Piney Branch Elementary—do you like it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. NP here.

My child was in her class last year (yes she was at the school last year). I agree with a lot of what has said. My child found her engaging and enthusiastic, but she also had favorites and didn’t treat the children fairly. There were some interesting projects but agree re excessive volume. It was a hard year. glad my daughter had a better experience this year with a different teacher.

No experience with spelling groups. There were no spelling tests all year.

Weird my neighbor's kid was also in that 4th grade CES. Since their older child had her a few years before with mine, I'd asked if they had enjoyed her class, but they told me she had left. Anyway, she was definitely tough, and the 5th-grade teacher who retired was a lot easier. Nevertheless, she seemed fairer than the 5th-grade teacher, who favored girl students over boys.

PP here. I don’t know what to say - she was there last year and my daughter was in her 4th grade class. if your neighbor’s child was in 4th grade CES they were in the same class.

I'll ask again next time I see them but they're the ones who told me she left.

[Anonymous]

Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. NP here.

My child was in her class last year (yes she was at the school last year). I agree with a lot of what has said. My child found her engaging and enthusiastic, but she also had favorites and didn’t treat the children fairly. There were some interesting projects but agree re excessive volume. It was a hard year. glad my daughter had a better experience this year with a different teacher.

No experience with spelling groups. There were no spelling tests all year.

Weird my neighbor's kid was also in that 4th grade CES. Since their older child had her a few years before with mine, I'd asked if they had enjoyed her class, but they told me she had left. Anyway, she was definitely tough, and the 5th-grade teacher who retired was a lot easier. Nevertheless, she seemed fairer than the 5th-grade teacher, who favored girl students over boys.

PP here. I don’t know what to say - she was there last year and my daughter was in her 4th grade class. if your neighbor’s child was in 4th grade CES they were in the same class.

I'll ask again next time I see them but they're the ones who told me she left.

She did leave. , but after she taught 4th grade for the 2021-2022 year. She was on maternity leave for a few months in spring but came back at the end -maybe that’s the source of the confusion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP. It depended on what group your child was placed in. Agree - count yourself lucky.

Please stop repeating this myth over and over. Kids were in separate spelling groups according to ability based on a spelling test, yes. But the reading groups were up to the kids - they choose what books to read from several choices. And those group were constantly changing based on what book the kid chose. There were not two separate groups - unless you are saying the teacher had a group of favorites, but they were not assigned different work - except for levels of spelling words. Or when the kids got to choose which type of project to do - or how involved to get in the project. At least we never saw that in the two years we experienced with the 4th grade teacher with two different kids.

Yes, you are correct. This poster is stretching the truth or is delusional. Both my kids had her. Sure, she was tough but not anything like what they're describing.

Two groups in the same class. One group had "Thursday" and "apple" on their spelling exam when the other group had "tetrarchy" but were graded on the same grading rubric?

But if you were someone who signed off on the paperwork or a parent who's kid benefitted from that, I can see why you would try to defend it?

I've posted this before but my kid was in the lower spelling group. I thought the words were easy. I asked to move him to the higher group. She moved him. Zero issues. Maybe you're overthinking it?

Same with us, but I couldn't even tell there was a difference between the groups. DC wanted to switch to be with their friends and the teacher said it was fine.

Which book?

You must not have a kid, @PBES. The groups were for spelling words. It wasn't a big deal.

About books, my kids read approximately a book a month in CES. Kids could choose 1 of 3-4 books each month; these choices were set by the CES curriculum used by every center. It had nothing to do with spelling groups. That poster just forgot to take their meds again.

Now I know you're you're not a PBES parent or teacher.

I don't know why MCPS CO staff and BOE members get on this post and pretend to be parents? It's very strange.

The poster obsessed with the teacher that left years ago could be a parent but definitely has mental health issues.

The poster who keeps lying (why?) about when a teacher left even though it’s verifiably true that it was last year clearly has mental health issues and compulsive lying tendencies on a par with Trump.

