Tell me about your experience with Piney Branch ES (non CES Program)

[Anonymous]

I’d like feedback on Piney Branch ES for families whose kids are there now or graduated in the last year. How do you like the school and how are things like bullying, teacher quality, and teacher retention post return to in person school over the past year 2021 - 2022? Appreciate any information those with current experience can share. I’m considering moving to the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d like feedback on Piney Branch ES for families whose kids are there now or graduated in the last year. How do you like the school and how are things like bullying, teacher quality, and teacher retention post return to in person school over the past year 2021 - 2022? Appreciate any information those with current experience can share. I’m considering moving to the area.

My kids loved it. The non-CS teacher they had in 3rd were among their all-time favorite teachers. They learned so much there. They never had any issues with bullying or anything like that. It's a wonderful neighborhood school that was warm and welcoming for us. We had just moved here when my oldest started third.

[Anonymous]

There can older kids smoking and hanging out in the field shared with the rev center, skate park & basketball courts after school. Our son was came home asking about the N word and blunts It was a littler earlier for that conversation than we were prepared for. The school it’s self is well run but there are constant reminders of the maple Ave vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There can older kids smoking and hanging out in the field shared with the rev center, skate park & basketball courts after school. Our son was came home asking about the N word and blunts It was a littler earlier for that conversation than we were prepared for. The school it’s self is well run but there are constant reminders of the maple Ave vibe.

Welcome, OP! If you didn't figure this out, this PP is racist.

The boundary for PBES (and TPES, the school for younger kids) is shaped in such a way that about half the kids come from single family homes (about 1/3 of those pretty expensive homes in historic downtown Takoma Park or near Sligo Creek, and about 2/3 from a variety of regular homes) and the other half come from (mostly high rise) apartments, mostly concentrated along Maple Avenue. The demographics of these groups are such that the SFH kids are diverse, but largely white, and the high-rise kids are almost all black and brown, many from immigrant families. So when PP says that they feel "constant reminders of the Maple Ave vibe" and associates that with bad behavior, what they are saying is that black and brown kids are loud and trouble causing...they are not talking about the kids who live up the hill from the community center/school along Maple Ave.

It's weird when someone from Takoma Park talks like this, because it overall a very welcoming and diverse community, but even here, there are troubling associations along socio-economic status and ethnicity. Does behavior fall along those lines? I would say no. The most I have observed is that kids often walk home to the apartments in larger groups...because that's how high rise living density works...and that seems louder because the groups are louder. Also, kids in groups behave differently that kids in pairs: that's not about where they live, it's about the way social groups work. Also, the kids hanging out at the field after school would almost definitely be from the apartment area, because that's the field close to their houses. But I bet you if you go to Spring Park or somewhere else you'll also see kids behaving badly. It's just...how kids are.

PBES is great. I can't answer your question very thoroughly because we did do the CES, but 3rd grade was great and I know a lot of the kids who didn't do CES and they are great, too. The teachers are pretty engaged and many have been there a long time. Compacted math is excellent. The community is nice...and PP's rude comments are not common (guess an anonymous board brings out the worst in some).

[Anonymous]

Ok PP, keep pretending maple hasn’t be a hot spot for MoCo crime for the last 40 years. There is a reason there is police station directly next door to the school. Maple Ave vibe may have been poorly phrased but the concentration of poverty there does manifests it’s self in negative ways from time to time with the field being a hot spot. It isn’t racist to point out that there are unwieldy teenagers that hang around the school

[Anonymous]

Not to pile on but I’ve taken my toddler and 1st grader to the playground at the top of field after school and had leave because there were older kids smoking and being vulgar. Not sure if that condemns the school as my oldest is still at TPES which nearby and still lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to pile on but I’ve taken my toddler and 1st grader to the playground at the top of field after school and had leave because there were older kids smoking and being vulgar. Not sure if that condemns the school as my oldest is still at TPES which nearby and still lovely.

It isn’t black and brown kids job to make you feel comfortable!! You shouldnt scare so easy which is you just teachin your kids that they have a rite to expect our kids to not been seen or herd in there presence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok PP, keep pretending maple hasn’t be a hot spot for MoCo crime for the last 40 years. There is a reason there is police station directly next door to the school. Maple Ave vibe may have been poorly phrased but the concentration of poverty there does manifests it’s self in negative ways from time to time with the field being a hot spot. It isn’t racist to point out that there are unwieldy teenagers that hang around the school

Wow OP - you really got me! https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/Public-Safety/Crime-Incident-Map/df95-9nn9?referrer=embed

I live basically in between the three schools. Do you? It's not exactly the crime center you describe. But you will certainly find complainers, mostly scared older white people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok PP, keep pretending maple hasn’t be a hot spot for MoCo crime for the last 40 years. There is a reason there is police station directly next door to the school. Maple Ave vibe may have been poorly phrased but the concentration of poverty there does manifests it’s self in negative ways from time to time with the field being a hot spot. It isn’t racist to point out that there are unwieldy teenagers that hang around the school

Wow OP - you really got me! https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/Public-Safety/Crime-Incident-Map/df95-9nn9?referrer=embed

I live basically in between the three schools. Do you? It's not exactly the crime center you describe. But you will certainly find complainers, mostly scared older white people.

