Do you love your public elementary school?

[Anonymous]

If so, which one?

[Anonymous]

I had a child at Mt. Rainier Elementary, but that was years ago.

[Anonymous]

HES! Hyattsville Elementary!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HES! Hyattsville Elementary!

I thought test scores were pretty low, compared to the rest of the county. I know scores aren't the only factor, but considering PG scores low in the state overall as a comparative an HES is low in the county, how do they ensure the kids are receiving an education???? What so you live about it?

[Anonymous]

My kids don't attend HES but I know families that send their kids to HES. They are honest about some teachers lacking skill in classroom management (class size is high) but overall the education is fine. Yes, there are lots of kids with low test scores but that hasn't seemed to slow down the kids who come from higher SES families. I have visited the HES classrooms and been on the playground when the kids are out there and it's a happy, well-run place. I have the same feelings about Goddard Montessori, where my kids go: some teachers are disappointing and some are great, overall the kids are a fine group and overall it's a happy, well-run place.

[Anonymous]

We are very happy at Spellman in Cheverly.

[Anonymous]

I loved Yorktown in Bowie when we attended a few years ago

[Anonymous]

Yes, Maury in DC!

[Anonymous]

People love schools for reasons other than test scores, and that's what I'm trying to get at.

[Anonymous]

Spellman has a fantastic Principal and all the Staff I have interacted with are kind and professional. Principal Holiday knows most of the kids names and refers to herself as "Mom in Chief" and lives up to it. When I have emailed her, I get responses within hours. They have a garden club, before school exercise club run by the award winning PE staff and they have recently partnered with Art Works in Mt Rainer to increase the art education in the classroom.
The school is very responsive to parent requests. I know of multiple cases where high achieving students were moved to the next grade during reading/math instruction so they were adequelty challenged.

[Anonymous]

I met Ms. Holiday years ago before she was principal. She was an instructional specialist, as I recall. When I was going through heck trying to gain a 504 and then an IEP for my son (in a school where the principal clearly did not want to deal with him), Ms. Holiday was such a great help -- knowledgeable, sympathetic and professional. I will always be appreciative, and I am not surprised that she receives great reviews as a principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Maury in DC!

Um, thanks, but this is the PG County Schools board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids don't attend HES but I know families that send their kids to HES. They are honest about some teachers lacking skill in classroom management (class size is high) but overall the education is fine. Yes, there are lots of kids with low test scores but that hasn't seemed to slow down the kids who come from higher SES families. I have visited the HES classrooms and been on the playground when the kids are out there and it's a happy, well-run place. I have the same feelings about Goddard Montessori, where my kids go: some teachers are disappointing and some are great, overall the kids are a fine group and overall it's a happy, well-run place.

Yep, I have two kids at HES (both TAG identified) and they are challenged and are getting a good education.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone speak to the kind of education their middle of the road, non-TAG identified kid is getting? I know there are resources for TAG and for students with learning difficulties, but I'm curious which school you'd recommend for a child that needs to be challenged, but probably falls around 65 %ile for achievement. TIA

[Anonymous]

Yes! UPES is the best