Anyone happy with MCPS middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We despise Cabin John. We're not wealthy, and most people are, so my DD feels left out. Lots of cliques and bullying. Teachers are ok. The building is very nice.

One of the reasons we chose not to live in the W cluster. Too many kids from wealthy families. We are by no means "poor" (200K), but we just didn't think it would be good for our kids to be around so many with so much wealth. DH and I drive old cars, and I don't buy brand name clothes, shoes or accessories.

We left our W cluster neighborhood for the similar reasons (our income is ~200k). Felt so irrelevant and isolated living in this area---and knew that it was having the same effect on our child. So much happier further out in MoCo, though, ironically, our home cost nearly the same as what we paid in Bethesda---much more bang for our buck, though.

[Anonymous]

The title of this thread is "Anyone happy with MCPS middle school?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We despise Cabin John. We're not wealthy, and most people are, so my DD feels left out. Lots of cliques and bullying. Teachers are ok. The building is very nice.

A friend just moved her kids from east county to that pyramid, "for the schools." I'm picturing it as a competitive atmosphere. Is that right?

We have an 8th grader at CJMS. Teachers and staff are mostly above average. They are overworked and don't always respond as quickly.as I'd like but I feel they do their best. A few staff members have really stood out and we have been blown away with their insights, kindness and support. Every so.often we have a teacher who isn't great but in fairness, this can happen anywhere. To address the comments about wealth, we are solidly middle class and the kids are mostly upper middle class but my daughter hasn't complained about that at all. Another positive. The school was recently rebuilt and the building is very nice.

But there are two things that really bother me. The kids are very academically competitive with one another. There's lots of bragging and comparing test scores and grades. I find the behavior is a reflection of the parents who are uber competitive. DD is bright but feels defeated all the time. It's undermined her motivation and self-esteem because she's not as "gifted" as her peers. There's also lots of mean girl stuff going on. I think that mean behavior is common at this age but I think it's also related to the parent population who are out of touch with their kids behavior and think it's acceptable to gossip and exclude. MS has been a terrible struggle for my daughter and has only been survivable because of some kind staff members who care deeply.

That mean girl stuff happens absolutely everywhere.

We were at CJMS as well. It's been a very mixed experience. Some staff and teachers have been wonderful, others not so much, but there is no community building, and that comes from the top. There were hardly any extra curricular activities and a total lack of sprit. I think there are more this year. The building is new but has a very sterile feel. All white walls, not a lot of decoration. It would be nice to see kids projects hung throughout the school.

There had been some sports intramurals, but hardly anything for the non-sport minded kids, and the ones that were available (spring musical and talent show) were on a try out/audition basis and not everyone got a role or part (which I would expect in high school, but not in a middle school, and particularly not in a middle school with so few extra-curriculars). Of course, it's hard to find out about these activities as this portion of the website was not kept up to date.

We didn't find the school competitive or that the kids talk about their grades a lot. I do think that it's very cliquey (not mean girl, just that all the girls seem to have these defined groups). And, the kids from the wealthier elementary schools that feed in tend to be the "popular" queen bee kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happy at Julius West.

They provided additional support when my 6th grade had a hard time transitioning. I didn't even have to ask. They saw him struggling and reached out to me even before back to school night.

So nice to hear this. Most of what I read on here about JW is so negative. My DC is going there next year.

[Anonymous]

I've sent 2 kids through Julius West, and my 3rd is there now. We've been pretty happy all along. It can be a bit of an adjustment because of the school's size, but IME they do a good job of working with the 6th graders to ease the transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We despise Cabin John. We're not wealthy, and most people are, so my DD feels left out. Lots of cliques and bullying. Teachers are ok. The building is very nice.

One of the reasons we chose not to live in the W cluster. Too many kids from wealthy families. We are by no means "poor" (200K), but we just didn't think it would be good for our kids to be around so many with so much wealth. DH and I drive old cars, and I don't buy brand name clothes, shoes or accessories.

