What do you love about your kid’s MoCo school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the best thing about your school?

That the MCPS Public Relations department uses anonymous chat rooms to promote the brand.

OP here. We’re actually moving to MoCo over winter break from out of state and this board was giving me horrible buyer’s remorse. Just wanted to hear the good things. I get that DCUM seems to exist for the purpose of demonizing everything in the area and that people generally have to be masochists to post questions here, but I have found (most of) the answers heartening.

Thanks to those who answered thoughtfully.

Congratulations on figuring that out so quickly! I hope you enjoy MoCo. It is not perfect but we have really enjoyed raising our two kids here.

[Anonymous]

I have a 1st grader and we are at a focus school. I really feel like the teachers so far care about my kid. Not much homework, nice kids. And ky kid likes going, which when i have a 6yo, is what im looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to a diverse school with 30%+ FARMS but as far as I can tell they do an awesome job. There are lots of opportunities for differentiated learning and my kids have managed to score 99%+ on their MAP tests so seems to be working great at least for kids who are interested in school. This is why I'm skeptical of all the naysayers. Maybe if they spent a few minutes talking to their kids about school instead of complaining about MCPS incessantly their kids would do better too.

I'm not surprised and you shouldn't be either. There aren't that many outliers in a school like this and it gives the teachers a break from students who are struggling or have issues at home that keep them from succeeding in school. They also have very small class sizes. Your experience is very different from what we have in a school with almost no farms where the class sizes are at the max and teachers think everyone is a "snowflake" so they just throw worksheets at them all day and expect the parents to teach their kids at home. The teachers seem to barely lift a finger.

So, can you move to an area with more kids who are poor, so that your kids can go to better schools?

At least for the elementary level and particularly for the early years, it probably is better for your kid to go to a poorer school - smaller class sizes, more per pupil spending, better chance of getting into a CES. In a richer area you're really just paying for the peer group vs "the school".

[Anonymous]

The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

My 4th grader loves going to school. When she was younger, she once asked me why kids don't go to school over the weekend, it would have been so much fun if they did!
I, for one, have problems with the curriculum and the lack of clear and coherent instruction on certain important topics.. but I keep telling myself that there is still time for that. Hopefully, in middle and high school actual 'learning' will become as important as socialization.

[Anonymous]

Amazing teachers, highly gifted cohort, regular communication from the school and the teachers, very little discipline problem, rigorous and challenging curriculum, small school, inclusive student body, far from the madding crowd and my kid is thriving and excelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the best thing about your school?

That the MCPS Public Relations department uses anonymous chat rooms to promote the brand.

OP here. We’re actually moving to MoCo over winter break from out of state and this board was giving me horrible buyer’s remorse. Just wanted to hear the good things. I get that DCUM seems to exist for the purpose of demonizing everything in the area and that people generally have to be masochists to post questions here, but I have found (most of) the answers heartening.

Thanks to those who answered thoughtfully.

We moved here for the schools from out of state. Of course, it's not perfect. No school system, but there are certainly good things about it.

My DD loves her school... loves the teachers, the diversity. She loves art and music time, and even some of the units they are learning in ELA. This year she has a great friend group. Last year the friend group was a disaster; lots of social bullying etc. Again, no school is perfect.

And we love our bus driver. MoCo with all its problems still has some good things about it in comparison to the majority of the school districts across the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

I bet you're at Strawberry Knoll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

I bet you're at Strawberry Knoll.

You bet! One of the most underrated schools in MCPS!

[Anonymous]

I don't like TPMS. My daughter likes the pizza. So, there's that. you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

I bet you're at Strawberry Knoll.

Just wait until your kid hits middle and high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

I bet you're at Strawberry Knoll.

Just wait until your kid hits middle and high.

What is your personal, first-hand, direct experience with Gaithersburg MS and Gaithersburg HS?

[Anonymous]

Blair HS: my DC's guidance counselor who has nurtured and been there as a sounding board for her through the years (DD a Senior).
Middle school: Loiederman the arts focus has been a positive experience for DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

I bet you're at Strawberry Knoll.

Just wait until your kid hits middle and high.

What is your personal, first-hand, direct experience with Gaithersburg MS and Gaithersburg HS?

Let's just say that when you're in the system, you know a lot more . . . good or bad.

