Tell me about your school that you LOVE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Strawberry Knoll Elementary - Gaithersburg - FARM school - Principal Scott is an incredible individual - really makes the parent feel like a partner in the process. All the students love him and you truly feel like he recognizes you and knows you personally as much as he knows your children personally. That attitude trickles down to a very caring and empathetic staff. Teachers do their best to ensure each student gets their needs met. FARM school so the class sizes are very small. With our students being a bit above average the small class size does help to get them the instructional tweaks to make sure its still a very enriching and challenging (in a healthy way) environment. Eldest child moved on to a CES program for 4th grade and next one up recieved the gifted and talented designation w.e that means.

Where do you plan to send your kids for MS/HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOL it's hilarious that most of the replies in this thread have been people praising non-MCPS schools....

Because most of the people hating, bashing MCPS schools don't have kids in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moved here to love the schools - DESPISED our W elementary…and left. What else to say? There are over 30 pages on the MCPS is atrocious for solid reasons.

Started by a private school parent and filled with 90% of non-MCPS parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asking for testimonials about LOVING a school is a tall order. I've had three kids in Bradley Hills with one still there and I really like the school and would encourage anyone to send their kids there. The teachers are most very good and are engaged. The community is strong. The administration is responsive and cares about the kids. All around an extremely positive experience. I'm just not one to say I love a school and I think a lot of people are probably the same.

Interesting.

I LOVED my ES growing up in another state. And my parents (immigrants) also really loved it. They felt the teachers were supportive and it was a great academic environment. Solid sense of community and excellent enrichment when necessary. Wonderful music program and a great Principal - who was there the entire time I was at the school.

Contrary to that, my kid’s ES kind of stinks. They do very little (if any) enrichment for kids who are at or above grade level. We have had 2 different principals and 3 Assistant Prinicpals since my kid has been there. We have an insane amount of disciplinary problems. PE and Music are only once a week. We get no foreign language instruction. I could go on…

You failed to mention what state, what was the population then, and how expectations for teachers and students have changed since then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Moved here to love the schools - DESPISED our W elementary…and left. What else to say? There are over 30 pages on the MCPS is atrocious for solid reasons.

Started by a private school parent and filled with 90% of non-MCPS parents.

Keep telling yourself that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Contrary to that, my kid’s ES kind of stinks. They do very little (if any) enrichment for kids who are at or above grade level. We have had 2 different principals and 3 Assistant Prinicpals since my kid has been there. We have an insane amount of disciplinary problems. PE and Music are only once a week. We get no foreign language instruction. I could go on…"

PE and Music are once a week in every MCPS school. Foreign language instruction is found only in language immersion programs, or at after school clubs, it is not part of the ES curriculum. Discipline problems are absolutely everywhere, even in the much-admired/much vilified W schools. Check out the new principal thread here if you want to see how much admins come and go. So your child's school is no different from most others in these regards.

True. I guess that’s the point though.

There are issues system-wide that make MCPS less than fantastic. It’s across the board - wealthy schools or high FARMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strawberry Knoll Elementary - Gaithersburg - FARM school - Principal Scott is an incredible individual - really makes the parent feel like a partner in the process. All the students love him and you truly feel like he recognizes you and knows you personally as much as he knows your children personally. That attitude trickles down to a very caring and empathetic staff. Teachers do their best to ensure each student gets their needs met. FARM school so the class sizes are very small. With our students being a bit above average the small class size does help to get them the instructional tweaks to make sure its still a very enriching and challenging (in a healthy way) environment. Eldest child moved on to a CES program for 4th grade and next one up recieved the gifted and talented designation w.e that means.

Where do you plan to send your kids for MS/HS?

Great question. We are part of the Gaithersburg middle and high clusters which are nervous about. TBD on what we do though. Eldest has one more year at mill creek 5th grade CES this coming year. Cautiously hopeful for middle magnet selection but realize there are only so many spots available.

Part of thinks with our support at home our children can do well in most environments. Strawberry knoll was a pleasant surprise for us especially since our experience does not match their ranking. Will we we have the same experience with Gaithersburg middle and high? Maybe, maybe not. Eldest would do well in a homeschool co-op environment so that might be our back up if magnet falls through.

The next one is headed to 3rd so we have time to figure it out. Hopefully we can afford a private option by the time they need to go to middle school.

For highschool - TBD if we will follow the traditional experience or do something like hybrid Montgomery college/highschool program or Montgomery College/homeschool hybrid. Depends on what programs they will be targeting for university and post university and the specific requirements that may begin in and around highschool age.

We tend to be flexible and adaptive - each childs path will be different based on their needs. Anything is possible for them and I trust they will be okay if they have our strong foundational support (this includes emotional support as well) at home regardless of the middle or highschool they goto.

[Anonymous]

Bradley Hills/Pyle/Whitman. Couldn’t be happier

[Anonymous]

Beverly Farms/Hoover/Churchill have all been great!

[Anonymous]

My kids have loved Flora Singer and Sligo Middle School. There are definitely things I don't love about MCPS (curriculum, discipline policy) and that comes into play, particularly in middle school. That said, my kids had great experiences and really liked the community feel at both schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Contrary to that, my kid’s ES kind of stinks. They do very little (if any) enrichment for kids who are at or above grade level. We have had 2 different principals and 3 Assistant Prinicpals since my kid has been there. We have an insane amount of disciplinary problems. PE and Music are only once a week. We get no foreign language instruction. I could go on…"

PE and Music are once a week in every MCPS school. Foreign language instruction is found only in language immersion programs, or at after school clubs, it is not part of the ES curriculum. Discipline problems are absolutely everywhere, even in the much-admired/much vilified W schools. Check out the new principal thread here if you want to see how much admins come and go. So your child's school is no different from most others in these regards.

