Westland - Please share your experience

[Anonymous]

DC is headed to Westland next year, and I'm dreading it because of the overcrowding. He performs well academically but isn't an assertive kid. Is he going to get lost in such an enormous school?

Please share your stories! What can we expect? How can we best support him? Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

No experience yet but I hear from some of the neighbors that it has been pretty easy for their kids so far-academically, I mean. I went to the parent info night and thought the counselors and principal said a lot of the right things, but if don't know how well a shy kid will get along.

[Anonymous]

Overcrowded and some very mediocre teachers. We haven't been impressed. Looking for alternatives.

[Anonymous]

We found it to be overcrowded also, but my daughter had some fantastic teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is headed to Westland next year, and I'm dreading it because of the overcrowding. He performs well academically but isn't an assertive kid. Is he going to get lost in such an enormous school?

Please share your stories! What can we expect? How can we best support him? Thanks in advance.

Westland has always been the weak linkin the BCC cluster - perhaps just because it is middle school. But it is really hard on shy kids - hordes of people, a militaristic culture / feeling, basically a "holding pen" for recess, first lunch period at 10:55 am... Can you do private for middle or homeschool?

[Anonymous]

How many students? Is it as big as Deal in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is headed to Westland next year, and I'm dreading it because of the overcrowding. He performs well academically but isn't an assertive kid. Is he going to get lost in such an enormous school?

Please share your stories! What can we expect? How can we best support him? Thanks in advance.

Westland has always been the weak linkin the BCC cluster - perhaps just because it is middle school. But it is really hard on shy kids - hordes of people, a militaristic culture / feeling, basically a "holding pen" for recess, first lunch period at 10:55 am... Can you do private for middle or homeschool?

a milataristic culture? homeschool for 2-3 years? really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is headed to Westland next year, and I'm dreading it because of the overcrowding. He performs well academically but isn't an assertive kid. Is he going to get lost in such an enormous school?

Please share your stories! What can we expect? How can we best support him? Thanks in advance.

Westland has always been the weak linkin the BCC cluster - perhaps just because it is middle school. But it is really hard on shy kids - hordes of people, a militaristic culture / feeling, basically a "holding pen" for recess, first lunch period at 10:55 am... Can you do private for middle or homeschool?

I don't understand? B-CC is both bigger and more over capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many students? Is it as big as Deal in DC?

This year they have a bit under 1300. The sixth grade is always smaller since it does not include CCES and NCC. Those students join in 7th grade. I believe there are about 300 in 6th and about 480 in each of 7th and 8th.

[Anonymous]

Westland when I grew up was only 7th and 8th. It was always an ok school that you just had to suffer through.

[Anonymous]

Will the new middle school feed bcc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will the new middle school feed bcc?

Yes

[Anonymous]

A large proportion of kids got all A's (see the honor roll) at Westland (though not nearly the percentage of kids at Pyle who got all A's) - so if your child is bright, they should be fine academically (though how engaged and challenged they are depends on whether they end up with the better teachers or not). But as everybody says - middle school is a tough time and there is a lot more to it than just academics. The social piece is critical. Has your child expressed worry? Do they have some good friends to ride the bus with and hopefully be assigned to lunch with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is headed to Westland next year, and I'm dreading it because of the overcrowding. He performs well academically but isn't an assertive kid. Is he going to get lost in such an enormous school?

Please share your stories! What can we expect? How can we best support him? Thanks in advance.

Westland has always been the weak linkin the BCC cluster - perhaps just because it is middle school. But it is really hard on shy kids - hordes of people, a militaristic culture / feeling, basically a "holding pen" for recess, first lunch period at 10:55 am... Can you do private for middle or homeschool?

This hasn't been our experience AT ALL. Militaristic culture/feeling, holding pen for recess?

You have to be a troll -- what you are saying makes no sense at all.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for the feedback. Here's are some specific questions.

How separate is the 6th grade from the older grades?
How does that 10:02 lunch actually work? Does it affect their ability to focus in the afternoon?
Who are these "fantastic teachers" specifically?
Is it possible for a child to really get to know their teachers in such a huge place? And just importantly, for the teachers to know the child?

No, homeschooling isn't an option. I'm hoping that private school is an option for high school. But do kids actually place out of Westland to the top schools?