RM versus Wooton

[Anonymous]

we are looking at homes in these two areas.

i know there's a difference in their ratings overall (5 versus 7 on greatschools, for example) but what does it really mean at the individual level for a kid with good grades/standardized tests coming from a mid-high SES family with plenty of support ? assume our kids don't get into IB. how's a regular honors/ap kid at these two schools outcomes materially different?

and the main reason for the question is (1) difference in cost for a home; and (2) proximity to metro (rm area easier overall in that sense).

[Anonymous]

Both are great you can not go wrong.

RM is more diverse than Wootton economically. And people think its disciplinary problems are worse. The problems are at Wootton as well, maybe slightly different but still there.


If not in IB students can still take great classes and head off to a four-year school well-prepared.

Sports teams are easier to make at RM.

Harder to get into Ivie's top tier from RM (DCUM will disagree on this), IB program all the kids apply to same schools the colleges only take so many kids from each HS so do the math.

All the kids I know from RM have done very well in life ie college then jobs etc....

As for courses at RM a good student not in the IB program has same choices pretty much as any Wootton student would.

If I had it to do over again, not sure which I would pick. Prob RM because of the metro. We use the metro a lot and that extra drive or going to Shady Grove pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we are looking at homes in these two areas.

i know there's a difference in their ratings overall (5 versus 7 on greatschools, for example) but what does it really mean at the individual level for a kid with good grades/standardized tests coming from a mid-high SES family with plenty of support ? assume our kids don't get into IB. how's a regular honors/ap kid at these two schools outcomes materially different?

and the main reason for the question is (1) difference in cost for a home; and (2) proximity to metro (rm area easier overall in that sense).

MCPS schools are fairly uniform in that they have the same curriculum and pool of teachers. There are some minor variations stemming from demographic differences but ultimately that doesn't impact your kids so go with whichever community you like better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both are great you can not go wrong.

RM is more diverse than Wootton economically. And people think its disciplinary problems are worse. The problems are at Wootton as well, maybe slightly different but still there.


If not in IB students can still take great classes and head off to a four-year school well-prepared.

Sports teams are easier to make at RM.

Harder to get into Ivie's top tier from RM (DCUM will disagree on this), IB program all the kids apply to same schools the colleges only take so many kids from each HS so do the math.

All the kids I know from RM have done very well in life ie college then jobs etc....

As for courses at RM a good student not in the IB program has same choices pretty much as any Wootton student would.

If I had it to do over again, not sure which I would pick. Prob RM because of the metro. We use the metro a lot and that extra drive or going to Shady Grove pain.

Only Blair send more kids to the ivies than RM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both are great you can not go wrong.

RM is more diverse than Wootton economically. And people think its disciplinary problems are worse. The problems are at Wootton as well, maybe slightly different but still there.


If not in IB students can still take great classes and head off to a four-year school well-prepared.

Sports teams are easier to make at RM.

Harder to get into Ivie's top tier from RM (DCUM will disagree on this), IB program all the kids apply to same schools the colleges only take so many kids from each HS so do the math.

All the kids I know from RM have done very well in life ie college then jobs etc....

As for courses at RM a good student not in the IB program has same choices pretty much as any Wootton student would.

If I had it to do over again, not sure which I would pick. Prob RM because of the metro. We use the metro a lot and that extra drive or going to Shady Grove pain.

Not necessarily true, depends on the sport and can vary from year to year

[Anonymous]

I have 2 Woootton grads and a freshman. Overall it’s been a good experience. We like the administration, teachers, athletics program and newspaper. What we don’t like is that the building is in disrepair. My grads did well there academically. There are lots of options for advanced students.

However our freshman has a disability that makes school hard. While we are blown away by the IEP team and a few teachers, his self-esteem has taken a hit as he is aware he isn’t keeping up. I think he’d have been happier at RM or QO

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t pick either. Too many white kids at Wootton and with that comes entitlement. RM has gotten too violent recently.

[Anonymous]

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.

So no vaping or drugs at Wooton?

[Anonymous]

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.

So no vaping or drugs at Wooton?

Pills

[Anonymous]

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.

What is it that is so different that makes their jaws drop?

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

What is it that is so different that makes their jaws drop?

Not that PP, but I would bet it’s the vaping and the weed and the fights and the myriad of other issues. Though, to be fair, that seems to be everywhere in MCPS at this point. Friends at Cabin John MS mentioned the same issue with kids trespassing and fighting last year. And some of CJMS feeds into Wootton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t pick either. Too many white kids at Wootton and with that comes entitlement. RM has gotten too violent recently.

Interesting. All white kids are entitled? What about kids who are half-white?

Can you explain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we are looking at homes in these two areas.

i know there's a difference in their ratings overall (5 versus 7 on greatschools, for example) but what does it really mean at the individual level for a kid with good grades/standardized tests coming from a mid-high SES family with plenty of support ? assume our kids don't get into IB. how's a regular honors/ap kid at these two schools outcomes materially different?

and the main reason for the question is (1) difference in cost for a home; and (2) proximity to metro (rm area easier overall in that sense).

Overall, Wootton is much better than RM (without IB). If you have a high performing kid, IB would be my first choice. If not (or unsure if your kid can get in), go to Wootton. As others have said, RM without IB is really no different than any other MCPS high schools (outside of W schools and BCC). Wootton is high pressure school though but that much is well known. For full disclosure - my two kids attended IB, have a nephew who attended Wootton (now a MD). In college, based on limited sample size, it appears Wootton kids perform as well as IB kids. But IB kids get more scholarships from colleges starting college.