Somerset "doesn't do" tours

[Anonymous]

We're looking to move and are touring a few schools in the neighborhoods we're considering. I called Somerset to see about scheduling a tour and was told they don't offer them. After explaining why I wanted to tour, I was given contact info for a PTA parent who can give me a tour, but was advised that I wouldn't be able to go in any of the classrooms.

By way of comparison, just last week I toured another ES where they have set tour dates fairly frequently for anyone who wants to come through, were really welcoming when I scheduled the tour, spent 75 minutes taking a group of us parents around the school, took us into 3 classrooms to observe, etc. So I can't help but compare the experiences so far and feel like I already have a bad impression of Somerset. So, for those of you with any experience with the school, was this a preview of the way administrators interact (or fail to) with parents, or was this an anomaly?

[Anonymous]

Same here!

[Anonymous]

Do they do group tours at a certain time of year? When it is less disruptive than having tons of tours going through all the time?

[Anonymous]

Not at Somerset, but I'm not sure that if I were the parent of a current student I would want other adults circling in and out of classrooms while classes are in session. It's an elementary school, not a college campus. So it doesn't seem to me to be a slam dunk that Somerset is approaching it wrong. I would coordinate tours by school administrators, though, rather than leave it up to the PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not at Somerset, but I'm not sure that if I were the parent of a current student I would want other adults circling in and out of classrooms while classes are in session. It's an elementary school, not a college campus. So it doesn't seem to me to be a slam dunk that Somerset is approaching it wrong. I would coordinate tours by school administrators, though, rather than leave it up to the PTA.

OP Here -- That would be fine with me too, if they did administrator-led tours but didn't go in classrooms. I don't think it's disruptive to have us in the hallways, library, etc. and discussing the school's facilities, policies, etc.

I feel like I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't on this board. So many posters slam parents for asking questions and tell them to go tour the schools and talk to administrators. I'm trying to do that and getting replies about disrupting classes. ???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at Somerset, but I'm not sure that if I were the parent of a current student I would want other adults circling in and out of classrooms while classes are in session. It's an elementary school, not a college campus. So it doesn't seem to me to be a slam dunk that Somerset is approaching it wrong. I would coordinate tours by school administrators, though, rather than leave it up to the PTA.

OP Here -- That would be fine with me too, if they did administrator-led tours but didn't go in classrooms. I don't think it's disruptive to have us in the hallways, library, etc. and discussing the school's facilities, policies, etc.

I feel like I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't on this board. So many posters slam parents for asking questions and tell them to go tour the schools and talk to administrators. I'm trying to do that and getting replies about disrupting classes. ???

Doll, welcome to the DC area. You've only just gotten a glimpse...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at Somerset, but I'm not sure that if I were the parent of a current student I would want other adults circling in and out of classrooms while classes are in session. It's an elementary school, not a college campus. So it doesn't seem to me to be a slam dunk that Somerset is approaching it wrong. I would coordinate tours by school administrators, though, rather than leave it up to the PTA.

OP Here -- That would be fine with me too, if they did administrator-led tours but didn't go in classrooms. I don't think it's disruptive to have us in the hallways, library, etc. and discussing the school's facilities, policies, etc.

I feel like I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't on this board. So many posters slam parents for asking questions and tell them to go tour the schools and talk to administrators. I'm trying to do that and getting replies about disrupting classes. ???

No one is damning you. I just see why Somerset might not want parents trooping in and out of classrooms. OTOH, if they say "we don't do tours" in a haughty manner, I might view it as a red flag that they don't treat parents with much respect, and look elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Go on the MCPS website and call a supervisor. You absolutely have a right to a tour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go on the MCPS website and call a supervisor. You absolutely have a right to a tour.

A "right" ???
No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go on the MCPS website and call a supervisor. You absolutely have a right to a tour.

A right? Under which amendment or part of the Constitution?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go on the MCPS website and call a supervisor. You absolutely have a right to a tour.

No, you don't. The staff's chief concern should be meeting the educational needs of the children who attend the school, not selling prospective parents on the merits of the school. I'd be annoyed if my kids' school was offering regular tours to parents, when those staff members could be doing something more productive, nor do I want people parading through the school and classrooms if they don't have children attending.

You have plenty of other resources available to research the school.

[Anonymous]

Public schools don't need to sell the school, thus there is no need for tours.

Monday is "open house" at MCPS, so you might try then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go on the MCPS website and call a supervisor. You absolutely have a right to a tour.

No, you don't. The staff's chief concern should be meeting the educational needs of the children who attend the school, not selling prospective parents on the merits of the school. I'd be annoyed if my kids' school was offering regular tours to parents, when those staff members could be doing something more productive, nor do I want people parading through the school and classrooms if they don't have children attending.

You have plenty of other resources available to research the school.

I was able to tour our local public school in Bethesda. I don't think anyone is talking about a tour every day. The school could have three times a year. While not quite the exact same thing to the parents outraged about a tour at school, did you take a your of the hospital where you would deliver your first child, and if so why?

There is no school choice county wide at MCPS which puts parents in the situation of making a very expensive choice with little possibility of making a change within MCPS if you buy a home. Also, the schools get funding based on the number of pupils and sometimes getting the extra teacher in the classroom could be the difference of three students so indirectly it is in the school's interest to attract rather than turn off families. If I felt like parents were making a low cost decision I.e. you could change public schools if things didn't work out or there was some strong incentive for the school to work out issues with families, I would say no big deal to no tours.

So to the OP, I would take this as a sign with Somerset. Also, I'm not sure how old your kids are and if there is already an academic track record but you may want to find out how the school works with non-traditional kids as while as traditional learners.

[Anonymous]

What are "non-traditional kids"? I usually see "non-traditional students" in the context of college, meaning students who aren't 18-22 straight out of high school. But that doesn't make sense here.

[Anonymous]

PP non-traditional in the sense of not the majority of students. It could be anything in special needs I.e. autism, ADD, processing issues, speech issues, it could also be gifted and talented. Anything that wouldn't be applicable to 60-70% of the students and how they handle it if the student meets grade level but also falls into that category.