Diamond Elementary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here.

It is a public school, so I will have to modify a bit.
* quality of teacher - actually, one of the primary reasons I wrote on DCUM, as I do not have any obvious way to access that from the outside.
* Tuition cost - very reasonable, housing ranges $350k-$750k, school is included. Very hard to find any 9/10 school in that area for under $500k per townhouse.
* Campus facilities - renovation and addition completed spring 2018.
* Odds of admission to top middle school - Lakelands is great. Top middle would be Clemente. Not clear whether that option will exist.
* Drug use - among parents? Otherwise we are talking elementary school here.
* Strength of PTA - hmmm, good question.

Housing costs are not school tuition, although it is a common misconception, especially on DCUM.

Note also that Clemente MS is a 7 on Great Schools and that the upcounty humanities magnet has moved to MLK MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding the apprehension with Northwest either. It's an 8 in Great Schools and is rated pretty high in other places. Maybe because as one PP said, it's upcounty? It's diverse? Seems to me that in almost every thread in DCUM where NW is mentioned, at least 1 poster mentions something about how NW is questionable. I feel like if this school was in downcounty it would be a different story.

DP. It's because Northwest HS is less white than Quince Orchard HS. Quince Orchard is 40% white, Northwest is 28% white.

I personally have heard at least one parent (who is white, as am I) tell me, in all seriousness, that they could never send their child to Northwest HS because of the gangs roaming the halls. I said, well, the parents I know with kids at Northwest have not expressed those concerns to me.

[Anonymous]

OP, before you castigate NW, why don’t you actually speak to people with direct experience?

NW is ranked in the top 4% of high schools in the US.

https://www.niche.com/k12/northwest-high-school-germantown-md/rankings/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding the apprehension with Northwest either. It's an 8 in Great Schools and is rated pretty high in other places. Maybe because as one PP said, it's upcounty? It's diverse? Seems to me that in almost every thread in DCUM where NW is mentioned, at least 1 poster mentions something about how NW is questionable. I feel like if this school was in downcounty it would be a different story.

DP. It's because Northwest HS is less white than Quince Orchard HS. Quince Orchard is 40% white, Northwest is 28% white.

I personally have heard at least one parent (who is white, as am I) tell me, in all seriousness, that they could never send their child to Northwest HS because of the gangs roaming the halls. I said, well, the parents I know with kids at Northwest have not expressed those concerns to me.

.

Completely baffling. NW = 95% graduation rate; QO = 93% Both GS rated 8. But one is whiter than the other. The less white school must mean that the rating is based on the school's ability to serve its low income students. While the white school's rating is based on it having a sizable peer group that takes advanced classes. LEt's just be honest here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OP here.

It is a public school, so I will have to modify a bit.
* quality of teacher - actually, one of the primary reasons I wrote on DCUM, as I do not have any obvious way to access that from the outside.
* Tuition cost - very reasonable, housing ranges $350k-$750k, school is included. Very hard to find any 9/10 school in that area for under $500k per townhouse.
* Campus facilities - renovation and addition completed spring 2018.
* Odds of admission to top middle school - Lakelands is great. Top middle would be Clemente. Not clear whether that option will exist.
* Drug use - among parents? Otherwise we are talking elementary school here.
* Strength of PTA - hmmm, good question.

Housing costs are not school tuition, although it is a common misconception, especially on DCUM.

Note also that Clemente MS is a 7 on Great Schools and that the upcounty humanities magnet has moved to MLK MS.

Thanks! What about math and science magnet, equivalent of Takoma Park? Is that still at Clemente? Information much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding the apprehension with Northwest either. It's an 8 in Great Schools and is rated pretty high in other places. Maybe because as one PP said, it's upcounty? It's diverse? Seems to me that in almost every thread in DCUM where NW is mentioned, at least 1 poster mentions something about how NW is questionable. I feel like if this school was in downcounty it would be a different story.

