Schools in Gaithersburg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

This lie gets repeated over and over on DCUM (not sure why) but it is not true at all. I’ve had kids at various schools and it’s not been our experience. Some schools seem to hold the kids more accountable for their work, teachers offer better feedback. And some schools take a much more lax approach.

Also, ‘minor demographic differences’? That is obviously a lie, otherwise people wouldn’t have been pushing for diversity busing and boundary changes in the name of equity. There are some schools that are vastly different from others when you looks at demographics.

Yeah, don't believe the lie that all MCPS schools are the same. One example - I have a DD who is a freshman at a "better" high school. Last spring when she was an eighth grader, some mom friends of other eighth graders and I were talking about their eighth grade trip. My DD was going to Kings Dominion for her eighth grade trip. Another friend who had a DD at Gaithersburg middle (I believe it was that one) school. They weren't able to have any 8th grade field trip.

Another example - sports. Not every sport is popular. Some schools like Gaithersburg don't get enough kids to field a JV and Varsity team.

Are their bands/orchestras/chorus able to do fun stuff like the Hershey trip in spring? Outside of the educational part, what are their schools really like?

The curriculum is the same, but other aspects of student life will differ. Almost everyone on DCUM can afford a trip to an amusement park once a year whether it’s a school trip or just a weekend family outing. And sports matter less than academics since affluent families can afford private sports.

DP, perhaps, but there does seem to be a difference in the field trips and after school activities that are sponsored by the PTA.

Gaithersburg HS will be part of the Crown HS boundary assessment so, OP's kids would be impacted by the change, I think in 2027.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

Completely agree! In early ES, my kids went to a focus school. Their classes had 15-16 kids typically. I feel they got way more attention than they would've elsewhere. By the 4th, they were in the CES program (it was called something else back then), and by the 6th grade were in the MS magnets. Overall for a regular neighborhood, they did amazingly well. By high school, also kids have choices and can take challenging classes almost anywhere. Sure, some schools may have seven sections of AP English while others may only have 3, but AP English is AP English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

This lie gets repeated over and over on DCUM (not sure why) but it is not true at all. I’ve had kids at various schools and it’s not been our experience. Some schools seem to hold the kids more accountable for their work, teachers offer better feedback. And some schools take a much more lax approach.

Also, ‘minor demographic differences’? That is obviously a lie, otherwise people wouldn’t have been pushing for diversity busing and boundary changes in the name of equity. There are some schools that are vastly different from others when you looks at demographics.

Actually it's the truth but sure real estate agents hate it when this gets out.

Saying all MCPS is the same might be true from the MCPS administration standpoint, but not as a parent. I'm glad you're taking the time to find the right fit for your kids. You can google old newspaper articles and make your own family decisions.

Here are two profiles you can compare.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04510.pdf
https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04551.pdf

Since QO was mentioned, here is that profile as well:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/04125.pdf

Good luck on your house hunt!

[Anonymous]

Schools in Gaithersburg are pretty bad. My address feeds to G'burg HS which is as good or as bad as any other MCPS HS. QO is def better than GHS. W-schools/BCC are the best in the county. Howard county is much better than MCPS schools if that works for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

This lie gets repeated over and over on DCUM (not sure why) but it is not true at all. I’ve had kids at various schools and it’s not been our experience. Some schools seem to hold the kids more accountable for their work, teachers offer better feedback. And some schools take a much more lax approach.

Also, ‘minor demographic differences’? That is obviously a lie, otherwise people wouldn’t have been pushing for diversity busing and boundary changes in the name of equity. There are some schools that are vastly different from others when you looks at demographics.

Yeah, don't believe the lie that all MCPS schools are the same. One example - I have a DD who is a freshman at a "better" high school. Last spring when she was an eighth grader, some mom friends of other eighth graders and I were talking about their eighth grade trip. My DD was going to Kings Dominion for her eighth grade trip. Another friend who had a DD at Gaithersburg middle (I believe it was that one) school. They weren't able to have any 8th grade field trip.

