Do Elementary schools in MCPS offer any prospective family tours or open houses during the fall/winter?

[Anonymous]

Hello MCPS parents - does anyone know if there are any tours or open house events for prospective families entering K this fall/winter? We would love to tour our local school before deciding on K, but I do not see any events like this on the school's website. If anyone has any other tips to learn more about the school before registering, I would appreciate the insight. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Our school offered open houses for incoming kindergarten parents in the spring. Then there was also an open house for all students the Thursday before school started in August.

[Anonymous]

But the OP wants to visit BEFOrE deciding on plan for K, so they want to tour before Spring. Some families if they have option at their preschool, keep kid there for K and start in public school from 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

OP should email the principal and ask for a tour

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But the OP wants to visit BEFOrE deciding on plan for K, so they want to tour before Spring. Some families if they have option at their preschool, keep kid there for K and start in public school from 1st grade.

Then the answer is no; MCPS elementary schools do not schedule fall/winter open houses for prospective parents. There will likely be something in the spring and summer for rising kindergartners who will attend 2025-2026.

OP could reach out to the principal of her home school and ask for a tour. That’s not unheard of, but it is at the school’s discretion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the OP wants to visit BEFOrE deciding on plan for K, so they want to tour before Spring. Some families if they have option at their preschool, keep kid there for K and start in public school from 1st grade.

Then the answer is no; MCPS elementary schools do not schedule fall/winter open houses for prospective parents. There will likely be something in the spring and summer for rising kindergartners who will attend 2025-2026.

OP could reach out to the principal of her home school and ask for a tour. That’s not unheard of, but it is at the school’s discretion.

+1 Some schools are amenable to these requests and others are not. It's disruptive to have a bunch of strange adults in the building, and schools are a public good. If folks want to utilize them, they have a legal right to do so. If they don't want to utilize them, that's also fine.

[Anonymous]

I found out after purchasing our home, but you are allowed to email the principal and ask to tour the school. I wish we had done this as we aren’t happy with the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found out after purchasing our home, but you are allowed to email the principal and ask to tour the school. I wish we had done this as we aren’t happy with the school.

Would you have known that from the tour? I've always wondered what you could find out from a tour like this other than the physical condition of the building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found out after purchasing our home, but you are allowed to email the principal and ask to tour the school. I wish we had done this as we aren’t happy with the school.

Would you have known that from the tour? I've always wondered what you could find out from a tour like this other than the physical condition of the building.

You could see if bathrooms were locked!

[Anonymous]

They don’t need to sell you on a public school. Take it or leave it.

[Anonymous]

^^ they aren't having open houses to woo customers. If you live in the catchment area you may attend, or choose not to, but it's not like you can choose to attend another MCPS kindergarten open house and go there instead

[Anonymous]

Ours offers a monthly tour throughout the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the OP wants to visit BEFOrE deciding on plan for K, so they want to tour before Spring. Some families if they have option at their preschool, keep kid there for K and start in public school from 1st grade.

Then the answer is no; MCPS elementary schools do not schedule fall/winter open houses for prospective parents. There will likely be something in the spring and summer for rising kindergartners who will attend 2025-2026.

OP could reach out to the principal of her home school and ask for a tour. That’s not unheard of, but it is at the school’s discretion.

+1 Some schools are amenable to these requests and others are not. It's disruptive to have a bunch of strange adults in the building, and schools are a public good. If folks want to utilize them, they have a legal right to do so. If they don't want to utilize them, that's also fine.

I can tell you that our principal will definitely say no. She’s not even amenable to current families going in to school.

[Anonymous]

Our PTA hosts these. You might consider emailing the PTA president to ask

[Anonymous]

Our elementary school gives tours regularly - provided by the PTA. Reach out to the front office and ask. They'll connect you with the right people or will inform you if your local school doesn't offer this.