Is Gladys Noon Spellman a Good Elementary School?

[Anonymous]

My DD and I are thinking of moving to the area over the summer, and that is the boundary elementary school, I'm just not sure if it has a good reputation or not because we've had some bad experiences with schools in this county. If this school is not good, then we will re-consider and probably find a new house we can buy. Also should I be worried about the boundary middle school and high school (Cheverly) ?

[Anonymous]

I don't know a lot of specifics about Spellman, other than seeing more families in town send their kids there than in the past. It seems to be a viable option now, and I think has an active PTA. Middle and High Schools for Cheverly are terrible, though. Many consider privates at that point, if their kids are not in specialty programs (FI, Montessori, TAG centers) that continue through middle school, or if their kids don't test into Roosevelt's STEM program. Cheverly itself is a great town, though!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the great information! My DD has already signed up for an audition at Hyattsville Middle, for the Creative and Performing Arts Program. She got into the 80s for Kenmoor so we don't think she will get a spot and from what I've heard, the boundary school, G. James Gholson Middle, doesn't have the best learning environment. Do you think that Hyattsville [if she gets in] will be a good middle school for her, or should we just put her in a private middle school, and then test for Eleanor?

[Anonymous]

I have two daughters if this confuses you. ^

[Anonymous]

PP here...sorry I don't know anything really about Hyattsville, other than anecdotal comments here and there (that were positive). I don't know any families with kids there now. Maybe someone else will post something more useful about it!

You could do private for middle school with the hope that Roosevelt will be an option for high school, but it would be wise to consider other options as well. Only about 200 kids get in to the Science and Tech program every year, so there are a lot of smart kids who don't get in.

[Anonymous]

I am a parent with 2 kids at Spellman and it is a really great fit for our family. We have been happy with the quality of the teaching, the administration of the school and the community. There has been a huge influx of Syrian and Afghan families into the school which has been a challenge but the staff and students have been doing great. Because of the large number of ELL the test scores are lower that I think they could be.

The PTA is pretty active and will give you a tour if you shoot them an email or Facebook Message. There are a large number of Cheverly residents who have started to volunteer during the school day and it has really made a positive difference.

The inbounds middle school and high schools are pretty dismal though and in my mind are not an option.


Middle School options I see folks use are: Kenmoor, Hyattsville Performing Arts Program, Thomas Pullen, College Park Academy, St Ambrose, St Jeromes and the Friends School. I also know some people who requested a transfer to Martin Luther King Middle and to Samuel Ogle and got in because those schools are under state rated capacity.
High Schools that I see folks using are Roosevelt, transferring into Bowie High School, the Middle College program at PGCCC, Elizabeth Seton and the boys high school whose name is escaping me right now.

Your TAG number for Kenmoor might not be as bad as you think if it is for 6th grade. The county is opening a TAG center at Tasker with 60 seats for 6th grade. A lot of kids that were zoned to Kenmoor from Bowie will be funneled there instead. A lot of people put in for the TAG lottery who are not TAG identified too.

Also, look at the boundary for Spellman before you buy. The south east part of town right next to the Metro is actually zoned for a different elementary school.

Cheverly is a fantastic town!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a parent with 2 kids at Spellman and it is a really great fit for our family. We have been happy with the quality of the teaching, the administration of the school and the community. There has been a huge influx of Syrian and Afghan families into the school which has been a challenge but the staff and students have been doing great. Because of the large number of ELL the test scores are lower that I think they could be.

The PTA is pretty active and will give you a tour if you shoot them an email or Facebook Message. There are a large number of Cheverly residents who have started to volunteer during the school day and it has really made a positive difference.

The inbounds middle school and high schools are pretty dismal though and in my mind are not an option.


Middle School options I see folks use are: Kenmoor, Hyattsville Performing Arts Program, Thomas Pullen, College Park Academy, St Ambrose, St Jeromes and the Friends School. I also know some people who requested a transfer to Martin Luther King Middle and to Samuel Ogle and got in because those schools are under state rated capacity.
High Schools that I see folks using are Roosevelt, transferring into Bowie High School, the Middle College program at PGCCC, Elizabeth Seton and the boys high school whose name is escaping me right now.

Your TAG number for Kenmoor might not be as bad as you think if it is for 6th grade. The county is opening a TAG center at Tasker with 60 seats for 6th grade. A lot of kids that were zoned to Kenmoor from Bowie will be funneled there instead. A lot of people put in for the TAG lottery who are not TAG identified too.


Also GNS is Pre-K-6th so it gives you and extra year before you need to worry about middle school.
Also, look at the boundary for Spellman before you buy. The south east part of town right next to the Metro is actually zoned for a different elementary school.

Cheverly is a fantastic town!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the great information! My DD has already signed up for an audition at Hyattsville Middle, for the Creative and Performing Arts Program. ... Do you think that Hyattsville [if she gets in] will be a good middle school for her, or should we just put her in a private middle school, and then test for Eleanor?

My older DD is in the Creative Writing CPA program at HMS; younger DD is headed there for 6th grade (CPA starts at 7th) next year. For older DD, CPA has been great. It's a good group of kids and she's getting to do what she loves (writing). There have been some fantastic field trips and other opportunities, and some interesting afterschool clubs for her. I know kids in the drama, band, and orchestra CPA majors at HMS and from what I've heard from parents their experiences have been similar.

That's not to say there aren't some challenges. It's middle school, so there are kids trying to push limits and hormones are crazy. There are some very good teachers and some who don't meet that standard, but overall there's been more positives than negatives.

[Anonymous]

http://www.routeonefun.com/2017/04/spotlight-on-schools-gladys-noon.html