the safety of his children. Short of having them home schooled and isolated from other children, a premiere private school is the way to go.

By Belinda Joy on 11/18/2008 6:24 pm

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I am not questioning what the Obamas choose to spend, I would expect them to get the best. What I am questioning is that a school, no matter who attends, can demand such huge tuition.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/18/2008 9:28 pm

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Lucinda responded with all of the thoughts on this subject that I would have offered up. There are tons of private schools in our country that charge excessive tuitions. But in return the children do receive a higher quality of teachers, instructors, books, surroundings, activities and study options. These schools set themselves apart from the average public school or even private school that may say they offer a better option for learning, but in actuality are nothing more than full time day care centers. There are exceptions to the rule as you pointed out, private schools that charge a fraction of what the Obamas will be paying that “may” offer the same level of schooling, but they are few and far between. I disagree that the wealthy are essentially suckers for paying high tuitions for these schools, because for the most part (as much as it is not politically correct to admit) they do offer a better education experience for the children they serve. Call it designer schools, so be it…..but many are indeed a cut above most schools and if it means paying more to have your kids attend (if you can afford it) why not?

By Belinda Joy on 11/19/2008 3:08 pm

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Just because a school, let’s say, charges roughly $19,000.00 more per year than other top notch private schools, doesn’t necessarily mean the children are getting $19,000.00 more education value. I mean, there is only so much you can teach, a teacher can only be so good. The University of Chicago Lab School is considered one of the best, if not the best in the country, and charges about $16,000.00 less per year than Georgetown Day School (I’m talking about the upper grades here). So what would Georgetown be providing for that extra $16,000.00 other than it’s exclusivity alone? I’m just asking the question. I would never assume just because something costs more, that it is necessarily better. And like I’ve said before, this has nothing to do with the Obamas. It only came up because a link to the school was in here so the tuition was listed. I think it’s a fair question to ask of any school.

By DeBúrca obj on 11/19/2008 5:17 pm