There are several other posters with multiple but different concerns. All of whom know that the teacher was there last year and wonder why there are so many weird posts on this thread,

It seems to be just one poster obsessed with the CES teacher that left a few years ago. They seem unhinged and would be well served by seeking therapy.

I’ve posted several times. I’m not the poster who complains about reading groups and spelling (which I’ve seen before on DCUM but didn’t jive with my kids experience). I’m not the poster/s who shared many of the complaints. There are multiple posters.

I’m beginning to think that there is just one person saying the opposite (she’s tough but “my child grew tremendously”, parents didn’t want homework, she left years ago (untrue for the record), was promoted, CES is the same curriculum etc) again and again, posting the same things using the same language for pages.

Talk about obsessive! You won’t let it drop!

I mean how obsessive can you be to keep insisting a teacher left “years ago” when that’s a bold faced lie. I’m not even sure why that is even important and have no clue why you are lying and continuing to do so.

I'm new to this thread too. I get the impression it's just one disgruntled parent who is obsessed with a teacher because they had high expectations from their students.

lol. DP. No hun, not just one. And no hun, the n*ts and sl*ts defense won't cut it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP. It depended on what group your child was placed in. Agree - count yourself lucky.

Please stop repeating this myth over and over. Kids were in separate spelling groups according to ability based on a spelling test, yes. But the reading groups were up to the kids - they choose what books to read from several choices. And those group were constantly changing based on what book the kid chose. There were not two separate groups - unless you are saying the teacher had a group of favorites, but they were not assigned different work - except for levels of spelling words. Or when the kids got to choose which type of project to do - or how involved to get in the project. At least we never saw that in the two years we experienced with the 4th grade teacher with two different kids.

Yes, you are correct. This poster is stretching the truth or is delusional. Both my kids had her. Sure, she was tough but not anything like what they're describing.

Two groups in the same class. One group had "Thursday" and "apple" on their spelling exam when the other group had "tetrarchy" but were graded on the same grading rubric?

But if you were someone who signed off on the paperwork or a parent who's kid benefitted from that, I can see why you would try to defend it?

I've posted this before but my kid was in the lower spelling group. I thought the words were easy. I asked to move him to the higher group. She moved him. Zero issues. Maybe you're overthinking it?

Same with us, but I couldn't even tell there was a difference between the groups. DC wanted to switch to be with their friends and the teacher said it was fine.

Which book?

You must not have a kid, @PBES. The groups were for spelling words. It wasn't a big deal.

About books, my kids read approximately a book a month in CES. Kids could choose 1 of 3-4 books each month; these choices were set by the CES curriculum used by every center. It had nothing to do with spelling groups. That poster just forgot to take their meds again.

Now I know you're you're not a PBES parent or teacher.

I don't know why MCPS CO staff and BOE members get on this post and pretend to be parents? It's very strange.

The poster obsessed with the teacher that left years ago could be a parent but definitely has mental health issues.

The poster who keeps lying (why?) about when a teacher left even though it’s verifiably true that it was last year clearly has mental health issues and compulsive lying tendencies on a par with Trump.

There are several other posters with multiple but different concerns. All of whom know that the teacher was there last year and wonder why there are so many weird posts on this thread,

It seems to be just one poster obsessed with the CES teacher that left a few years ago. They seem unhinged and would be well served by seeking therapy.

I’ve posted several times. I’m not the poster who complains about reading groups and spelling (which I’ve seen before on DCUM but didn’t jive with my kids experience). I’m not the poster/s who shared many of the complaints. There are multiple posters.

I’m beginning to think that there is just one person saying the opposite (she’s tough but “my child grew tremendously”, parents didn’t want homework, she left years ago (untrue for the record), was promoted, CES is the same curriculum etc) again and again, posting the same things using the same language for pages.

Talk about obsessive! You won’t let it drop!

I mean how obsessive can you be to keep insisting a teacher left “years ago” when that’s a bold faced lie. I’m not even sure why that is even important and have no clue why you are lying and continuing to do so.

