Thoughts about Richard Montgomery HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about buying a home in that cluster. I know it's not Wootton but is it at least better than average?

OP, when you say good school, what specifically do you mean? What makes a school a good school, in your opinion?

OP here. That’s a really good question. My kids are 12 months and 3.5. So I don’t know a whole lot about schools here. I didn’t attend HS here. I guess when I said I mean a school that focuses on academic achieving, preparing students for college vs graduating students, good PTA, a place where mi kids will thrive? I’m afraid I didn’t give a good description.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Just like Blair, the magnet is super but that’s about it. Non magnet portion is like any other MCPS HS (not counting BCC and w schools).


RM non-magnet is much, much nicer than Blair non-magnet. There are lots of UMC and MC neighborhoods feeding RM now unlike Blair where the majority of the non-poverty kids are being bussed in from other areas or a few neighborhoods in DTSS/TP.

Ritchie Park and College Gardens are the best elementary schools in the cluster.

LOLOLOL. Ritchie Park is a nightmare. I guess they are considered "good" by DCUM standards because the neighborhoods lobbied aggressively (and won) to push all their FARMS kids to other schools in the cluster. So FARMS is at 8%, but the principal and morale are still terrible.

Don’t kmow anything about Richie Park but that describes any W.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about buying a home in that cluster. I know it's not Wootton but is it at least better than average?

OP, when you say good school, what specifically do you mean? What makes a school a good school, in your opinion?

OP here. That’s a really good question. My kids are 12 months and 3.5. So I don’t know a whole lot about schools here. I didn’t attend HS here. I guess when I said I mean a school that focuses on academic achieving, preparing students for college vs graduating students, good PTA, a place where mi kids will thrive? I’m afraid I didn’t give a good description.

No, that's a good description!

So, for academics and college - you can get that at any school in the RM cluster (and most other schools in MCPS).

For PTA - that really depends on who volunteers, which changes from year to year.

For a place where your kids will thrive - that depends a lot on your children, who are 12 months and 3.5 so who knows at this point, and on the principal, who may change.

Be aware that when people say the Wootton cluster has a "good schools", what they mean is: standardized test scores in the Wootton cluster are high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

If the developments are already approved, then they're also already included in the enrollment projections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about buying a home in that cluster. I know it's not Wootton but is it at least better than average?

OP, when you say good school, what specifically do you mean? What makes a school a good school, in your opinion?

OP here. That’s a really good question. My kids are 12 months and 3.5. So I don’t know a whole lot about schools here. I didn’t attend HS here. I guess when I said I mean a school that focuses on academic achieving, preparing students for college vs graduating students, good PTA, a place where mi kids will thrive? I’m afraid I didn’t give a good description.

No, that's a good description!

So, for academics and college - you can get that at any school in the RM cluster (and most other schools in MCPS).

For PTA - that really depends on who volunteers, which changes from year to year.

For a place where your kids will thrive - that depends a lot on your children, who are 12 months and 3.5 so who knows at this point, and on the principal, who may change.

Be aware that when people say the Wootton cluster has a "good schools", what they mean is: standardized test scores in the Wootton cluster are high.

I think you are "down-playing" the significance of "high test scores". Higher test scores usually means higher college acceptance too. These days even UMDCP is not a given thing so having high scores is helpful

MCPS is a rapidly changing school system. By the time OP's kids are in high school, the school system will look nothing like today. I don't know how OP can factor that in her decision making process but the system will continue to change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

This

There are several projects that have already been approved, and more being considered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

If the developments are already approved, then they're also already included in the enrollment projections.

No, this was a big point of contention during the boundary study. They were NOT included in the projections, and MCPS had already made major errors in projections which lead to a very chaotic process. If you weren't involved in this boundary study, stop making assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think you are "down-playing" the significance of "high test scores". Higher test scores usually means higher college acceptance too. These days even UMDCP is not a given thing so having high scores is helpful

MCPS is a rapidly changing school system. By the time OP's kids are in high school, the school system will look nothing like today. I don't know how OP can factor that in her decision making process but the system will continue to change.

Here is what the school's average test score says about your individual child's test score: nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

If the developments are already approved, then they're also already included in the enrollment projections.

No, this was a big point of contention during the boundary study. They were NOT included in the projections, and MCPS had already made major errors in projections which lead to a very chaotic process. If you weren't involved in this boundary study, stop making assumptions.

This!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

If the developments are already approved, then they're also already included in the enrollment projections.

No, this was a big point of contention during the boundary study. They were NOT included in the projections, and MCPS had already made major errors in projections which lead to a very chaotic process. If you weren't involved in this boundary study, stop making assumptions.