People, let me share some advice. "Buy" for the high school. Of course, there's no guarantee that the HS will be stellar 10 years from now, which is why people do buy out in the "sticks" (DCUM's favorite term). Years ago, people made fun of Howard County. Now it's the hottest thing since sliced bread.

But again, elementary schools are nurturing. Kids still love school, despite obstacles they face at home. Teachers are soft and sweet and to some degree, too giving of themselves, particularly bleeding hearts in some of the most challenging schools. So elementary schools are wonderful little places where everyone is welcome.

Once a kid matures, however, and realizes that his/her home life doesn't mirror Beav Cleaver's, the issues surface. So in areas with high poverty, for example, the middle school teachers become burdened with students' social-emotional issues. Attendance becomes an issue. Behaviors get worse. And with the new star rating system, teachers will be blamed for "failing" kids and not doing enough to save each one.

Content becomes harder. Kids are expected to pass state tests, even if they're reading at low levels. So they pass them along. What was once a C is now a B. Failing is not acceptable, which means many teachers across the county are expected to phone home for each kid with a D or E - this, in addition to sending out interims. (b/c they have all the time in the world to do so . . . )

been there, done that - no thanks!

moved . . . now in "the sticks" in a community where my kids are expected to behave, be resourceful, and study - emphasis on academic stamina and on content, not just skills! I want my children to appreciate an author's style, as reading Hemingway, for example, is more than studying the tone of his texts! They aren't simply examining the argument behind a primary document in history. They are LEARNING about the historical event in chronological order! That way they can see trends in human behaviors.

Our schools have midterms and final exams, which MCPS thinks are too much for its students.

sorry - no longer drinking the poisonous Kool Aid

MCPS has gone off the deep end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Principal is fantastic. He greets every child at the door every morning and would call them by their name. The teachers- every single teacher that my children had was excellent and dedicated to make sure that they were challenged at the appropriate level. Finally, the community of parents -parents who are non-pretentious and are actively involved with the school. The PTA events rock. This is a focus ES in Gaithersburg.

I bet you're at Strawberry Knoll.

Just wait until your kid hits middle and high.

What is your personal, first-hand, direct experience with Gaithersburg MS and Gaithersburg HS?

Let's just say that when you're in the system, you know a lot more . . . good or bad.

People, let me share some advice. "Buy" for the high school. Of course, there's no guarantee that the HS will be stellar 10 years from now, which is why people do buy out in the "sticks" (DCUM's favorite term). Years ago, people made fun of Howard County. Now it's the hottest thing since sliced bread.

But again, elementary schools are nurturing. Kids still love school, despite obstacles they face at home. Teachers are soft and sweet and to some degree, too giving of themselves, particularly bleeding hearts in some of the most challenging schools. So elementary schools are wonderful little places where everyone is welcome.

Once a kid matures, however, and realizes that his/her home life doesn't mirror Beav Cleaver's, the issues surface. So in areas with high poverty, for example, the middle school teachers become burdened with students' social-emotional issues. Attendance becomes an issue. Behaviors get worse. And with the new star rating system, teachers will be blamed for "failing" kids and not doing enough to save each one.

Content becomes harder. Kids are expected to pass state tests, even if they're reading at low levels. So they pass them along. What was once a C is now a B. Failing is not acceptable, which means many teachers across the county are expected to phone home for each kid with a D or E - this, in addition to sending out interims. (b/c they have all the time in the world to do so . . . )

been there, done that - no thanks!

moved . . . now in "the sticks" in a community where my kids are expected to behave, be resourceful, and study - emphasis on academic stamina and on content, not just skills! I want my children to appreciate an author's style, as reading Hemingway, for example, is more than studying the tone of his texts! They aren't simply examining the argument behind a primary document in history. They are LEARNING about the historical event in chronological order! That way they can see trends in human behaviors.

Our schools have midterms and final exams, which MCPS thinks are too much for its students.

sorry - no longer drinking the poisonous Kool Aid

MCPS has gone off the deep end.

This is an honest question. Why are you posting on a thread that is about what you like about MCPS? OP is moving to this county. There is no need to go on a rant when you are posting exactly the OPPOSITE of what OP asked about. Take your negativity, honest or not, to one of the million threads that go on and on about how it's so bad.