RM versus Wooton

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:As a parent of RM who also was a coach to multiple kids at Wootton, I personally think Wootton is the better school. RM parents will cry foul and I don't care.

RM is JW and IB kids. JW is a terrible middle school and once you get into RM, the IB kids keep to themselves. So many discipline issues at RM. Vaping, drugs, overdoses, fights, sex, sexual assaults, and now guns on campus 2 incidents 10 days apart.

Wootton has Frost and part of Cabin John. No IB but so many high course offerings as the school is competitively smart. The administration is good and the its a very involved school. the negatives is it is pretty high pressure like the IB program and the school isn't as new and nice as RM. And parking is the worst.

But when the kids on the team talk, Wootton kids jaws drop when they hear what typical RM days are like and it's gotten worse every year. I don't hate the school. I love the diversity and school spirit, but it isn't a school to be that proud of. Without IB it is basically Rockville High School.

I actually have a kid at RM and I would agree with this assessment. If you have a kid that will not get caught up in the high pressure environment at Wootton, it might be better.

The bathrooms on the 3rd floor at RM are simply closed off because of too many security issues. And clearly there are safety issues as highlighted over the past several weeks. The principal is doing a good job and trying to engage parents, but there so many things that are out of her control.

We have family friends at Rockville HS and I agree with the assessment that RM without the IB is basically the same as Rockville when you look at the stats/demographics.

That's complete BS. Look at the stats between JWMS which is the only feeder to RM and Earle B Wood MS which is the only feeder to Rockville HS. Very different.

FWIW both clusters -- RM and Wootton -- will be going through boundary changes due to Crown HS being built. MCPS is going to push for more diversity at Wootton, and then you'll see it look more like RM than Churchill, and the test scores and incidences to go with it.

All the areas looking to be redistricted from RM or Wootton to Crown are nice areas. All the areas on the other side or near 355 will stay at RM. Wootton will only lose the Rio apartments/Washingtonian to Crown. RM will lose all of King Farm (RM portions) and the entire Crown will now go to Gaithersburg. It will honestly make RM worse and Wootton better. The main goal of Crown is to clean up Gaithersburg High School. Bussing kids far to other schools for diversity hasn’t worked and there is already a major shortage on bus drivers and buses as is. Wootton has a hugh walking population.

That has not stopped MCPS from moving a walkable neighborhood to another cluster. Just ask the long time residents who still live in Horizon Hill.

Which was what, 30 years ago?

so? You think they wouldn't do that today to achieve equity?

I think they wouldn't rezone current walkers to become bus riders. They have made a point of this during every boundary study that's happened since the policy revision.

Don't count on that. My kids are zoned for an ES/MS that requires a bus ride. Despite the fact that we live walking distance to another school.

The last few rezones, they have not rezoned walkers and the board has made it known they are trying not to do that anymore. One was in my cluster and they purposely added all the walkers to the new ES and kept all the walkers at the other ES to stay put. And since our current middle school can't even bus the kids they have now that are true bus kids (we have had 9 notices this year that there is no bus service for our bus alone, find a road or get an excused absence - they rotate the buses who can't come each day) I don't see how the board can rationalize increasing buses and decreasing walkers.

Would the boundary changes when Crown HS make some of the current bus riders into walkers? I doubt they'd change it if it means the diversity criteria isn't met.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of RM who also was a coach to multiple kids at Wootton, I personally think Wootton is the better school. RM parents will cry foul and I don't care.

RM is JW and IB kids. JW is a terrible middle school and once you get into RM, the IB kids keep to themselves. So many discipline issues at RM. Vaping, drugs, overdoses, fights, sex, sexual assaults, and now guns on campus 2 incidents 10 days apart.

Wootton has Frost and part of Cabin John. No IB but so many high course offerings as the school is competitively smart. The administration is good and the its a very involved school. the negatives is it is pretty high pressure like the IB program and the school isn't as new and nice as RM. And parking is the worst.

