Magruder, Gaithersburg, and Rockville High Schools--Feedback Please?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

We are house hunting in Montgomery County, and I know nothing about these high schools: Magruder, Gaithersburg, and Rockville High Schools. Obviously, I can get demographic info and test scores from their websites, so I'm not looking for that. What I'm looking for is feedback on the quality of instruction, how well the school is run by the principal, are there challenging programs available, and whether or not there are any widespread/pervasive problems that interfere with any of these things (obviously all schools have some problems....)

This is an anonymous forum, so feel free to speak freely!

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I have a 10th grade son at Rockville. We have been very happy. Both IB and AP are offered/open/encouraged. I have a lot of respect for the principal- she doesn't take anything off the kids, she is firm but fair. Rockville has a very diverse community, which I find a plus. The Blair math and science magnet was an option we did not choose because the commute was too much for us, and I don't regret our choice. I am picky, so when I say I am happy it's earned.

[Anonymous]

My preferred line up would be:


Magruder
Rockville
Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg has some troubles, including crime, a huge low income population, and very aged and run down facilities. It is slated to get a new building within the next few years, though. I do know some students who have thrived there, in the AP programs, but it wouldn't be my first choice at all.

The other two are just fine, IMO.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't avoid Gaithersburg because of a low income population--there are plenty of good reasons to avoid it (although I'm sure many students there are receiving a wonderful education). My daughter's friend was harassed and assaulted several times there, and got no support from administration. She (the friend) ended up dropping out and getting a GED because she couldn't take it anymore--and she was a bright kid. It was my understanding that she wasn't the only one who faced this kind of treatment daily, with no intervention from admins.

I would say Rockville and Magruder are both equally good schools.

[Anonymous]

OP, any chance you'd want to consider other areas of Rockville or Gaithersburg? I'd consider NW High School, Richard Montgomery, or Quince Orchard if you want a better quality school. Are you wedded to those areas?

[Anonymous]

Just another thing to consider....Watkins Mill HS has an IB program set up almost identically to Richard Montgomery's program, only it does not accept out of bounds students. If your looking at communities that feed into Gaithersburg HS, Watkins Mill is not far away!

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm the OP. We're actually not wedded to any particular area of MoCo, but those are 3 of the high schools that I didn't know anything about, so I wanted to get some feedback on them.

To the poster who said "NW High School"--do you mean Northwood? I don't know much about that high school, either. As for Quince Orchard, we have friends who researched the MoCo high schools extensively and chose to live in that area, so we'd be comfortable at that school. These friends of ours (who chose to live in QO area) were particularly concerned with the presence of gangs in high schools, so took many of the HS in the eastern part of the county off their list. However, I find that an odd litmus test for a high school, as their children are both highly unlikely to belong to gangs and highly unlikely to be the target of them. But, to each his own.

[Anonymous]

Not the PP but I think she means Northwest High in Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

Yes, NW is Northwest along Great Seneca Hwy, Gaithersburg. OP, if you have not gang concerns, those high schools are fine. But if it were me, I would opt for a learning environment where you didn't have to worry AS MUCH about gang presence, security--like QOP. Also, Richard Montgomery is a good option, and areas that feed into it are beautiful (Rockville)

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the poster who stated that Gaithersburg has problems with crime and low income actually has students at that school. Gaithersburg has a fabulous administrator who has a zero tolerance on any type of crime. It is a diverse school, but I consider that a positive, not a negative. It reflects the real world that our kids live in. Gaithersburg also offers 22 of the 26 Ap courses offered in Montgomery County, and all students are encouraged to take honors and AP classes. Gaithersburg HS has gotten a bad rep in the press, and the positive aspects of this school go unreported. There will be a brand new building, which will start construction this summer, and be completed in 2013. It will be the largest high school in Montgomery County when it is completed. Gaithersburg also has a great sports program - the girls varsity basketball team just won the state title. I have 4 kids, and have lived in Montgomery County, in the Gaithersburg HS district, for 18 years. We have not been robbed, my kids do not do drugs nor participate in gangs, nor do they have gang members for friends. My oldest daughter graduated in the top of her class and was accepted into Boston University, My second daughter graduated last year and is continuing on to become a teacher. My son is a senior at GHS this year and has been accepted into several top universities for engineering and robotics. His science projects have earned him awards from the CIA, Naval Research, Yale, IEEE, and many others. My youngest is a sophomore and plays on the varsity volleyball team. I love Gaithersburg High School, and would not send my kids anywhere else - in county or out, private or public.

[Anonymous]

Hi---I'm the OP. Thanks to the PP for the positive insight on Gaithersburg HS. I currently live in downtown Silver Spring, and my daughter goes to an ES that is very diverse and has been a Title I school (high FARMS rate) for many years (the school is going to lose Title I status next year.) She receives an excellent education, and is not "held back" by the large population of low income and/or non-native English speakers. I agree that diversity is part of life and part of a good education. Lack of it equals an educational deficit, in my mind.

One of the main reasons I asked my original question is because it is very difficult to "tease out" why particular schools in the county have a bad rep. Yes, Gaithersburg HS has one of the lower average SAT scores of the HS in the county. Maybe it also has a large non-white, non-native English speaking population (I actually haven't checked the demographic stats, I'm just guessing.) But to me, this doesn't equal "bad school." To me, a "bad school" is one where the principal doesn't know how to manage, leading to poor teacher morale/training/support/whatever; where the administration doesn't handle behavior problems/bullying/crime effectively; where many of the teachers don't teach well/inspire students; where children are not challenged to their ability--wherever that ability is.

It's good to hear that Gaithersburg has a large selection of AP classes. In MoCo high schools, is there also "tracking" in non-AP classes? When I went to school, there were different levels of each subject taught: AP Biology, G&T Biology, Levels 1-7 Biology. Does something like this still exist? Or, if you're not in AP Biology, are you in a classroom with a wide range of abilities? I would think this might be a difficult environment for students on either end of the bell curve of ability.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP - I am the PP from earlier today. I agree that the administration at a school has a lot to do with the atmosphere at the school. In the past, GHS has had several turnovers in administration, either due to promotion, transfer, etc. The current principal, however, has been at the school for 4 years, and has made it clear that she does not intend to leave anytime soon. It is her goal to remain until the new school has been built and then some. She is a motivator and knows how to inspire, and it is evident that her priority is the students.

The demographics at GHS work out to be @ 1/3 white, 1/3 aa, 1/3 latino. While average test scores may look lower on paper, when you factor in ESOL and special ed (GHS also has an excellent special ed program) it tends to skew the numbers a bit. In addition to AP courses, there are also honors and on-level courses. Honors would be the equivilent of "GT". GHS also offers support to students in all classes, so everyone is encouraged to succeed.

I do not have any experience with Rockville or Magruder, and therefore could not give you an accurate comparison. I can tell you that Gaithersburg High School offers many positives and should not be counted as a negative in your search for a home. The students at GHS have a lot to be proud of. If you would like any other information on GHS, you should contact the PTSA president or the principal. The contact information can be found on the GHS website.