Ritchie Park Elementary ?

[Anonymous]

I've never had an issue with the principal. She knows every child by name and was very responsive when my child had an issue at school.

This is our 4th year there, and while we had one year with a bad teacher (absolutely no classroom management, displayed emails from parents up on the promethium board as she was reviewing them so kids in the class could read them), there are many other excellent teachers there. My biggest problem with the school is the overcrowding which will be alleviated next year.

The PTA is getting better. 2 years ago they appointed a treasurer who didn't know how to read a balance sheet, and he put the PTA in the red. They literally had to collect cash in buckets at the talent show to get out of the hole. It seems in better shape now. I'm happy to see a working mom as pta president this year -- the clique of SAH mom volunteers has caused some issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School has improved tremendously over the last several years. Administration is better and improving. Parental involvement has dramatically increased. We are in zone with a child attending RPES. I would rate this school as very good now, whereas 3 years ago, I would have said it is inconsistent.

Parent involvement increased? Um, no. Every year they try but it just never happens. The moms/dads that do the bulk of the work get burned out easily.

They are getting some better teachers, I will give them that. Principal still needs to go. And like another poster said the para-educators (besides the one awesome one) are just terrible. They got a new AP that speaks Spanish because the RP population is getting super high in ESOL and FARMS compared to 10 years ago. I guarantee that AP will be leaving next year to be principal to the new school on Hungerford which will be high in Spanish/ESOL. IF the school is actually ready by then.

Looks like 20:49 was correct! Cranky McCrankypants has made an appearance! We've been waiting for you, and you haven't disappointed in your crankiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've been really happy with RPES. It's not perfect, but no school is around here. Been happy with the majority of DD's teachers. There is a person on this board that is a relentless, irrational hater of the school and will probably show up soon to dump on it. Ignore them.

I find it interesting that you think someone is an "irrational hater." It could not be that they just don't like the school or had issues with the school? It is that your right and they are wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School has improved tremendously over the last several years. Administration is better and improving. Parental involvement has dramatically increased. We are in zone with a child attending RPES. I would rate this school as very good now, whereas 3 years ago, I would have said it is inconsistent.

Parent involvement increased? Um, no. Every year they try but it just never happens. The moms/dads that do the bulk of the work get burned out easily.

They are getting some better teachers, I will give them that. Principal still needs to go. And like another poster said the para-educators (besides the one awesome one) are just terrible. They got a new AP that speaks Spanish because the RP population is getting super high in ESOL and FARMS compared to 10 years ago. I guarantee that AP will be leaving next year to be principal to the new school on Hungerford which will be high in Spanish/ESOL. IF the school is actually ready by then.

Um, no. We got a new AP this year because the old AP chose to go to Twinbrook to get more experience working with a different student population as she is working towards becoming a Principal in MCPS instead of assistant principal (if anyone is angling to become principal at RM ES #5, it's her). The new AP went to Principal training (I know that's not the official title - but whatever they call the training for principals) with the RPES principal years ago and has no desire to be principal of a school - she has been Assistant Principal at several schools prior to Ritchie Park, and the plan is for her to stay on for a while.

If you'd attended the June PTA meeting, you would have heard this info directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School has improved tremendously over the last several years. Administration is better and improving. Parental involvement has dramatically increased. We are in zone with a child attending RPES. I would rate this school as very good now, whereas 3 years ago, I would have said it is inconsistent.

Parent involvement increased? Um, no. Every year they try but it just never happens. The moms/dads that do the bulk of the work get burned out easily.

They are getting some better teachers, I will give them that. Principal still needs to go. And like another poster said the para-educators (besides the one awesome one) are just terrible. They got a new AP that speaks Spanish because the RP population is getting super high in ESOL and FARMS compared to 10 years ago. I guarantee that AP will be leaving next year to be principal to the new school on Hungerford which will be high in Spanish/ESOL. IF the school is actually ready by then.

?

Are you referring to Richard Montgomery ES #5? Is MCPS planning for the school to be dual-immersion English-Spanish?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/rmes.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School has improved tremendously over the last several years. Administration is better and improving. Parental involvement has dramatically increased. We are in zone with a child attending RPES. I would rate this school as very good now, whereas 3 years ago, I would have said it is inconsistent.

Parent involvement increased? Um, no. Every year they try but it just never happens. The moms/dads that do the bulk of the work get burned out easily.

They are getting some better teachers, I will give them that. Principal still needs to go. And like another poster said the para-educators (besides the one awesome one) are just terrible. They got a new AP that speaks Spanish because the RP population is getting super high in ESOL and FARMS compared to 10 years ago. I guarantee that AP will be leaving next year to be principal to the new school on Hungerford which will be high in Spanish/ESOL. IF the school is actually ready by then.

