Private school recommendations - living in Bowie and commuting to DC

[Anonymous]

Ok but PP poster is right! Google Maryland PARCC scores. Pull up Crofton elementary schools and PG schools that are NOT TAG. End of of discussion.

And I was just told today 33 kids in a kindergarten is the average for a school area I’m looking to buy in PG Count in Bowie! And for what it’s worth:

White hall - 66% reading/45% math
Yorktown - 59% reading/36% math

Crofton - 70% reading/70% math
Crofton meadows - reading 75%/63% math
Crofton woods - 80% reading/81% math


Again and these are not TAG schools so the poster saying well performing schools in Bowie, yeah ok. They’re decent and well performing by PG County standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early childhood is pretty good in PG. I’m going to try they 2nd and go private for 3rd

We were at SOTI just switched to our local public and are highly impressed. Wished we started there from K. Definitely staying public. The scores for the public school were also higher than state average. I wish I didn’t buy into the prejudices and at least tried public first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early childhood is pretty good in PG. I’m going to try they 2nd and go private for 3rd

We were at SOTI just switched to our local public and are highly impressed. Wished we started there from K. Definitely staying public. The scores for the public school were also higher than state average. I wish I didn’t buy into the prejudices and at least tried public first.

Agreed. We are going public for k next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early childhood is pretty good in PG. I’m going to try they 2nd and go private for 3rd

We were at SOTI just switched to our local public and are highly impressed. Wished we started there from K. Definitely staying public. The scores for the public school were also higher than state average. I wish I didn’t buy into the prejudices and at least tried public first.

Agreed. We are going public for k next year.

I wish that more people would at least give public school a chance. There are many GREAT elementary schools in PGCPS. Test scores do not paint an accurate picture. You can always transfer to private if it doesn't work. It costs nothing to give your neighborhood school a chance.

[Anonymous]

We were in public schools for years and switched to a private school. It isn't a catholic school but one of the private schools in the area. I have no idea why we waited so long. The public school at the elementary level can be good, but it's dependent on the child and the school. If the current closures don't highlight the dysfunction in the larger organization for all parents, I can't imagine what would.
It sounds like OP has already decided on private. There is nothing wrong with that decision, especially during this year. Between Bowie and DC, many good independent schools. I'm not sure how close Sandy Springs Friends school is to your area or Key School, but both are wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were in public schools for years and switched to a private school. It isn't a catholic school but one of the private schools in the area. I have no idea why we waited so long. The public school at the elementary level can be good, but it's dependent on the child and the school. If the current closures don't highlight the dysfunction in the larger organization for all parents, I can't imagine what would.
It sounds like OP has already decided on private. There is nothing wrong with that decision, especially during this year. Between Bowie and DC, many good independent schools. I'm not sure how close Sandy Springs Friends school is to your area or Key School, but both are wonderful.

+1

[Anonymous]

Poster saying that Crofton schools don’t have crowds is delusional. Maybe they’ve improved at the elementary level, but PP is about to be in for a rude awakening when their child reaches middle and high school. A member of the AA County council was just talking about how many classrooms in high schools have up to 40 students in them. Also, when you compare students’ test scores by race at Crofton vs Bowie schools on greatschools equity section, they look a lot more comparable. Comparing schools by their test scores is cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Poster saying that Crofton schools don’t have crowds is delusional. Maybe they’ve improved at the elementary level, but PP is about to be in for a rude awakening when their child reaches middle and high school. A member of the AA County council was just talking about how many classrooms in high schools have up to 40 students in them. Also, when you compare students’ test scores by race at Crofton vs Bowie schools on greatschools equity section, they look a lot more comparable. Comparing schools by their test scores is cheap.

Let’s be honest, PGCPS is what it is. You can compare it to a blank sheet of paper and it still is what it is. Take it all when a grain of salt and roll the dice either way. I have a 3rd grader in a very good TAG school which is the only reason they’re in PGCPS.

[Anonymous]

*with*

[Anonymous]

Don’t know why there are so many threads about PG County Privates in a sub section dedicated to public schools. There is a private school section, go discuss this there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poster saying that Crofton schools don’t have crowds is delusional. Maybe they’ve improved at the elementary level, but PP is about to be in for a rude awakening when their child reaches middle and high school. A member of the AA County council was just talking about how many classrooms in high schools have up to 40 students in them. Also, when you compare students’ test scores by race at Crofton vs Bowie schools on greatschools equity section, they look a lot more comparable. Comparing schools by their test scores is cheap.

