Recent, first-hand experience at Loiederman?
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Anonymous
| Same experience as current 6th grader with the drama department. They do two shows, one play one musical, but the tryout is competitive of over 150 auditions, and everyone is good, so zero place for 6th graders unless you had sibling in school or something. My kid auditioned for cast but ended up in crew but he loves all the kids and atmosphere. Overall student body discipline is lacking and admin isn’t doing anything about it, moreover, they rarely reply my emails. But I hear similar things at local school. HW is close to nothing, compared to what I heard at local MS. Grades are easy at least for my 6th grader. I doubt he is challenged enough academically. |
Anonymous
| Interesting. I have a 6th grader there and we have been very happy with the school. Child is there for theatre and chorus and both teachers are excellent. Guidance counselor is great and very responsive. Same for the teachers they have this year. I’ve even emailed with the principal a few times and have heard back the same day each time. Seems like some kids do present behavioral challenges, but admin seems aware and on it. Kids are walked to lunch, staggered dismissals, etc. all as ways to control some of the behaviors. PTSA leaders are dedicated but I’m always shocked by how few parents participate in the meetings, calls for donations for teacher appreciation events. I supposed the community is what you make it. |
Anonymous
I don't know about the new leadership but the previous leadership was not welcoming, which is probably a part of it. |
Anonymous
| Bumping this thread up again as we're considering applying to Loiderman for our artistically inclined daughter. Any fresh or recent experiences from the school year this far to share? |
Anonymous
Several of the music teachers are terrible. Multiple kids left last and prior years for their home schools it was so bad. |
Anonymous
|
I have an 8th grader. In 6th grade there was a lot of excitement with returning to school after covid and the new performance space. My kid had the opportunity to participate in the first theatre production (not as a part of crew but helping with some of the set design leading up to the show). There has been big disappointment because after the first production they realized they did not need as many, so my kid has not been able to make crew (due to so many interested students) and has decided to not even bother trying to avoid the disappointment.
My kid likes the visual arts and in 7th grade due to a teacher being out and a horrible sub did not complete several art projects they were looking forward to. There is a lot of teacher and staff turnover which is also concerning. My kid has an IEP and there is a complete change in everyone we are dealing with (counselor, case manager, etc....). Also, most of the support received related to my kid's IEP have no special education background but from my understanding that might be a broader MCPS issue. Commumication is lacking. This year they got rid of homeroom and instead have a grade level meeting in the morning. It was an awkward change with no communication on the purpose for the change or what they are trying to achieve. My 8th grader is not a big complainer and is generally happy except for the items mentioned above. The Principal is also responsive to emails. If going primarily for the visual arts just be aware of the variability in the teachers. My kid has gotten much more out of art classes taken outside of Loiederman. |
Anonymous
| I don’t get how this is working. If there are already limited seats for the program, and it’s really a choice process for select feeder schools how can there be limited opportunity for the students? How is there not more smaller performances or still two large performances and then smaller community/afterschool offerings. What exactly are the magnet students doing that they couldn’t be doing at their home school? |
Anonymous
| Yikes. I was hoping the tide had turned at Loiderman. I guess not…. |
Anonymous
All the DCC “magnet” middle schools have 8 classes/year (alternating days of 4 blocks/day). So these students all get a 3rd elective. The type of additional electives offered depend on the school. I think all 3 of them are Title I or close to it so there are some additional programs/grants that teachers can apply for (the Strathmore choreographer for after school productions for example). But there are still almost 1,000 kids at each of these middle schools without much additional classroom and performing space. Also, it’s not a magnet in the sense that kids audition or test into the school. So some kids may be at one MS because they didn’t want the other 2, not necessarily that they love the focus of the school. It’s a great opportunity for kids who can’t access the multitude of private options available in this area. However, if you can I would put my time and $ towards things like ATA, Imagination Stage, Strathmore Children’s Choir, and private lessons. |
Anonymous
| My 6th grader is really, really happy at LMS thus far. I've found teachers and counselors responsive, staff professional and supportive, principal on the ball. There is a new after-school theatre group for 6th graders this year so they can work on acting skills and do some extracurricular performing on something more like a recreational level. Humanities class has already finished a book, DC was placed into a higher-than-expected math course, groups are closer to 20 kids per class period than to the allowed county cap (which I believe is 35), and discipline problems are handled transparently as far as we can tell from the messages. DC is making friends and enjoying school very much, especially theatre class. We're LMS fans. |
Anonymous
| I graduated from LMS quite some time ago. I was the only kid from my elementary that ended up going, so I knew no one there. It was a great experience interacting with kids from all over the county, definitely broadened my social horizons and made me grow and mature faster than I would have staying at my local middle school with kids I'd known since kindergarten. Special Education has always been a mess there, I had a family member who worked as the Special Ed team leader and quit after a year. She had to work until 8 pm every day to keep the department functioning. |
Anonymous
| The dance teachers are terrible. Just watch the Youtube of their so called audition...Yikes |
Anonymous
Attracting higher-income white kids to a neighborhood that otherwise is 95%+ low-income latino (Loiderman/Weller Road). ^^^ That’s why we have these programs down county. |
Anonymous
| How are the academics? |
Anonymous
| Just went to the open house today and it seems like a great school. Not sure why the response to not match the open house experience. Parkland on the other hand seemed depressing… |