But when the kids on the team talk, Wootton kids jaws drop when they hear what typical RM days are like and it's gotten worse every year. I don't hate the school. I love the diversity and school spirit, but it isn't a school to be that proud of. Without IB it is basically Rockville High School.

I actually have a kid at RM and I would agree with this assessment. If you have a kid that will not get caught up in the high pressure environment at Wootton, it might be better.

The bathrooms on the 3rd floor at RM are simply closed off because of too many security issues. And clearly there are safety issues as highlighted over the past several weeks. The principal is doing a good job and trying to engage parents, but there so many things that are out of her control.

We have family friends at Rockville HS and I agree with the assessment that RM without the IB is basically the same as Rockville when you look at the stats/demographics.

That's complete BS. Look at the stats between JWMS which is the only feeder to RM and Earle B Wood MS which is the only feeder to Rockville HS. Very different.

FWIW both clusters -- RM and Wootton -- will be going through boundary changes due to Crown HS being built. MCPS is going to push for more diversity at Wootton, and then you'll see it look more like RM than Churchill, and the test scores and incidences to go with it.

All the areas looking to be redistricted from RM or Wootton to Crown are nice areas. All the areas on the other side or near 355 will stay at RM. Wootton will only lose the Rio apartments/Washingtonian to Crown. RM will lose all of King Farm (RM portions) and the entire Crown will now go to Gaithersburg. It will honestly make RM worse and Wootton better. The main goal of Crown is to clean up Gaithersburg High School. Bussing kids far to other schools for diversity hasn’t worked and there is already a major shortage on bus drivers and buses as is. Wootton has a hugh walking population.

That has not stopped MCPS from moving a walkable neighborhood to another cluster. Just ask the long time residents who still live in Horizon Hill.

Which was what, 30 years ago?

so? You think they wouldn't do that today to achieve equity?

I think they wouldn't rezone current walkers to become bus riders. They have made a point of this during every boundary study that's happened since the policy revision.

Don't count on that. My kids are zoned for an ES/MS that requires a bus ride. Despite the fact that we live walking distance to another school.

The last few rezones, they have not rezoned walkers and the board has made it known they are trying not to do that anymore. One was in my cluster and they purposely added all the walkers to the new ES and kept all the walkers at the other ES to stay put. And since our current middle school can't even bus the kids they have now that are true bus kids (we have had 9 notices this year that there is no bus service for our bus alone, find a road or get an excused absence - they rotate the buses who can't come each day) I don't see how the board can rationalize increasing buses and decreasing walkers.

Would the boundary changes when Crown HS make some of the current bus riders into walkers? I doubt they'd change it if it means the diversity criteria isn't met.

That area does not have many kids. It is mainly condos and apartments. You are talking one bus right now.

[Anonymous]

My kids have gone to and are still going to RM, and Wootton is the better school. And all they keep doing in the RM/Twinbrook area is building more and more apartments and condos and have to add the required 20% HUD housing. It's not for the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, no one really knows what the boundaries will look like when Crown HS opens. Everything posters have stated is just speculation. But, MCPS is big on equity, and making sure that all clusters are as diverse as possible, even if it means that they draw boundaries that make no sense.

RM is more diverse than Wootton, both SES and race. Along with that diversity, comes problems and issues. But, the diversity also means that your kid has a better chance of finding a group that they fit into. It also means that there are more academic and e.c. activities to choose from. It is located within walking distance to the metro and town center. They have open lunch and kids go out to RTC and surrounding areas for lunch. That also has pros and cons. For example, kids will go to RTC after school to go ice skating there, but because it's so close to an urban area, it impacts the school in terms of safety.

Wootton is more homogeneous, and more competitive. They have <5% FARMs rate. It is surrounded by neighborhoods, so there's not much to do around there. The school is small and run down. The CIP for Wootton to be fixed keeps getting delayed. It's now slated for 2029, but Crown HS will open up by then.

So, really, it also depends on what kind of school atmosphere you want for your kid.