Let’s be honest, PGCPS is what it is. You can compare it to a blank sheet of paper and it still is what it is. Take it all when a grain of salt and roll the dice either way. I have a 3rd grader in a very good TAG school which is the only reason they’re in PGCPS.

Which one? We'd like to enter the next lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poster saying that Crofton schools don’t have crowds is delusional. Maybe they’ve improved at the elementary level, but PP is about to be in for a rude awakening when their child reaches middle and high school. A member of the AA County council was just talking about how many classrooms in high schools have up to 40 students in them. Also, when you compare students’ test scores by race at Crofton vs Bowie schools on greatschools equity section, they look a lot more comparable. Comparing schools by their test scores is cheap.

Let’s be honest, PGCPS is what it is. You can compare it to a blank sheet of paper and it still is what it is. Take it all when a grain of salt and roll the dice either way. I have a 3rd grader in a very good TAG school which is the only reason they’re in PGCPS.

Which one? We'd like to enter the next lottery.

Glenarden Woods

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poster saying that Crofton schools don’t have crowds is delusional. Maybe they’ve improved at the elementary level, but PP is about to be in for a rude awakening when their child reaches middle and high school. A member of the AA County council was just talking about how many classrooms in high schools have up to 40 students in them. Also, when you compare students’ test scores by race at Crofton vs Bowie schools on greatschools equity section, they look a lot more comparable. Comparing schools by their test scores is cheap.

Let’s be honest, PGCPS is what it is. You can compare it to a blank sheet of paper and it still is what it is. Take it all when a grain of salt and roll the dice either way. I have a 3rd grader in a very good TAG school which is the only reason they’re in PGCPS.

Which one? We'd like to enter the next lottery.

Glenarden Woods

I know several families at Capitol Heights ES’s TAG program and they are all very happy there.

[Anonymous]

This is the problem with AA county.

https://www.capitalgazette.com/education/ac-cn-semifinalists-teacher-of-the-year-aacps-1222-20201221-d6d7lttusbbrzchyvkzxol3sai-story.html

15 finalists for teacher of the year.... 0 POC.
If diversity is important to you, AA schools might not be the best fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not the original poster but It's not as simple as just sending your kids to public school to make them better. For example, my neighborhood school had 28 kids in kindergarten last year. Am I wrong, for not wanting to enroll my child? In addition, my kid has small sensory and motor skill issues, not enough to be considered special needs or need an IEP so they need a little more one on one. Their school now caps at 12 students. Me as a child, I could thrive in any environment 12 kids or 25 kids! However, I know my child and they need a small learning environment. 28:1 ratio is horrible, the average will stay average, those who need a little more help, won't get it and the advance will get bored.

Anne Arundel cluster, I would go public. The Crofton/Gambrills area schools are fantastic and most have 17/18 cap on students. Big difference than PG. Also, to put it in perspective, my 3rd grader had 31!!!! However, she could hang because she is that child that can self direct. *just saying*

Exactly this. I moved my child out of a high performing elementary school in Bowie to St. Pius due to the class sizes. Ironically, St. Pius also has large classes sizes- approx. 25, but not as large as our zoned school- a whopping 33 at one point! Our zoned school also didn't have dedicated teacher's assistance, whereas St. Pius does. This is so important for classroom management and reading and math groups.
In many ways, COVID was a blessing for me because I was forced to teach my DS and realized how far behind he was from his potential. Our zoned school had great teachers, but way too many students, so as long as a child wasn't visibly lagging behind, they were okay. At St. Pius, my DS is being pushed academically every day even with the remote learning, which has been excellent.
I question the PP who says that St. Pius kids aren't smart. There is of course a range, as there should be in any welcoming environment, but children with either learning challenges or heightened potential are definitely given additional support. A friend of mine whose a high school teacher at a local Catholic HS told me that St. Pius kids often stand out as some of his best prepared..
These are my two cents as a current St. Pius parent and former Bowie public school parent.