what elementary school would you send your kids to?

[Anonymous]

Live in a large, under performing public school district (but with some gems).

1. German immersion school, very highly rated, known for great parental involvement and fun events for kids, 3 miles away (busing), several families in the neighborhood send kids there, pretty diverse
2. French immersion school, less highly rated, still decent-ish though, 10 minute walk, a few families in the neighborhood send kids there, pretty diverse
3. Spanish immersion school, less highly rated, still decent-ish though, sort of far away (30 minute bus ride), but Spanish seems like the most useful language by far, pretty diverse
4. Montessori school, highly rated, 20ish minute bus ride, sort of diverse
5. Open enroll into neighboring school district that our neighborhood bumps up against that is much higher performing and kids would go to a neighborhood/traditional elementary school in that district (in this state you can send your kids to a school district different from the one you live in if that district has room), fairly popular option in neighborhood, sort of diverse

[Anonymous]

Stop using “-ish” with everything.

[Anonymous]

I would honestly choose the closest school. The one you can walk to and will be okay getting up and going to school events and dropping off and pickup daily with the least amount of headache. You are truly comparing gala apples to fuji Apples - they are all delicious, just pick one.

I will say, language immersion schools are kind of an old "buzz" thing. Learning a second language doesn't really do all that much for kids mental skills that translates to successful academics (tons of Latino and Haitian kids learn English once they come here and don't become savants). They also don't usually teach the kids the actual language very well, and for the few students that do learn it, they lose it as soon as they get to high school because they're are no opportunities to practice it. In which case maybe go for Spanish because there is a large Spanish speaking population here, but any other language is generally useless in America.

I do think the teaching philosophy of Montessori is great in theory, but less useful after about 2nd grade, and you can do a lot of that stuff at home with your kids anyway. Create a Montessori space, that is.

[Anonymous]

Principals first - they lead the school/set the tone

What is feeder like? Middle school strength is key. (High school not so much)

Friend group. If too diverse and poor - hard to meet girlfriend’s boyfriends later.

Good luck! Public school admins are your adversaries - their goal is to obfuscate this info (all the schools are great).

They aren’t. Your job is to find the gem - and move until you’ve found it.

[Anonymous]

Avoid FCPS.

The educational quality is rapidly evaporating due to the SB, Reid, and Gatehouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would honestly choose the closest school. The one you can walk to and will be okay getting up and going to school events and dropping off and pickup daily with the least amount of headache. You are truly comparing gala apples to fuji Apples - they are all delicious, just pick one.

I will say, language immersion schools are kind of an old "buzz" thing. Learning a second language doesn't really do all that much for kids mental skills that translates to successful academics (tons of Latino and Haitian kids learn English once they come here and don't become savants). They also don't usually teach the kids the actual language very well, and for the few students that do learn it, they lose it as soon as they get to high school because they're are no opportunities to practice it. In which case maybe go for Spanish because there is a large Spanish speaking population here, but any other language is generally useless in America.

I do think the teaching philosophy of Montessori is great in theory, but less useful after about 2nd grade, and you can do a lot of that stuff at home with your kids anyway. Create a Montessori space, that is.

Wanted to comment on this point:

They also don't usually teach the kids the actual language very well, and for the few students that do learn it, they lose it as soon as they get to high school because they're are no opportunities to practice it. In which case maybe go for Spanish because there is a large Spanish speaking population here, but any other language is generally useless in America.

Unless you are dating, Spanish is becoming like German - pointless because of Big Red One’s (US First Armor Division) conquering Europe and the bomb conquering Japan in 1940s.

You will never need to learn any
language at all besides English because of this fact. It cemented English as the defacto language of the world (and re-enforced in the 60s (internet) and 90s (world wide web)

Don’t get me wrong. There is value for elite signaling - but an American of Spanish descent has more imperative to learn English than vice versa. It serves no competitive advantage in marketplace for Larlo - and muddies the water for Larlos acquisition of the Trivium. (Even more important elite signaling).

[Anonymous]

If it’s not a bad school district, maybe just go to the school the neighborhood kids all go, so your kids won’t be left out having no friend to play with. Otherwise, maybe Montessori ( a real Montessori, but I would concern about if kids can fit into public MS or HS later), or Spanish immersion.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, we would choose private at this point because the public schools are banning homework in the name of racial equity and implementing skills-based-grading.

Private school will provide the best chance at an education for your child.

[Anonymous]

Do you speak any of the immersion languages at home? If yes, that one. Otherwise, the neighborhood school.

[Anonymous]

Not FCPS. If I had to do it again- would have stayed Montessori

[Anonymous]

I’d do the Montessori or neighborhood school. When immersion isn’t the right fit it’s really bad for kids. I’ve seen several kids end up years behind because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, we would choose private at this point because the public schools are banning homework in the name of racial equity and implementing skills-based-grading.

Private school will provide the best chance at an education for your child.

Go away. You sound like those idiots Jordan Klepper finds at MAGA rallies for The Daily Show.

[Anonymous]

Either Option 4 or option 5. We are in FCPS-land and chose option 4.

One caveat is that Montessori schools have large variance in what is taught and teaching style, even within the set of AMS or AMI schools. So visit and watch before selecting it. Also, because Montessori usually is open classroom, teacher quality/style might matter more than in a classroom with desks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid FCPS.

The educational quality is rapidly evaporating due to the SB, Reid, and Gatehouse.

This sounds like Milwaukee, not anywhere in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

#2 or other walkable nearby elementary school option. worry about middle school and/or high school.