Wooton vs Whittman vs Richard Montgomery

[Anonymous]

OP, it would be easier if you stated what you are looking for.

Unlike some of the posters here, when we moved to MoCo, we could have bought in the W clusters. We looked at homes in those clusters, but we chose RM cluster on purpose for various reasons: I like that JW has an IB curriculum; I like the SES and ethnic diversity; I didn't want my kids to be at a school that is hyper-competitive (all about test scores); I wanted my kids to not be around entitled wealthy kids (mine are entitled enough IMO); I didn't want my kids around designer drugs with all the $ floating around. Yes, I know all schools have drug problems. My neighbors and their kids so far love RM.

I went to a rather tough HS (not around here), where fights were an everyday occurrence. But I didn't see that many drugs because most of us were not wealthy and didn't have access to it. There will be those that look down on RM because it has more "violence", but personally, I'd rather my kids see a fight or two than be around a lot of drugs. That scares me more than fist fights.

[Anonymous]

Fair points PP, but its not like RM is full of fighting or is dangerous. Its not. There are fights in all of the schools (just a few weeks, a girl got stabbed in the face at WJ). And drugs and alcohol. Some schools may have a bit more than others, but its there. There were some fights at my high school growing up, but it was the kids that didn't give a rats ass about school, not the ones working hard, studying, playing sports, doing music, theater, etc. Rarely do the two groups meaningfully intersect.

[Anonymous]

If you are looking at Wootton be aware there is a good chance sometime in the next 5-10 years that a new school will be built at Crown Farm that causes some of Wootton to be redistricted to that school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at Wootton be aware there is a good chance sometime in the next 5-10 years that a new school will be built at Crown Farm that causes some of Wootton to be redistricted to that school.

In the next 5-10 years? That seems highly unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it would be easier if you stated what you are looking for.

Unlike some of the posters here, when we moved to MoCo, we could have bought in the W clusters. We looked at homes in those clusters, but we chose RM cluster on purpose for various reasons: I like that JW has an IB curriculum; I like the SES and ethnic diversity; I didn't want my kids to be at a school that is hyper-competitive (all about test scores); I wanted my kids to not be around entitled wealthy kids (mine are entitled enough IMO); I didn't want my kids around designer drugs with all the $ floating around. Yes, I know all schools have drug problems. My neighbors and their kids so far love RM.

I went to a rather tough HS (not around here), where fights were an everyday occurrence. But I didn't see that many drugs because most of us were not wealthy and didn't have access to it. There will be those that look down on RM because it has more "violence", but personally, I'd rather my kids see a fight or two than be around a lot of drugs. That scares me more than fist fights.

RM is too far out if you work in DC. And who really wants to live in Rockville?

Sounds like a classic case of not thinking one's kids could hold their own academically at Wootton or Whitman, and then backing into a decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

RM is too far out if you work in DC. And who really wants to live in Rockville?

Sounds like a classic case of not thinking one's kids could hold their own academically at Wootton or Whitman, and then backing into a decision.

Where I live, Rockville is the downcounty, and I work in DC.

One of the nice things about where I live, and presumably one of the nice things about Rockville too, is that there aren't as many people who believe that they're rich because they're smart and that the fact that they're rich proves that they're smart.

[Anonymous]

We were choosing between Bethesda and Rockville and ended up in Rockville (RM cluster). Being able to easily park at the several metros makes my commute better than from Bethesda where I would have likely had to add a bus or walk. We really enjoy Rockville. It has its own rec activities/camps/centers which are reasonably priced and usually quite good. The new downtown is nice and my kids can walk to it (in theory).

[Anonymous]

I'm one of the PPs with a child (now, 2) at RM. While I don't love my commute to downtown DC, it's doable, and I really like living in Rockville. Our neighborhood is fantastic, and PP is right: city services are quite good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fair points PP, but its not like RM is full of fighting or is dangerous. Its not. There are fights in all of the schools (just a few weeks, a girl got stabbed in the face at WJ). And drugs and alcohol. Some schools may have a bit more than others, but its there. There were some fights at my high school growing up, but it was the kids that didn't give a rats ass about school, not the ones working hard, studying, playing sports, doing music, theater, etc. Rarely do the two groups meaningfully intersect.

Drugs are rampant at Churchill and Wootton. Because there is LOTS of money. And there are parents who just don't care as long as grades stay up. I know there are drugs everywhere, but maybe it's the attitude coupled with the drugs that bothers me so much. I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, it would be easier if you stated what you are looking for.