I'm new to this thread too. I get the impression it's just one disgruntled parent who is obsessed with a teacher because they had high expectations from their students.

Obviously

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

The unhealthy obsession is with claiming that a teacher who was still at the school this time last year “left years ago”. Why are you obsessively lying? You keep saying the same thing again and again. There have been FOUR pages of discussion of you lying about when she left (the conversation has been on nothing but that topic for pages and pages). Why? Multiple people have confirmed you are wrong and yet you just can’t let it drop. You keep lying again and again. What’s wrong with you? Why is it in your interest to lie about this? I hate to say it but it does sound unstable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP. It depended on what group your child was placed in. Agree - count yourself lucky.

Please stop repeating this myth over and over. Kids were in separate spelling groups according to ability based on a spelling test, yes. But the reading groups were up to the kids - they choose what books to read from several choices. And those group were constantly changing based on what book the kid chose. There were not two separate groups - unless you are saying the teacher had a group of favorites, but they were not assigned different work - except for levels of spelling words. Or when the kids got to choose which type of project to do - or how involved to get in the project. At least we never saw that in the two years we experienced with the 4th grade teacher with two different kids.

Yes, you are correct. This poster is stretching the truth or is delusional. Both my kids had her. Sure, she was tough but not anything like what they're describing.

Two groups in the same class. One group had "Thursday" and "apple" on their spelling exam when the other group had "tetrarchy" but were graded on the same grading rubric?

But if you were someone who signed off on the paperwork or a parent who's kid benefitted from that, I can see why you would try to defend it?

I've posted this before but my kid was in the lower spelling group. I thought the words were easy. I asked to move him to the higher group. She moved him. Zero issues. Maybe you're overthinking it?

Same with us, but I couldn't even tell there was a difference between the groups. DC wanted to switch to be with their friends and the teacher said it was fine.

Which book?

You must not have a kid, @PBES. The groups were for spelling words. It wasn't a big deal.

About books, my kids read approximately a book a month in CES. Kids could choose 1 of 3-4 books each month; these choices were set by the CES curriculum used by every center. It had nothing to do with spelling groups. That poster just forgot to take their meds again.

Now I know you're you're not a PBES parent or teacher.

I don't know why MCPS CO staff and BOE members get on this post and pretend to be parents? It's very strange.

The poster obsessed with the teacher that left years ago could be a parent but definitely has mental health issues.

The poster who keeps lying (why?) about when a teacher left even though it’s verifiably true that it was last year clearly has mental health issues and compulsive lying tendencies on a par with Trump.

There are several other posters with multiple but different concerns. All of whom know that the teacher was there last year and wonder why there are so many weird posts on this thread,

It seems to be just one poster obsessed with the CES teacher that left a few years ago. They seem unhinged and would be well served by seeking therapy.

I’ve posted several times. I’m not the poster who complains about reading groups and spelling (which I’ve seen before on DCUM but didn’t jive with my kids experience). I’m not the poster/s who shared many of the complaints. There are multiple posters.

I’m beginning to think that there is just one person saying the opposite (she’s tough but “my child grew tremendously”, parents didn’t want homework, she left years ago (untrue for the record), was promoted, CES is the same curriculum etc) again and again, posting the same things using the same language for pages.

Talk about obsessive! You won’t let it drop!

I mean how obsessive can you be to keep insisting a teacher left “years ago” when that’s a bold faced lie. I’m not even sure why that is even important and have no clue why you are lying and continuing to do so.

I'm new to this thread too. I get the impression it's just one disgruntled parent who is obsessed with a teacher because they had high expectations from their students.

Obviously

Sock puppet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

The unhealthy obsession is with claiming that a teacher who was still at the school this time last year “left years ago”. Why are you obsessively lying? You keep saying the same thing again and again. There have been FOUR pages of discussion of you lying about when she left (the conversation has been on nothing but that topic for pages and pages). Why? Multiple people have confirmed you are wrong and yet you just can’t let it drop. You keep lying again and again. What’s wrong with you? Why is it in your interest to lie about this? I hate to say it but it does sound unstable.

