Best elementary schools in Bethesda/Rockville/Potomac

[Anonymous]

What are the best elementary schools in the Bethesda/Rockville/Potomac area?

I’m looking to apply for a teaching position in those areas

[Anonymous]

Grabs beer and popcorn. Kicks back.

[Anonymous]

Best for students or best for staff? Check the MCPS school climate surveys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best for students or best for staff? Check the MCPS school climate surveys.

I want to hear from personal experience

[Anonymous]

From a teacher's point of view, I imagine that the personality of the Principal might be the most important criteria?

Because in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, you'll get wealthy families with the least educational and financial problems (Bethesda ES will have a larger contingent of ESOL students due to many international families living in the downtown - World Bank type people). But Rockville and Potomac won't have problems either, they're solidly middle class.

So the differentiating factor for a teacher is which Principal they'd rather work for. I'm not sure DCUM can tell you. I liked the Bethesda ES Principal and assistant Principal team a lot. Turnover was low among the staff when my kids went there. I did not appreciate the Chevy Chase ES Principal at all - she was pretend nice to parents but seemed like she could be a bully to her staff. Also she didn't believe in masking from the get-go in 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a teacher's point of view, I imagine that the personality of the Principal might be the most important criteria?

Because in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, you'll get wealthy families with the least educational and financial problems (Bethesda ES will have a larger contingent of ESOL students due to many international families living in the downtown - World Bank type people). But Rockville and Potomac won't have problems either, they're solidly middle class.

So the differentiating factor for a teacher is which Principal they'd rather work for. I'm not sure DCUM can tell you. I liked the Bethesda ES Principal and assistant Principal team a lot. Turnover was low among the staff when my kids went there. I did not appreciate the Chevy Chase ES Principal at all - she was pretend nice to parents but seemed like she could be a bully to her staff. Also she didn't believe in masking from the get-go in 2020.

whut? No.

I live in that area. It's not "solidly middle class", and I'm not being a snob trying to make myself look richer.

To OP, also think about size of the school. Some ES are tiny, while others are bursting at the seams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Best for students or best for staff? Check the MCPS school climate surveys.

I want to hear from personal experience

me too!

[Anonymous]

Wyngate has a good reputation with most teachers staying a long time and really supportive grade level teams. They did get a new principal a year or so ago, and I don’t know how that factors in. But I think the teachers havre historically been very happy with the school community.

[Anonymous]

Carderock

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the best elementary schools in the Bethesda/Rockville/Potomac area?

I’m looking to apply for a teaching position in those areas

If you want small class sizes, focus on Rockville. Some of the schools have reduced class sizes, especially in grades K-2. I would look at Barnsley, Maryvale, Meadow Hall, and Sequoyah.

[Anonymous]

Rock Creek Forest also has reduced class sizes (in the BCC cluster)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carderock

Good choice. Small class sizes and low student turnover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carderock

Isn't the principal about to leave?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think it's a mistake to ask a parent-dominated board what school is best as an employer.

Join one of the MCPS teacher FB groups and listen to folks there. Also, take a look at the staff surveys for schools that are hiring at the grade level you want to teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a teacher's point of view, I imagine that the personality of the Principal might be the most important criteria?

Because in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, you'll get wealthy families with the least educational and financial problems (Bethesda ES will have a larger contingent of ESOL students due to many international families living in the downtown - World Bank type people). But Rockville and Potomac won't have problems either, they're solidly middle class.

So the differentiating factor for a teacher is which Principal they'd rather work for. I'm not sure DCUM can tell you. I liked the Bethesda ES Principal and assistant Principal team a lot. Turnover was low among the staff when my kids went there. I did not appreciate the Chevy Chase ES Principal at all - she was pretend nice to parents but seemed like she could be a bully to her staff. Also she didn't believe in masking from the get-go in 2020.

We were at CCES at time and I literally have no idea what you are talking about. (Leaving aside the fact that there WAS no school in 2020 after March 13 and thus no chance for masking... When school resumed in 2021 CCES was great about masking and about everything else--much better than our home ES....)