Cheverly MD Schools

[Anonymous]

We are looking to move and came across Cheverly which we like because it’s affordable and close in to the city. However, we know nothing about the public schools. Can anyone help by sharing experiences, opinions or sites that can provide information? FWIW we have a 1 year old. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I know 4 families who now or have in the past lived in Cheverly. They all love Cheverly. It seems to be a close knit, family friendly community. However, all the families I know there send or sent their kids to private or parochial schools.

[Anonymous]

I love living in Cheverly and highly recommend the neighborhood for families with young children.
We send our kids to the local elementary school Gladys Noon Spellman. Our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The school has issues like many PGCPS, over crowded in the upper grades, focus on test scores, etc but the benefits my kids get from being around such a diverse group of peers outweighs the negatives.
The majority of teachers are great, the students are well behaved and the administration is committed to making a good school great.
There are other public schools that have specialty programs that families can lottery or test into as well.

The middle and high schools are dismal. There are specialty program options but most of the families I know who don't get into the specialty program either go private or home school for MS/HS

[Anonymous]

Also- please don't judge schools in the county by Great Schools scores alone. Many schools, including Spellman, have an extremely high population of students with limited English proficency. Those children take the same PARCC testing as everyone else which skews the scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love living in Cheverly and highly recommend the neighborhood for families with young children.
We send our kids to the local elementary school Gladys Noon Spellman. Our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The school has issues like many PGCPS, over crowded in the upper grades, focus on test scores, etc but the benefits my kids get from being around such a diverse group of peers outweighs the negatives.
The majority of teachers are great, the students are well behaved and the administration is committed to making a good school great.
There are other public schools that have specialty programs that families can lottery or test into as well.

The middle and high schools are dismal. There are specialty program options but most of the families I know who don't get into the specialty program either go private or home school for MS/HS

I echo all of this. All of it. Cheverly is a wonderful place to raise a family, and the community you can find here will far outweighs any ideas of a “perfect” school (impossible to find). There are plenty of school options here, and it’s a unique place to live.

[Anonymous]

Spellman is a great public elementary school. It is K-6th. The lower grade classes (K-2) are pretty small with 20-22 children. The school is really diverse both economically and culturally. The 6th grade class has kids who speak 11 different languages at home. There are flags in the cafeteria from the countries of the different students and staff and there are nearly 30. You can check out the PTA Facebook page.
The kids are AMAZING. They are so respectful to me every time I visit the school.
There are some FANTASTIC teachers and there are some mediocre teachers but I think that you find that in most schools. The front desk staff used to be awful but there has been staffing changes and going into the office is now very pleasant. The playground is pretty dismal but the staff and parents are trying to do something about it. There is a new outdoor classroom that the staff is starting to incorporate into their learning.

[Anonymous]

I also want to add, the PTA is incredibly active. That a huge indicator of the school culture.

[Anonymous]

?For middle and high school public, I suggest looking into:

Kenmoor Middle (TAG lottery)
Hyattsville Middle (CPA audition)
or if you can drive
College Park Academy (lottery but it's in College Park so)

Eleanor Roosevelt High (S/T examination ~ PSAT 8/9)
Duval High (Aero/Aviation examination ~ PSAT 8/9)
Academy of Health Sciences @PGCC (dunno if this counts as public but same as above)


?I'm not well-informed on private schools but here are the ones I've heard of

St. Ambrose School (in Cheverly, right next to GNS)

Dematha Catholic High School (all boys, in Hyattsville)
Elizabeth Seton High School (all girls, in Bladensburg)


?For K-8 public there's a bunch, and they select applicants through lottery as well. I would definitely apply.

[Anonymous]

Oh and all the private schools I mentioned are Catholic, so if you are looking for a nonreligious private school then you're gonna have to look deeper.

[Anonymous]

Other Private options are:
Friends Community School (K-8)
St Jeromes (Pre-k - 8 with a new affiliated high school program)

They have expanded the Health Sciences program to Education stream. It is a public school and the students end up with an associates degree from PGCC when they graduate high school. I believe that the UMD system schools accept those credits.

[Anonymous]

In addition to the schools listed above, I know families who send kids to:
Georgetown Day School
Capitol Hill Day School
St. Anselm's Abbey (all boys)
New Hope Academy
Christian Family Montessori

[Anonymous]

My child's scout troop has kids who go to the following schools:

Public Schools:
Gladys Noon Spellman (3)
Dora Kennedy French Immersion (1)
Chavez Spanish Immersion (2)
Judith Hoyer Montessori (1)
Thomas Pullen Arts (1)

Private Schools:
St Ambrose (2)
St Jerome's (2)
Capitol Hill Day School (1)
Friends Community School (1)