FWIW, Open Lunch might not continue at RM. There is a huge focus on safety due to the recent drug/gang incidents. And there have been issues of students behaving badly at local restaurants at lunch.

I wouldn’t count on open lunch continuing forever, but I could be wrong.

and you know this how?

RM cafeteria can't handle the number of kids. That's why they have open lunch. Even with it, right now, the line for the cafeteria is so long that it takes almost the entire lunch period to get through that line.

Badly behaving kids will be badly behaved whether it's 11am or 3pm.

RM was not built that long ago. Why can’t it handle the crowd?

RM is already overcrowded. They added several new portables just this year. With the even current over-development on Rockville Pike, it will just get worse.

Well you can thank all of those in the 2011 plans when they asked to have a cheap 4th floor shell out (but not finished) for when the population increased and they ALL said not necessary. Now there are portables in the tiniest school parking lot I have ever seen for that size school

[Anonymous]

Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of RM who also was a coach to multiple kids at Wootton, I personally think Wootton is the better school. RM parents will cry foul and I don't care.

RM is JW and IB kids. JW is a terrible middle school and once you get into RM, the IB kids keep to themselves. So many discipline issues at RM. Vaping, drugs, overdoses, fights, sex, sexual assaults, and now guns on campus 2 incidents 10 days apart.

Wootton has Frost and part of Cabin John. No IB but so many high course offerings as the school is competitively smart. The administration is good and the its a very involved school. the negatives is it is pretty high pressure like the IB program and the school isn't as new and nice as RM. And parking is the worst.

But when the kids on the team talk, Wootton kids jaws drop when they hear what typical RM days are like and it's gotten worse every year. I don't hate the school. I love the diversity and school spirit, but it isn't a school to be that proud of. Without IB it is basically Rockville High School.

I actually have a kid at RM and I would agree with this assessment. If you have a kid that will not get caught up in the high pressure environment at Wootton, it might be better.

The bathrooms on the 3rd floor at RM are simply closed off because of too many security issues. And clearly there are safety issues as highlighted over the past several weeks. The principal is doing a good job and trying to engage parents, but there so many things that are out of her control.

We have family friends at Rockville HS and I agree with the assessment that RM without the IB is basically the same as Rockville when you look at the stats/demographics.

That's complete BS. Look at the stats between JWMS which is the only feeder to RM and Earle B Wood MS which is the only feeder to Rockville HS. Very different.

FWIW both clusters -- RM and Wootton -- will be going through boundary changes due to Crown HS being built. MCPS is going to push for more diversity at Wootton, and then you'll see it look more like RM than Churchill, and the test scores and incidences to go with it.

All the areas looking to be redistricted from RM or Wootton to Crown are nice areas. All the areas on the other side or near 355 will stay at RM. Wootton will only lose the Rio apartments/Washingtonian to Crown. RM will lose all of King Farm (RM portions) and the entire Crown will now go to Gaithersburg. It will honestly make RM worse and Wootton better. The main goal of Crown is to clean up Gaithersburg High School. Bussing kids far to other schools for diversity hasn’t worked and there is already a major shortage on bus drivers and buses as is. Wootton has a hugh walking population.

That has not stopped MCPS from moving a walkable neighborhood to another cluster. Just ask the long time residents who still live in Horizon Hill.

Which was what, 30 years ago?

so? You think they wouldn't do that today to achieve equity?

I think they wouldn't rezone current walkers to become bus riders. They have made a point of this during every boundary study that's happened since the policy revision.

Don't count on that. My kids are zoned for an ES/MS that requires a bus ride. Despite the fact that we live walking distance to another school.

The last few rezones, they have not rezoned walkers and the board has made it known they are trying not to do that anymore. One was in my cluster and they purposely added all the walkers to the new ES and kept all the walkers at the other ES to stay put. And since our current middle school can't even bus the kids they have now that are true bus kids (we have had 9 notices this year that there is no bus service for our bus alone, find a road or get an excused absence - they rotate the buses who can't come each day) I don't see how the board can rationalize increasing buses and decreasing walkers.

