Specific recommendations for Howard County elementary and middle schools

[Anonymous]

Hi - we are moving to Howard County in fall and would like to know if anyone has specific recommendations for schools/towns there - we are looking for a real community feel, schools that emphasize being a good "citizen" and have programs to reduce bullying, where a smart but sensitive kid would be in a challenging but nurturing environment. Thanks so much in advance for any ideas!

[Anonymous]

Thunder Hill ES--the neighborhood is quiet, small and established, with nice families and it's a nice neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

My family and friends have been happy with Clarksville Elementary and Hammond Elementary. Probably a slight preference for Clarksville.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP about Thunder Hill--and yes, Clarksville is great. However, houses that feed into Clarksville will be considerably more expensive than those that feed into Thunder Hill. Considerably. Not sure of your budget.

[Anonymous]

My kids attend Lisbon Elementary in Western Howard County and are doing very well there. My son, in 5th grade, is somewhat reserved, very bookish and has a wry sense of humor that often escapes his classmates. My daughter, in the 1st grade, is a social butterfly who remains convinced that school exists to provide a forum for her to talk about anything that comes to mind at any time. Even during spelling tests. I've been very pleased by the way the teachers have responded to the very distinct needs of my kids. It's a very nurturing school.

I would prefer if there was more racial diversity among the teachers/administrators- or just SOME diversity! But I can't say we've had any complaints. The student body is more diverse than the staff, though it's far less diverse than many schools in Columbia. It's an interesting mix of farming families, many quite well off, and professionals who work in DC or Baltimore and are drawn by the large lots, limited traffic, etc. Each new deveolpment brings more diversity to the area. We'd initially thought to stay in Western Howard while our kids were young and then move closer to Clarksville or Ellicott City when they got older so they wouldn't be the only kids of color as they entered their teens, but as the diversity sees to be coming to us, we'll probably just stay put.

You can look at the stats, demographics, etc. for each school on the HoCo Public Schools website and see parent comments at the Great Schools website.