Moving from Arlington to Bethesda(ish) for job--best school clusters?

[Anonymous]

You are honestly better off in MCPS getting into a magnet high school from your homeschool middle school. I think that Wyngate offers the best options. Lovely elementary school in great neighborhood. On the smaller side and relatively new building. Barnsley Elem and Eastern Middle are the most popular magnets but also eligible for Takoma Park if your child ends up interested in STEM. The home middle school is North Bethesda which is only three blocks down from the elementary school. They send a ton of kids to RM IB and Blair. Especially Blair. Best Science Olympiad team in the state nearly every year. Brand new addition. Not overcrowded and teachers and staff are very loving and attentive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are honestly better off in MCPS getting into a magnet high school from your homeschool middle school. I think that Wyngate offers the best options. Lovely elementary school in great neighborhood. On the smaller side and relatively new building. Barnsley Elem and Eastern Middle are the most popular magnets but also eligible for Takoma Park if your child ends up interested in STEM. The home middle school is North Bethesda which is only three blocks down from the elementary school. They send a ton of kids to RM IB and Blair. Especially Blair. Best Science Olympiad team in the state nearly every year. Brand new addition. Not overcrowded and teachers and staff are very loving and attentive.

Home high school is WJ by the way. Not at risk for redistricting but in the VERY small chance you were, it would be to Whitman which is closer to some house in the neighborhood than WJ is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are honestly better off in MCPS getting into a magnet high school from your homeschool middle school. I think that Wyngate offers the best options. Lovely elementary school in great neighborhood. On the smaller side and relatively new building. Barnsley Elem and Eastern Middle are the most popular magnets but also eligible for Takoma Park if your child ends up interested in STEM. The home middle school is North Bethesda which is only three blocks down from the elementary school. They send a ton of kids to RM IB and Blair. Especially Blair. Best Science Olympiad team in the state nearly every year. Brand new addition. Not overcrowded and teachers and staff are very loving and attentive.

Home high school is WJ by the way. Not at risk for redistricting but in the VERY small chance you were, it would be to Whitman which is closer to some house in the neighborhood than WJ is.

Thanks, PP!

It sounds like there are a lot of really great options. And more consistently high quality than in APS/FCPS.

[Anonymous]

(I'm feeling a little punchy this morning so here goes)

Are you white? If so and you truly want your kids to go to Blair or IB (although this is more true for Blair), ask high performing Asian parents what they did to get their kids into Blair magnet. It may matter less on the elementary school/middle school and more on the academic enrichment they are giving their kids (tutoring centers like A+, Dr. Li's, starting their kids in AOPS, etc.) Little bit less so for RM IB, but it still is predominantly Asian.

Like other parents have said, it is a test in program and there are not enough seats for able individuals.

If you are set on IB, it may be safe to cover your bases and get in a school district that doesn't require test in for the program. Posters have mentioned BCC and Rockville and like someone else said earlier in the thread, even if you don't get into RM IB as a 9th grader and you that is your home cluster, you can enter the program in 11th grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The emersion schools are all lottery, regardless of where you live.

There are several other schools that offer IB without the "magnet"/test-in aspect - among them Rockville HS and BCC - I don't know the whole list.

If you're planning to minimize your commute and live in or near Bethesda, you will be fine school wise. Can't worry about the gifted programs because there are too few seats.

Wildwood near WJ is a great neighborhood with a lot of young kids. Convenient to DT Bethesda, convenient to the Beltway if your spouse is commuting a different direction, etc.

Agree all MCPS schools are fine. Same teachers and curriculum. People like to split hairs but it really makes little difference. Live wherever is convenient. It will be fine.

Else, the above quote is a good response. WJ also has the APEX program which you might also want to look into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi Everyone,

We're going to be moving from Arlington to Bethesda sometime in the next year, and I'm trying to get a handle on MCPS so we can direct our house search. We will have a rising PK and 3rd grader. It seems hard to distinguish one ES from another based on their websites, though I understand that "W" school clusters are supposed to be the best. We're still a long way from HS! Our 3rd grader is quite bright and accelerated, but am I right in my sense that MCPS doesn't have the same stratified "gifted center" structure that FCPS does? How high stakes is it to test in? I expect we'll be interested in either Blair or IB magnet programs eventually--are there unofficial "feeder" schools to these, or is the student population pretty well spread out across different MS?

I would love for them to be in an immersion program, but not sure the likelihood of that (esp. for 3rd...maybe too late?), but otherwise just looking for very solid academics, rigor, and a nice neighborhood where people have young kids and are friendly. Walkability is a big plus--it would be great if they could just walk down the street to see friends, etc. I realize that COVID will impact things next year, and am not too concerned--we're homeschooling this year to avoid DL, and may continue to do that for another year depending on how things go. We're thinking more long-term.

