Westbrook Elem or Stone Ridge Private School?

[Anonymous]

20 per class is not accurate. its more like 25-28.

[Anonymous]

It is indeed 20 per class in K. Classes get bigger in upper grades. 1st is 23 or 24 per class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is indeed 20 per class in K. Classes get bigger in upper grades. 1st is 23 or 24 per class.

Varies class to class. We're a WB family and I believe 2nd and 4th this year have 28 children per class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are you at all aware of how incredibly LUCKY you are to have a kiindergarten class with just 20 kids in it (yes, even with one teacher?) That is A-MAZING.

We are aware that it is low for MoCo schools and are very happy to be there. But OP was talking about comparing this with a private school. Most of the ones we originally looked at had 20 kids & 2-3 teachers/aides in the classroom - which puts it at 7-10 kids/adult. It was one of the things that stood out and that I was really worried about, but we like WB so much more than the school DC was previously at (a PK - 6 program). There may not be as much racial diversity, but not everyone is racing around in a Mercedes either.

[Anonymous]

I realize this doesn't count for much as my DS is not currently there (he is going into K this fall), but I took a private tour of Westbrook recently with a parent from the PTA. I needed to get in to see the school before their open house as I was needing to move quickly on a property for rent in the neighborhood. They were lovely and accommodating of my request for a private tour. It lasted about an hour, which was way more than I was expecting, and the parent was very friendly and answered all of my questions very frankly.

I was pleasantly surprised, as I had some hesitation after reading various posts from DCUM. I am impressed with the extra resources the PTA has been able to secure for the school, which PP mentioned. I peeked in on the classrooms and the kids all seemed very happy and engaged. I saw lots of parent volunteers in the classrooms and that definitely made me feel better about the larger class sizes.

It seems like a terrific and nurturing place. From what I could tell the little ones will be less affected by the construction than the older ones, as they won't be putting children 2nd grade and younger in portables. And I figure as the construction is supposed to be over in 2013, DS will still have 3 years to enjoy the new facilities.

Anyway...all of these factors made me decide that the downsides of the construction and the lack of diversity do not outweigh the positives associated with the school. Again, this is just an outsider assessment, but it has convinced me to look in the neighborhood for sure. I also love that the neighborhood has a quiet, suburban feel, but is so close in to the city!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What has changed so much? Is it just overcrowding or has the teaching quality decreased etct?

Overcrowding is a lot of it. Plus, just changing the size of the school so dramatically changed the climate of the school from one of a warm, intimate, tight-knit community school to a larger, more anonymous one. A new principal arrived just as the school began to grow and he wasn't so great as the previous principals were. He didn't 'get' the culture of the school. Many of the more experienced, long term teachers left or retired. The parent community changed...more working moms, fewer at home moms (and this is NOT a judgment, but just a fact that changes the climate of the school. For better or worse, there was a lot of is so tommunity building that took place between parents standing on the lawn waiting for dismissal vs some of the cliquishness that is seen there now: an us vs. them mentality that is ugly) Also, the culture of the surrounding neighborhoods changed. While there always seemed to be a solid core of highly educated folks, they weren't always the most affluent or competitive sort. There seemed to be a grounded-ness and down-to-earth, warm, welcoming character to Westbrook that is now diminished.

This is so true about Westbrook. This mentality was perpetuated by the PTA. Does anyone remember the PTA President Renee Kanappell from three years ago sending threatening messages to the parents who had the courage to stand up up against Westbrook's incompetent principal? Things went downhill after that.....Westbrook has never fully recovered.

[Anonymous]

Stay at Stone Ridge. It is a much better place for your family. I am sure your child is in a place where he/she is being valued and respected. There is no danger of you or your child being bullied by other parents. This cannot be said for westbrook. The level of malicious gossip on school grounds or at the local pool is unbelievable. Those who engage in this activity are the most active PTA members. School rules do not apply to them either.