DP. It's because Northwest HS is less white than Quince Orchard HS. Quince Orchard is 40% white, Northwest is 28% white.

I personally have heard at least one parent (who is white, as am I) tell me, in all seriousness, that they could never send their child to Northwest HS because of the gangs roaming the halls. I said, well, the parents I know with kids at Northwest have not expressed those concerns to me.

.

Completely baffling. NW = 95% graduation rate; QO = 93% Both GS rated 8. But one is whiter than the other. The less white school must mean that the rating is based on the school's ability to serve its low income students. While the white school's rating is based on it having a sizable peer group that takes advanced classes. LEt's just be honest here.

Indeed, and the percent of students who are poor is basically the same at the two schools, too. At Quince Orchard HS, 21.3% receive FARMs now, 41.4% receive FARMs now or have done so in the past. At Northwest HS, 22.5% receive FARMs now, 43.2% receive FARMs now or have done so in the past. But because Northwest HS is less white than Quince Orchard HS, Northwest's Great Schools score must be based on its ability to serve its low-income students?! It makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding the apprehension with Northwest either. It's an 8 in Great Schools and is rated pretty high in other places. Maybe because as one PP said, it's upcounty? It's diverse? Seems to me that in almost every thread in DCUM where NW is mentioned, at least 1 poster mentions something about how NW is questionable. I feel like if this school was in downcounty it would be a different story.

DP. It's because Northwest HS is less white than Quince Orchard HS. Quince Orchard is 40% white, Northwest is 28% white.

I personally have heard at least one parent (who is white, as am I) tell me, in all seriousness, that they could never send their child to Northwest HS because of the gangs roaming the halls. I said, well, the parents I know with kids at Northwest have not expressed those concerns to me.

.

Completely baffling. NW = 95% graduation rate; QO = 93% Both GS rated 8. But one is whiter than the other. The less white school must mean that the rating is based on the school's ability to serve its low income students. While the white school's rating is based on it having a sizable peer group that takes advanced classes. LEt's just be honest here.

OP here.

If that is indeed the situation, then I will consider myself lucky to be in the district.

Questions raised above were exactly that - questions. I do not know the answers, but when the time comes, I will.

I just don't know how to interpret, from Greatschools, that test scores are 6/10, but college readiness is 9/10. Only 17% of student body takes AP math, and 11% take AP computer science. The proficiency for Algebra 1 is less than 20%. That is what I need to understand, not the racial make-up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here.

If that is indeed the situation, then I will consider myself lucky to be in the district.

Questions raised above were exactly that - questions. I do not know the answers, but when the time comes, I will.

I just don't know how to interpret, from Greatschools, that test scores are 6/10, but college readiness is 9/10. Only 17% of student body takes AP math, and 11% take AP computer science. The proficiency for Algebra 1 is less than 20%. That is what I need to understand, not the racial make-up.

The on-grade-level and advanced students take Algebra 1 in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding the apprehension with Northwest either. It's an 8 in Great Schools and is rated pretty high in other places. Maybe because as one PP said, it's upcounty? It's diverse? Seems to me that in almost every thread in DCUM where NW is mentioned, at least 1 poster mentions something about how NW is questionable. I feel like if this school was in downcounty it would be a different story.

DP. It's because Northwest HS is less white than Quince Orchard HS. Quince Orchard is 40% white, Northwest is 28% white.

I personally have heard at least one parent (who is white, as am I) tell me, in all seriousness, that they could never send their child to Northwest HS because of the gangs roaming the halls. I said, well, the parents I know with kids at Northwest have not expressed those concerns to me.

.

Completely baffling. NW = 95% graduation rate; QO = 93% Both GS rated 8. But one is whiter than the other. The less white school must mean that the rating is based on the school's ability to serve its low income students. While the white school's rating is based on it having a sizable peer group that takes advanced classes. LEt's just be honest here.

OP here.

If that is indeed the situation, then I will consider myself lucky to be in the district.