Would the boundary changes when Crown HS make some of the current bus riders into walkers? I doubt they'd change it if it means the diversity criteria isn't met.

Yes, there are kids currently being bussed to both Wootton and Gaithersburg that will almost certainly become walkers to Crown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of RM who also was a coach to multiple kids at Wootton, I personally think Wootton is the better school. RM parents will cry foul and I don't care.

RM is JW and IB kids. JW is a terrible middle school and once you get into RM, the IB kids keep to themselves. So many discipline issues at RM. Vaping, drugs, overdoses, fights, sex, sexual assaults, and now guns on campus 2 incidents 10 days apart.

Wootton has Frost and part of Cabin John. No IB but so many high course offerings as the school is competitively smart. The administration is good and the its a very involved school. the negatives is it is pretty high pressure like the IB program and the school isn't as new and nice as RM. And parking is the worst.

But when the kids on the team talk, Wootton kids jaws drop when they hear what typical RM days are like and it's gotten worse every year. I don't hate the school. I love the diversity and school spirit, but it isn't a school to be that proud of. Without IB it is basically Rockville High School.

I actually have a kid at RM and I would agree with this assessment. If you have a kid that will not get caught up in the high pressure environment at Wootton, it might be better.

The bathrooms on the 3rd floor at RM are simply closed off because of too many security issues. And clearly there are safety issues as highlighted over the past several weeks. The principal is doing a good job and trying to engage parents, but there so many things that are out of her control.

We have family friends at Rockville HS and I agree with the assessment that RM without the IB is basically the same as Rockville when you look at the stats/demographics.

That's complete BS. Look at the stats between JWMS which is the only feeder to RM and Earle B Wood MS which is the only feeder to Rockville HS. Very different.

FWIW both clusters -- RM and Wootton -- will be going through boundary changes due to Crown HS being built. MCPS is going to push for more diversity at Wootton, and then you'll see it look more like RM than Churchill, and the test scores and incidences to go with it.

All the areas looking to be redistricted from RM or Wootton to Crown are nice areas. All the areas on the other side or near 355 will stay at RM. Wootton will only lose the Rio apartments/Washingtonian to Crown. RM will lose all of King Farm (RM portions) and the entire Crown will now go to Gaithersburg. It will honestly make RM worse and Wootton better. The main goal of Crown is to clean up Gaithersburg High School. Bussing kids far to other schools for diversity hasn’t worked and there is already a major shortage on bus drivers and buses as is. Wootton has a hugh walking population.

That has not stopped MCPS from moving a walkable neighborhood to another cluster. Just ask the long time residents who still live in Horizon Hill.

Which was what, 30 years ago?

so? You think they wouldn't do that today to achieve equity?

I think they wouldn't rezone current walkers to become bus riders. They have made a point of this during every boundary study that's happened since the policy revision.

Don't count on that. My kids are zoned for an ES/MS that requires a bus ride. Despite the fact that we live walking distance to another school.

The last few rezones, they have not rezoned walkers and the board has made it known they are trying not to do that anymore. One was in my cluster and they purposely added all the walkers to the new ES and kept all the walkers at the other ES to stay put. And since our current middle school can't even bus the kids they have now that are true bus kids (we have had 9 notices this year that there is no bus service for our bus alone, find a road or get an excused absence - they rotate the buses who can't come each day) I don't see how the board can rationalize increasing buses and decreasing walkers.

Would the boundary changes when Crown HS make some of the current bus riders into walkers? I doubt they'd change it if it means the diversity criteria isn't met.

That area does not have many kids. It is mainly condos and apartments. You are talking one bus right now.

This is a misconception. There are tons of kids who live in condos and apartments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

Def NOT! Total BS. Come on PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

JW mom always shows up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of RM who also was a coach to multiple kids at Wootton, I personally think Wootton is the better school. RM parents will cry foul and I don't care.

