To help give more tailored advice, our question is:
1. Move to the Eaton or Mann districts now, then move to Bethesda (Pyle or Westland) for 6th grade
2. Move to the Wood Acres or Bradley Hills neighborhoods now, and then feed into Pyle-Whitman
WWYD? Are we silly to even consider moving twice, so that our kids get the best public school experiences at each level?
I would do Mann through 5th, then move to Pyle for 6th. Mann is a fantastic school with an extra teacher in each class. You will not get that anywhere in MCPS. But the good schools in DC, like Deal, are not as good as Pyle.
GL!
That not entirely true. At our close in Bethesda school and Im sure many others, there are breakout teachers. Yes the homeroom is one teacher but for things like reading, the class gets split into ability groups where the kids with needs go off as do the advanced kids and the core group remains all with different teachers who then rotate to the next class. It the end the kids get the attention they need in much smaller groups not to mention lots of specialists like feelings counselors, speech therapists and so on. All without having to pay stupid high PTA dues
Not the same thing as having 2 dedicated full-time teachers in each class. Not even close.
Wait, DC schools have two teachers per class in elementary school? Really? What are the class sizes there?
DC PTAs are allowed to fundraise and pay the salaries of additional teachers. These are extra teachers paid for by the parent community of the school and are only present at the schools that have PTAs that can support those expenditures.
MCPS PTAs are not allowed to pay for staff, ever. So in MCPS, the staff allocations are what the county gives the school and cannot be expanded on by the PTA/parent community/school foundation, etc
Wait, are you serious? In DC they let rich parents pay for extra teachers for their kids, and kids at those schools get better staffing than poorer kids whose parents can't afford to do that? That's one of the most obscenely unfair hings I have ever heard of in a public school system. I honestly thought it was a bad joke but I looked it up and it seems true.
Yes, they do. That's why the upper NW ES, particularly Mann, are so much better than the MCPS ES.
That's really gross. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in a culture like that. Do the parents have any shame when they tell their kids that they get a better education than the kids at the school down the road because their parents are richer and will buy them extra teachers if they want them? Or is there no shame because both the kids and the parents believe that the rich kids deserve better than the poor kids and it's somehow normal and acceptable?
OP, if you are considering sending your kids to a school that participates in something this awful, please consider the messages it sends them...
It was a compromise that kept upper income families for fleeing back when the whole system was crap. They haven't found a way to unpack it. What comes as a surprise is the extremely high PTA fees per child that is obligated. In the past they have had problems with lists being circulated with non-payers.
Wait, it's not just an optional thing that rich parents do, they try to force or shame all families at these schools into paying for these extra teachers? What about the poor and middle class kids in these neighborhoods? Do they get looked down on and judged for not paying in? And then their parents aren't allowed in the PTA?
DCPS do not have PTAs; they have PTOs. When we were there, everyone was automatically a member, no dues required. But then the upper NW schools would ask for huge donations (like $1,000/kid) to fund teachers. That’s in addition to the auction, room parent funding, etc. At the school we were at, we did not know who gave and who didn’t, but unless some people gave a lot more than the recommended amount, it seems like the majority of families gave, given the vast size of the PTO’s budget. A lot of families said, “well it’s cheaper than private school and you get a private school-like experience."
To help give more tailored advice, our question is:
1. Move to the Eaton or Mann districts now, then move to Bethesda (Pyle or Westland) for 6th grade
2. Move to the Wood Acres or Bradley Hills neighborhoods now, and then feed into Pyle-Whitman
WWYD? Are we silly to even consider moving twice, so that our kids get the best public school experiences at each level?
I would do Mann through 5th, then move to Pyle for 6th. Mann is a fantastic school with an extra teacher in each class. You will not get that anywhere in MCPS. But the good schools in DC, like Deal, are not as good as Pyle.
GL!