We left our W cluster neighborhood for the similar reasons (our income is ~200k). Felt so irrelevant and isolated living in this area---and knew that it was having the same effect on our child. So much happier further out in MoCo, though, ironically, our home cost nearly the same as what we paid in Bethesda---much more bang for our buck, though.

I'm in the CJMS cluster (live right by the school actually) and my kids are younger (oldest starting K at Bells Mill next year). Most of the people I know in me neighborhood are NOT particularly wealthy for this area - some (us included) have family money that helped with housing but many work at nonprofits, drive older cars, etc. I can't think of one household with a HHI much over 200k of the 5-6 families we are close with. Is this really the norm? If so, where do those families live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happy at Julius West.

They provided additional support when my 6th grade had a hard time transitioning. I didn't even have to ask. They saw him struggling and reached out to me even before back to school night.

So nice to hear this. Most of what I read on here about JW is so negative. My DC is going there next year.

There is a regular JW poster who is very negative. I am surprised she has not popped up yet. Hope your child has a good experience...the addition will be completed which will be a nice way to start..

[Anonymous]

Hoover is awful. Lot of bullying. Seems like a very nasty place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hoover is awful. Lot of bullying. Seems like a very nasty place.

Anyone happy with MCPS middle school?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but middle school sucks, MCPS or not. If we get through it without hating it I'll consider that a victory.

[Anonymous]

Very happy daughter in 6th grade at Ridgeview Middle School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but middle school sucks, MCPS or not. If we get through it without hating it I'll consider that a victory.

"Anyone happy with MCPS middle school?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but middle school sucks, MCPS or not. If we get through it without hating it I'll consider that a victory.

"Anyone happy with MCPS middle school?"

I'm the OP and I am ok with the first response despite the thread title. If all middle school sucks (as some say) then there isn't much reason to make schooling decisions based on the middle school. Though it seems from some of the responses that there are middle schools in MCPS that people like.

[Anonymous]

Another happy Pyle parent. One kid now at Whitman (boy) who needed some support with social skills and emotional maturity, which the school provided. (Games at lunch time in the counseling office for nerdy boys, which he really enjoyed, plus sensitivity from teachers when he was frustrated.) Another kid (girl) now in 7th grade, who had a very tough transition last year and got lots of support as well (Monday morning group for girls who were feeling adrift and needed some hand holding at the beginning of the week, plus more understanding teachers who handled her anxiety kindly). She's doing much better this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We despise Cabin John. We're not wealthy, and most people are, so my DD feels left out. Lots of cliques and bullying. Teachers are ok. The building is very nice.

One of the reasons we chose not to live in the W cluster. Too many kids from wealthy families. We are by no means "poor" (200K), but we just didn't think it would be good for our kids to be around so many with so much wealth. DH and I drive old cars, and I don't buy brand name clothes, shoes or accessories.

We left our W cluster neighborhood for the similar reasons (our income is ~200k). Felt so irrelevant and isolated living in this area---and knew that it was having the same effect on our child. So much happier further out in MoCo, though, ironically, our home cost nearly the same as what we paid in Bethesda---much more bang for our buck, though.

I'm in the CJMS cluster (live right by the school actually) and my kids are younger (oldest starting K at Bells Mill next year). Most of the people I know in me neighborhood are NOT particularly wealthy for this area - some (us included) have family money that helped with housing but many work at nonprofits, drive older cars, etc. I can't think of one household with a HHI much over 200k of the 5-6 families we are close with. Is this really the norm? If so, where do those families live?

The CJMS cluster includes some wealthy neighborhoods in Potomac south of Democracy Blvd (e.g. Avenel) though the wealthiest area of Potomac are zoned for Hoover. But most of the CJMS capture area is from the more densely populated areas of modest homes and townhouses north of Democracy. In addition, with many excellent private schools nearby, most of the wealthy families do not actually attend MCPS. So it is a myth that CJMS is filled with people from the country club set.