Ashburton ES Great Schools Rating

[Anonymous]

Any idea why Ashburton ES Great Schools rating is a 7? Seems low for this area...not sure how they derive the rating.

[Anonymous]

Know folks who go here. They say it is over crowded with an old principal who is set in her way. Have heard sad stories of teachers just punching the clock.

[Anonymous]

Is that assessment accurate because I heard there is supposed to be a new principal? Is the size of the school, in terms of overcrowding, a factor in the Great Schools rating?

[Anonymous]

Ashburton does have a new principal this year who is doing a great job. The previous principal was certainly not "old" (I think you are confusing Ashburton with another school) and she was very well liked/did an amazing job during her time there. Not sure where this idea of teachers "punching the clock" came from. Ashburton has a very impressive and hard working staff--in fact one of the third grade teachers was chosen as "MCPS Elementary Teacher of the Year" just this year.
Overcrowding is an issue but the teachers are doing an outstanding job despite this.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't it have a special need program of some sort? That may drag down the test score.

[Anonymous]

No special needs program at Ashburton. If you don't like the Great Schools ranking, go elsewhere, there's really notnroom for 1 more kid.

[Anonymous]

Ashburton mom here. I don't think they spend much time teaching to the test at the school. The teachers are excellent and they really care about the students as individual learners. The testing chips fall where they may. This is how it should be, IMO. I agree with pp, however, that there's no more room at the Inn. Don't move to our neighborhood. ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't it have a special need program of some sort? That may drag down the test score.

My son went there for PEP which is a program for children with special needs. But since those children are 3 and 4 they are not dragging down those precious test scores.

I was very impressed with the school and the (now former?) principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any idea why Ashburton ES Great Schools rating is a 7? Seems low for this area...not sure how they derive the rating.

Rating is strictly based on test scores and nothing else.

[Anonymous]

Wow...how friendly and welcoming you moms are. The school must really be overcrowded

[Anonymous]

Ashburton mom here. We are friendly people, but there are 915 students in a building built for 630. The 5th grade wing is a line of portables. Every closet has been turned into instructional space. Hallway movements have to be choreographed to prevent collisions. We are worse off than any other school in Bethesda, and than most in the County on crowding. The original addition proposed was still 200 seats short of the number of students in the school; the seats have been upgraded to be only 30 under capacity, but the addition is delayed 'til 2020, or not, depending on County Council action this week. For what we pay in taxes, it's insane. That said, the teachers are doing very well under the crazy circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ashburton mom here. We are friendly people, but there are 915 students in a building built for 630. The 5th grade wing is a line of portables. Every closet has been turned into instructional space. Hallway movements have to be choreographed to prevent collisions. We are worse off than any other school in Bethesda, and than most in the County on crowding. The original addition proposed was still 200 seats short of the number of students in the school; the seats have been upgraded to be only 30 under capacity, but the addition is delayed 'til 2020, or not, depending on County Council action this week. For what we pay in taxes, it's insane. That said, the teachers are doing very well under the crazy circumstances.

"What you pay in taxes", isn't Ashburton in about the cheapest part of Bethesda? Wouldn't a 7 reflect that with the kids too?

[Anonymous]

The Ashburton zone is one of the few Bethesda addresses where more average folks can afford a starter home in the high 500s - 750 range, and it also features quite an array of rentals, condos and townhouses. On the other hand, there are many brand new million-dollar new construction homes. There are also a ton of diplomatic families from abroad. The 7 reflects he test scores; I'm not sure which part of the housing stock you would like to attribute lower test scores to.

[Anonymous]

I'm so tired of the Ashburton elite complaining about the slight overcrowding at the school. Lots of other schools are far worse off than Ashburton. The endless complaining and whining is so tiresome. You have a few extra students and hallways are tight - so what? Given that Ashburton has many more advantages that almost every other ES, it's not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Many foreign families at Ashburton -- mostly embassy/World Bank. It's a bit like Stoddert ES in Glover Park, but bigger and with more opportunities for extras.