That not entirely true. At our close in Bethesda school and Im sure many others, there are breakout teachers. Yes the homeroom is one teacher but for things like reading, the class gets split into ability groups where the kids with needs go off as do the advanced kids and the core group remains all with different teachers who then rotate to the next class. It the end the kids get the attention they need in much smaller groups not to mention lots of specialists like feelings counselors, speech therapists and so on. All without having to pay stupid high PTA dues
Not the same thing as having 2 dedicated full-time teachers in each class. Not even close.
Wait, DC schools have two teachers per class in elementary school? Really? What are the class sizes there?
DC PTAs are allowed to fundraise and pay the salaries of additional teachers. These are extra teachers paid for by the parent community of the school and are only present at the schools that have PTAs that can support those expenditures.
MCPS PTAs are not allowed to pay for staff, ever. So in MCPS, the staff allocations are what the county gives the school and cannot be expanded on by the PTA/parent community/school foundation, etc
Wait, are you serious? In DC they let rich parents pay for extra teachers for their kids, and kids at those schools get better staffing than poorer kids whose parents can't afford to do that? That's one of the most obscenely unfair hings I have ever heard of in a public school system. I honestly thought it was a bad joke but I looked it up and it seems true.
Yes, they do. That's why the upper NW ES, particularly Mann, are so much better than the MCPS ES.
That's really gross. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in a culture like that. Do the parents have any shame when they tell their kids that they get a better education than the kids at the school down the road because their parents are richer and will buy them extra teachers if they want them? Or is there no shame because both the kids and the parents believe that the rich kids deserve better than the poor kids and it's somehow normal and acceptable?
OP, if you are considering sending your kids to a school that participates in something this awful, please consider the messages it sends them...
It was a compromise that kept upper income families for fleeing back when the whole system was crap. They haven't found a way to unpack it. What comes as a surprise is the extremely high PTA fees per child that is obligated. In the past they have had problems with lists being circulated with non-payers.
Wait, it's not just an optional thing that rich parents do, they try to force or shame all families at these schools into paying for these extra teachers? What about the poor and middle class kids in these neighborhoods? Do they get looked down on and judged for not paying in? And then their parents aren't allowed in the PTA?
Yeah, I’m shocked this hasn’t been stamped out with a lawsuit by now. It entirely defeats the purpose and intention of a public school system.
All of you dummies have no idea how the DC public school system is set up or the background regarding charter schools. Let me tell you how no one in DC who goes to these schools is bothered by it. So ignorant but still so vocal.
To help give more tailored advice, our question is:
1. Move to the Eaton or Mann districts now, then move to Bethesda (Pyle or Westland) for 6th grade
2. Move to the Wood Acres or Bradley Hills neighborhoods now, and then feed into Pyle-Whitman
WWYD? Are we silly to even consider moving twice, so that our kids get the best public school experiences at each level?
I would do Mann through 5th, then move to Pyle for 6th. Mann is a fantastic school with an extra teacher in each class. You will not get that anywhere in MCPS. But the good schools in DC, like Deal, are not as good as Pyle.
GL!
That not entirely true. At our close in Bethesda school and Im sure many others, there are breakout teachers. Yes the homeroom is one teacher but for things like reading, the class gets split into ability groups where the kids with needs go off as do the advanced kids and the core group remains all with different teachers who then rotate to the next class. It the end the kids get the attention they need in much smaller groups not to mention lots of specialists like feelings counselors, speech therapists and so on. All without having to pay stupid high PTA dues
Not the same thing as having 2 dedicated full-time teachers in each class. Not even close.
Wait, DC schools have two teachers per class in elementary school? Really? What are the class sizes there?
DC PTAs are allowed to fundraise and pay the salaries of additional teachers. These are extra teachers paid for by the parent community of the school and are only present at the schools that have PTAs that can support those expenditures.
MCPS PTAs are not allowed to pay for staff, ever. So in MCPS, the staff allocations are what the county gives the school and cannot be expanded on by the PTA/parent community/school foundation, etc
Wait, are you serious? In DC they let rich parents pay for extra teachers for their kids, and kids at those schools get better staffing than poorer kids whose parents can't afford to do that? That's one of the most obscenely unfair hings I have ever heard of in a public school system. I honestly thought it was a bad joke but I looked it up and it seems true.
