Any Baltimore parents? Roland Park Elem?

[Anonymous]

One of the many things I love about baltimore (over dC) is that people don't bash your choices if you make one different than their own. People here are lovely. There are great schools (public and private) and great old houses (in the county and in the city) where we have fun parties. Love charm city!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband's been doing the commute for years, as have many other parents at the privates we're in/have been in. Sit in the quiet car and get work done. Not a big deal.

My husband thinks my hour+ one-way commute is no big deal too and it's because he isn't doing it, never has, and he won't move.

[Anonymous]

Bumping -- any recent takes on RPEMS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping -- any recent takes on RPEMS?

Still a good school but if you’re kid doesn’t get into the Ingenuity program in MS, look for a private school.

[Anonymous]

We’ve done privates but I have many friends and neighbors with kids at RPEMS. There’s a strong neighborhood feeling - you’ll see lots of families walking in the mornings and after school. Also, with the neighborhood swimming pool (at Friends) uou’ll Know everyone quickly. Class sizes are big - over 39- but if your kid can handle that it’s fine. For middle school, not at all true that you have to do ingenuity. Advanced academics (you’ll see if referred to as “AA”) is strong as well - takes the next level of kid. And honestly ingenuity is a grind, even in MS- lots and lots of homework. Ingenuity at Poly for HS has always been a strong draw, but plenty of kids from AA who live in RP, Homeland, and Mt Washington happily turn down privates for City. And BSA is amazing as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve done privates but I have many friends and neighbors with kids at RPEMS. There’s a strong neighborhood feeling - you’ll see lots of families walking in the mornings and after school. Also, with the neighborhood swimming pool (at Friends) uou’ll Know everyone quickly. Class sizes are big - over 39- but if your kid can handle that it’s fine. For middle school, not at all true that you have to do ingenuity. Advanced academics (you’ll see if referred to as “AA”) is strong as well - takes the next level of kid. And honestly ingenuity is a grind, even in MS- lots and lots of homework. Ingenuity at Poly for HS has always been a strong draw, but plenty of kids from AA who live in RP, Homeland, and Mt Washington happily turn down privates for City. And BSA is amazing as well.

You mean 29?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve done privates but I have many friends and neighbors with kids at RPEMS. There’s a strong neighborhood feeling - you’ll see lots of families walking in the mornings and after school. Also, with the neighborhood swimming pool (at Friends) uou’ll Know everyone quickly. Class sizes are big - over 39- but if your kid can handle that it’s fine. For middle school, not at all true that you have to do ingenuity. Advanced academics (you’ll see if referred to as “AA”) is strong as well - takes the next level of kid. And honestly ingenuity is a grind, even in MS- lots and lots of homework. Ingenuity at Poly for HS has always been a strong draw, but plenty of kids from AA who live in RP, Homeland, and Mt Washington happily turn down privates for City. And BSA is amazing as well.

How much homework?

[Anonymous]

OP as a side note, I was looking at real estate in Baltimore recently and picked out Roland Park specifically because of the proximity to the Friends school and the fact that the neighborhood looked nice. So there's always that as an alternative school thru 12th and the class sizes are tiny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve done privates but I have many friends and neighbors with kids at RPEMS. There’s a strong neighborhood feeling - you’ll see lots of families walking in the mornings and after school. Also, with the neighborhood swimming pool (at Friends) uou’ll Know everyone quickly. Class sizes are big - over 39- but if your kid can handle that it’s fine. For middle school, not at all true that you have to do ingenuity. Advanced academics (you’ll see if referred to as “AA”) is strong as well - takes the next level of kid. And honestly ingenuity is a grind, even in MS- lots and lots of homework. Ingenuity at Poly for HS has always been a strong draw, but plenty of kids from AA who live in RP, Homeland, and Mt Washington happily turn down privates for City. And BSA is amazing as well.

