Current reviews of Carl Sandburg MS

[Anonymous]

Can anyone share some recent experience at this school? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

I have written on here before about how much I hate this school. The academics were bad, teachers and administrators were unresponsive at best, and they were completely unsupportive with one of our kids having a significant mental health issue until he threatened suicide, and then they basically told us they were going to pass him in all his classes and we should talk to the high school counselors to get him support. That said, some friends of our kids have had more positive experiences. I think what really helped them was finding a niche--drama, music, something like that (although those two are especially strong at CS and WP). But it's a big gamble, and one I wish we hadn't taken. Not sure we could have afforded private school, so we might have been stuck in any event, but I wish we had more aggressively pursued the option.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. Would you describe the school as safe? I am wondering where I can find which schools feed into it but I'm not sure where to look. How large were the classes there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PP. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. Would you describe the school as safe? I am wondering where I can find which schools feed into it but I'm not sure where to look. How large were the classes there?

Not the PP. Many of the schools that feed into it are predominantly low-income. You can see exactly which schools go where on the fcps website - look for "pyramids." Gang activity is common in the high school. That said, it's not exactly unsafe, but there are certainly unsafe options for those who are not choosy about friends and acquaintances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PP. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. Would you describe the school as safe? I am wondering where I can find which schools feed into it but I'm not sure where to look. How large were the classes there?

Not the PP. Many of the schools that feed into it are predominantly low-income. You can see exactly which schools go where on the fcps website - look for "pyramids." Gang activity is common in the high school. That said, it's not exactly unsafe, but there are certainly unsafe options for those who are not choosy about friends and acquaintances.

Please. Middle-school aggressors at Kilmer or Williamsburg just get called "bullies" if their daddies are rich, but somehow the entire school gets called "unsafe" if they are low-income.

[Anonymous]

I live very close to Sandburg and was excited about my child attending a MS that they could bike or walk to regularly. I was quite disappointed when I toured last year. I am a principal and could not help but look at the school through both the parent and educator lens.

Kids were running through the hallways without being spoken to by the teachers and other staff. I sat in on multiple classroom lessons and saw children with their heads on desks or on their phones. This was in isolated places but I could not take the risk of my child ending up in one of those classes. When I inquired about discipline data, current data was unavailable at that time. I thought that was unacceptable because that is something that is monitored monthly.

On a positive, the teachers seemed friendly. The kids seemed happy.

There were 700 kids in each grade and the average class size was about 25-30. Nine elementary schools feed into it. Mostly from the route 1 corridor. Low income does not bother me because I grew up low income and did well in school. I find diversity to be good for children because it makes them more well rounded.

We chose private. My child learns best in a smaller environment. My neighbors are happy with the school. I suggest you tour and decide if it is best for your child.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Would you say that many students from Waynewood, etc schools end up going to private MS or do they just suck it up and deal with a not so ideal MS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live very close to Sandburg and was excited about my child attending a MS that they could bike or walk to regularly. I was quite disappointed when I toured last year. I am a principal and could not help but look at the school through both the parent and educator lens.

Kids were running through the hallways without being spoken to by the teachers and other staff. I sat in on multiple classroom lessons and saw children with their heads on desks or on their phones. This was in isolated places but I could not take the risk of my child ending up in one of those classes. When I inquired about discipline data, current data was unavailable at that time. I thought that was unacceptable because that is something that is monitored monthly.

On a positive, the teachers seemed friendly. The kids seemed happy.

There were 700 kids in each grade and the average class size was about 25-30. Nine elementary schools feed into it. Mostly from the route 1 corridor. Low income does not bother me because I grew up low income and did well in school. I find diversity to be good for children because it makes them more well rounded.

We chose private. My child learns best in a smaller environment. My neighbors are happy with the school. I suggest you tour and decide if it is best for your child.

Thanks for the info. This is very helpful. Were you allowed to sit in on classes as a perspective parent or was that because you were a principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Would you say that many students from Waynewood, etc schools end up going to private MS or do they just suck it up and deal with a not so ideal MS?

My kid was in 6th grade at Waynewood last year and most of that class is going to Sandburg. I was fine with it until I talked to the principal recently. He's an impressive guy in many respects and is a great advocate for lower income kids and kids with learning challenges -- those are clearly his passions. He does not seem particularly supportive of the AAP kids, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Would you say that many students from Waynewood, etc schools end up going to private MS or do they just suck it up and deal with a not so ideal MS?

My kid was in 6th grade at Waynewood last year and most of that class is going to Sandburg. I was fine with it until I talked to the principal recently. He's an impressive guy in many respects and is a great advocate for lower income kids and kids with learning challenges -- those are clearly his passions. He does not seem particularly supportive of the AAP kids, unfortunately.

Is it an even split of AAP students and not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live very close to Sandburg and was excited about my child attending a MS that they could bike or walk to regularly. I was quite disappointed when I toured last year. I am a principal and could not help but look at the school through both the parent and educator lens.

Kids were running through the hallways without being spoken to by the teachers and other staff. I sat in on multiple classroom lessons and saw children with their heads on desks or on their phones. This was in isolated places but I could not take the risk of my child ending up in one of those classes. When I inquired about discipline data, current data was unavailable at that time. I thought that was unacceptable because that is something that is monitored monthly.

On a positive, the teachers seemed friendly. The kids seemed happy.

There were 700 kids in each grade and the average class size was about 25-30. Nine elementary schools feed into it. Mostly from the route 1 corridor. Low income does not bother me because I grew up low income and did well in school. I find diversity to be good for children because it makes them more well rounded.


We chose private. My child learns best in a smaller environment. My neighbors are happy with the school. I suggest you tour and decide if it is best for your child.

Thanks for the info. This is very helpful. Were you allowed to sit in on classes as a perspective parent or was that because you were a principal?

I think it was because I asked to do so. I did inform them that I am a principal out of respect for the Sandburg principal. It is kind of an unwritten code.
Ask you child's last teacher about how your child learns best and make your judgment as to how they might fit in. Trust your gut. We toured St. Louis and St. Rita's and loved them both. We are not Catholic, but our child is thriving at their school.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I was just wondering since other posters have asked to sit in on classes and were told they couldn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PP. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. Would you describe the school as safe? I am wondering where I can find which schools feed into it but I'm not sure where to look. How large were the classes there?

Not the PP. Many of the schools that feed into it are predominantly low-income. You can see exactly which schools go where on the fcps website - look for "pyramids." Gang activity is common in the high school. That said, it's not exactly unsafe, but there are certainly unsafe options for those who are not choosy about friends and acquaintances.

Please. Middle-school aggressors at Kilmer or Williamsburg just get called "bullies" if their daddies are rich, but somehow the entire school gets called "unsafe" if they are low-income.

Your reading comprehension needs work. I specifically said it was NOT unsafe.

[Anonymous]

The problem with Sandburg is how they drew the district line. It mixes low-income and mid-income families together, so you get an odd grouping of families with very different backgrounds. Leads to tensions at this school.