Looking for laid back, nurturing elem and middle schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:really, OP?

really?

Really? That is really original. Is there anything else that you can think of?

no

not really

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there any laid back, nurturing elementary and middle schools in MCPS anywhere south of Rockville? We moved here from the west coast, are renting temporarily, and want to get away from the authoritarian, old-school, strict, pressured school culture that we have encountered thus far. We want a progressive, nurturing, and relaxed school culture where children's emotional development matters, like what we are used to from public school on the west coast. Does this exist in any capacity here?

Nurturing is a parent's job.

And if you want progressive, look at privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Close-in silver spring is going to be way more laid back than anywhere south of Rockville, sorry but it's true. We have had a lot of luck with Forest Knolls, there is a big mix culturally, lots of inter-racial families, good mix of socio-economic groups, and the parents are very very active.
The school ranks very high and holds the kids to high standards-but none of this craziness that I see here on DCUM with tests score obsessions for 6/7 year olds, etc

I agree with this. My kids are at Oakland Terrace and I would not describe it as pressured.

[Anonymous]

Close-in Silver Spring -is- south of Rockville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Close-in silver spring is going to be way more laid back than anywhere south of Rockville, sorry but it's true. We have had a lot of luck with Forest Knolls, there is a big mix culturally, lots of inter-racial families, good mix of socio-economic groups, and the parents are very very active.
The school ranks very high and holds the kids to high standards-but none of this craziness that I see here on DCUM with tests score obsessions for 6/7 year olds, etc

I agree with this. My kids are at Oakland Terrace and I would not describe it as pressured.

+1

Yay Oakland Terrace

[Anonymous]

OP, you've perfectly described our private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Close-in Silver Spring -is- south of Rockville.

According to my map Bethesda and Potomac are South of Rockville. Silver spring is south of Wheaton

[Anonymous]

Takoma Park Elementary

[Anonymous]

Can't help you because we're north of Rockville but our ES is surprisingly nurturing and the kids we know personally have thrived and excelled. Not all MCPS are pressured environments, but they may not be located where you want to live/rent, either.

[Anonymous]

Go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Burning Tree Elementary. It cares about the "whole child."

What do you mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't help you because we're north of Rockville but our ES is surprisingly nurturing and the kids we know personally have thrived and excelled. Not all MCPS are pressured environments, but they may not be located where you want to live/rent, either.

But even if they aren't pressure cookers, they still follow the same curriculum across the county. Which means very little instruction in science, social studies, music, art, PE, even recess. It's math and reading, and lots and lots of test prep. An individual teacher may run a more mellow classroom, but there really isn't much teachers can do to affect what's being taught.

[Anonymous]

15:16 reflects what's going on in most PG schools I am familiar with - even worse if their tests scores are poor. I don't know why a previous poster suggested it without specific schools to name...

[Anonymous]

Feeling nurtured, safe, and part of a community are all correlated with academic achievement. So, if these schools are just pressure cookers for testing, they are missing the boat entirely.

[Anonymous]

Farquhar Middle School was a great middle school for DC.