What boundary study? The Bayard Rustin boundary study? If so, then they were not initially included in the projections BY MISTAKE - the mistake being that approved developments are supposed to be included in the enrollment projections. But then they corrected that mistake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about buying a home in that cluster. I know it's not Wootton but is it at least better than average?

OP, when you say good school, what specifically do you mean? What makes a school a good school, in your opinion?

OP here. That’s a really good question. My kids are 12 months and 3.5. So I don’t know a whole lot about schools here. I didn’t attend HS here. I guess when I said I mean a school that focuses on academic achieving, preparing students for college vs graduating students, good PTA, a place where mi kids will thrive? I’m afraid I didn’t give a good description.

No, that's a good description!

So, for academics and college - you can get that at any school in the RM cluster (and most other schools in MCPS).

For PTA - that really depends on who volunteers, which changes from year to year.

For a place where your kids will thrive - that depends a lot on your children, who are 12 months and 3.5 so who knows at this point, and on the principal, who may change.

Be aware that when people say the Wootton cluster has a "good schools", what they mean is: standardized test scores in the Wootton cluster are high.

I think you are "down-playing" the significance of "high test scores". Higher test scores usually means higher college acceptance too. These days even UMDCP is not a given thing so having high scores is helpful

MCPS is a rapidly changing school system. By the time OP's kids are in high school, the school system will look nothing like today. I don't know how OP can factor that in her decision making process but the system will continue to change.

Good point. What is the MCPS vision 10 and 20 years down the road? It sounds like a bifurcated school district of high performers and low performers so how does it teach to these two large segments?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think you are "down-playing" the significance of "high test scores". Higher test scores usually means higher college acceptance too. These days even UMDCP is not a given thing so having high scores is helpful

MCPS is a rapidly changing school system. By the time OP's kids are in high school, the school system will look nothing like today. I don't know how OP can factor that in her decision making process but the system will continue to change.

Here is what the school's average test score says about your individual child's test score: nothing.

Ugh, you again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be aware that the school is already overcrowded and there is a ton of overdevelopment scheduled for that cluster. There will be a boat load of new housing going up in the area, and there are no plans to alleviate the already overcrowded HS.

The development is taking place over decades, and is mostly luxury METRO-based development that will have few kids. It's really a non-issue when you factor in that two new HSs will open before that development ever fully builds out.

1. RM is already overcrowded without any additional developments
2. There are other approved developments already in production that have nothing to do with the Twinbrook apartments. If you lived in the cluster you would realize this was an issue that was brought up during the RM ES #5 boundary study. There is new development expected in Tower Oaks which will be assigned to Bayard Rustin and other approved housing in the cluster. I believe around Fallsgrove was another approved site. I can't remember the other sites off the top of my head, but you can look in.the boundary study info online for all the developments that MCPS included for informational purposes, but conveniently did not include in their future projection numbers.

If the developments are already approved, then they're also already included in the enrollment projections.

No, this was a big point of contention during the boundary study. They were NOT included in the projections, and MCPS had already made major errors in projections which lead to a very chaotic process. If you weren't involved in this boundary study, stop making assumptions.

What boundary study? The Bayard Rustin boundary study? If so, then they were not initially included in the projections BY MISTAKE - the mistake being that approved developments are supposed to be included in the enrollment projections. But then they corrected that mistake.

Nope. That wasn't the cause of the projection error. The errors were literally math mistakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about buying a home in that cluster. I know it's not Wootton but is it at least better than average?

OP, when you say good school, what specifically do you mean? What makes a school a good school, in your opinion?

OP here. That’s a really good question. My kids are 12 months and 3.5. So I don’t know a whole lot about schools here. I didn’t attend HS here. I guess when I said I mean a school that focuses on academic achieving, preparing students for college vs graduating students, good PTA, a place where mi kids will thrive? I’m afraid I didn’t give a good description.

No, that's a good description!

So, for academics and college - you can get that at any school in the RM cluster (and most other schools in MCPS).

For PTA - that really depends on who volunteers, which changes from year to year.

For a place where your kids will thrive - that depends a lot on your children, who are 12 months and 3.5 so who knows at this point, and on the principal, who may change.

Be aware that when people say the Wootton cluster has a "good schools", what they mean is: standardized test scores in the Wootton cluster are high.

I think you are "down-playing" the significance of "high test scores". Higher test scores usually means higher college acceptance too. These days even UMDCP is not a given thing so having high scores is helpful

MCPS is a rapidly changing school system. By the time OP's kids are in high school, the school system will look nothing like today. I don't know how OP can factor that in her decision making process but the system will continue to change.

Good point. What is the MCPS vision 10 and 20 years down the road? It sounds like a bifurcated school district of high performers and low performers so how does it teach to these two large segments?

No, the plan has been and continues to be to teach (ineffectively) to the middle. Kids who are above grade level fend for themselves, and kids who are below grade level struggle to catch up.