I’m not a MCPS basher at all but I share in PP’s sense of disappointment about foreign language and specials. Some of this is public elementary in the US to be sure. My kid is rising K so no firsthand experience yet but I was just crushed for my kid to lose out on the immersion lotteries. We had moved from a region that does elementary foreign language (though not immersion) for all, so it’s a real bummer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strawberry Knoll Elementary - Gaithersburg - FARM school - Principal Scott is an incredible individual - really makes the parent feel like a partner in the process. All the students love him and you truly feel like he recognizes you and knows you personally as much as he knows your children personally. That attitude trickles down to a very caring and empathetic staff. Teachers do their best to ensure each student gets their needs met. FARM school so the class sizes are very small. With our students being a bit above average the small class size does help to get them the instructional tweaks to make sure its still a very enriching and challenging (in a healthy way) environment. Eldest child moved on to a CES program for 4th grade and next one up recieved the gifted and talented designation w.e that means.

Where do you plan to send your kids for MS/HS?

Great question. We are part of the Gaithersburg middle and high clusters which are nervous about. TBD on what we do though. Eldest has one more year at mill creek 5th grade CES this coming year. Cautiously hopeful for middle magnet selection but realize there are only so many spots available.

Part of thinks with our support at home our children can do well in most environments. Strawberry knoll was a pleasant surprise for us especially since our experience does not match their ranking. Will we we have the same experience with Gaithersburg middle and high? Maybe, maybe not. Eldest would do well in a homeschool co-op environment so that might be our back up if magnet falls through.

The next one is headed to 3rd so we have time to figure it out. Hopefully we can afford a private option by the time they need to go to middle school.

For highschool - TBD if we will follow the traditional experience or do something like hybrid Montgomery college/highschool program or Montgomery College/homeschool hybrid. Depends on what programs they will be targeting for university and post university and the specific requirements that may begin in and around highschool age.

We tend to be flexible and adaptive - each childs path will be different based on their needs. Anything is possible for them and I trust they will be okay if they have our strong foundational support (this includes emotional support as well) at home regardless of the middle or highschool they goto.

I’m in East Village and our articulation is Goshen ES—Forest Oak MS—Gaithersburg HS. All three schools benefit from active PTAs with lots of traditions at ES. My kids are HS, but from swim team we know our experience is still valid at ES and MS. Loved Goshen. FOMS was a good experience, given that it’s middle school. GHS has been good so far - taking advantage of advanced classes and sports, solid neighborhood friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL it's hilarious that most of the replies in this thread have been people praising non-MCPS schools....

Because most of the people hating, bashing MCPS schools don't have kids in MCPS.

Keep telling yourself that. I’ve had plenty of in person conversations with parents of MCPS kids who are very concerned about the quality of their kids’ educations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strawberry Knoll Elementary - Gaithersburg - FARM school - Principal Scott is an incredible individual - really makes the parent feel like a partner in the process. All the students love him and you truly feel like he recognizes you and knows you personally as much as he knows your children personally. That attitude trickles down to a very caring and empathetic staff. Teachers do their best to ensure each student gets their needs met. FARM school so the class sizes are very small. With our students being a bit above average the small class size does help to get them the instructional tweaks to make sure its still a very enriching and challenging (in a healthy way) environment. Eldest child moved on to a CES program for 4th grade and next one up recieved the gifted and talented designation w.e that means.

Where do you plan to send your kids for MS/HS?

Great question. We are part of the Gaithersburg middle and high clusters which are nervous about. TBD on what we do though. Eldest has one more year at mill creek 5th grade CES this coming year. Cautiously hopeful for middle magnet selection but realize there are only so many spots available.

Part of thinks with our support at home our children can do well in most environments. Strawberry knoll was a pleasant surprise for us especially since our experience does not match their ranking. Will we we have the same experience with Gaithersburg middle and high? Maybe, maybe not. Eldest would do well in a homeschool co-op environment so that might be our back up if magnet falls through.

The next one is headed to 3rd so we have time to figure it out. Hopefully we can afford a private option by the time they need to go to middle school.

For highschool - TBD if we will follow the traditional experience or do something like hybrid Montgomery college/highschool program or Montgomery College/homeschool hybrid. Depends on what programs they will be targeting for university and post university and the specific requirements that may begin in and around highschool age.

We tend to be flexible and adaptive - each childs path will be different based on their needs. Anything is possible for them and I trust they will be okay if they have our strong foundational support (this includes emotional support as well) at home regardless of the middle or highschool they goto.

I’m in East Village and our articulation is Goshen ES—Forest Oak MS—Gaithersburg HS. All three schools benefit from active PTAs with lots of traditions at ES. My kids are HS, but from swim team we know our experience is still valid at ES and MS. Loved Goshen. FOMS was a good experience, given that it’s middle school. GHS has been good so far - taking advantage of advanced classes and sports, solid neighborhood friends.

Awesome that is reassuring to hear! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL it's hilarious that most of the replies in this thread have been people praising non-MCPS schools....

Because most of the people hating, bashing MCPS schools don't have kids in MCPS.

Keep telling yourself that. I’ve had plenty of in person conversations with parents of MCPS kids who are very concerned about the quality of their kids’ educations.

In your imaginary world