Elementary schools in Rock Creek Forest, Garrett Park Estates, and Kensington Parkwood

[Anonymous]

We are looking at houses in RCF, Garrett Park Estates, and Kensington Parkwood. We love RCF, but we're getting mixed messages about the elementary school, namely the English speaking program. Can anyone offer any feedback, positive or negative? We can see that there is an arts integration program at Kensington Parkwood, this is wonderful. We'd also appreciate any feedback on the schools in Garrett Park Estates. Is there anything special about this school that you can tell us? Any problems you can alert us to? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Garret Park Elementary is a wonderful neighborhood school. The principal is on her game. The new school looks fabulous. One issue of concern is class size, but even with classes on the larger side (more than 23-24), the teachers are great at classroom management and instruction. it has a very involved community as well.

[Anonymous]

Avoid RCF. The Spanish immersion program is great, but the "English academy" is not. The principal is big on big ideas with no follow through, and the staff turnover is insanely high. It's not a bad school, but if your other choices are GPES and KPES, those are much better places to be. I've heard especially good things about GPES and the neighborhood is one we'd love to live in (but can't afford!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid RCF. The Spanish immersion program is great, but the "English academy" is not. The principal is big on big ideas with no follow through, and the staff turnover is insanely high. It's not a bad school, but if your other choices are GPES and KPES, those are much better places to be. I've heard especially good things about GPES and the neighborhood is one we'd love to live in (but can't afford!)

How are you knowledgable about both immersion and neighborhood schools? Staff turnover is insanely high where, on the "English academy" side? I disagree with that remark, you'll need to tell me how you figure that. One teacher from the English side left last year, but he'd been there some time and had a good opportunity to pursue. He didn't leave because he was unhappy. Lots of RCFES teachers have been there for a long time, 10+ years. What are the principal's big ideas that he didn't follow through on? And just how do you know so much about KPES and GPES in comparison?

[Anonymous]

We have a 3rd grader on the english side of RCF and have been very happy. Her teachers have been great and we like the school community. It is massively overcrowded, but they are knocking it down and building a new (state of the art) school in a couple of years. Our only issue is the stress on standardized testing, but I think that is throughout the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid RCF. The Spanish immersion program is great, but the "English academy" is not. The principal is big on big ideas with no follow through, and the staff turnover is insanely high. It's not a bad school, but if your other choices are GPES and KPES, those are much better places to be. I've heard especially good things about GPES and the neighborhood is one we'd love to live in (but can't afford!)

How are you knowledgable about both immersion and neighborhood schools? Staff turnover is insanely high where, on the "English academy" side? I disagree with that remark, you'll need to tell me how you figure that. One teacher from the English side left last year, but he'd been there some time and had a good opportunity to pursue. He didn't leave because he was unhappy. Lots of RCFES teachers have been there for a long time, 10+ years. What are the principal's big ideas that he didn't follow through on? And just how do you know so much about KPES and GPES in comparison?

Not the PP, but this made me laugh because I have to ask... are you the principal???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avoid RCF. The Spanish immersion program is great, but the "English academy" is not. The principal is big on big ideas with no follow through, and the staff turnover is insanely high. It's not a bad school, but if your other choices are GPES and KPES, those are much better places to be. I've heard especially good things about GPES and the neighborhood is one we'd love to live in (but can't afford!)

How are you knowledgable about both immersion and neighborhood schools? Staff turnover is insanely high where, on the "English academy" side? I disagree with that remark, you'll need to tell me how you figure that. One teacher from the English side left last year, but he'd been there some time and had a good opportunity to pursue. He didn't leave because he was unhappy. Lots of RCFES teachers have been there for a long time, 10+ years. What are the principal's big ideas that he didn't follow through on? And just how do you know so much about KPES and GPES in comparison?

Not the PP, but this made me laugh because I have to ask... are you the principal???

No, I'm not the principal. Parents know the teachers too. We know who stays and who goes. The pp's statements on staff turnover are false so I'm calling her out on her spreading of disinformation. And I'm genuinely curious about what big ideas the principal has, somebody fill me in.

[Anonymous]

RCF parent here. A couple of teachers have left -- certainly not high turnover as far as I can tell.