Questions raised above were exactly that - questions. I do not know the answers, but when the time comes, I will.

I just don't know how to interpret, from Greatschools, that test scores are 6/10, but college readiness is 9/10. Only 17% of student body takes AP math, and 11% take AP computer science. The proficiency for Algebra 1 is less than 20%. That is what I need to understand, not the racial make-up.

QO participation rate is 12% for AP math and 10% for CS. FYI, state average for both is 7% so I say NW is doing pretty good in that front.

[Anonymous]

OP, Diamond ES is a great choice. I live in the neighborhood, and both my kids went to Diamond. The elementary school is good and ignore anything people from Bethesda say about it. The issue is that the elementary splits between middle and high schools. Lakelands and Ridgeview are both good schools. Everyone I talk to loves Quince Orchard HS and some people like Northwest HS but DD's experience(going to 10th) hasn't been great so we are still deciding what to do next year(private or COSA to QO). The school has great academics but the environment isn't great and the students are a little out of control. It pulls from a lot of rough areas in Germantown and DD hasn't really met other people outside of those who went to Lakelands MS. DS is at lakelands now(going to 8th) and almost all of his friends will go to Quince Orchard so we might try to get him into there. If you are set on Diamond ES, I would recommend moving to the section that goes to QO. Northwest is a good school but definitely not as good as QO and I wish I'd known that before we bought in this neighborhood. This area is great though with the nearby parks and hiking trails in Seneca Creek State Park(there is a path across the street from our neighborhood to the lake). We belong to the nearby Quince Orchard swim club which is really nice and has a great community and awesome swim team, and there is also the diamond farms pool which we used to belong to though it isn't as nice and is much smaller. There is an Aldi's right in the Quince Orchard Plaza shopping center but I usually go to the Giant in Kentlands(nicer and bigger). Kentlands is just down the road which has a ton of stores and restaurants. Overall it is a great area and I highly recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Here are some houses that go to Diamond ES:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/37237714_zpid/globalrelevanceex_sort/39.139713,-77.22524,39.115111,-77.256139_rect/14_zm/

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/37244770_zpid/globalrelevanceex_sort/39.147186,-77.224338,39.122586,-77.255237_rect/14_zm/

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/37254461_zpid/globalrelevanceex_sort/39.140895,-77.218115,39.116293,-77.249014_rect/14_zm/

The first goes to QO the other 2 go to NW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, Diamond ES is a great choice. I live in the neighborhood, and both my kids went to Diamond. The elementary school is good and ignore anything people from Bethesda say about it. The issue is that the elementary splits between middle and high schools. Lakelands and Ridgeview are both good schools. Everyone I talk to loves Quince Orchard HS and some people like Northwest HS but DD's experience(going to 10th) hasn't been great so we are still deciding what to do next year(private or COSA to QO). The school has great academics but the environment isn't great and the students are a little out of control. It pulls from a lot of rough areas in Germantown and DD hasn't really met other people outside of those who went to Lakelands MS. DS is at lakelands now(going to 8th) and almost all of his friends will go to Quince Orchard so we might try to get him into there. If you are set on Diamond ES, I would recommend moving to the section that goes to QO. Northwest is a good school but definitely not as good as QO and I wish I'd known that before we bought in this neighborhood. This area is great though with the nearby parks and hiking trails in Seneca Creek State Park(there is a path across the street from our neighborhood to the lake). We belong to the nearby Quince Orchard swim club which is really nice and has a great community and awesome swim team, and there is also the diamond farms pool which we used to belong to though it isn't as nice and is much smaller. There is an Aldi's right in the Quince Orchard Plaza shopping center but I usually go to the Giant in Kentlands(nicer and bigger). Kentlands is just down the road which has a ton of stores and restaurants. Overall it is a great area and I highly recommend it.

