What are the "worst" schools in MCPS and why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind the curriculum is the same at all, and that there are strong students and teachers in all of the schools.

Historically, the areas with lower incomes had the relatively worse off schools - up county (Damascus, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill) and northeast county (Paint Branch, Springbrook.)

But that has changed over the years. There are the definite "have" schools (Whitman, Churchill, BCC, WJ), a strong second tier (Wooton, RM, QO, Blair, Einstein, Sherwood, and lots of others) and maybe one more tier. A smart kid can get into any college in the country from any MCPS school.

With a $600k budget, you can find a home in a school district you like in a location and neighborhood you will enjoy.

Yeowch, Damascus is considered bad news now? But... But... It's full of white kids!

And heroin.

How do you know this?

The news.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Recent-Spike-in-Heroin-Use-in-Montgomery-County-232948031.html

http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/05/04/damascus_grad_targets_drug_abuse_at_his_alma_mater

http://www.wtop.com/41/3555507/Dramatic-rise-in-heroin-use-across-Md-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind the curriculum is the same at all, and that there are strong students and teachers in all of the schools.

Historically, the areas with lower incomes had the relatively worse off schools - up county (Damascus, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill) and northeast county (Paint Branch, Springbrook.)

But that has changed over the years. There are the definite "have" schools (Whitman, Churchill, BCC, WJ), a strong second tier (Wooton, RM, QO, Blair, Einstein, Sherwood, and lots of others) and maybe one more tier. A smart kid can get into any college in the country from any MCPS school.

With a $600k budget, you can find a home in a school district you like in a location and neighborhood you will enjoy.

Yeowch, Damascus is considered bad news now? But... But... It's full of white kids!

And heroin.

How do you know this?

The news.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Recent-Spike-in-Heroin-Use-in-Montgomery-County-232948031.html

http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/05/04/damascus_grad_targets_drug_abuse_at_his_alma_mater

http://www.wtop.com/41/3555507/Dramatic-rise-in-heroin-use-across-Md-

somebody should do a story about Adderall abuse by high achievers in the W schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind the curriculum is the same at all, and that there are strong students and teachers in all of the schools.

Historically, the areas with lower incomes had the relatively worse off schools - up county (Damascus, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill) and northeast county (Paint Branch, Springbrook.)

But that has changed over the years. There are the definite "have" schools (Whitman, Churchill, BCC, WJ), a strong second tier (Wooton, RM, QO, Blair, Einstein, Sherwood, and lots of others) and maybe one more tier. A smart kid can get into any college in the country from any MCPS school.

With a $600k budget, you can find a home in a school district you like in a location and neighborhood you will enjoy.

Yeowch, Damascus is considered bad news now? But... But... It's full of white kids!

And heroin.

How do you know this?

The news.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Recent-Spike-in-Heroin-Use-in-Montgomery-County-232948031.html

http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/05/04/damascus_grad_targets_drug_abuse_at_his_alma_mater

http://www.wtop.com/41/3555507/Dramatic-rise-in-heroin-use-across-Md-

somebody should do a story about Adderall abuse by high achievers in the W schools.

Does that counteract all the pot they are smoking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind the curriculum is the same at all, and that there are strong students and teachers in all of the schools.

Historically, the areas with lower incomes had the relatively worse off schools - up county (Damascus, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill) and northeast county (Paint Branch, Springbrook.)

But that has changed over the years. There are the definite "have" schools (Whitman, Churchill, BCC, WJ), a strong second tier (Wooton, RM, QO, Blair, Einstein, Sherwood, and lots of others) and maybe one more tier. A smart kid can get into any college in the country from any MCPS school.

With a $600k budget, you can find a home in a school district you like in a location and neighborhood you will enjoy.

Yeowch, Damascus is considered bad news now? But... But... It's full of white kids!

And heroin.

How do you know this?

The news.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Recent-Spike-in-Heroin-Use-in-Montgomery-County-232948031.html

http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/05/04/damascus_grad_targets_drug_abuse_at_his_alma_mater

http://www.wtop.com/41/3555507/Dramatic-rise-in-heroin-use-across-Md-

somebody should do a story about Adderall abuse by high achievers in the W schools.

Does that counteract all the pot they are smoking?

