Feedback on Barnsley CES center

[Anonymous]

The principal is great. I know folks loved the old principal who is now at Ritchie Park, but I've had nothing but good experiences with Mrs Troffkin.

Front office staff are not so hot. I have picked up my child twice without having to show ID, which was always the standard practice at our home school. I have had to send multiple emails to get absences excused for illness.

CES teachers are strong. For the most part, kids stay with the same teacher for both 4th and 5th grade so the teachers know the kids really well. My child is in 5th, the last cohort chosen by merit rather than lottery... will be interesting whether they are able to maintain the same level of instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any post COVID insights parents want to share? Would be great to hear about how the school, teachers, and administration have been over the last 1.5 years. TIA.

The current principle has got to go. It’s hard for her to hide her general disdain for basically everyone. It emboldens to the staff to act the same way as well. MCPS can and should do better. I can’t imagine they haven’t heard the rumors and fielded the complaints.

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure I'm one of the commenters from 2021. I don't have Barnsley experience post-Covid, but I will say that the English classes in middle and high school have been so disappointing coming from CES. I don't get why the county pulls the kids for just 2 years and focuses hard on reading and writing, then does not follow through with these kids in 6th grade until AP/IB in English. The whole middle school is in "advanced English" and the CES kids are grouped with kids who are below grade level. I've heard some schools discretely group the students based on ability or MAP score, but not in our cluster. It was hard for my kids to leave their friends, make new friends, then leave most of those new friends, all for this program that gets essentially dropped until they can take IB or AP junior year of HS. Just something to consider.

[Anonymous]

*until AP/IB in HIGH SCHOOL*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any post COVID insights parents want to share? Would be great to hear about how the school, teachers, and administration have been over the last 1.5 years. TIA.

The current principle has got to go. It’s hard for her to hide her general disdain for basically everyone. It emboldens to the staff to act the same way as well. MCPS can and should do better. I can’t imagine they haven’t heard the rumors and fielded the complaints.

What specifically are you talking about? I was just there today, saw her, people were openly chatting with her, etc. Not defending her necessarily- just don’t know what you mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure I'm one of the commenters from 2021. I don't have Barnsley experience post-Covid, but I will say that the English classes in middle and high school have been so disappointing coming from CES. I don't get why the county pulls the kids for just 2 years and focuses hard on reading and writing, then does not follow through with these kids in 6th grade until AP/IB in English. The whole middle school is in "advanced English" and the CES kids are grouped with kids who are below grade level. I've heard some schools discretely group the students based on ability or MAP score, but not in our cluster. It was hard for my kids to leave their friends, make new friends, then leave most of those new friends, all for this program that gets essentially dropped until they can take IB or AP junior year of HS. Just something to consider.

What cluster are you in? This seems to be an mcps wide issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any post COVID insights parents want to share? Would be great to hear about how the school, teachers, and administration have been over the last 1.5 years. TIA.

The current principle has got to go. It’s hard for her to hide her general disdain for basically everyone. It emboldens to the staff to act the same way as well. MCPS can and should do better. I can’t imagine they haven’t heard the rumors and fielded the complaints.

What specifically are you talking about? I was just there today, saw her, people were openly chatting with her, etc. Not defending her necessarily- just don’t know what you mean.

Let’s just say she has a reputation and no one in central office is all that surprised when you come complaining.

[Anonymous]

Where do the students go after Barnsley? Anyone have any experience with the middle school program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do the students go after Barnsley? Anyone have any experience with the middle school program?

CES students go to their home middle school, unless they get invited to a magnet program. If you are in-bounds for Barnsley, your home middle school is Wood.