What's the difference between Ingenuity and AA? I thought the Ingenuity kids take humanities classes with the AA ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve done privates but I have many friends and neighbors with kids at RPEMS. There’s a strong neighborhood feeling - you’ll see lots of families walking in the mornings and after school. Also, with the neighborhood swimming pool (at Friends) uou’ll Know everyone quickly. Class sizes are big - over 39- but if your kid can handle that it’s fine. For middle school, not at all true that you have to do ingenuity. Advanced academics (you’ll see if referred to as “AA”) is strong as well - takes the next level of kid. And honestly ingenuity is a grind, even in MS- lots and lots of homework. Ingenuity at Poly for HS has always been a strong draw, but plenty of kids from AA who live in RP, Homeland, and Mt Washington happily turn down privates for City. And BSA is amazing as well.

What's the difference between Ingenuity and AA? I thought the Ingenuity kids take humanities classes with the AA ones.

Bump — anyone know?

[Anonymous]

I have a child in AA at RPEM middle school right now. 8th grade. She's virtual still but went there since 6th grade. She went to a charter school for elementary school. It's a good middle school in the AA program. The general program is 'okay'. Lots of kids in my daughter's class are off to Poly and City College next year. My daughter is going to Poly.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid in Ingenuity at RPEMS right now. She's also been there since 6th grade after migrating over from a charter. Ingenuity and AA are very similar -- same ELA and social studies classes, but different math/science programs. Homework was intense during 6th grade, but hasn't been awful in 7th and 8th (keep in mind they've been virtual since March 2020.)

As with most schools, RPEMS is a "good" school that will fit your kid as well as it can. My daughter has had some really wonderful teachers, but she's also had some bad ones, and it's the luck of the draw who you get. The school had budget cuts last year which eliminated its French program and strings program. If these things mattered to your kid, you were SOL -- but maybe your kid is into Spanish and trumpet? If so, then no worries. I expect some of the budget constraints to be eased as the city schools get Kerwin money in the coming years.

The bottom line is that RPEMS functions probably as well as any large suburban public school. Don't ask for or expect too much and you won't be disappointed. If your kid is self motivated and without learning differences your experience is more likely to go smoothly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. For a variety of reasons, we aren't interested in moving into the County. We lived in Stoneleigh years ago, and it was very nice, but we've decided we want to live in the city, and in the neighborhood zoned for RPES in particular. Thanks so much to the posters who have provided specific info about the school. I'd still love to hear more!

We decided we wanted to pay more in taxes and have lower quality schools. Just kidding OP. Roland park is lovely. But unless you work at Eddies and don't have a car, commuting really isn't the problem when the county line is literally a mile away. On the upside, city school uniforms will save you big time clothes battles in the am. Art program at RPEM seems good. But hopefully you will be walking because pickup and drop off seem hellish.

Not OP, but I am one of the previous Baltimore posters. I totally understand the appeal of RP over county living, even considering the (actual) difference in taxes and the (perceived) difference in schools.

+1

We're in Howard County, but I'm a former prep school kid who poked her head in here out of curiosity. OP, we have some friends with kids at RP Elementary and they seem content--though their plan is also to send their kids to private for middle and high school.

Lovely neighborhood. We've always kicked around moving to RP if we decide to send our kiddo to private after elementary school. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Ingenuity at RPEMS right now. She's also been there since 6th grade after migrating over from a charter. Ingenuity and AA are very similar -- same ELA and social studies classes, but different math/science programs. Homework was intense during 6th grade, but hasn't been awful in 7th and 8th (keep in mind they've been virtual since March 2020.)

As with most schools, RPEMS is a "good" school that will fit your kid as well as it can. My daughter has had some really wonderful teachers, but she's also had some bad ones, and it's the luck of the draw who you get. The school had budget cuts last year which eliminated its French program and strings program. If these things mattered to your kid, you were SOL -- but maybe your kid is into Spanish and trumpet? If so, then no worries. I expect some of the budget constraints to be eased as the city schools get Kerwin money in the coming years.

The bottom line is that RPEMS functions probably as well as any large suburban public school. Don't ask for or expect too much and you won't be disappointed. If your kid is self motivated and without learning differences your experience is more likely to go smoothly.

Thank you, PP. So Ingenuity is basically AA + special math and science classes?

We are in private now but it doesn’t feel as academically rigorous as we were expecting. I feel like Ingenuity might be a good middle school option.