RM is JW and IB kids. JW is a terrible middle school and once you get into RM, the IB kids keep to themselves. So many discipline issues at RM. Vaping, drugs, overdoses, fights, sex, sexual assaults, and now guns on campus 2 incidents 10 days apart.

Wootton has Frost and part of Cabin John. No IB but so many high course offerings as the school is competitively smart. The administration is good and the its a very involved school. the negatives is it is pretty high pressure like the IB program and the school isn't as new and nice as RM. And parking is the worst.

But when the kids on the team talk, Wootton kids jaws drop when they hear what typical RM days are like and it's gotten worse every year. I don't hate the school. I love the diversity and school spirit, but it isn't a school to be that proud of. Without IB it is basically Rockville High School.

I actually have a kid at RM and I would agree with this assessment. If you have a kid that will not get caught up in the high pressure environment at Wootton, it might be better.

The bathrooms on the 3rd floor at RM are simply closed off because of too many security issues. And clearly there are safety issues as highlighted over the past several weeks. The principal is doing a good job and trying to engage parents, but there so many things that are out of her control.

We have family friends at Rockville HS and I agree with the assessment that RM without the IB is basically the same as Rockville when you look at the stats/demographics.

That's complete BS. Look at the stats between JWMS which is the only feeder to RM and Earle B Wood MS which is the only feeder to Rockville HS. Very different.

FWIW both clusters -- RM and Wootton -- will be going through boundary changes due to Crown HS being built. MCPS is going to push for more diversity at Wootton, and then you'll see it look more like RM than Churchill, and the test scores and incidences to go with it.

All the areas looking to be redistricted from RM or Wootton to Crown are nice areas. All the areas on the other side or near 355 will stay at RM. Wootton will only lose the Rio apartments/Washingtonian to Crown. RM will lose all of King Farm (RM portions) and the entire Crown will now go to Gaithersburg. It will honestly make RM worse and Wootton better. The main goal of Crown is to clean up Gaithersburg High School. Bussing kids far to other schools for diversity hasn’t worked and there is already a major shortage on bus drivers and buses as is. Wootton has a hugh walking population.

That has not stopped MCPS from moving a walkable neighborhood to another cluster. Just ask the long time residents who still live in Horizon Hill.

Which was what, 30 years ago?

so? You think they wouldn't do that today to achieve equity?

I think they wouldn't rezone current walkers to become bus riders. They have made a point of this during every boundary study that's happened since the policy revision.

Don't count on that. My kids are zoned for an ES/MS that requires a bus ride. Despite the fact that we live walking distance to another school.

The last few rezones, they have not rezoned walkers and the board has made it known they are trying not to do that anymore. One was in my cluster and they purposely added all the walkers to the new ES and kept all the walkers at the other ES to stay put. And since our current middle school can't even bus the kids they have now that are true bus kids (we have had 9 notices this year that there is no bus service for our bus alone, find a road or get an excused absence - they rotate the buses who can't come each day) I don't see how the board can rationalize increasing buses and decreasing walkers.

Would the boundary changes when Crown HS make some of the current bus riders into walkers? I doubt they'd change it if it means the diversity criteria isn't met.

Yes, there are kids currently being bussed to both Wootton and Gaithersburg that will almost certainly become walkers to Crown.

But since all MCPS schools offer the same curriculum etc there won't be any significant difference really. The same kid should do the same at any of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op if you are still reading, Wootton is the right answer. No comparison between two unless your kid is accepted into IB.

please. The vast majority of kids at RM are not in IB, and they do fine.

But, yes, if you want a pressure cooker environment with no diversity, choose Wootton.

What does "they do fine" mean? I know we all have different expectations for our kids. At least "get accepted to UMCP" fine? Most non-IB kids have stats high enough for UMCP?

Yes. Believe it or not, there is a contingent of UMC kids (white and Asian too!) who opted not to do IB. They are taking AP classes and will do fine after graduation.

I believe it. I mean I'd not all that interested in IB courses and would also prefer to focus on STEM.

LOL. Read results coming out of this thread

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1108817.page