Burnt Mills Immersion?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone here weigh in on the Spanish Immersion Program at Burnt Mills?

After all the mold issues and nonsense we've dealt with at Rolling Terrace, we've about had it. We're too far away to make Rock Creek Forest a viable option (especially with the temporary facility being even more of a commute), but we could easily move within boundary for Burnt Mills without separating too much from all the other places we need to be.

I know it's another Title I school, so you can leave all the nonsense about "the poors" out of it. What I want to know is how the program measures up, how the administration relates to parents, and how engaged the parents are with the school. If you have kids there, are you happy with their school life? Are they happy?

Also, hearing that the buildings are well-maintained would be a plus...

[Anonymous]

Ehh...I know some people who are really happy with it, but my kid is struggling a lot with Spanish (3rd grade). While I have enjoyed all the teachers thus far, the principal is pretty bad. She has been fairly hostile to the immersion program, to the point where there was kind of a parental rebellion last spring. 4th and 5th grades are a combined class because they don't have the numbers to do two separate classes. The building is old (I can't comment on the maintenance, but I think it's one of the schools that's scheduled for replacement fairly soon). Honestly, I'd be all over getting a bus to RCF; BMES also doesn't have busing for non-neighborhood kids.

Man, sorry, that was kind of a downer, but we've grown steadily more unhappy there, and at this point I really can't recommned it.

[Anonymous]

13:59--there are a good number of engaged parents, especially in the immersion program.

[Anonymous]

Just curious- Is the mold at Rolling Terrace still an issue? Are there other reasons (beyond mold) that you're thinking of leaving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious- Is the mold at Rolling Terrace still an issue? Are there other reasons (beyond mold) that you're thinking of leaving?

Burnt mills and rolling terrace are completely different schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious- Is the mold at Rolling Terrace still an issue? Are there other reasons (beyond mold) that you're thinking of leaving?

OP here. Thanks for the input PPs. It's always hard to get a feel for a place without being part of its population.

Yes, mold is still an issue. The first round was never properly identified or addressed, and there's now a fresh batch of it. The HVAC system is pretty much useless. The upper floor classrooms are hot and humid (heat is now on), yet teachers have been advised to keep the windows shut. The response to the mold matter has been lackluster from the start, and downhill since. We've also had some issues with bullyish behavior, which is somewhat expected, and were less-than-impressed with the response by staff to same.

We're renting now, and will probably be leaving this particular unit either way. Just trying to decide if we should position ourselves to stay near or commute back to RT, or go toward Burnt Mills. Rock Creek Forest is, sadly, too far from the other places we need to be on a regular basis.

[Anonymous]

You may want to take some of these concerns directly to the RT-PTA. I am also a RT parent and the mold issues are atrocious. The teachers union should be more active in this, too. There are some lovely teachers, but the principal's lack of leadership is disheartening (not just mold, but others issues too).
You seem to suggest that Burnt Mills and RCF are foregone conclusions, but I don't know if that's accurate. Good luck...it's a rotten situation how MCPS is failing to solve the problem and take health issues seriously.

[Anonymous]

I was just talking last night with a friend who has a child in second grade at Burnt Mills. They are quite unhappy and looking to move to RCF although it is very far away fom their home. I didn't get the details but he said there is a movement afoot amongst the parents to oust the principal at Burnt Mills-- lots of people are disillusioned.

[Anonymous]

Rolling Terrace continues to have a good reputation for its Spanish Immersion program...after all, the mold situation has nothing to do with the Immersion program, it's a school/MoCo problem that, unfortunately, hasn't been resolved.

[Anonymous]

Also, RCF has its own problems -- the atmosphere between the immersion parents and the neighborhood parents is toxic. Lots of hostility and resentment. Plus there are a lot of questions about RCF's articulation pattern (currently to Westland and beyond) -- you may think this is far away or won't affect you because you'd go to your home school anyway with RT or Burnt Mills, but in reality your child will want to stay with friends and that creates a lot of family angst.

I love immersion and am very committed to it, but my opinion is - it's not worth sticking with a bad school situation. I wish we hadn't, no matter how great it is that my kids are fluent Spanish speakers. There are lots of friendly, happy elementary schools in MCPS and you don't have to live in a super expensive neighborhood to get one -- I would go for the overall school "quality of life" over immersion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking last night with a friend who has a child in second grade at Burnt Mills. They are quite unhappy and looking to move to RCF although it is very far away fom their home. I didn't get the details but he said there is a movement afoot amongst the parents to oust the principal at Burnt Mills-- lots of people are disillusioned.

5 years ago the principal made the school environment so hostile that the ENTIRE Spanish immersion team left the school.
She also harrassed and slandered a very popular teacher and tried to get her fired from MCPS. It ended up being hearsay.
This past year she made more popular teachers leave.
She got her position by default when two principals left the school during the same year.
Time to oust her.