Another example - sports. Not every sport is popular. Some schools like Gaithersburg don't get enough kids to field a JV and Varsity team.



Are their bands/orchestras/chorus able to do fun stuff like the Hershey trip in spring? Outside of the educational part, what are their schools really like?

Reallyca day at an amusement park is that important to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

Completely agree! In early ES, my kids went to a focus school. Their classes had 15-16 kids typically. I feel they got way more attention than they would've elsewhere. By the 4th, they were in the CES program (it was called something else back then), and by the 6th grade were in the MS magnets. Overall for a regular neighborhood, they did amazingly well. By high school, also kids have choices and can take challenging classes almost anywhere. Sure, some schools may have seven sections of AP English while others may only have 3, but AP English is AP English.

No. Actually AP English in a Magnet is much different than AP English at a non-Magnet HS, depending on the high school. I am in a unique situation with twins. Some teachers are experienced and know exactly how to prepare the kids for the AP exam and help them with study skills, etc. And some teachers barely offer feedback.

Also, your experience in Magnets (CES / Magnet MS) is much difference than the average MCPS student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

This lie gets repeated over and over on DCUM (not sure why) but it is not true at all. I’ve had kids at various schools and it’s not been our experience. Some schools seem to hold the kids more accountable for their work, teachers offer better feedback. And some schools take a much more lax approach.

Also, ‘minor demographic differences’? That is obviously a lie, otherwise people wouldn’t have been pushing for diversity busing and boundary changes in the name of equity. There are some schools that are vastly different from others when you looks at demographics.

Yeah, don't believe the lie that all MCPS schools are the same. One example - I have a DD who is a freshman at a "better" high school. Last spring when she was an eighth grader, some mom friends of other eighth graders and I were talking about their eighth grade trip. My DD was going to Kings Dominion for her eighth grade trip. Another friend who had a DD at Gaithersburg middle (I believe it was that one) school. They weren't able to have any 8th grade field trip.

Another example - sports. Not every sport is popular. Some schools like Gaithersburg don't get enough kids to field a JV and Varsity team.



Are their bands/orchestras/chorus able to do fun stuff like the Hershey trip in spring? Outside of the educational part, what are their schools really like?

Reallyca day at an amusement park is that important to you?

It’s a combination of issues. And the fun stuff is just part of it.

This week was tryouts for All County and All State Junior Orchestra. How many kids did Gaithersburg HS send versus Wootton, for example? (I don’t know the answer, but I do know that our non-W MS did not send a single kid to tryouts.

Our nonW high school didn’t even have enough kids to field a JV baseball team.

No, all MCPS high schools certainly are not the same - in curriculum or in extracurricular activities or in other opportunities offered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

Patently false. Not sure why this is said repeatedly on here, with exception of basic curriculum (which is constantly changing). Look, there is a difference between the education a kid gets at Blair Magnet v. Gaithersburg High. Whitman vs Rockville. Be prepared to supplement in any school and I pray your child has no special needs. Perhaps one of the worst districts for SpecEd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

Completely agree! In early ES, my kids went to a focus school. Their classes had 15-16 kids typically. I feel they got way more attention than they would've elsewhere. By the 4th, they were in the CES program (it was called something else back then), and by the 6th grade were in the MS magnets. Overall for a regular neighborhood, they did amazingly well. By high school, also kids have choices and can take challenging classes almost anywhere. Sure, some schools may have seven sections of AP English while others may only have 3, but AP English is AP English.

No. Actually AP English in a Magnet is much different than AP English at a non-Magnet HS, depending on the high school. I am in a unique situation with twins. Some teachers are experienced and know exactly how to prepare the kids for the AP exam and help them with study skills, etc. And some teachers barely offer feedback.

Also, your experience in Magnets (CES / Magnet MS) is much difference than the average MCPS student.

That's not true. My son is in the magnet program at Blair and is currently taking AP English and it is just that in fact, the majority of people in the class are non-magnet students. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools in Gaithersburg are pretty bad. My address feeds to G'burg HS which is as good or as bad as any other MCPS HS. QO is def better than GHS. W-schools/BCC are the best in the county. Howard county is much better than MCPS schools if that works for you.

