Westland Elementary - Personal Experiences?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

We are about to move Bethesda and what would be Westland for middle school. Although I have found a number of negative posts about Westland they don't seem to be based on personal experience. What is the deal? Has anyone recently sent (or is sending) their child(ren) there and been happy? We are very keen on the IB program and BCC, but Westland seems to be a black mark in our public school plan. I should also mention we are happy with the elementary school area we fall into (Rosemary Hills and Chevy Chase). We are willing and expecting to adjust a bit for each child which may mean private school, but we don't want to invest in this area if we don't honestly think the public schools are excellent. Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Of course I meant Westland Middle School! Sorry!

[Anonymous]

We are not due to send our kid there for a few years, but lately have heard better things about it, including the IB program. (My feeling is that almost any middle school is going to start with a lot of challenges just because of the nature of what kids are going through in those years.)

Also I think I heard kids at Chevy Chase have the option of spending 6th grade at Chevy Chase or at Westland, so you could limit Westland to 2 years.

[Anonymous]

I'm quite sure you will hear nothing worse about Westland than any other middle school. As PP mentioned, not all classes start there in 6th. Another view, which some people like, is that it gives their child a chance to adjust to the middle school with fewer students.

[Anonymous]

do they bus in kids from outside of Bethesda?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:do they bus in kids from outside of Bethesda?

What do you mean? if it's an open program? Would this pose a problem for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:do they bus in kids from outside of Bethesda?

Well, included in that cluster are parts of Silver Spring, including a mid-to-low income area so if that is what you are wondering about.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:do they bus in kids from outside of Bethesda?

It's middle school; there are a half-dozen feeder elementaries, most of which are not within walking distance of Westland, therefore most kids take a bus to get to Westland.

Kids are "bused in" from outside Bethesda -- including Chevy Chase, N. Chevy Chase, Rollingwood, Somerset, Rock Creek Forest and Rosemary Hills. These are hardly "low income" areas although Bethesa, Somerset, and Rosemary Hills areas each include pockets of some less expensive apartment housing.

The school district area for Westland extends to 16th Street but not east of 16th St. I don't really call west of 16th Street "Silver Spring," although some may.