Any Baltimore parents? Roland Park Elem?

[Anonymous]

We are moving to Baltimore and will be zoned for Roland Park Elementary. It gets a 9 in the Great Schools rankings, but test scores are definitely not the end all, be all for me. I know Baltimore has such a private school culture, but we would love to keep our kids in public at least until middle school. Any recent experiences with Roland Park Elementary? TIA!

[Anonymous]

Mix of neighborhood kids and kids that are bussed in, tracking starts in K. Very large classes. One of the better schools in the city.

[Anonymous]

Baltimore county system is much better. Most people in the city do private, most in the county don't. At least not for elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore county system is much better. Most people in the city do private, most in the county don't. At least not for elementary.

First response poster, agree with this. Most kids zoned for Roland Park go to private or parochial school, but some go to public for elemtary but few stay for middle. we chose county specifically for the schools.

[Anonymous]

County doesn't work for us, commute-wise. We'll either send the kids to RP or private school, but would rather give public a try first. Anybody here actually have a kid that attends or attended RP?

[Anonymous]

have you already purchase a home? Because if you haven't, the area served by the Towson schools is about 5 minutes from Roland Park, not much of an effect on commute at all, and good schools through high school at half the tax rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:have you already purchase a home? Because if you haven't, the area served by the Towson schools is about 5 minutes from Roland Park, not much of an effect on commute at all, and good schools through high school at half the tax rate.

+1 Roland Park is pretty close to the county, so I don't see how going a few minutes out makes a difference with regard to commute. It's not like there is public transit in Roland Park that makes a difference.

And the difference in taxes largely fills the gap in real estate prices (although Roland Park is high for Baltimore City anyhow).
Stoneleigh in Towson is a pretty nice established neighborhood with interesting housing stock. I think the pricing is comparable to Roland Park, but the taxes are lower. Doesn't add much to the commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:have you already purchase a home? Because if you haven't, the area served by the Towson schools is about 5 minutes from Roland Park, not much of an effect on commute at all, and good schools through high school at half the tax rate.

+1 Roland Park is pretty close to the county, so I don't see how going a few minutes out makes a difference with regard to commute. It's not like there is public transit in Roland Park that makes a difference.

And the difference in taxes largely fills the gap in real estate prices (although Roland Park is high for Baltimore City anyhow).
Stoneleigh in Towson is a pretty nice established neighborhood with interesting housing stock. I think the pricing is comparable to Roland Park, but the taxes are lower. Doesn't add much to the commute.

There actually is public transit in Roland Park. Roland Park is also very conveniently walkable/bikeable to the JHU Homewood campus. And Roland Park is a lovely, lovely neighborhood.

OP, my friend's kids went to Roland Park Middle School through the magnet program. I don't know anything about their experience, but evidently my friends were satisfied with it, or they would have taken their children out of the school.

[Anonymous]

We live in mt washington, which you might also want to look at - it's next to RP and also has a strong neighborhood elemtary school. Both MW and RP have good elementary programs but they are big. Class sizes get to 30 once you hit 3rd-4th grade. But very involved parent communities. Definitely worth trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:have you already purchase a home? Because if you haven't, the area served by the Towson schools is about 5 minutes from Roland Park, not much of an effect on commute at all, and good schools through high school at half the tax rate.

+1 Roland Park is pretty close to the county, so I don't see how going a few minutes out makes a difference with regard to commute. It's not like there is public transit in Roland Park that makes a difference.

And the difference in taxes largely fills the gap in real estate prices (although Roland Park is high for Baltimore City anyhow).
Stoneleigh in Towson is a pretty nice established neighborhood with interesting housing stock. I think the pricing is comparable to Roland Park, but the taxes are lower. Doesn't add much to the commute.

There actually is public transit in Roland Park. Roland Park is also very conveniently walkable/bikeable to the JHU Homewood campus. And Roland Park is a lovely, lovely neighborhood.

OP, my friend's kids went to Roland Park Middle School through the magnet program. I don't know anything about their experience, but evidently my friends were satisfied with it, or they would have taken their children out of the school.

There is light rail but it doesn't s not very useful unless you commute out omBaltimore and use it to get to train station. Walkable to JHU undergrad,mbut nowhere near the Hoapital. Th enigmatic issue with rp and me is that the city will bus kids in until the grade is full and 30 kids is the norm at most grade levels. City has no money and that lack of support shows in the classroom (technology etc...). Neighborhood kids are fairly high socioeconomic level so,that keeps test scores ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:have you already purchase a home? Because if you haven't, the area served by the Towson schools is about 5 minutes from Roland Park, not much of an effect on commute at all, and good schools through high school at half the tax rate.

+1 Roland Park is pretty close to the county, so I don't see how going a few minutes out makes a difference with regard to commute. It's not like there is public transit in Roland Park that makes a difference.

And the difference in taxes largely fills the gap in real estate prices (although Roland Park is high for Baltimore City anyhow).
Stoneleigh in Towson is a pretty nice established neighborhood with interesting housing stock. I think the pricing is comparable to Roland Park, but the taxes are lower. Doesn't add much to the commute.

There actually is public transit in Roland Park. Roland Park is also very conveniently walkable/bikeable to the JHU Homewood campus. And Roland Park is a lovely, lovely neighborhood.

OP, my friend's kids went to Roland Park Middle School through the magnet program. I don't know anything about their experience, but evidently my friends were satisfied with it, or they would have taken their children out of the school.

There is light rail but it doesn't s not very useful unless you commute out omBaltimore and use it to get to train station. Walkable to JHU undergrad,mbut nowhere near the Hoapital. Th enigmatic issue with rp and me is that the city will bus kids in until the grade is full and 30 kids is the norm at most grade levels. City has no money and that lack of support shows in the classroom (technology etc...). Neighborhood kids are fairly high socioeconomic level so,that keeps test scores ok.

Sorry for the typos, on phone, problematic not enigmatic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There actually is public transit in Roland Park. Roland Park is also very conveniently walkable/bikeable to the JHU Homewood campus. And Roland Park is a lovely, lovely neighborhood.

OP, my friend's kids went to Roland Park Middle School through the magnet program. I don't know anything about their experience, but evidently my friends were satisfied with it, or they would have taken their children out of the school.

There is light rail but it doesn't s not very useful unless you commute out omBaltimore and use it to get to train station. Walkable to JHU undergrad,mbut nowhere near the Hoapital. Th enigmatic issue with rp and me is that the city will bus kids in until the grade is full and 30 kids is the norm at most grade levels. City has no money and that lack of support shows in the classroom (technology etc...). Neighborhood kids are fairly high socioeconomic level so,that keeps test scores ok.

There are buses. Buses are transit.

And the Homewood campus is more than just "undergrad" (plus there's a shuttle to the hospital campus).

[Anonymous]

OP again. For a variety of reasons, we aren't interested in moving into the County. We lived in Stoneleigh years ago, and it was very nice, but we've decided we want to live in the city, and in the neighborhood zoned for RPES in particular. Thanks so much to the posters who have provided specific info about the school. I'd still love to hear more!

[Anonymous]

I would only do it if I had no other choice. The ES is fine but the middle school buses in lots of students. The MS would be okay if your kids were in the Ingenuity program.

[Anonymous]

Roland Park Elementary is a fine school. It's well regarded and children from there go on to attend public and private middle schools without any trouble at all. It is not uncommon for families in the area to send their children to Roland Park Elementary and then Gilman/RPCS/Bryn Mawr for middle and upper school.

I'd suggest visiting the school with an eye towards the needs of your own children.