West Bethesda Elem. Schools

[Anonymous]

We have an almost-4-year-old and are looking to move to west Bethesda. I'm just starting to think about elementary schools, and would love any thoughts/observations about the west Bethesda schools - looks like Bannockburn ES, Wood Acres ES, Burning Tree ES, Bradley Hills ES, Westbrook ES, Bethesda ES, and also Somerset ES. (Apologies if this is too broad a list. We're still trying to figure out how to narrow this down.) All I really know so far is that we hear everyone loves Wood Acres, and we have friends at Somerset that love it.

Off the top of my head, I'm wondering about crazy overcrowding or anything else that might steer us away from a school. If it helps, our son has a nut allergy, so we'll be curious about how knowledgeable and accommodating the school is about allergies and Epi-pens. He's also a typical, rambunctious boy, so I'm interested in how the schools (or, more accurately, the K and 1st teachers) approach energetic boys - find an outlet for their extra energy vs. label them ADHD and disruptive.

I'm also sifting through the archives and reading up about school issues in general, including 2.0. Looks like I've got a lot of work to do to get up to speed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have an almost-4-year-old and are looking to move to west Bethesda. I'm just starting to think about elementary schools, and would love any thoughts/observations about the west Bethesda schools - looks like Bannockburn ES, Wood Acres ES, Burning Tree ES, Bradley Hills ES, Westbrook ES, Bethesda ES, and also Somerset ES. (Apologies if this is too broad a list. We're still trying to figure out how to narrow this down.) All I really know so far is that we hear everyone loves Wood Acres, and we have friends at Somerset that love it.

Off the top of my head, I'm wondering about crazy overcrowding or anything else that might steer us away from a school. If it helps, our son has a nut allergy, so we'll be curious about how knowledgeable and accommodating the school is about allergies and Epi-pens. He's also a typical, rambunctious boy, so I'm interested in how the schools (or, more accurately, the K and 1st teachers) approach energetic boys - find an outlet for their extra energy vs. label them ADHD and disruptive.

I'm also sifting through the archives and reading up about school issues in general, including 2.0. Looks like I've got a lot of work to do to get up to speed.

The only bad one is Burning Tree
http://www.greatschools.org/maryland/bethesda/868-Burning-Tree-Elementary-School/

Bethesda is ok but not as highly rated as the others

[Anonymous]

PP, that's just ridiculous.

I don't live in Bethesda, but you are basing your opinion that Burning Tree is bad on some random Great Schools review?

That is not a reliable source of school info.

OP, all of those schools would be fine. The questions you have are kind of too specific and too general -- they depend so much on the teacher and your individual kid. Plus the principal could change at any time between now and two years from now.

My advice -- relax. Bethesda schools will be great, although you can always have a negative experience at any school. Your child is three and will change a lot between now and K -- you can't possibly know if his rambunctious nature will be an issue. If he is indeed typical, I'm sure the teachers will be experienced in how to handle him.

[Anonymous]

You've kind of listed ALL the elementary schools in Bethesda, not the "schools of West Bethesda."

For example, people in Somerset like to think they live in Chevy Chase, not Bethesda, and they're almost right except they're on the wrong side of Wisconsin.

Anyway, Bradley Hills is thought to be uniformly awesome. Bethesda ES has the special needs know-how, in the event you are not correct about the ADHD thing.

[Anonymous]

All are very good, all have varying levels of overcrowding. There is at least one school with 7 K classes of 29 kids each. But overall these are among the best schools in the country, not just the local area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You've kind of listed ALL the elementary schools in Bethesda, not the "schools of West Bethesda."

For example, people in Somerset like to think they live in Chevy Chase, not Bethesda, and they're almost right except they're on the wrong side of Wisconsin.

Anyway, Bradley Hills is thought to be uniformly awesome. Bethesda ES has the special needs know-how, in the event you are not correct about the ADHD thing.

Somerset's address is Chevy Chase. - grew up there

[Anonymous]

OP Here. I'm sure they're all good, but I'm wondering if anyone picked one over another or if there are other ways to distinguish among them. Since we are planning to move anyway, I want to take schools into account when targeting neighborhoods.

For example, we would prefer as much physical activity, music, art, etc. in their day as possible, as well as plenty of social studies and science, and not just math and reading drills and test prep. If any of the schools is particularly good or bad in that respect, we would love to know. (The answer may be that the county controls all of this and it's the same at all of the schools. I'm just wondering.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, that's just ridiculous.

I don't live in Bethesda, but you are basing your opinion that Burning Tree is bad on some random Great Schools review?

That is not a reliable source of school info.

OP, all of those schools would be fine. The questions you have are kind of too specific and too general -- they depend so much on the teacher and your individual kid. Plus the principal could change at any time between now and two years from now.

My advice -- relax. Bethesda schools will be great, although you can always have a negative experience at any school. Your child is three and will change a lot between now and K -- you can't possibly know if his rambunctious nature will be an issue. If he is indeed typical, I'm sure the teachers will be experienced in how to handle him.

How is the review random? It's based on test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You've kind of listed ALL the elementary schools in Bethesda, not the "schools of West Bethesda."

For example, people in Somerset like to think they live in Chevy Chase, not Bethesda, and they're almost right except they're on the wrong side of Wisconsin.

Anyway, Bradley Hills is thought to be uniformly awesome. Bethesda ES has the special needs know-how, in the event you are not correct about the ADHD thing.

Somerset's address is Chevy Chase. - grew up there

OP Here - I know. The scope of my post grew as I typed, so the subject didn't match the body. I get it; thanks. They're all in contention as we look for a new house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. I'm sure they're all good, but I'm wondering if anyone picked one over another or if there are other ways to distinguish among them. Since we are planning to move anyway, I want to take schools into account when targeting neighborhoods.

For example, we would prefer as much physical activity, music, art, etc. in their day as possible, as well as plenty of social studies and science, and not just math and reading drills and test prep. If any of the schools is particularly good or bad in that respect, we would love to know. (The answer may be that the county controls all of this and it's the same at all of the schools. I'm just wondering.)

It's all about the same. There are slight differences in teachers, administrators and test scores, but generally they are all very good schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's all about the same. There are slight differences in teachers, administrators and test scores, but generally they are all very good schools.

Okay, thanks. Then I can just focus on which houses I like better.

[Anonymous]

Consider Sidwell Friends School. It fits all of your criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider Sidwell Friends School. It fits all of your criteria.

Thanks, will do. We are separately starting the public/private debate at home, but I figured that's a separate post. It's not something I was exposed to as a kid, so it's a new world for me.

[Anonymous]

Long-ago graduate of Burning Tree. All those elementary schools are fine. Most you've listed feed into Pyle and Whitman, and that's where it really counts. The teaching at elementary level is controlled by the county pretty much anyway.

As for overcrowding, the stats are on MoCo School's website about # of students at each school and in each grade, so go by that, not what people post on DCUM. Also just drive by each school, and see if you see portable classrooms outside.

People buy into the neighborhood for the public schools, so if you plan to send your kids to Sidwell, don't pay the premium to live in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. I'm sure they're all good, but I'm wondering if anyone picked one over another or if there are other ways to distinguish among them. Since we are planning to move anyway, I want to take schools into account when targeting neighborhoods.

For example, we would prefer as much physical activity, music, art, etc. in their day as possible, as well as plenty of social studies and science, and not just math and reading drills and test prep. If any of the schools is particularly good or bad in that respect, we would love to know. (The answer may be that the county controls all of this and it's the same at all of the schools. I'm just wondering.)

It's all the same.