I've picked up my kids at both schools almost daily for the past 5 years and never seen anything like what the PP is describing. I think there are a couple posters with a serious case of Blair envy because of the ES magnet w/ accelerated math, the local CES, and the TPMS in boundary set aside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like feedback on Piney Branch ES for families whose kids are there now or graduated in the last year. How do you like the school and how are things like bullying, teacher quality, and teacher retention post return to in person school over the past year 2021 - 2022? Appreciate any information those with current experience can share. I’m considering moving to the area.

My kids loved it. The non-CS teacher they had in 3rd were among their all-time favorite teachers. They learned so much there. They never had any issues with bullying or anything like that. It's a wonderful neighborhood school that was warm and welcoming for us. We had just moved here when my oldest started third.

That sounds a lot like our experience living here and sending our kids to these schools. Not sure about the alternate reality the PP's live in but my best advice is for you to check it out for yourself if you have any doubts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like feedback on Piney Branch ES for families whose kids are there now or graduated in the last year. How do you like the school and how are things like bullying, teacher quality, and teacher retention post return to in person school over the past year 2021 - 2022? Appreciate any information those with current experience can share. I’m considering moving to the area.

My kids loved it. The non-CS teacher they had in 3rd were among their all-time favorite teachers. They learned so much there. They never had any issues with bullying or anything like that. It's a wonderful neighborhood school that was warm and welcoming for us. We had just moved here when my oldest started third.

That sounds a lot like our experience living here and sending our kids to these schools. Not sure about the alternate reality the PP's live in but my best advice is for you to check it out for yourself if you have any doubts.

Ours too, we had a great experience at PBES (and especially the aftercare program). And we live nearby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok PP, keep pretending maple hasn’t be a hot spot for MoCo crime for the last 40 years. There is a reason there is police station directly next door to the school. Maple Ave vibe may have been poorly phrased but the concentration of poverty there does manifests it’s self in negative ways from time to time with the field being a hot spot. It isn’t racist to point out that there are unwieldy teenagers that hang around the school

Wow OP - you really got me! https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/Public-Safety/Crime-Incident-Map/df95-9nn9?referrer=embed

I live basically in between the three schools. Do you? It's not exactly the crime center you describe. But you will certainly find complainers, mostly scared older white people.

Maple ave hoodness

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2022/04/police-id-victim-of-fatal-shooting-in-takoma-park/

https://amp.spotcrime.com/us/md/takoma_park.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok PP, keep pretending maple hasn’t be a hot spot for MoCo crime for the last 40 years. There is a reason there is police station directly next door to the school. Maple Ave vibe may have been poorly phrased but the concentration of poverty there does manifests it’s self in negative ways from time to time with the field being a hot spot. It isn’t racist to point out that there are unwieldy teenagers that hang around the school

Wow OP - you really got me! https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/Public-Safety/Crime-Incident-Map/df95-9nn9?referrer=embed

I live basically in between the three schools. Do you? It's not exactly the crime center you describe. But you will certainly find complainers, mostly scared older white people.

Maple ave hoodness

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2022/04/police-id-victim-of-fatal-shooting-in-takoma-park/

https://amp.spotcrime.com/us/md/takoma_park.html

Again, are you from the area?

A shooting that occurred in the evening month ago is, unfortunately, just America. You're going to find far worse stats for most DC schools and many MoCo schools.

Your second link is odd. It lists a good distance, some miles, away.

Why don't you focus your efforts elsewhere? You're making yourself look foolish.

We get it: you are racist and offensive, but also not accurate. Takoma Park is not without crime, but your assertions are weird. Also "hoodness" makes you sound like a bot. At least go for "ghetto" to be fully old and racist sounding if you're committed too the offensive part you're trying to play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like feedback on Piney Branch ES for families whose kids are there now or graduated in the last year. How do you like the school and how are things like bullying, teacher quality, and teacher retention post return to in person school over the past year 2021 - 2022? Appreciate any information those with current experience can share. I’m considering moving to the area.

My kids loved it. The non-CS teacher they had in 3rd were among their all-time favorite teachers. They learned so much there. They never had any issues with bullying or anything like that. It's a wonderful neighborhood school that was warm and welcoming for us. We had just moved here when my oldest started third.

That sounds a lot like our experience living here and sending our kids to these schools. Not sure about the alternate reality the PP's live in but my best advice is for you to check it out for yourself if you have any doubts.

Ours too, we had a great experience at PBES (and especially the aftercare program). And we live nearby.

Both my kids went through PBES, my youngest was in the CES while the other was there before that existed. Both had a positive experience. The school is diverse and welcoming. It helped lay a solid academic foundation. My youngest is doing great in the TPMS magnet. My oldest just finished their sophomore year in the Blair STEM magnet and is also doing great. I don't know if they'd be doing as well today if it weren't for the many devoted and caring teachers at PBES.

[Anonymous]

Any neighborhood not my own = DCUM Ganglandia!