Baltimore City schools

[Anonymous]

Hello,
Is anyone aware of a similar forum for Baltimore City schools? We are relocating to the area and considering living in Locust Point or Riverside. We have heard great things about these neighborhoods and the schools (Francis Scott Key and Thomas Johnson) but I'd love to learn more about the schools. I'm aware of the City's reputation and I know test scores do not give the full picture but being from out of state, I'm not sure where to look for reviews, or people to talk to. The schools' pta fb pages do not allow you to join unless you are a parent of an enrolled student.

Is anyone familiar with these schools? Any insight?

My child will be starting K in 1.5 years. What questions should I be asking when evaluating schools? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We lived in Fed Hill and then moved to Hampden/Roland Park when my kids were school aged. We moved out of the city by middle school for many reasons.

Unless you really want the downtown life, I would look in northern Baltimore City for neighborhoods which have parking. Roland Park Elementary/Middle and charter schools like The Green School of Baltimore are great for elementary.

Key and TJ have an active parents group but the schools themselves can still struggle for resources.

[Anonymous]

Have you seen "The Wire?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello,
Is anyone aware of a similar forum for Baltimore City schools? We are relocating to the area and considering living in Locust Point or Riverside. We have heard great things about these neighborhoods and the schools (Francis Scott Key and Thomas Johnson) but I'd love to learn more about the schools. I'm aware of the City's reputation and I know test scores do not give the full picture but being from out of state, I'm not sure where to look for reviews, or people to talk to. The schools' pta fb pages do not allow you to join unless you are a parent of an enrolled student.

Is anyone familiar with these schools? Any insight?

My child will be starting K in 1.5 years. What questions should I be asking when evaluating schools? Thanks!

The only elementary schools that are considered good are Mt. Washington and Roland Park and a few of the charter schools such as the Green School. All of these schools are in North Baltimore. People either move out of Locust Point before kids are school age or commute to the North Baltimore private/catholic schools, which are about 20 minutes away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello,
Is anyone aware of a similar forum for Baltimore City schools? We are relocating to the area and considering living in Locust Point or Riverside. We have heard great things about these neighborhoods and the schools (Francis Scott Key and Thomas Johnson) but I'd love to learn more about the schools. I'm aware of the City's reputation and I know test scores do not give the full picture but being from out of state, I'm not sure where to look for reviews, or people to talk to. The schools' pta fb pages do not allow you to join unless you are a parent of an enrolled student.

Is anyone familiar with these schools? Any insight?

My child will be starting K in 1.5 years. What questions should I be asking when evaluating schools? Thanks!

The only elementary schools that are considered good are Mt. Washington and Roland Park and a few of the charter schools such as the Green School. All of these schools are in North Baltimore. People either move out of Locust Point before kids are school age or commute to the North Baltimore private/catholic schools, which are about 20 minutes away.

Just realized my answer is nearly identical to another poster but I’m a different person. Most people are not willing to mess around with schools without a solid reputation among the Baltimore publics.

[Anonymous]

Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

[Anonymous]

The US New site is a good place to start. Here’s the link for FSK. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/maryland/francis-scott-key-elementary-middle-202499 The test numbers are abysmal. TJ is better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

Do you live in Baltimore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

Do you live in Baltimore?

Yes, currently live in North Baltimore but have lived in Mount Vernon, Canton, and Charles Village previously. IMO, key to living happily is understanding limitations of city services. The school system is pretty broken with a few exceptions.

[Anonymous]

OP, this may be helpful in evaluating schools in the city, and elsewhere in MD.

https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

What do you mean by this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

What do you mean by this?

Baltimore City does not "bus" students. You can check out the districts for elementary schools online.
You have to apply for middle and high schools. They are not defined by neighborhood. You can choose to go to your zoned middle school, but most students who are on a college track will choose an Ingenuity or Advanced Academics program at any middle school in the city which has them. High School is the same. City College, Western, Poly, MERVO are all schools which can be applied to and aren't based on where you live.

City schools have very serious and difficult challenges, but they are also a better option for families who want a specialized high school like Baltimore Design or Baltimore School for the Arts. I graduated from Poly and my children went to a charter school in the city for K-8 and did very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

What do you mean by this?

Baltimore City does not "bus" students. You can check out the districts for elementary schools online.
You have to apply for middle and high schools. They are not defined by neighborhood. You can choose to go to your zoned middle school, but most students who are on a college track will choose an Ingenuity or Advanced Academics program at any middle school in the city which has them. High School is the same. City College, Western, Poly, MERVO are all schools which can be applied to and aren't based on where you live.

City schools have very serious and difficult challenges, but they are also a better option for families who want a specialized high school like Baltimore Design or Baltimore School for the Arts. I graduated from Poly and my children went to a charter school in the city for K-8 and did very well.

In your experience, do even the good schools in Baltimore suffer from the dysfunction of North Avenue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mount Washington and RP elementary are both good schools but there are others that are perfectly fine too. Hampstead Hill in Canton, Thomas Johnson in Riverside are both very good. FSK has a new-ish principal who is doing great things for the school.

Never heard of any of these, perfectly fine by Baltimore city standards isn’t what I would want for my own kid. Even RP and Mt. Washington are just average compared to good county elementary schools.

Op, Baltimore city has bussing so there are no true neighborhood schools except for the undesirable schools. You may want to look at the socioeconomic data for the schooks you are considering as they will be pulling from a fairly large cachement and keep in mind that a school with a lot of kids below poverty line is going to be stretched in terms of meeting student’s needs.

What do you mean by this?

Baltimore City does not "bus" students. You can check out the districts for elementary schools online.
You have to apply for middle and high schools. They are not defined by neighborhood. You can choose to go to your zoned middle school, but most students who are on a college track will choose an Ingenuity or Advanced Academics program at any middle school in the city which has them. High School is the same. City College, Western, Poly, MERVO are all schools which can be applied to and aren't based on where you live.

City schools have very serious and difficult challenges, but they are also a better option for families who want a specialized high school like Baltimore Design or Baltimore School for the Arts. I graduated from Poly and my children went to a charter school in the city for K-8 and did very well.

In your experience, do even the good schools in Baltimore suffer from the dysfunction of North Avenue?

NP here. My kids are enrolled in Baltimore City Public Schools (one in middle school, one at City high school). Yes, I think all the schools suffer from the disfunction of North Avenue. Will your particular child feel the effects? Maybe, maybe not. Kids who are typical learners, self-motivated, low drama have less trouble than others. The system is more frustrating the more you ask of it. (I say this NOT to indict any parent/child who asks much of BCPS, just as a statement of fact -- which, I'm sure, is probably true of many other school systems. )