Bannockburn vs Carderock Springs

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest taking a tour of each school to see which one suits you and your kids the best. Our kids are very happy at Carderock and it seems to be a good fit for them. I don't know much about Bannockburn, but I'm sure its good too. Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong whichever school you pick, so follow your instincts.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Our child was at a Big 3 and we just moved to one of the schools mentioned here that feeds into Whitman.

I would say its 85% of what we had last year. MCPS has no separate science teacher, PE is only once a week and the class size is large (26 kids and one teacher versus 19 kids and two teachers last year). i think the people who say the schools are on par with privates mean well but unless you've actually done the switch yourself, you just can't go around saying things like that. in addition, the afterschool offerings are mediocre at best. they are much better than what i had as a child at a public school but they do not compare to a Big 3. also, i have noticed a level of bullying that was not present at my Big 3 which emphasized character education.

these schools are above average but they are not Big 3s which is okay for us right now but i may switch back later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child was at a Big 3 and we just moved to one of the schools mentioned here that feeds into Whitman.

I would say its 85% of what we had last year. MCPS has no separate science teacher, PE is only once a week and the class size is large (26 kids and one teacher versus 19 kids and two teachers last year). i think the people who say the schools are on par with privates mean well but unless you've actually done the switch yourself, you just can't go around saying things like that. in addition, the afterschool offerings are mediocre at best. they are much better than what i had as a child at a public school but they do not compare to a Big 3. also, i have noticed a level of bullying that was not present at my Big 3 which emphasized character education.

these schools are above average but they are not Big 3s which is okay for us right now but i may switch back later.

Pardon my ignorance. What is Big 3?

[Anonymous]

Bullying and an acceptance of tough talk and behaviour by students is the biggest complaint we have at one of these two schools. An out of state public school is our comparison.

[Anonymous]

I guess you're asking about the communities also. We liked the Carderock area (just off Seven Locks) because there's a real sense of community there. The pool/tennis club really seems to provide a good meeting place for everyone, and they seem active.

On the downside (for us), the public transport options are limited. There's a Ride-On bus line for part of the area, which operates rush hours only. Also if you look at a home in the area, walk outside and listen. You can often hear the Beltway noise, and for some that can be unsettling.

We ended up in the Burning Tree area for location reasons. Very good public transport (two Ride-On lines running all-day service) which was a big factor for us, and also it's a bit further from the Beltway sound such that you can't really hear it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess you're asking about the communities also. We liked the Carderock area (just off Seven Locks) because there's a real sense of community there. The pool/tennis club really seems to provide a good meeting place for everyone, and they seem active.

On the downside (for us), the public transport options are limited. There's a Ride-On bus line for part of the area, which operates rush hours only. Also if you look at a home in the area, walk outside and listen. You can often hear the Beltway noise, and for some that can be unsettling.

We ended up in the Burning Tree area for location reasons. Very good public transport (two Ride-On lines running all-day service) which was a big factor for us, and also it's a bit further from the Beltway sound such that you can't really hear it.

We're in the Carderock Springs school but do not live in the "Carderock" neighborhood. I'd say only about 40% of kids at school live in that neighborhood. There are other neighborhoods that feed into Carderock Springs school and where you can't hear the beltway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess you're asking about the communities also. We liked the Carderock area (just off Seven Locks) because there's a real sense of community there. The pool/tennis club really seems to provide a good meeting place for everyone, and they seem active.

On the downside (for us), the public transport options are limited. There's a Ride-On bus line for part of the area, which operates rush hours only. Also if you look at a home in the area, walk outside and listen. You can often hear the Beltway noise, and for some that can be unsettling.

We ended up in the Burning Tree area for location reasons. Very good public transport (two Ride-On lines running all-day service) which was a big factor for us, and also it's a bit further from the Beltway sound such that you can't really hear it.

We're in the Carderock Springs school but do not live in the "Carderock" neighborhood. I'd say only about 40% of kids at school live in that neighborhood. There are other neighborhoods that feed into Carderock Springs school and where you can't hear the beltway.

Can you share where the families come from who attend Carderock if they don't live in Carderock Springs? In other words, are there Bannockburn families for example who choose to attend Carderock Elementary School instead of Bannockburn Elementary School?

[Anonymous]

Pardon my ignorance. What is Big 3?