Unlike some of the posters here, when we moved to MoCo, we could have bought in the W clusters. We looked at homes in those clusters, but we chose RM cluster on purpose for various reasons: I like that JW has an IB curriculum; I like the SES and ethnic diversity; I didn't want my kids to be at a school that is hyper-competitive (all about test scores); I wanted my kids to not be around entitled wealthy kids (mine are entitled enough IMO); I didn't want my kids around designer drugs with all the $ floating around. Yes, I know all schools have drug problems. My neighbors and their kids so far love RM.

I went to a rather tough HS (not around here), where fights were an everyday occurrence. But I didn't see that many drugs because most of us were not wealthy and didn't have access to it. There will be those that look down on RM because it has more "violence", but personally, I'd rather my kids see a fight or two than be around a lot of drugs. That scares me more than fist fights.

RM is too far out if you work in DC. And who really wants to live in Rockville?

Sounds like a classic case of not thinking one's kids could hold their own academically at Wootton or Whitman, and then backing into a decision.

Well there you go OP... this woman can be your BFF and her kids will be your kids' peers. Is it any wonder people hate Wootton and Whitman neighborhoods?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at Wootton be aware there is a good chance sometime in the next 5-10 years that a new school will be built at Crown Farm that causes some of Wootton to be redistricted to that school.

In the next 5-10 years? That seems highly unlikely.

I wouldn't be so sure. Wootton is overcrowded. Crown Farm is being built with lots of new homes and there is a site already reserved for a new high school.

[Anonymous]

Kings Farm was built with room for a MS and an ES. The cluster is also vey overcrowded..been more than 10 years. Nothing yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at Wootton be aware there is a good chance sometime in the next 5-10 years that a new school will be built at Crown Farm that causes some of Wootton to be redistricted to that school.

In the next 5-10 years? That seems highly unlikely.

I wouldn't be so sure. Wootton is overcrowded. Crown Farm is being built with lots of new homes and there is a site already reserved for a new high school.

The BOE owns lots of sites reserved for new schools. And actually with this one, I don't know if the BOE even owns it yet, or if it's just that the developer is supposed to turn it over to the BOE at some specified point in the future.

More to the point, MCPS already doesn't have enough money for all of the capital improvement projects it's currently planning.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?page=showrelease&id=3547

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, it would be easier if you stated what you are looking for.

Unlike some of the posters here, when we moved to MoCo, we could have bought in the W clusters. We looked at homes in those clusters, but we chose RM cluster on purpose for various reasons: I like that JW has an IB curriculum; I like the SES and ethnic diversity; I didn't want my kids to be at a school that is hyper-competitive (all about test scores); I wanted my kids to not be around entitled wealthy kids (mine are entitled enough IMO); I didn't want my kids around designer drugs with all the $ floating around. Yes, I know all schools have drug problems. My neighbors and their kids so far love RM.

I went to a rather tough HS (not around here), where fights were an everyday occurrence. But I didn't see that many drugs because most of us were not wealthy and didn't have access to it. There will be those that look down on RM because it has more "violence", but personally, I'd rather my kids see a fight or two than be around a lot of drugs. That scares me more than fist fights.

RM is too far out if you work in DC. And who really wants to live in Rockville?

Sounds like a classic case of not thinking one's kids could hold their own academically at Wootton or Whitman, and then backing into a decision.

We don't work in DC. Actually, my kids can hold their own in any school, so far. They are quite young - still in ES. But one DC so far is pretty advanced, in HGC and compacted math. I want my kids to love learning and be around different kinds of people; I think the W schools for the most part are opposites to this: too much emphasis on test scores and not enough diversity - SES as well as ethnic. Life is stressful enough when you get older. I don't see the purpose of stressing out kids in schools so much so that they take ADHD Rx just to be able to get the high test score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fair points PP, but its not like RM is full of fighting or is dangerous. Its not. There are fights in all of the schools (just a few weeks, a girl got stabbed in the face at WJ). And drugs and alcohol. Some schools may have a bit more than others, but its there. There were some fights at my high school growing up, but it was the kids that didn't give a rats ass about school, not the ones working hard, studying, playing sports, doing music, theater, etc. Rarely do the two groups meaningfully intersect.

Agreed. I'm PP... I was the one that went to a "tough" HS. I was in the AP/honors track so I was pretty removed from the fights. My point was that RM has a rep around the W crowd as being more "violent". My take on this is that I'd rather my kids see a few fights than be around all the designer drugs.