Thanks for answering my questions. I feel like I've gotten a good sense of APS and FCPS over the years just through talking with friends and neighbors, but none have direct experience with MD.

My kids went from TPES->Blair and were in magnets the entire way through HS.

* TPES had the only elementary magnet when my kids were there. Also still is the only ES with enriched math. Also because it's a focus school class sizes range from 16-20.

* PBES, these days, has a local CES which was also wonderful. Also smaller class sizes than most schools.

* Living in the boundary for TPMS greatly improves your chances for MS magnet. It's similar to Jefferson but a lot more competitive.

* TPMS feeds into Blair which also has one of the two STEM magnet programs. Again it's similar to Jefferson but much smaller and more selective. It does beat them out in every category from It's Academic, to SAT averages, to Intel scholarships even had several US math and physics Olympians when my kids went through the program.

OP here--this is also great to know! My current 2nd grader (will be 3rd next year) is about two grade levels ahead in math and is super into science. He reads college science textbooks (that my husband had lying around at home) for fun. He's also really into reading and history, so I'm not sure if he'll lean more STEM or humanities as he gets older. I didn't know being in-boundary for TPMS improved your magnet chances. If you're in-boundary for TPES (for my younger), do you automatically get the enriched math, or is there an application process? She's still so young, it's hard to know what her strengths are--apart from being very verbal/argumentative

The enriched math is automatic at TPES. But not particularly enriched. Then your kid goes to PBES for third where there is no longer any enrichment or advanced classes for math until 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are honestly better off in MCPS getting into a magnet high school from your homeschool middle school. I think that Wyngate offers the best options. Lovely elementary school in great neighborhood. On the smaller side and relatively new building. Barnsley Elem and Eastern Middle are the most popular magnets but also eligible for Takoma Park if your child ends up interested in STEM. The home middle school is North Bethesda which is only three blocks down from the elementary school. They send a ton of kids to RM IB and Blair. Especially Blair. Best Science Olympiad team in the state nearly every year. Brand new addition. Not overcrowded and teachers and staff are very loving and attentive.

As a former TPMS magnet student, I am not sure this is true (getting in to Blair magnet is easier from home middle school). At TPMS they said that about 1/2 of the TPMS magnet goes on to the Blair magnet. The major factor in admissions used to be (pre-pandemic) a group administered test. If you're kid hasn't been exposed to higher level math at least two years and more above grade level, then they are unlikely to do well at the test. Most middle schools do not have a significant number of kids taking Algebra in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th, which would be the minimum to tracking into Blair. Yes, there are kids who get in from home middle school, but most of them are probably enrolled in math like Mr. Li's or CTY or other outside program.

[Anonymous]

Bradley Hills ES
Carderock Springs ES
Bannockburn ES
Woodacres ES
Burning Tree ES

all strong ES in the Bethesda area, all feed into strong MS. Pyle / Cabin John /

and HS - Whitman / Walter Johnson / etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bradley Hills ES
Carderock Springs ES
Bannockburn ES
Woodacres ES
Burning Tree ES

all strong ES in the Bethesda area, all feed into strong MS. Pyle / Cabin John /

and HS - Whitman / Walter Johnson / etc

I agree with this. If I could choose again, I would choose Whitman cluster and its elementary schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bradley Hills ES
Carderock Springs ES
Bannockburn ES
Woodacres ES
Burning Tree ES

all strong ES in the Bethesda area, all feed into strong MS. Pyle / Cabin John /

and HS - Whitman / Walter Johnson / etc

I agree with this. If I could choose again, I would choose Whitman cluster and its elementary schools.

Why?

[Anonymous]

Bethesda is the best education area in the DMV. W schools plus all the best privates so convenient.

Sidwell, SA, NCS,GDS, Landon, Holton, Prep, Bullis, HC, HC2, Mater Dei, SR, WES, Norwood, Heights, SJ, St Andrews


Almost zero to zero commute

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are honestly better off in MCPS getting into a magnet high school from your homeschool middle school. I think that Wyngate offers the best options. Lovely elementary school in great neighborhood. On the smaller side and relatively new building. Barnsley Elem and Eastern Middle are the most popular magnets but also eligible for Takoma Park if your child ends up interested in STEM. The home middle school is North Bethesda which is only three blocks down from the elementary school. They send a ton of kids to RM IB and Blair. Especially Blair. Best Science Olympiad team in the state nearly every year. Brand new addition. Not overcrowded and teachers and staff are very loving and attentive.

As a former TPMS magnet student, I am not sure this is true (getting in to Blair magnet is easier from home middle school). At TPMS they said that about 1/2 of the TPMS magnet goes on to the Blair magnet. The major factor in admissions used to be (pre-pandemic) a group administered test. If you're kid hasn't been exposed to higher level math at least two years and more above grade level, then they are unlikely to do well at the test. Most middle schools do not have a significant number of kids taking Algebra in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th, which would be the minimum to tracking into Blair. Yes, there are kids who get in from home middle school, but most of them are probably enrolled in math like Mr. Li's or CTY or other outside program.

