Anne Arundel Schools

[Anonymous]

Hello,

We are thinking of moving from the city. Can anyone comment on the schools in AA? What are the more desireable areas to live in regarding school districts. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

The schools in the Severna Park or Broadneck High School attendence zones generally regarded as the best in the county. That would mean Severna Park, Arnold, Cape St. Claire ect..

[Anonymous]

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland/districts/anne-arundel-county-public-schools/sort+college_readiness_index/sortdir+desc

[Anonymous]

Like PP said, Severna Park and Broadneck HSs are generally considered the top, and I would add South River to that list, so snywhere on those feeders would be fine. AACo has started several IB and performing arts magnets in the last few years as week at middle and hs levels, and they are typically at the poorer performing schools (or, annapolis middle and annapolis hs for IB)

[Anonymous]

Sorry for all the typos! On my phone trying to get my toddler to sleep

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't add South River to that list.

[Anonymous]

Just a side note, if you want any type of diversity, Broadneck and Severna Park won't offer it to any major degree. And if you are still commutting from DC, the drive will be h***. And if you are used to services (real choice of doctors, good hospital, upscale food stores, restaurants, mall, movies, bookstores, etc) you won't find it in those areas. You'll find it in Annapolis or to some extent in Crofton and to a small extent up near Hanover or small parts of Glen Burnie.

Don't know your childrens ages, but if all you want is a good school then the above is fine. If you want a little more and your children are still little, then I'd look at Crofton area, Davidsonville and then when they hit closer to high school -- see how things stand or do private. In Annapolis itself, I'd look at Rolling Knolls (but alot of those houses have wells and septic tanks), West, Hillsmere, Germantown only. And then ride it out until you hit middle and see where things stand.

There's alot of building in the western part of the county, like up near Arundel Mills but I'm not sure about the schools but the elementary options are probalbly good and the commute wouldn't be too bad. Also, again depending on age of your current children, there are some really decent parts in the northern end around Linthicum and the part of Glen Burnie around Linthicum or off of rt. 100. But I would avoid Glen Burnie high at all costs. North County high might be doable depending on your child.

Keep in mind that if you had to do private for high school, tuitions are lower than DC privates.

[Anonymous]

Its a whopping 10 minute drive from broadneck to the historic district in annapolis so I dont tgink having to go to annapolis for a doctor or a restaurant is a big deal.
Certainly the lack of diversity is true too. And I wouldnt wish the commute from dc over the severn river bridge on a friday in the summer on my worst enemy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like PP said, Severna Park and Broadneck HSs are generally considered the top, and I would add South River to that list, so snywhere on those feeders would be fine. AACo has started several IB and performing arts magnets in the last few years as week at middle and hs levels, and they are typically at the poorer performing schools (or, annapolis middle and annapolis hs for IB)

I wonder when Annapolis went IB?

They had AP when I went there years ago.

It's so depressing to find out that it has declined so drastically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like PP said, Severna Park and Broadneck HSs are generally considered the top, and I would add South River to that list, so snywhere on those feeders would be fine. AACo has started several IB and performing arts magnets in the last few years as week at middle and hs levels, and they are typically at the poorer performing schools (or, annapolis middle and annapolis hs for IB)

I wonder when Annapolis went IB?

They had AP when I went there years ago.

It's so depressing to find out that it has declined so drastically.

The post you're quoting was from 2014.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like PP said, Severna Park and Broadneck HSs are generally considered the top, and I would add South River to that list, so snywhere on those feeders would be fine. AACo has started several IB and performing arts magnets in the last few years as week at middle and hs levels, and they are typically at the poorer performing schools (or, annapolis middle and annapolis hs for IB)

I wonder when Annapolis went IB?

They had AP when I went there years ago.

It's so depressing to find out that it has declined so drastically.

The post you're quoting was from 2014.

Yes.

It does appear to have gone down even more since then, going by information I found online.

I guess it's still fine for the top 20% performers in the school. I don't know that I would send my own children there if we returned to the area. I wonder how many of the people in my graduating class have kids at the school and how many signed them up at our traditional rivals.

Never mind me and my melancholy lol, I'll continue my ramblings in my own head.

[Anonymous]

Crofton

[Anonymous]

I don’t know anyone who moved from DC to AACO for the schools. To NoVa, to MoCo, to Howard, even to PG in one case. That said, those families I know who moved to AACO did so for lifestyle reasons and seem very happy.

[Anonymous]

I know quite a number of people that moved from PG to Crofton for the schools.

If you are only interested in schools, I'd say Crofton, Severna Park or Broadneck clusters but traffic from DC to SP or B is horrible. At least in Annapolis there is the commuter bus to DC. And you could do the MARC train.

I'd stay away from Glen Burnie High, although there is a really good Biomedical STEM program, we looked at it but my dd decided to just stay and go to Arundel.

But for lifestyle, I'd do Annapolis hands down and then do private schools or if your child is a top performer, stay the course with Annapolis Middle and High. Because the top performers in those schools do really well post high school or at least comparable to peers coming from other counties.

The area up by Arundel Mills is really where a lot of the growth in the county is but I'm not sure what the schools are like, if that area feeds into Meade High, then don't do it but again the high performers do ok there too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know quite a number of people that moved from PG to Crofton for the schools.

If you are only interested in schools, I'd say Crofton, Severna Park or Broadneck clusters but traffic from DC to SP or B is horrible. At least in Annapolis there is the commuter bus to DC. And you could do the MARC train.

I'd stay away from Glen Burnie High, although there is a really good Biomedical STEM program, we looked at it but my dd decided to just stay and go to Arundel.

But for lifestyle, I'd do Annapolis hands down and then do private schools or if your child is a top performer, stay the course with Annapolis Middle and High. Because the top performers in those schools do really well post high school or at least comparable to peers coming from other counties.

The area up by Arundel Mills is really where a lot of the growth in the county is but I'm not sure what the schools are like, if that area feeds into Meade High, then don't do it but again the high performers do ok there too.

There is also a commuter bus from the Severna Park Park and Ride, which lots of people use into DC. There is no MARC train in Annapolis.

As for Annapolis HS, I have several friends with kids who are there - most in the IB program, some not, and they all rave about it. There are - no doubt - so major issues and it has a higher FARMS rate than Broadneck or Severna Park, but I've never quite understood the hate it gets from DCUM. It definitely doesn't have that same hate in real life in Anne Arundel Co.