Agree. Weird

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

The unhealthy obsession is with claiming that a teacher who was still at the school this time last year “left years ago”. Why are you obsessively lying? You keep saying the same thing again and again. There have been FOUR pages of discussion of you lying about when she left (the conversation has been on nothing but that topic for pages and pages). Why? Multiple people have confirmed you are wrong and yet you just can’t let it drop. You keep lying again and again. What’s wrong with you? Why is it in your interest to lie about this? I hate to say it but it does sound unstable.

Sure, you're claiming this but several others aren't so sure. You may want to check your facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

The unhealthy obsession is with claiming that a teacher who was still at the school this time last year “left years ago”. Why are you obsessively lying? You keep saying the same thing again and again. There have been FOUR pages of discussion of you lying about when she left (the conversation has been on nothing but that topic for pages and pages). Why? Multiple people have confirmed you are wrong and yet you just can’t let it drop. You keep lying again and again. What’s wrong with you? Why is it in your interest to lie about this? I hate to say it but it does sound unstable.

Agree. Weird

and more sock puppetry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

The unhealthy obsession is with claiming that a teacher who was still at the school this time last year “left years ago”. Why are you obsessively lying? You keep saying the same thing again and again. There have been FOUR pages of discussion of you lying about when she left (the conversation has been on nothing but that topic for pages and pages). Why? Multiple people have confirmed you are wrong and yet you just can’t let it drop. You keep lying again and again. What’s wrong with you? Why is it in your interest to lie about this? I hate to say it but it does sound unstable.

Sure, you're claiming this but several others aren't so sure. You may want to check your facts.

There’s just one person who is claiming otherwise abs it is inexplicable. There has to be only 1 because there’s no explanation for multiple people being wrong. I don’t need to check my facts because I personally know who taught my child last year and what grade she was in at the time. Other posters have said the same thing over and over she taught at PBES s as recently as last year.

[Anonymous]

Umm guys? It’s OP. Can someone just tell me if the school has a nice community? Are there cool extracurriculars for the kiddos? Aftercare options? Events like movie nights, fun fairs, etc? Sounds like this teacher is gone?

But like…do they ever bust out a bounce house and slushies? I just want a place my kids are happy, can find interesting things to do, and be reasonably challenged. Every school has some weird stuff baked in, but just overall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every poster that uses "mental health issues" as some kind of insult is a POS. Stop doing that, please. It's so offensive and yet inexplicably accepted as normal on these boards.

Perhaps, but that poster has an unhealthy obsession with a teacher that left the school years ago, and they would genuinely benefit from therapy.

You don't know this person. You are not remotely in any position to say that they would benefit from therapy. You are using the idea of "needing therapy" as an insult and strategy for discrediting people, which is disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Umm guys? It’s OP. Can someone just tell me if the school has a nice community? Are there cool extracurriculars for the kiddos? Aftercare options? Events like movie nights, fun fairs, etc? Sounds like this teacher is gone?

But like…do they ever bust out a bounce house and slushies? I just want a place my kids are happy, can find interesting things to do, and be reasonably challenged. Every school has some weird stuff baked in, but just overall.

I think this post, and other like it, say a lot. Notice that in a school of 500+ kids any posts are dominated by parents who are concerned about a cohort of 30 in a particular gifted program. If your kid is lucky enough together into that you'll likely be happy because the education is good and the cohort remains continuous through 5th. The rest is a mixed bag. They do field day. They have aftercare. They are extracurriculars and they are good but the fill up because the school is large. I wouldn't say anything is super special. Move nights and fun fairs? I don't recall that. 1/3 of the classrooms are windowless. This wasn't an issue for us because our 3rd grade teacher, who we loved, made the most of it and put up lights and it was cozy. Some people hate it.