Yes, they do. That's why the upper NW ES, particularly Mann, are so much better than the MCPS ES.
That's really gross. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in a culture like that. Do the parents have any shame when they tell their kids that they get a better education than the kids at the school down the road because their parents are richer and will buy them extra teachers if they want them? Or is there no shame because both the kids and the parents believe that the rich kids deserve better than the poor kids and it's somehow normal and acceptable?
OP, if you are considering sending your kids to a school that participates in something this awful, please consider the messages it sends them...
It was a compromise that kept upper income families for fleeing back when the whole system was crap. They haven't found a way to unpack it. What comes as a surprise is the extremely high PTA fees per child that is obligated. In the past they have had problems with lists being circulated with non-payers.
Wait, it's not just an optional thing that rich parents do, they try to force or shame all families at these schools into paying for these extra teachers? What about the poor and middle class kids in these neighborhoods? Do they get looked down on and judged for not paying in? And then their parents aren't allowed in the PTA?
Yeah, I’m shocked this hasn’t been stamped out with a lawsuit by now. It entirely defeats the purpose and intention of a public school system.
All of you dummies have no idea how the DC public school system is set up or the background regarding charter schools. Let me tell you how no one in DC who goes to these schools is bothered by it. So ignorant but still so vocal.
You seriously think that no one in DC at a school with the normal amount of teachers is bothered that rich kids get extra teachers and more teacher attention and assistance than their kids do? That is laughable.
To help give more tailored advice, our question is:
1. Move to the Eaton or Mann districts now, then move to Bethesda (Pyle or Westland) for 6th grade
2. Move to the Wood Acres or Bradley Hills neighborhoods now, and then feed into Pyle-Whitman
WWYD? Are we silly to even consider moving twice, so that our kids get the best public school experiences at each level?
I would do Mann through 5th, then move to Pyle for 6th. Mann is a fantastic school with an extra teacher in each class. You will not get that anywhere in MCPS. But the good schools in DC, like Deal, are not as good as Pyle.
GL!
That not entirely true. At our close in Bethesda school and Im sure many others, there are breakout teachers. Yes the homeroom is one teacher but for things like reading, the class gets split into ability groups where the kids with needs go off as do the advanced kids and the core group remains all with different teachers who then rotate to the next class. It the end the kids get the attention they need in much smaller groups not to mention lots of specialists like feelings counselors, speech therapists and so on. All without having to pay stupid high PTA dues
Not the same thing as having 2 dedicated full-time teachers in each class. Not even close.
Wait, DC schools have two teachers per class in elementary school? Really? What are the class sizes there?
DC PTAs are allowed to fundraise and pay the salaries of additional teachers. These are extra teachers paid for by the parent community of the school and are only present at the schools that have PTAs that can support those expenditures.
MCPS PTAs are not allowed to pay for staff, ever. So in MCPS, the staff allocations are what the county gives the school and cannot be expanded on by the PTA/parent community/school foundation, etc
Wait, are you serious? In DC they let rich parents pay for extra teachers for their kids, and kids at those schools get better staffing than poorer kids whose parents can't afford to do that? That's one of the most obscenely unfair hings I have ever heard of in a public school system. I honestly thought it was a bad joke but I looked it up and it seems true.
Yes, they do. That's why the upper NW ES, particularly Mann, are so much better than the MCPS ES.
That's really gross. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in a culture like that. Do the parents have any shame when they tell their kids that they get a better education than the kids at the school down the road because their parents are richer and will buy them extra teachers if they want them? Or is there no shame because both the kids and the parents believe that the rich kids deserve better than the poor kids and it's somehow normal and acceptable?
OP, if you are considering sending your kids to a school that participates in something this awful, please consider the messages it sends them...
