Norwood, Holton or WES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Holton is a fantastic school. Nurturing while at the same time providing opportunities for the girls to push themselves. Academically strong. Wide range of specials, athletics, etc. All around great shool.

Agree, it is the best middle school in MoCo for girls.
The HS is also very good, but Whitman and Churchill can offer the same challenge.
The LS has had way too many complaints from parents for me to recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Holton is a fantastic school. Nurturing while at the same time providing opportunities for the girls to push themselves. Academically strong. Wide range of specials, athletics, etc. All around great shool.

Agree, it is the best middle school in MoCo for girls.
The HS is also very good, but Whitman and Churchill can offer the same challenge.
The LS has had way too many complaints from parents for me to recommend it.

What's wrong with the lower school? We've heard good things from the parents we know with girls a couple of years into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Holton is a fantastic school. Nurturing while at the same time providing opportunities for the girls to push themselves. Academically strong. Wide range of specials, athletics, etc. All around great shool.

Agree, it is the best middle school in MoCo for girls.
The HS is also very good, but Whitman and Churchill can offer the same challenge.
The LS has had way too many complaints from parents for me to recommend it.

What's wrong with the lower school? We've heard good things from the parents we know with girls a couple of years into it.

It is not bad per se, but many parents who put their kids through the whole school say that they wished they started in MS which is when we plan to look at it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Things at Norwood are not going in the same direction (and I doubt things at WES are as bad as some posters make them). In fact, things at Norwood are going in a very positive direction, with the appointment of two highly regarded lower school and middle school heads. Unless you have knowledge of the school, please do not spread falsehoods.

The same level of enthusiasm was there when that former lower head took over...she did smile a lot and not much else.
There has been a reshuffling and some of those who departed are talking. They seem to have the same thing to say. It seems that there is strict control over everyone. Teachers are asked to consult with higher ups on everything. Keeping parents happy is most important, even if that means telling them whatever.

I'm a Norwood parent, and I find the exact opposite true of Norwood. The teachers do what they want, the Administration shrugs their shoulders and says the can't make the teachers do what they are supposed to do. Kids do not receive the accommodations that the school has approved for them. Poor teaching is acknowledged, but the teachers recognized as problematic keep their jobs. Curricular deficiencies drag on unaddressed, year after year. Flat out nastiness towards kids is apologized for my the Administration, but not stopped. And then there is small stuff, like teachers refusing to comply with school policies, like posting all assignments on line. I hope the new principals understand that they are supposed to be in charge.

[Anonymous]

pp, the Norwood teachers do what they want wrt teaching, but when it comes to talking to parents there is a script that they have to follow. Dare they confront a parent about a badly behaved child, they will get into trouble. Yes, many are lazy and will not leave those jobs because they know that if they could get hired elsewhere, they would be asked to work. The teachers who admin. like and those who parents want are two different sets. Admin likes the sweet, PC type. Concerned parents want the task masters who can also teach (rare).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a Norwood parent, and I find the exact opposite true of Norwood. The teachers do what they want, the Administration shrugs their shoulders and says the can't make the teachers do what they are supposed to do. Kids do not receive the accommodations that the school has approved for them. Poor teaching is acknowledged, but the teachers recognized as problematic keep their jobs. Curricular deficiencies drag on unaddressed, year after year. Flat out nastiness towards kids is apologized for my the Administration, but not stopped. And then there is small stuff, like teachers refusing to comply with school policies, like posting all assignments on line. I hope the new principals understand that they are supposed to be in charge.

yup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a Norwood parent, and I find the exact opposite true of Norwood. The teachers do what they want, the Administration shrugs their shoulders and says the can't make the teachers do what they are supposed to do. Kids do not receive the accommodations that the school has approved for them. Poor teaching is acknowledged, but the teachers recognized as problematic keep their jobs. Curricular deficiencies drag on unaddressed, year after year. Flat out nastiness towards kids is apologized for my the Administration, but not stopped. And then there is small stuff, like teachers refusing to comply with school policies, like posting all assignments on line. I hope the new principals understand that they are supposed to be in charge.

yup

Why on earth would you stay then? Does not make sense if as you claim curriculum deficiencies drag on unaddressed.

[Anonymous]

Can you stop quoting everything above? Makes the thread very awkward to follow, as in the above.

[Anonymous]

Norwood changed the MS math curriculum, I understand. What did they do, and toward what end? I thought it was for more differentiation, but now I've also heard it was to make it hard to differentiate skill levels within a class.

[Anonymous]

Norwood changed the MS math curriculum, I understand. What did they do, and toward what end? I thought it was for more differentiation, but now I've also heard it was to make it hard to differentiate skill levels within a class.

[Anonymous]

Parents complained about math for 10 years. They talked about changing math for two years, they made some kind of pathetic attempt last year and this year they will finally have a new textbook. Don't hold your breath though. That might be what pp is referring to with things dragging on.
The differentiation at that school goes way too far, and it is silly. The kids in the highest groups are still poorly taught and sometimes useless info is emphasized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a Norwood parent, and I find the exact opposite true of Norwood. The teachers do what they want, the Administration shrugs their shoulders and says the can't make the teachers do what they are supposed to do. Kids do not receive the accommodations that the school has approved for them. Poor teaching is acknowledged, but the teachers recognized as problematic keep their jobs. Curricular deficiencies drag on unaddressed, year after year. Flat out nastiness towards kids is apologized for my the Administration, but not stopped. And then there is small stuff, like teachers refusing to comply with school policies, like posting all assignments on line. I hope the new principals understand that they are supposed to be in charge.

yup

Why on earth would you stay then? Does not make sense if as you claim curriculum deficiencies drag on unaddressed.

Families have tried to get into other private schools. Because Norwood has a "strong sibling policy" the family might have all their kids there, it can be hard to get say three kids in at a new school. They would have to think about some in single sex schools or more religious schools in MC. There are few other choices. Then there is DC but that is too far for some who live in MD, and those schools are unlikely to accommodate a whole family. Some do jump though, they quietly run off to Holton, Landon, some to DC privates, and some get fed up and go public.

[Anonymous]

And many stay. Hope you left though. I wouldn't pay the tuition if I were as unhappy as you seem to be.

[Anonymous]

And many stay. Hope you left though. I wouldn't pay the tuition if I were as unhappy as you seem to be.

[Anonymous]

OP, to answer your question:
MCPS K-4
Holton 5-8
MCPS 9-12