I don't know. But it could do. It's just a cycle. Smoke pot = kill brain cells; take Adderall = hype up brain cells that are left. I guess it works for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2os 2ts... U probably don't have children there if you can't spell it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind the curriculum is the same at all, and that there are strong students and teachers in all of the schools.

Historically, the areas with lower incomes had the relatively worse off schools - up county (Damascus, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill) and northeast county (Paint Branch, Springbrook.)

But that has changed over the years. There are the definite "have" schools (Whitman, Churchill, BCC, WJ), a strong second tier (Wooton, RM, QO, Blair, Einstein, Sherwood, and lots of others) and maybe one more tier. A smart kid can get into any college in the country from any MCPS school.

With a $600k budget, you can find a home in a school district you like in a location and neighborhood you will enjoy.

Yeowch, Damascus is considered bad news now? But... But... It's full of white kids!

"Now" is pretty much the opposite of "historically."[/quote


I would say Wooton is top tier now and the housing prices that feed into that cluster reflect that!

Wootton is and always has been a top tier school, right up there with Whitman and Churchill. I went to WJ in the 90s and back then it was not considered on the same level as the other three W schools, but it is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind the curriculum is the same at all, and that there are strong students and teachers in all of the schools.

Historically, the areas with lower incomes had the relatively worse off schools - up county (Damascus, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mill) and northeast county (Paint Branch, Springbrook.)

But that has changed over the years. There are the definite "have" schools (Whitman, Churchill, BCC, WJ), a strong second tier (Wooton, RM, QO, Blair, Einstein, Sherwood, and lots of others) and maybe one more tier. A smart kid can get into any college in the country from any MCPS school.

With a $600k budget, you can find a home in a school district you like in a location and neighborhood you will enjoy.

Yeowch, Damascus is considered bad news now? But... But... It's full of white kids!

And heroin.

How do you know this?

The news.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Recent-Spike-in-Heroin-Use-in-Montgomery-County-232948031.html

http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/05/04/damascus_grad_targets_drug_abuse_at_his_alma_mater

http://www.wtop.com/41/3555507/Dramatic-rise-in-heroin-use-across-Md-

somebody should do a story about Adderall abuse by high achievers in the W schools.

Does that counteract all the pot they are smoking?

I don't know. But it could do. It's just a cycle. Smoke pot = kill brain cells; take Adderall = hype up brain cells that are left. I guess it works for them.

gosh, all those druggie kids at those W schools. what losers. am so glad we don't live around there!

[Anonymous]

A momentary break from the snark - I am in the WJ cluster and there are small, older homes here for $600k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A momentary break from the snark - I am in the WJ cluster and there are small, older homes here for $600k.

Which are being bought by developers or rich folks-torn down, and McMansions for 1.4 million being stuck in it's place!

[Anonymous]

Look at Walter Johnson, Quince Orchard, Richard Montgomery, Sherwood, Magruder, Poolesville, and Northwest. I'm not saying other schools are bad. I live mid-county and have friends with kids at all these schools and they've been very happy. They include more moderate housing too.

[Anonymous]

I was a teacher in a W school for several years. There was a huge drug problem but it was very hush-hush. I don't think you can put Damascus and Watkins Mill at the same level as they are very different schools all the way around. Yes, Damascus had a story about drug use, but it is every where. Meth was found on the playground of our W cluster elementary school not too long ago.

[Anonymous]

My experience with two high schools and drugs:

BCC = TONS of drugs available. Weed, pills, meth, etc. Parents cover it up, or aren't around to know its going on ... kids have disposable income, cars, etc. to make the party scene easier and more accessible.

Blair = mostly weed, readily available.

[Anonymous]

Bcc, Whitman , Churchill , QO , Wootton, poolesville , Damascus , Clarksville , magruder , Sherwood , Blake , Einstein , WJ, Blair, RM, Rockville,

Are good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience with two high schools and drugs:

BCC = TONS of drugs available. Weed, pills, meth, etc. Parents cover it up, or aren't around to know its going on ... kids have disposable income, cars, etc. to make the party scene easier and more accessible.

Blair = mostly weed, readily available.

Why are the w school kids doing so well in school? Amazing that despite drugs they are excelling amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bcc, Whitman , Churchill , QO , Wootton, poolesville , Damascus , Clarksville , magruder , Sherwood , Blake , Einstein , WJ, Blair, RM, Rockville,

Are good.

Clarksville is in Howard County.

[Anonymous]

Northwest too.