It was a compromise that kept upper income families for fleeing back when the whole system was crap. They haven't found a way to unpack it. What comes as a surprise is the extremely high PTA fees per child that is obligated. In the past they have had problems with lists being circulated with non-payers.
Wait, it's not just an optional thing that rich parents do, they try to force or shame all families at these schools into paying for these extra teachers? What about the poor and middle class kids in these neighborhoods? Do they get looked down on and judged for not paying in? And then their parents aren't allowed in the PTA?
Yeah, I’m shocked this hasn’t been stamped out with a lawsuit by now. It entirely defeats the purpose and intention of a public school system.
All of you dummies have no idea how the DC public school system is set up or the background regarding charter schools. Let me tell you how no one in DC who goes to these schools is bothered by it. So ignorant but still so vocal.
You seriously think that no one in DC at a school with the normal amount of teachers is bothered that rich kids get extra teachers and more teacher attention and assistance than their kids do? That is laughable.
The poorer schools get far more teachers because they have so much more $ per pupil.
To help give more tailored advice, our question is:
1. Move to the Eaton or Mann districts now, then move to Bethesda (Pyle or Westland) for 6th grade
2. Move to the Wood Acres or Bradley Hills neighborhoods now, and then feed into Pyle-Whitman
WWYD? Are we silly to even consider moving twice, so that our kids get the best public school experiences at each level?
I would do Mann through 5th, then move to Pyle for 6th. Mann is a fantastic school with an extra teacher in each class. You will not get that anywhere in MCPS. But the good schools in DC, like Deal, are not as good as Pyle.
GL!
That not entirely true. At our close in Bethesda school and Im sure many others, there are breakout teachers. Yes the homeroom is one teacher but for things like reading, the class gets split into ability groups where the kids with needs go off as do the advanced kids and the core group remains all with different teachers who then rotate to the next class. It the end the kids get the attention they need in much smaller groups not to mention lots of specialists like feelings counselors, speech therapists and so on. All without having to pay stupid high PTA dues
Not the same thing as having 2 dedicated full-time teachers in each class. Not even close.
Wait, DC schools have two teachers per class in elementary school? Really? What are the class sizes there?
DC PTAs are allowed to fundraise and pay the salaries of additional teachers. These are extra teachers paid for by the parent community of the school and are only present at the schools that have PTAs that can support those expenditures.
MCPS PTAs are not allowed to pay for staff, ever. So in MCPS, the staff allocations are what the county gives the school and cannot be expanded on by the PTA/parent community/school foundation, etc
Wait, are you serious? In DC they let rich parents pay for extra teachers for their kids, and kids at those schools get better staffing than poorer kids whose parents can't afford to do that? That's one of the most obscenely unfair hings I have ever heard of in a public school system. I honestly thought it was a bad joke but I looked it up and it seems true.
Yes, they do. That's why the upper NW ES, particularly Mann, are so much better than the MCPS ES.
That's really gross. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in a culture like that. Do the parents have any shame when they tell their kids that they get a better education than the kids at the school down the road because their parents are richer and will buy them extra teachers if they want them? Or is there no shame because both the kids and the parents believe that the rich kids deserve better than the poor kids and it's somehow normal and acceptable?
OP, if you are considering sending your kids to a school that participates in something this awful, please consider the messages it sends them...
It was a compromise that kept upper income families for fleeing back when the whole system was crap. They haven't found a way to unpack it. What comes as a surprise is the extremely high PTA fees per child that is obligated. In the past they have had problems with lists being circulated with non-payers.
Wait, it's not just an optional thing that rich parents do, they try to force or shame all families at these schools into paying for these extra teachers? What about the poor and middle class kids in these neighborhoods? Do they get looked down on and judged for not paying in? And then their parents aren't allowed in the PTA?
Yeah, I’m shocked this hasn’t been stamped out with a lawsuit by now. It entirely defeats the purpose and intention of a public school system.
All of you dummies have no idea how the DC public school system is set up or the background regarding charter schools. Let me tell you how no one in DC who goes to these schools is bothered by it. So ignorant but still so vocal.