The top private schools in the DC Metropolitan area. Depending on who you ask they are either Sidwell, St Albans/National Cathedral School, Georgetown Day School, Maret and or The Potomac School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess you're asking about the communities also. We liked the Carderock area (just off Seven Locks) because there's a real sense of community there. The pool/tennis club really seems to provide a good meeting place for everyone, and they seem active.

On the downside (for us), the public transport options are limited. There's a Ride-On bus line for part of the area, which operates rush hours only. Also if you look at a home in the area, walk outside and listen. You can often hear the Beltway noise, and for some that can be unsettling.

We ended up in the Burning Tree area for location reasons. Very good public transport (two Ride-On lines running all-day service) which was a big factor for us, and also it's a bit further from the Beltway sound such that you can't really hear it.

We're in the Carderock Springs school but do not live in the "Carderock" neighborhood. I'd say only about 40% of kids at school live in that neighborhood. There are other neighborhoods that feed into Carderock Springs school and where you can't hear the beltway.

Can you share where the families come from who attend Carderock if they don't live in Carderock Springs? In other words, are there Bannockburn families for example who choose to attend Carderock Elementary School instead of Bannockburn Elementary School?

Some live in River Falls, in neighborhoods off of MacArthur Blvd, in parts of Avenel, in enclaves off of Persimmon Tree. Carderock Springs neighborhood is just one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carderock Springs is a top notch school. The parent community demands the best and they get it. Some refer to the school as Carderock Academy because its small size, beautiful facility, affluent community and excellent academic program make it appear more like a private school than a public.

As for the PTA, I assume the earlier poster was joking.

Is this a joke?

the types to attempt to "privatize" a public

too poor to pay for tuition?????

[Anonymous]

Do you understand that Curriculum 2.0 is taught ACROSS the county? So what they're learning in a "downcounty" school is what's taught at Carderock Springs. So you use of "academy" is way off.

If you can't pay for tuition for private, don't think you can "privatize" a public school.

You're pathetic.

Anonymous wrote:Carderock Springs is a top notch school. The parent community demands the best and they get it. Some refer to the school as Carderock Academy because its small size, beautiful facility, affluent community and excellent academic program make it appear more like a private school than a public.

As for the PTA, I assume the earlier poster was joking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child was at a Big 3 and we just moved to one of the schools mentioned here that feeds into Whitman.

I would say its 85% of what we had last year. MCPS has no separate science teacher, PE is only once a week and the class size is large (26 kids and one teacher versus 19 kids and two teachers last year). i think the people who say the schools are on par with privates mean well but unless you've actually done the switch yourself, you just can't go around saying things like that. in addition, the afterschool offerings are mediocre at best. they are much better than what i had as a child at a public school but they do not compare to a Big 3. also, i have noticed a level of bullying that was not present at my Big 3 which emphasized character education.

these schools are above average but they are not Big 3s which is okay for us right now but i may switch back later.

NP here. We also did the switch from well-known private to MCPS--another Bethesda school other than Carderock/Bannockburn. I agree with PP that PE is weak in MCPS, and class size large. Those are the main drawbacks. But teaching-wise and curriculum-wise, MCPS is better than the elite private, in our opinions. In MCPS they will accelerate and individualize much more than in private--privates tend to have the "our way is best" attitude and the attitude that there are so many people beating down their doors, that they really don't have to accommodate you. It's something we found ironic because we were fully expecting that MCPS would be a large heartless bureaucracy after private, but actually, we've found that DC is being better-educated in MCPs than in an elite private! I can't speak to aftercare because we haven't used it. So I have done the switch, and I agree that Bethesda MCPS schools are on a par with private--in terms of education.

[Anonymous]

Wow. I've never posted before, but I am just stunned by the comments about Bannockburn. We've lived near the school for 10 years and love the neighborhood and the school. The school is small and warm and the teachers know all the kids by name. We have two community pools and can walk to the towpath. People are friendly, & it is shocking to me that people find the parents to be unwelcoming. (Of course. I do have perfect children...just kidding!).

Carderock certainly has a much nicer building than we do, but I truly do not think the posters know anything about Bannockburn. We have been very happy, & my kids have really great friends with great parents.

[Anonymous]

Beware of Brad Bishop if you go to Carderock

[Anonymous]

Why?