Take this with a grain of salt. My child just graduated from Balir Magnet. She came from a non-magnet middle having finished honors geo. She only knew one kid who did a prep course to get in to the program (and he went to TPMS). My co-worker also warned me that my child would liklehy not get in with out prepping. I think there are probably a group of prep families that just assume that everyone is doing it but it is just not true.

Find a house you love that works with your commute. Maybe you child will end up at a magnet or maybe not. There is no path that guarentees anything and it all may change before your child gets to HS. Plenty of opportunities outside of magnets too. While my child loved Blair she also recognized that it made her a small fish in a big pond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi Everyone,

We're going to be moving from Arlington to Bethesda sometime in the next year, and I'm trying to get a handle on MCPS so we can direct our house search. We will have a rising PK and 3rd grader. It seems hard to distinguish one ES from another based on their websites, though I understand that "W" school clusters are supposed to be the best. We're still a long way from HS! Our 3rd grader is quite bright and accelerated, but am I right in my sense that MCPS doesn't have the same stratified "gifted center" structure that FCPS does? How high stakes is it to test in? I expect we'll be interested in either Blair or IB magnet programs eventually--are there unofficial "feeder" schools to these, or is the student population pretty well spread out across different MS?

I would love for them to be in an immersion program, but not sure the likelihood of that (esp. for 3rd...maybe too late?), but otherwise just looking for very solid academics, rigor, and a nice neighborhood where people have young kids and are friendly. Walkability is a big plus--it would be great if they could just walk down the street to see friends, etc. I realize that COVID will impact things next year, and am not too concerned--we're homeschooling this year to avoid DL, and may continue to do that for another year depending on how things go. We're thinking more long-term.

Thanks for answering my questions. I feel like I've gotten a good sense of APS and FCPS over the years just through talking with friends and neighbors, but none have direct experience with MD.

My kids went from TPES->Blair and were in magnets the entire way through HS.

* TPES had the only elementary magnet when my kids were there. Also still is the only ES with enriched math. Also because it's a focus school class sizes range from 16-20.

* PBES, these days, has a local CES which was also wonderful. Also smaller class sizes than most schools.

* Living in the boundary for TPMS greatly improves your chances for MS magnet. It's similar to Jefferson but a lot more competitive.

* TPMS feeds into Blair which also has one of the two STEM magnet programs. Again it's similar to Jefferson but much smaller and more selective. It does beat them out in every category from It's Academic, to SAT averages, to Intel scholarships even had several US math and physics Olympians when my kids went through the program.

OP here--this is also great to know! My current 2nd grader (will be 3rd next year) is about two grade levels ahead in math and is super into science. He reads college science textbooks (that my husband had lying around at home) for fun. He's also really into reading and history, so I'm not sure if he'll lean more STEM or humanities as he gets older. I didn't know being in-boundary for TPMS improved your magnet chances. If you're in-boundary for TPES (for my younger), do you automatically get the enriched math, or is there an application process? She's still so young, it's hard to know what her strengths are--apart from being very verbal/argumentative

This is pretty typical of kids in MCPS who are smart. There is no guarantee for gifted programs. Enriched math really varies by school but come 4/5 kids at all schools get compacted math. In MS, some schools offer Algebra in 6th, other you have to wait till 7th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bradley Hills ES
Carderock Springs ES
Bannockburn ES
Woodacres ES
Burning Tree ES

all strong ES in the Bethesda area, all feed into strong MS. Pyle / Cabin John /

and HS - Whitman / Walter Johnson / etc

I agree with this. If I could choose again, I would choose Whitman cluster and its elementary schools.

Why?

If you are asking seriously because you don't know, rather than setting yourself up to be some kind of anti-W school provocateur, these are some reasons - strongest academic cohort, smoothly run schools where bullying is not tolerated but handled systematically and effectively, yes, some are more crowded than others (Pyle in particular, with 5 ES feeding into it and it is now at double capacity), more foreign language options in reality and some of the highest scoring in terms of MAP and CoGat testing etc.

[Anonymous]

Oakland Terrace ES is bilingual and feeds to Einstein HS which has an IB program basically anyone can do without testing. It’s part of the down county consortium so you could apply to the Blair magnet for high school and have the Wheaton magnet as a backup.

[Anonymous]

I live in a terrible school pyramid neighborhood. It has worked well for us as kids went to magnet schools, so I don't have any skin in this issue.

My advice to anyone who can afford it is to go to the Whitman Cluster. Burning Bush ES, Pyle MS and Whitman HS - would be the most desirable.