You seriously think that no one in DC at a school with the normal amount of teachers is bothered that rich kids get extra teachers and more teacher attention and assistance than their kids do? That is laughable.
The poorer schools get far more teachers because they have so much more $ per pupil.
Yeah sort of like how my kids pay for the school lunch and other people’s kids get the school lunch for free but everyone gets the school lunch offered.
To help give more tailored advice, our question is:
1. Move to the Eaton or Mann districts now, then move to Bethesda (Pyle or Westland) for 6th grade
2. Move to the Wood Acres or Bradley Hills neighborhoods now, and then feed into Pyle-Whitman
WWYD? Are we silly to even consider moving twice, so that our kids get the best public school experiences at each level?
I would do Mann through 5th, then move to Pyle for 6th. Mann is a fantastic school with an extra teacher in each class. You will not get that anywhere in MCPS. But the good schools in DC, like Deal, are not as good as Pyle.
GL!
That not entirely true. At our close in Bethesda school and Im sure many others, there are breakout teachers. Yes the homeroom is one teacher but for things like reading, the class gets split into ability groups where the kids with needs go off as do the advanced kids and the core group remains all with different teachers who then rotate to the next class. It the end the kids get the attention they need in much smaller groups not to mention lots of specialists like feelings counselors, speech therapists and so on. All without having to pay stupid high PTA dues
Not the same thing as having 2 dedicated full-time teachers in each class. Not even close.
Wait, DC schools have two teachers per class in elementary school? Really? What are the class sizes there?
DC PTAs are allowed to fundraise and pay the salaries of additional teachers. These are extra teachers paid for by the parent community of the school and are only present at the schools that have PTAs that can support those expenditures.
MCPS PTAs are not allowed to pay for staff, ever. So in MCPS, the staff allocations are what the county gives the school and cannot be expanded on by the PTA/parent community/school foundation, etc
Wait, are you serious? In DC they let rich parents pay for extra teachers for their kids, and kids at those schools get better staffing than poorer kids whose parents can't afford to do that? That's one of the most obscenely unfair hings I have ever heard of in a public school system. I honestly thought it was a bad joke but I looked it up and it seems true.
Yes, they do. That's why the upper NW ES, particularly Mann, are so much better than the MCPS ES.
That's really gross. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in a culture like that. Do the parents have any shame when they tell their kids that they get a better education than the kids at the school down the road because their parents are richer and will buy them extra teachers if they want them? Or is there no shame because both the kids and the parents believe that the rich kids deserve better than the poor kids and it's somehow normal and acceptable?
OP, if you are considering sending your kids to a school that participates in something this awful, please consider the messages it sends them...
It was a compromise that kept upper income families for fleeing back when the whole system was crap. They haven't found a way to unpack it. What comes as a surprise is the extremely high PTA fees per child that is obligated. In the past they have had problems with lists being circulated with non-payers.
Wait, it's not just an optional thing that rich parents do, they try to force or shame all families at these schools into paying for these extra teachers? What about the poor and middle class kids in these neighborhoods? Do they get looked down on and judged for not paying in? And then their parents aren't allowed in the PTA?
Yeah, I’m shocked this hasn’t been stamped out with a lawsuit by now. It entirely defeats the purpose and intention of a public school system.
All of you dummies have no idea how the DC public school system is set up or the background regarding charter schools. Let me tell you how no one in DC who goes to these schools is bothered by it. So ignorant but still so vocal.
You seriously think that no one in DC at a school with the normal amount of teachers is bothered that rich kids get extra teachers and more teacher attention and assistance than their kids do? That is laughable.
The poorer schools get far more teachers because they have so much more $ per pupil.
Yeah sort of like how my kids pay for the school lunch and other people’s kids get the school lunch for free but everyone gets the school lunch offered.
Not the same because the school lunch offered is the same for everyone. Versus say everyone being offered teacher for the core curriculum and then the richer school being to offer other elective or smaller classes because they pay for extra teachers.
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