Tell me about Shrevewood

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids moved into the Shrevewood district after they aged out of elementary school, so I don’t have direct experience. I do know that many of our neighbors send their elementary aged kids to other schools.

This could have been a covid thing.

There is a really popular Catholic school within walking distance of Shrevewood, I think that is probably what PP is talking about. There are a lot of families in our neighborhood that go there including several that switched their kids there during the pandemic because they wanted their kids in person and then never switched back.

OP - if you have a smart kid, they'll do fine. If you have an average or below average kid, they will be ignored. I hear it's the same at all FCPS schools.

I think the Catholic school you're mentioning is St. James, which is actually not a very good, especially for students with learning disabilities.

Do you have a child with SLD that attended St James?

Yea, both my kids attended St. James. Our younger kid was diagnosed with dyslexia and the school said they couldn't support him, but they wanted to keep the older child. We decided to move both kids to Shrevewood and we had tremendous support from the principal at the time and all my kid's teachers. This was about ten years ago and my kid's are both thriving at Marshall now, so some things may have chanced at St. James. But we still attend mass weekly there and by the look of it, the school has gone downhill since my kids have left. About half of my younger son's classmates at St. James actually went on to go to Shrevewood/FC schools instead, and he started seeing them at CCD.

Unfortunately this has always been the case - I attended in the 1990s and saw friends siblings leave because of it. That’s the unfortunate reality of parochial schools - the resources ($$) aren’t there to support most kids with special needs. It’s not a problem unique to SJS and yes, most kids with special needs are better served at their local public school. I’m glad your kids are doing well but I disagree that SJS has gone downhill - the school was shrinking and covid enrollment has really brought it back to life (as other posters on here attest to - enrollment is still way up even after covid - parents have decided to stay).

I’d have to agree with this. The families that I know at St. James are very happy. I don’t know if those families have kids with special needs, however. I was tempted to apply to the school for my kid, but we are not Catholic.

[Anonymous]

The two families I know at St. James both have a parent who teaches at fcps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The two families I know at St. James both have a parent who teaches at fcps

Hmmmmm… I’m sure they’re religious or have issue with their boundary school.

[Anonymous]

Does the community have insight on whether the school is projected to be under-enrolled next year? Also, we heard that there will be a lot of teacher turnover. Is that a positive or a negative? Thinking positive if the bad apples leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the community have insight on whether the school is projected to be under-enrolled next year? Also, we heard that there will be a lot of teacher turnover. Is that a positive or a negative? Thinking positive if the bad apples leave.

The latest CIP has fall 2023 enrollment down to 648 students, a slight decline from fall 2022 and below the program capacity of 657 kids (design capacity is 728 kids).

However, the projections could well be wrong. The school has gained 32 kids over the course of the 2022-23 school year and the latest enrollment was 689.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the community have insight on whether the school is projected to be under-enrolled next year? Also, we heard that there will be a lot of teacher turnover. Is that a positive or a negative? Thinking positive if the bad apples leave.

Teacher turnover is rarely viewed as a positive. Consistency and predictability are key factors in maintaining a positive school environment. (Clearly it is helpful when bad apples leave, but they’re usually not the ones that leave.)

[Anonymous]

In four more years the new Dunn Loring ES will open and many boundaries will change. Expect some of Shrevewood to move over to Stenwood and much of Stenwood to move to Dunn Loring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In four more years the new Dunn Loring ES will open and many boundaries will change. Expect some of Shrevewood to move over to Stenwood and much of Stenwood to move to Dunn Loring.

That will not help most of the current families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In four more years the new Dunn Loring ES will open and many boundaries will change. Expect some of Shrevewood to move over to Stenwood and much of Stenwood to move to Dunn Loring.

That will not help most of the current families.

Well, maybe you could get the word out to replace Karl Frisch. He is 100% responsible for this "solution" in lieu of making the modest boundary adjustments originally planned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the community have insight on whether the school is projected to be under-enrolled next year? Also, we heard that there will be a lot of teacher turnover. Is that a positive or a negative? Thinking positive if the bad apples leave.

I’m not sure how most of us could determine how the teacher turnover looks at this point. I imagine it is confusing everywhere. I have not personally heard anything abnormal about Shrevewood.

On enrollment, I’m not sure it will be much different than last year. The cohort that is the smallest is the current 3rd graders, so until they rotate out I think the enrollment changes will be modest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The two families I know at St. James both have a parent who teaches at fcps

Hmmmmm… I’m sure they’re religious or have issue with their boundary school.

This is a strange comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the community have insight on whether the school is projected to be under-enrolled next year? Also, we heard that there will be a lot of teacher turnover. Is that a positive or a negative? Thinking positive if the bad apples leave.

I’m not sure how most of us could determine how the teacher turnover looks at this point. I imagine it is confusing everywhere. I have not personally heard anything abnormal about Shrevewood.

On enrollment, I’m not sure it will be much different than last year. The cohort that is the smallest is the current 3rd graders, so until they rotate out I think the enrollment changes will be modest.

The 2nd grade cohort is also small, while the 5th/6th and K/1st are the same size. So, at least for the next 2-3 years it is unlikely that the incoming classes will be enough to move the dial on attendance. The next possible time that we would be worried about overcrowding would be in 4 years, and that is the timeline for Dunn Loring.

Effectively, the pandemic saved Fritsch’s ass as far as Shrevewood goes.

[Anonymous]

Karl Frisch needs to be voted out. Situation at Shrevewood is great. No idea about teacher turnover but does it matter? Hopefully the new PTA will plan more events- fall fair, International Day; Spring Fair; Dances; 5K runs; movie nights; Science Olympiads, Science Fair, Quizzbowl, Spelling Bee; Geography Bee, Parents Night Out, Art Nights and add more after school activities. They need to also sponsor more field trips. Some grades didn't get any this year. Our family has been disappointed because our friends in McLean schools get all the above.
All the PTA do is plan events for teachers. It's something but kiddos need to be part of it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Karl Frisch needs to be voted out. Situation at Shrevewood is great. No idea about teacher turnover but does it matter? Hopefully the new PTA will plan more events- fall fair, International Day; Spring Fair; Dances; 5K runs; movie nights; Science Olympiads, Science Fair, Quizzbowl, Spelling Bee; Geography Bee, Parents Night Out, Art Nights and add more after school activities. They need to also sponsor more field trips. Some grades didn't get any this year. Our family has been disappointed because our friends in McLean schools get all the above.
All the PTA do is plan events for teachers. It's something but kiddos need to be part of it too.

You have a great plan in mind for the PTA next year. I assume you’re volunteering for a position on the board to make it happen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Karl Frisch needs to be voted out. Situation at Shrevewood is great. No idea about teacher turnover but does it matter? Hopefully the new PTA will plan more events- fall fair, International Day; Spring Fair; Dances; 5K runs; movie nights; Science Olympiads, Science Fair, Quizzbowl, Spelling Bee; Geography Bee, Parents Night Out, Art Nights and add more after school activities. They need to also sponsor more field trips. Some grades didn't get any this year. Our family has been disappointed because our friends in McLean schools get all the above.
All the PTA do is plan events for teachers. It's something but kiddos need to be part of it too.

The PTA is dispperate for volunteers. No one is willing to lead the big events. Hopefully you step up.

Also, half of the things you listed are usually teacher run/admin run. So contact your admin and them you want some of those things and how YOU plan to assist.