?

Are you referring to Richard Montgomery ES #5? Is MCPS planning for the school to be dual-immersion English-Spanish?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/rmes.aspx

Not PP.... but the school will likely host the Chinese Immersion program. Having administrative staff that speaks Spanish would be a benefit because the school will also have a high number of Spanish-speaking students, as PP said

[Anonymous]

How high is a "high number"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How high is a "high number"?

DP.. it's certainly relative, but if you look at all the other ESs in the cluster, RMES#5 will probably have a higher number of ESOL spanish speakers relative to the other ESs except for Twinbrook.

[Anonymous]

Why do you lie, PP, about ESOL. That is just not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How high is a "high number"?

RM #5 will have about 40% ESOL.
Twinbrook has 52% ESOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School has improved tremendously over the last several years. Administration is better and improving. Parental involvement has dramatically increased. We are in zone with a child attending RPES. I would rate this school as very good now, whereas 3 years ago, I would have said it is inconsistent.

Parent involvement increased? Um, no. Every year they try but it just never happens. The moms/dads that do the bulk of the work get burned out easily.

They are getting some better teachers, I will give them that. Principal still needs to go. And like another poster said the para-educators (besides the one awesome one) are just terrible. They got a new AP that speaks Spanish because the RP population is getting super high in ESOL and FARMS compared to 10 years ago. I guarantee that AP will be leaving next year to be principal to the new school on Hungerford which will be high in Spanish/ESOL. IF the school is actually ready by then.

Um, no. We got a new AP this year because the old AP chose to go to Twinbrook to get more experience working with a different student population as she is working towards becoming a Principal in MCPS instead of assistant principal (if anyone is angling to become principal at RM ES #5, it's her). The new AP went to Principal training (I know that's not the official title - but whatever they call the training for principals) with the RPES principal years ago and has no desire to be principal of a school - she has been Assistant Principal at several schools prior to Ritchie Park, and the plan is for her to stay on for a while.

If you'd attended the June PTA meeting, you would have heard this info directly.

I don't need to go to a PTA meeting to know why they brought in a Spanish speaking AP. Are you actually denying the fact that RPES Spanish and FARMS population has skyrocketed the last decade?

The former AP will only be in her 2nd year as an AP so you can count her out for P of #5

All the AP's and many teachers plan on staying awhile at RPES but the turnover the past 5 years has been harsh. I wonder why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't need to go to a PTA meeting to know why they brought in a Spanish speaking AP. Are you actually denying the fact that RPES Spanish and FARMS population has skyrocketed the last decade?

The former AP will only be in her 2nd year as an AP so you can count her out for P of #5

All the AP's and many teachers plan on staying awhile at RPES but the turnover the past 5 years has been harsh. I wonder why?

ESOL has skyrocketed to 12.0%? Skyrocketed?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/02227.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't need to go to a PTA meeting to know why they brought in a Spanish speaking AP. Are you actually denying the fact that RPES Spanish and FARMS population has skyrocketed the last decade?

The former AP will only be in her 2nd year as an AP so you can count her out for P of #5

All the AP's and many teachers plan on staying awhile at RPES but the turnover the past 5 years has been harsh. I wonder why?

ESOL has skyrocketed to 12.0%? Skyrocketed?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/02227.pdf

And ten years ago it was 14%

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/fy2007/schools/02227.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't need to go to a PTA meeting to know why they brought in a Spanish speaking AP. Are you actually denying the fact that RPES Spanish and FARMS population has skyrocketed the last decade?

The former AP will only be in her 2nd year as an AP so you can count her out for P of #5

All the AP's and many teachers plan on staying awhile at RPES but the turnover the past 5 years has been harsh. I wonder why?

ESOL has skyrocketed to 12.0%? Skyrocketed?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/02227.pdf

And ten years ago it was 14%

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/fy2007/schools/02227.pdf

Stupid pesky facts, getting in the way of what I know to be true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't need to go to a PTA meeting to know why they brought in a Spanish speaking AP. Are you actually denying the fact that RPES Spanish and FARMS population has skyrocketed the last decade?

The former AP will only be in her 2nd year as an AP so you can count her out for P of #5

All the AP's and many teachers plan on staying awhile at RPES but the turnover the past 5 years has been harsh. I wonder why?

ESOL has skyrocketed to 12.0%? Skyrocketed?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/02227.pdf

And ten years ago it was 14%

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/fy2007/schools/02227.pdf

Wow, and it grew by over 100 kids. I don't think this area has *that* much development in the past 10 yrs, has it? Is it just older couples moving out and young families moving in?