General question about MCPS landscape

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone! We have two kids, one in K and another Pre-K. We're thinking of moving to Montgomery Country in the next year or two and wanted your help in understanding the landscape of neighborhoods and schools. We're looking for an elementary school and feeder pattern up to high school that is good academically, but not so much of a cut-throat competitive environment. We would prefer some diversity (of all kinds) in the schools. We're new to this area and would appreciate any insights you might have for us to get our search and thinking going. Thanks so much!

[Anonymous]

Hi, a lot of this is going to depend on your budget and work commute. There are good, solid elementary schools all around the county, then things get a little trickier for middle and high schools. Also a big wild card is the boundary study happening now, which may redraw lines for most of the middle and high schools in the county starting in 2027.

[Anonymous]

I think the Blair pyramid might work nicely for you. Consider 20912 or 20910.

[Anonymous]

B-CC pyramid is also quite diverse with good academics but not hyper competitive as far as I can tell.

[Anonymous]

MCPS has alot of mismanagement where the teachers have so much overtime and useless meetings to accomplish while grading alone bulks up their hours to double overtime (content teachers that is) and their is a big push for teachers not to report incidents or they suffer retaliation. All in all, the kids that show up get decent grades but not alot of feedback on their work bc teachers are busy putting out fires, keeping their head above water, and appeasing admin who will fire us if we see any violence.

[Anonymous]

Move to an inexpensive area with a decent commute and go to private. MCPS is a disaster. And like 80% will be redistricted due to new boundaries for the new HSs

[Anonymous]

Overtime? What's that? (Teachers are salaried employees.) 😜

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone! We have two kids, one in K and another Pre-K. We're thinking of moving to Montgomery Country in the next year or two and wanted your help in understanding the landscape of neighborhoods and schools. We're looking for an elementary school and feeder pattern up to high school that is good academically, but not so much of a cut-throat competitive environment. We would prefer some diversity (of all kinds) in the schools. We're new to this area and would appreciate any insights you might have for us to get our search and thinking going. Thanks so much!

I would say Quince Orchard HS cluster, Crown HS cluster (whenever it gets made?) and Clarksburg HS clusters are good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone! We have two kids, one in K and another Pre-K. We're thinking of moving to Montgomery Country in the next year or two and wanted your help in understanding the landscape of neighborhoods and schools. We're looking for an elementary school and feeder pattern up to high school that is good academically, but not so much of a cut-throat competitive environment. We would prefer some diversity (of all kinds) in the schools. We're new to this area and would appreciate any insights you might have for us to get our search and thinking going. Thanks so much!

You're not new to the area, you're not here at all. Ask when you're ready to move, things could be very different in 2 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:B-CC pyramid is also quite diverse with good academics but not hyper competitive as far as I can tell.

Agree, as long as you are in the area zoned for Silver Creek MS. The Westland side is significantly less diverse.

[Anonymous]

As previous posters have stated, it does depend on commute. If you can be further out, Poolesville is nice. Diversity in many forms because students come from all over county so you also have diversity in rural vs suburban, religious, socioeconomic, as well as race. Also, it is not as likely to be impacted by boundary studies.

Of course your children are young.any things may change in 10 years.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone! We have two kids, one in K and another Pre-K. We're thinking of moving to Montgomery Country in the next year or two and wanted your help in understanding the landscape of neighborhoods and schools. We're looking for an elementary school and feeder pattern up to high school that is good academically, but not so much of a cut-throat competitive environment. We would prefer some diversity (of all kinds) in the schools. We're new to this area and would appreciate any insights you might have for us to get our search and thinking going. Thanks so much!

I would say Quince Orchard HS cluster, Crown HS cluster (whenever it gets made?) and Clarksburg HS clusters are good.

This. Plus Northwest High School. Great school, great school spirit, diverse, and not too cut-throat.

[Anonymous]

RMHS is also very diverse, has AP/IB if your kid decides to do more challenging work. It's close to the metro red line.

But agree with others, there will be a lot of boundary changes in the next few years, and the clusters may look very different by the time your kid goes to HS.

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone! This is all very helpful information and got our thinking going re: the numerous variables. Definitely commute to downtown DC, for spouse and I, matters as does housing prices.. thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Move to an inexpensive area with a decent commute and go to private. MCPS is a disaster. And like 80% will be redistricted due to new boundaries for the new HSs

Just to be clear, 80% of the county is subject to the boundary study, because mcps is opening two brand new high schools. That does not by any stretch of the imagination suggest that 80% will be redistricted, just that school's making up 80% of the county are included in the study of the new high school boundaries.

This is a good chance to learn how DCUM works when it comes to mcps. If someone gives you a statistic, that seems absolutely wild, consider that it might not be true.