How are the students in NW out of control and rougher than QO?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Diamond ES is a great choice. I live in the neighborhood, and both my kids went to Diamond. The elementary school is good and ignore anything people from Bethesda say about it. The issue is that the elementary splits between middle and high schools. Lakelands and Ridgeview are both good schools. Everyone I talk to loves Quince Orchard HS and some people like Northwest HS but DD's experience(going to 10th) hasn't been great so we are still deciding what to do next year(private or COSA to QO). The school has great academics but the environment isn't great and the students are a little out of control. It pulls from a lot of rough areas in Germantown and DD hasn't really met other people outside of those who went to Lakelands MS. DS is at lakelands now(going to 8th) and almost all of his friends will go to Quince Orchard so we might try to get him into there. If you are set on Diamond ES, I would recommend moving to the section that goes to QO. Northwest is a good school but definitely not as good as QO and I wish I'd known that before we bought in this neighborhood. This area is great though with the nearby parks and hiking trails in Seneca Creek State Park(there is a path across the street from our neighborhood to the lake). We belong to the nearby Quince Orchard swim club which is really nice and has a great community and awesome swim team, and there is also the diamond farms pool which we used to belong to though it isn't as nice and is much smaller. There is an Aldi's right in the Quince Orchard Plaza shopping center but I usually go to the Giant in Kentlands(nicer and bigger). Kentlands is just down the road which has a ton of stores and restaurants. Overall it is a great area and I highly recommend it.

How are the students in NW out of control and rougher than QO?

Not PP but go to a football game and look at the difference in the student sections. There are also gangs there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Diamond ES is a great choice. I live in the neighborhood, and both my kids went to Diamond. The elementary school is good and ignore anything people from Bethesda say about it. The issue is that the elementary splits between middle and high schools. Lakelands and Ridgeview are both good schools. Everyone I talk to loves Quince Orchard HS and some people like Northwest HS but DD's experience(going to 10th) hasn't been great so we are still deciding what to do next year(private or COSA to QO). The school has great academics but the environment isn't great and the students are a little out of control. It pulls from a lot of rough areas in Germantown and DD hasn't really met other people outside of those who went to Lakelands MS. DS is at lakelands now(going to 8th) and almost all of his friends will go to Quince Orchard so we might try to get him into there. If you are set on Diamond ES, I would recommend moving to the section that goes to QO. Northwest is a good school but definitely not as good as QO and I wish I'd known that before we bought in this neighborhood. This area is great though with the nearby parks and hiking trails in Seneca Creek State Park(there is a path across the street from our neighborhood to the lake). We belong to the nearby Quince Orchard swim club which is really nice and has a great community and awesome swim team, and there is also the diamond farms pool which we used to belong to though it isn't as nice and is much smaller. There is an Aldi's right in the Quince Orchard Plaza shopping center but I usually go to the Giant in Kentlands(nicer and bigger). Kentlands is just down the road which has a ton of stores and restaurants. Overall it is a great area and I highly recommend it.

How are the students in NW out of control and rougher than QO?

Not PP but go to a football game and look at the difference in the student sections. There are also gangs there.

That is dumb the student sections look kinda the same. But search up Cinnamon Woods Germantown MD. That is a large portion of what goes to Northwest.

[Anonymous]

Also a Diamond parent, we’ve been so pleased with the quality of the educators, live the principal, active PTA. Even with the recent addition, it is over capacity, but that is true for the majority of MCPS. Biggest downside to that has been mentioned, staggered lunch schedule means some kids could eat really early or really late, but the school tries to accommodate this. Small snacks that aren’t messy are allowed in the AM for late lunches, PM for early lunches.

We’re zoned for NW and are on the fence. I’ve heard good things and so-so things from Diamond parents with older kids. I hear nothing but praise for QO.

The neighborhood has all the conveniences you need nearby, see PP’s post. QO library is close, we have pediatricians, orthodontist, dentists, etc. all very close, plenty of choices for kids activities. Also, City of Gaithersburg rec programs are varied and affordable. Love the athletic director for the city, he runs terrific sports programs. We love this area!