Ahh....sorry for the error. Reread the thread and initially thought the K teacher was in response to the question of why Flora was better than OTES (i.e., because OTES is losing a teacher).
Agree that you can't go wrong with either school. |
We are considering buying in the area--I had read that OTES was getting a cell phone tower and that makes me lean towards buying in bounds for Flora Singer. Did/will this actually happen? |
We really like Flora Singer. It's beautiful and the teachers and admin are great. We have two kids at FSES (and both went to OTES previously). We liked both schools but OTES was so incredibly overcrowded while we were there that it's hard to compare. The new school building is much nicer than OTES, of course, and we prefer the principal and asst principal so far. So no complaints! Both communities are wonderful. I hadn't heard about the cell tower. Much of FSES area is walking distance to metro (which may or may not matter to you). |
Flora Singer is amazing! The best staff an amazing administrators and a beautiful building. I prefer it to OT. |
Can anyone tell me more about the Flora Singer kindergarten classes -- how much is academic vs. play? How much recess and physical activity? I hear that kindergarten has changed and that children are expected to read and write that young. And that there isn't much recess or opportunity to move around.
We've got a boy who will be in Flora Singer next year as a very young 5 year old, and I'm a bit worried how he will fare in kindergarten. I think he is doing fine overall, but he's quite active and I'm not sure how well he'll fit into a very academic setting as a young 5 year old. |
This is highly inaccurate. I don't know if it ever got installed at Sligo Middle School, but that's why Oakland Terrace's name was brought into it. Because the Oakland Terrace kindergartners were housed at Sligo Middle School from 2010-2012: http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/02/cell-tower-for-silver-spring.html |
Sorry, should have added that the kindergartners are NOT housed at Sligo anymore as of Fall 2012. |
FSES will be no different than any other MCPS kindergarten. Recess is 30 minutes every day, PE for 45 minutes once a week. How young will he be? All the other children will be five years old too, so he's not going to be in an age-inappropriate setting. Five year olds are active and even when the focus is on academics, they don't make them sit at a desk all day. There is movement within the classroom (math centers, literacy centers, play centers, transition songs, etc) |
To respond to OPs question and the follow-up. We loved OTES and love FSES. It is wonderful. Mr. Heatwole's contact with the community in December after the tragedy in Newtown was outstanding. He is an effective and highly qualified school leader. The teachers I've come in contact with really love the kids. Really, really happy with the school and so does DD. Great program, great people, great community & great facility. |
+1 |
We are thrilled to be at Flora Singer. Agree with the positive reviews of Mr. Heatwole. School is extremely well run and all teachers we've encountered have been excellent. |
+1! To the above two posts!! |
My DD in 1st grade at Singer was offered the chance to miss school tomorrow to attend a special event with me that she'd normally really like to go to but she doesn't want to miss school. That speaks volumes to me. |
20:50 again - and it's from an enjoyment perspective, not a stress or pressure perspective. |
That's great to hear!! Any other happy FS parents? |