+1. I would NOT move to Moco or send a child to an MCPS. Howard would also be my choice.

[Anonymous]

There are some really cute houses in East Village that feed into Goshen and Whetstone. Also, lots of new builds (townhomes, houses) around Montgomery Village Ave and around Washington Grove area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in East Montgomery Village- great neighborhood. Our feeder path was Goshen-Forest Oak-Gaithersburg Hs. Kids had great education, great experience with friends all be way through. Active PTAs. Don’t read too much in to Ratings/rankings. The area is very diverse with a lot of ELLs. Academically strong students still have plenty of great options and classes. There will be a new high school next to the downtown Crown development in about 6 years. If I was purchasing now, I would consider the neighborhoods close to that site. A new high school will attract top teacher talent.

Very good advice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

This lie gets repeated over and over on DCUM (not sure why) but it is not true at all. I’ve had kids at various schools and it’s not been our experience. Some schools seem to hold the kids more accountable for their work, teachers offer better feedback. And some schools take a much more lax approach.

Also, ‘minor demographic differences’? That is obviously a lie, otherwise people wouldn’t have been pushing for diversity busing and boundary changes in the name of equity. There are some schools that are vastly different from others when you looks at demographics.

Actually it's the truth but sure real estate agents hate it when this gets out.

LOL. Maybe in 1987. Demographics driven by Democratic Party priorities since 1990 pretty much doomed MoCo to a place for new immigrants (largely from the Northern Triangle). Maryland is well know in these countries as a destination because jobs tend to be in Central and South America in the Capital cities - so DMV region has seen immigration waves equivalent to California and Texas - and will be like Mexico City (a super city of 25 million souls) if this keeps up. No one will say this fact - hence why MCPS struggles to determine how many students they actually have - and why we found 20 year olds at BCC taking classes. Toto, this ain’t Kansas anymore and the county’s exchange of highly skilled workers (departing) for low wage workers (arriving) - as well as zero business growth makes Moco and it’s expensive schools a ‘sell’ for the coming decade. If you can I would try for another county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately I am househunting in this market. I am orginally from the area but not familiar with the current schools situation in Gaithersburg. I have elementary schools kids but would like to stay in an area until Highschool. What is the school situation in Gaithersburg? I looked at a house zoned for Magruder and Gaithersburg High.

Any insights are appreciated.

All MCPS schools are pretty much the same. They have the same pool of teachers and even the same curriculum. Yes, there are minor demographic differences that affect bulk test score averages but this isn't as important as some people might have you believe. In the end the same kid will get the same education at any MCPS school.

This lie gets repeated over and over on DCUM (not sure why) but it is not true at all. I’ve had kids at various schools and it’s not been our experience. Some schools seem to hold the kids more accountable for their work, teachers offer better feedback. And some schools take a much more lax approach.

Also, ‘minor demographic differences’? That is obviously a lie, otherwise people wouldn’t have been pushing for diversity busing and boundary changes in the name of equity. There are some schools that are vastly different from others when you looks at demographics.

This. How many knives and guns were found on students at Whitman last year? My guess? Close to zero.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools in Gaithersburg are pretty bad. My address feeds to G'burg HS which is as good or as bad as any other MCPS HS. QO is def better than GHS. W-schools/BCC are the best in the county. Howard county is much better than MCPS schools if that works for you.

+1. I would NOT move to Moco or send a child to an MCPS. Howard would also be my choice.

Maryland is dying. Move to VA.

[Anonymous]

My child is at Rosemont ES which feeds into Forest Oak and Gaithersburg HS. We live in downtown Crown (so DS will go to the new high school once it is built). I have been very happy with Rosemont. My son adored his K teacher and loves his 1st. Classes are small, around 17 kids. He has a nice friend group and he is even getting math enrichment with no prompting from me. PTA is almost non existent though and you won't find the same types of after school programming at other schools.