Tell me about Brown Station ES

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

We are planning to move to Gaithersburg this summer with our 8 and 5 year old children and are looking for a home in-bounds for Quince Orchard. We are considering a home in-bounds for Brown Station Elementary School. It has a great schools rating of 5, and I don't see any recent discussion on this forum about this school. Can anyone give me any insight? What is this school like and would any of you NOT recommend, and why?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Brown Station is fine. For the most part, the differences among the ES's can be explained by the percentage of FARMS/ESOL kids more than anything else. The problem with Gaithersburg is that arguably the strongest ES--Rachel Carson--is massively overcrowded (so would not suggest moving there).

What's your home budget? There are a few strong ES's that are under capacity in that area--Travilah, Dufief. If I were you, I'd look for a home in-bound to those schools. They articulate to Frost MS and Wootton HS. Before people jump down my throat for pushing a W cluster -- the reason for the suggestion is to get the kids into strong, undercapacity ES's, not necessarily to get them in-bounds to Wootton.

[Anonymous]

They built a new building last year, so they are not overcrowded. There's also a full Spanish immersion for the whole school, there's no need to apply to get in it,this is a new program that was instituted last year with the opening of the new school. They are also title 1 and from what I heard of some parents who have kids there, the instruction is really good, and it seems they have good amount of funding to meet the school's needs. There are also classes for advance students. Teacher moral apparently improved after they moved in to the new school. If you are interested, you should probably do a tour around the school, I haven't been there myself but I heard good things. They also have a program for incoming K, where they can attend a class before the schools starts( kinda like a summer camp, to get the kids oriented, but this is all free. I've honestly never heard of any other school with so much to offer without additional cost.

[Anonymous]

In case you haven't seen these yet:

At a glance information:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/02559.pdf

ES website:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/brownstationes/

[Anonymous]

the school's music department is great! The general music teacher is new and young but she knows her material well. As for the instrumental music teacher, she is one of the best in the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They built a new building last year, so they are not overcrowded. There's also a full Spanish immersion for the whole school, there's no need to apply to get in it,this is a new program that was instituted last year with the opening of the new school. They are also title 1 and from what I heard of some parents who have kids there, the instruction is really good, and it seems they have good amount of funding to meet the school's needs. There are also classes for advance students. Teacher moral apparently improved after they moved in to the new school. If you are interested, you should probably do a tour around the school, I haven't been there myself but I heard good things. They also have a program for incoming K, where they can attend a class before the schools starts( kinda like a summer camp, to get the kids oriented, but this is all free. I've honestly never heard of any other school with so much to offer without additional cost.

It's going to be a two-way immersion program (like they currently have at Kemp Mill), not full immersion. Meaning they switch back and forth between English and Spanish instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They built a new building last year, so they are not overcrowded. There's also a full Spanish immersion for the whole school, there's no need to apply to get in it,this is a new program that was instituted last year with the opening of the new school. They are also title 1 and from what I heard of some parents who have kids there, the instruction is really good, and it seems they have good amount of funding to meet the school's needs. There are also classes for advance students. Teacher moral apparently improved after they moved in to the new school. If you are interested, you should probably do a tour around the school, I haven't been there myself but I heard good things. They also have a program for incoming K, where they can attend a class before the schools starts( kinda like a summer camp, to get the kids oriented, but this is all free. I've honestly never heard of any other school with so much to offer without additional cost.

It's going to be a two-way immersion program (like they currently have at Kemp Mill), not full immersion. Meaning they switch back and forth between English and Spanish instruction.

You are right. I forgot what it was called. More information on the link below OP. Anyway, whatever it is that they have done to this school in the past year could only make it better, I'm interested to know how this school will pan out in the future, I'm not familiar with other title 1 schools but the other 2 that I know of do not have as robust programs as Brown. There's also a new-ish community from the west Watkins mill side. The parents at Brown ES are apparently active and involved, not sure if that is something new, but maybe that is playing a role on how the school is getting better.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/two-way-immersion.aspx

[Anonymous]

Hello, reviving a 6 years old topic - what is the consensus about Brown Station now? How is the two-way immersion program panning out?

[Anonymous]

Many hispanic families enrollment are there like 80%? , and I think they are Title 1 school ( all free meals). Many announcement are in bilingual (English/Spanish). I am not hispanic, and I feel weird if I enroll my kid being there. I am immigrant, and I feel weird to have to learn another language there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many hispanic families enrollment are there like 80%? , and I think they are Title 1 school ( all free meals). Many announcement are in bilingual (English/Spanish). I am not hispanic, and I feel weird if I enroll my kid being there. I am immigrant, and I feel weird to have to learn another language there.

Thanks for your response. I’m an immigrant too, talking another language at home. But I was actually excited about the prospect of my son learning Spanish (as a third language). I just want to ensure that the learning environment is supportive (not disruptive) and the kids are prepared for middle school.

[Anonymous]

I was actually impressed by the immersion program there. You can certainly get by not knowing Spanish, though it helps if you do. The staff and families are very much engaged and supportive. The new-ish principal is very much on top of things and she knows what she's doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was actually impressed by the immersion program there. You can certainly get by not knowing Spanish, though it helps if you do. The staff and families are very much engaged and supportive. The new-ish principal is very much on top of things and she knows what she's doing.

That’s great to hear! Our son will have to start from the first grade though and I wonder whether that would be an extra setback for him. I just saw a post showing Brown Station as K-2, is that true? Where do the kids go afterwards then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was actually impressed by the immersion program there. You can certainly get by not knowing Spanish, though it helps if you do. The staff and families are very much engaged and supportive. The new-ish principal is very much on top of things and she knows what she's doing.

That’s great to hear! Our son will have to start from the first grade though and I wonder whether that would be an extra setback for him. I just saw a post showing Brown Station as K-2, is that true? Where do the kids go afterwards then?

No, Brown Station goes through 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, Brown Station goes through 5th grade.

Thanks!