Looking for feedback on Level IV at Hunters Woods

[Anonymous]

We received notification that DC is in the pool and our center school is Hunters Woods. We would love any feedback on the school and AAP program there. TIA!

[Anonymous]

My kids go there through the magnet program. I think the school is great. The principal is involved and my kids have enjoyed their teachers so far. It's a larger school (I think more than 1000 students) but does not seem that way.

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat as 18:13. How would you compare it Hunter Woods with Waples Mill ?

[Anonymous]

Anyone else? We would really appreciate any feedback

[Anonymous]

My DS went there until last year in AAP. I really liked 3 out of 4 teachers (and the 4th left after last year). Loved the principal, loved the specials teachers- the strings teachers are fabulous. There were 5-6 AAP classes per grade when we were there, now there are 2 or 3 due to Navy and Crossfield leaving. So not sure how that changes the dynamic at all. They mix all the kids for specials which I liked. My DS made friends with kids from all the schools, and remains friends with them at Rachel Carson.

[Anonymous]

We moved from Waples to Hunters. Waples is a great school, but we are really pleased with the Hunters Woods school also as my kids class only has 18 kids. We have been here only 6 months and have an amazing teacher. Every year, about 40 kids move from Waples to HW. My kid transitioned easily into the newer school. Only complaint is the long bus ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from Waples to Hunters. Waples is a great school, but we are really pleased with the Hunters Woods school also as my kids class only has 18 kids. We have been here only 6 months and have an amazing teacher. Every year, about 40 kids move from Waples to HW. My kid transitioned easily into the newer school. Only complaint is the long bus ride.

I am 21:52 above. Yes I was actually in a carpool for pickup with 4 other parents because the bus in the afternoon was crazy late. Carpool worked great as we each only did one day per week.

[Anonymous]

Thank you! The small class size is definitely a plus! Do you know if there are any plans to change things since it in only Waples kids that go there now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! The small class size is definitely a plus! Do you know if there are any plans to change things since it in only Waples kids that go there now?

If Waples sends 35-40 students, and HWES sends 5-10, they have to have two classes. So it looks like for the foreseeable future the small class sizes will remain, largely made up of WMs kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! The small class size is definitely a plus! Do you know if there are any plans to change things since it in only Waples kids that go there now?

Waples can't expand due to septic system issues. At one time, there was a proposal to move the kids to Mosby Woods, but Waples parents strongly opposed the idea, so for now, the AAP kids will move to Hunters Woods. The accelerated learning environment is working great for us.

[Anonymous]

The Mosby Woods plan has been off the table since Jack Dale left in 2013. There has been no talk of reviving it.

We had one child go through HWES before they shrunk the boundaries. It was a great experience. We have another in 6th grade now, the first grade to have only 2 AAP classes. His classes are large. Basically, class size is a numbers game. They squeeze as many into two classes as they can, until they reach the class size limit. Then they have to add a third teacher, and the students get divided among three classes, so they get very small. My son started out in 3rd grade with two small AAP classes. As additional students came into AAP in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, the class sizes grew. They are now nearly maxed out, but not enough to have added a third class. I believe the current third grade has 3 AAP classes. So you cannot count on having small classes. It's just how the numbers fall.

I agree that the principal is excellent. The teachers have been a mixed bag, but probably similar to any other school. There has been quite a bit of teacher turnover and low morale because of the shrinking of the AAP program. However, that has stabilized this year, so hopefully morale will improve. This is also the first year they haven't needed the trailers for a grade.

HWES does not have the community feel that WMES has, nor does it have such an active PTA. Overall, I have nothing negative to say about HWES, but I do not think it is significantly better than WMES. I also have a child whom we chose to keep at Waples.

[Anonymous]

13:31 here.

The former WMES principal was very much against adding a LLIV at Waples. But there is a new principal now, so that might change. Personally, I would LOVE to see a LLIV option at Waples. It would essentially be the same education without the long bus ride. The previous poster is correct that Waples has issues with the land it sits on-- the school cannot expand due to septic restrictions. However, a LLIV implementation is not an expansion. It is just serving the students that are already within boundary. Right now, WMES relies on exporting 40-50 students per year to HWES to avoid overcrowding. I kind of have issues with that, but I have bigger fish to fry than to complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Mosby Woods plan has been off the table since Jack Dale left in 2013. There has been no talk of reviving it.

We had one child go through HWES before they shrunk the boundaries. It was a great experience. We have another in 6th grade now, the first grade to have only 2 AAP classes. His classes are large. Basically, class size is a numbers game. They squeeze as many into two classes as they can, until they reach the class size limit. Then they have to add a third teacher, and the students get divided among three classes, so they get very small. My son started out in 3rd grade with two small AAP classes. As additional students came into AAP in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, the class sizes grew. They are now nearly maxed out, but not enough to have added a third class. I believe the current third grade has 3 AAP classes. So you cannot count on having small classes. It's just how the numbers fall.

I agree that the principal is excellent. The teachers have been a mixed bag, but probably similar to any other school. There has been quite a bit of teacher turnover and low morale because of the shrinking of the AAP program. However, that has stabilized this year, so hopefully morale will improve. This is also the first year they haven't needed the trailers for a grade.

HWES does not have the community feel that WMES has, nor does it have such an active PTA. Overall, I have nothing negative to say about HWES, but I do not think it is significantly better than WMES. I also have a child whom we chose to keep at Waples.

Thank you so much PP! This is really helpful. Do you feel that the child you kept at WMES has been sufficiently challenged? Do you have any regrets about not sending him/her to HWES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thank you so much PP! This is really helpful. Do you feel that the child you kept at WMES has been sufficiently challenged? Do you have any regrets about not sending him/her to HWES?

Different child; different social, emotional, and educational needs. But yes, we are happy with our decision and with Waples Mill. It's also been more than 10 years since my first child was in the AAP pool. In that time, I have mellowed quite a bit, and my thoughts on AAP in general have evolved and matured since then. I imagine that also influenced our decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13:31 here.

The former WMES principal was very much against adding a LLIV at Waples. But there is a new principal now, so that might change. Personally, I would LOVE to see a LLIV option at Waples. It would essentially be the same education without the long bus ride. The previous poster is correct that Waples has issues with the land it sits on-- the school cannot expand due to septic restrictions. However, a LLIV implementation is not an expansion. It is just serving the students that are already within boundary. Right now, WMES relies on exporting 40-50 students per year to HWES to avoid overcrowding. I kind of have issues with that, but I have bigger fish to fry than to complain.

It seems like some of boundary from WMES could eventually switch to Crossfield.