MCPS Middle Schools

[Anonymous]

I can't think of an MCPS middle school that I've heard one should avoid. My daughter took French classes there as a sixth-grader (from an MCPS elementary school that goes through 6th grade but did not offer French), and really liked what she saw. The principal, Danny Vogelman is superb and really cares about the kids. I don't know how much longer he will be at Westland (I've heard speculation that we can't expect the good fortune of having him as principal forever is he's as good as he is) but everyone has the highest regard for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't think of an MCPS middle school that I've heard one should avoid. My daughter took French classes there as a sixth-grader (from an MCPS elementary school that goes through 6th grade but did not offer French), and really liked what she saw. The principal, Danny Vogelman is superb and really cares about the kids. I don't know how much longer he will be at Westland (I've heard speculation that we can't expect the good fortune of having him as principal forever is he's as good as he is) but everyone has the highest regard for him.

Can you share how you got your daughter to be able to take French at Westland? We would like to do the same, and are also at an elementary school that retains 6th grade but doesn't offer French (only Spanish). Our child is already taking French through FLES and we would like to continue that. In addition, the child is an extraordinarily high level reader, so we don't think taking the reading course is an adequate substitute for beginning a language.

We know that at least one other family has had their child go to middle school for French, but the principal said it was an exception, a really big deal, and that it would never happen again, etc., etc. so I'd be so grateful if you could share how you made this happen.......

[Anonymous]

Hi, PP. Please forgive me if I don't name the school or any players, for the sake of privacy. But I can tell you how it happened.

At our school, an e-mail survey was sent out by the school asking how many rising 6th-graders would be interested in taking French and saying that French would be offered next year only if there would be enough enrollment. I think the necessary number of students would be ten, IRRC. When the responses indicated only about six students interested (after I and some other parents tried an e-mail campaign to muster more interest), the school notified the parents of those interested that their kids could take French at Westland during Westland's first period, but it would involve missing part of their own school's first period. (Westland's first period begins earlier than our school's, and then there is transportation time to get back from Westland to our school.) I spoke with the assistant principal at our school, who told me that my daughter would not be able to take band during first period if she took French at Westland. So we decided, no, we do not want to drop band. My daughter signed up for Spanish instead.

Fast-forward to September of 6th-grade. I see the band teacher and I say my daughter enjoys band so much she gave up the chance to take French. The band teacher is astonished that I was told we couldn't take band and French, and says he has a 6th-grade student who is in band and is taking French at Westland, an he tells me the student's name. I e-mail the school principal and say my daughter wants to drop Spanish if we are still within the add-drop period and add French at Westland. The principal e-mails e back with a promise to get back to me on the add-drop period but hints that it might be too late and sounds discouraging. I call the other French student's mother (whom I do not know well), and she tells me that I should call the Westland principal, Danny Vogelman, who was her main contact in setting it up, and that he even set it up for them so that their son could take the Westland bus daily from a bus stop near their house to Westland and then from Westland to our school so that they didn't have to drive him themselves, as they had been told they would have to do. I make an appointment with Danny Vogelman, and he approves it! On Danny Vogelman's instruction, I called the Westland counselor, who puts me in touch with the French teacher, Madame Raak (a marvelous teacher, I might add!). Madame Raak has me come by with a check for the workbooks my daughter would need -- et voila! -- my daughter is in French class the next day at Westland.

I follow up with homemade chocolate chip cookies for the counselor who fast-tracked the process so that my daughter wouldn't have too much French to catch up on.

I think it helped in my case that another student from our school had already set it up to take French there and the bus was already being provided for him. Yes, all year long one bus took just two students from Westland back to our school to deliver the student after French class. Danny Vogelman is a wonderful principal, and I recommend going through him. My school principal was miffed that I had gone straight to Danny Vogelman, but I'm glad I did.

If you want French instruction, I say go for it. Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done or otherwise discourage you. Bonne chance!

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, PP. I wouldn't have thought to go directly to the Westland principal to start. Good tip.

BTW, I was impressed when I heard Vogelman speak about Westland at our school recently. Changed my impression of the school for the positive. (Must admit I had no rational basis for my previous lukewarm opinion of Westland.)