Eastern or Sligo middle school? Are they equally good/safe?

[Anonymous]

I've seen threads about each school, but I'm wondering if they're considered comparable both in terms of educational environment and safety. Or would our dd be fine/safe at either???

[Anonymous]

Comparable to each other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Comparable to each other?

I guess that's what I was saying. I assume there are other middle schools in the Bethesda area that are considered more reliable options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparable to each other?

I guess that's what I was saying. I assume there are other middle schools in the Bethesda area that are considered more reliable options.

Neither is in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

I know - I'm just saying I get it that people generally have a higher regard for Bethesda schools, but we're just looking in silver spring.

[Anonymous]

I know families at both schools and they're doing just fine. They're certainly safe at both (there are no switch-blade wielding gangs roaming the halls, despite what you may have been led to believe). Both schools are stuck in kind of old buildings, and that's unfortunate. Don't know when they're due for renovation.

I do think Eastern has an advantage because of the humanities magnet program which attracts a population of motivated, high achievers from all over.

Best wishes on your decision. Silver Spring is an awesome place to live. We're in Silver Spring, but in Takoma Park Middle boundary.

[Anonymous]

I actually think sligo has the advantage unless your child is in the eastern magnet. I think the magnet is pretty separate from the rest of the school. Sligo seems to be on an upswing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think sligo has the advantage unless your child is in the eastern magnet. I think the magnet is pretty separate from the rest of the school. Sligo seems to be on an upswing.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know families at both schools and they're doing just fine. They're certainly safe at both (there are no switch-blade wielding gangs roaming the halls, despite what you may have been led to believe). Both schools are stuck in kind of old buildings, and that's unfortunate. Don't know when they're due for renovation.

I do think Eastern has an advantage because of the humanities magnet program which attracts a population of motivated, high achievers from all over.

Best wishes on your decision. Silver Spring is an awesome place to live. We're in Silver Spring, but in Takoma Park Middle boundary.

I heard rumors about fighting and slap a$$ day at Eastern and I wasn't sure what to make of it

[Anonymous]

I live fairly near Eastern and according to my neighborhood listserv, there was some massive fight amongst a group of kids from Eastern in the neighborhood. Kids were threatening home-owners who tried to intervene. Apparently, someone spoke to the principle about this incident who said that it wasn't his responsibility since the kids were off campus. Nice.

[Anonymous]

Don't rule out SSIMS. Great school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live fairly near Eastern and according to my neighborhood listserv, there was some massive fight amongst a group of kids from Eastern in the neighborhood. Kids were threatening home-owners who tried to intervene. Apparently, someone spoke to the principle about this incident who said that it wasn't his responsibility since the kids were off campus. Nice.

OMG. Did anyone get hurt? Even if he's not legally responsible, shouldn't it bother him that his school kids are doing this? Is it gang-related? That's the only reason I can imagine a school leader wanting to distance himself from something like this. How does a community deal with spillover violence from a school? Do the police treat it as "kids will be kids" or do they treat it as criminal, assuming someone called the police?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live fairly near Eastern and according to my neighborhood listserv, there was some massive fight amongst a group of kids from Eastern in the neighborhood. Kids were threatening home-owners who tried to intervene. Apparently, someone spoke to the principle about this incident who said that it wasn't his responsibility since the kids were off campus. Nice.

OMG. Did anyone get hurt? Even if he's not legally responsible, shouldn't it bother him that his school kids are doing this? Is it gang-related? That's the only reason I can imagine a school leader wanting to distance himself from something like this. How does a community deal with spillover violence from a school? Do the police treat it as "kids will be kids" or do they treat it as criminal, assuming someone called the police?

The PP's post starts with "...according to my neighborhood listserv...". I'm just saying.

[Anonymous]

I actually saw that on our listserv too. It's a small community and the posters are people we are familiar with. This was a very serious incident and is not just idle gossip. Law enforcement is now involved. I hope the community really presses the principal to be more accountable for the violent and threatening action of the students he releases out into the neighborhood. I don't think it's happening all the time and the really bad stuff happens only occasionally, but the reality is that it can be a pretty rough place and it's gotten to the point where many people in the surrounding community no longer feel safe because of the violence that goes unchecked. The principal says there's nothing he can do. It takes the police 15 minutes to get there, so by the time they arrive the kids have dispersed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually saw that on our listserv too. It's a small community and the posters are people we are familiar with. This was a very serious incident and is not just idle gossip. Law enforcement is now involved. I hope the community really presses the principal to be more accountable for the violent and threatening action of the students he releases out into the neighborhood. I don't think it's happening all the time and the really bad stuff happens only occasionally, but the reality is that it can be a pretty rough place and it's gotten to the point where many people in the surrounding community no longer feel safe because of the violence that goes unchecked. The principal says there's nothing he can do. It takes the police 15 minutes to get there, so by the time they arrive the kids have dispersed.

I don't get it.