Rachel Carson ES

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Listen, my kid was at RCES at the heart of the overcrowding and when the problematic principal was there. It was not ideal for sure but my kid get a decent education.

I think in the last few years with Covid there is an uptick in private schools for a few reasons. And the old principal did not help things either. And then there are people that will go to private regardless. Not a fan of private school myself but to each their own.

RCES being less overcrowded is a good thing.

“My kid got a decent education” isn’t the most inspiring testimonial. You just reinforced to me that we made the right choice.

It is elementary school. My kids are doing great and I didn't pay tens of thousands of dollars a year for it. Now can now afford to send them to whatever college they want.

Elementary school is still important. We can send our kid to an excellent ES and afford college.

Check back when your kid is in high school. Your perspective will be different.

Why would it be different?

Because you will realize that most of what happens in elementary school is not as important as it seems at the time. MCPS has numerous options for kids to challenge themselves in high school. There are magnets and then at even the "worst" school there are numerous AP classes and opportunities at Montgomery college. Also you will be surprised at how competitive the college landscape is and how much it costs. Very glad I didn't have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on private school..

I wasn’t born yesterday. I went through a combination of public and private school myself. I know how important a strong foundation is because I personally experienced a terrible ES and then went to private school for the rest of ES. Then I went to public MS and private HS. I know AP classes can sometimes be great, but often just teach to the test. That’s why the best private high schools don’t follow the AP curriculum. Instead they move beyond it.

I’m confident in our choice for our kid because I can draw on my personal experience, as can my husband. You act as though we made this decision with absolutely no background knowledge.

You're so right. All people remember the academic rigor of their own kindergarten (or lack thereof). Your post is completely normal.

Of course I don’t. But I know why my parents switched me out of my public school in the middle of the year. It was not only due to academics, but also due to having an overwhelmed teacher who had no time to devote to anyone but the kids who were truly struggling.

[Anonymous]

I should have specified: it was middle of 2nd grade. I don’t remember kindergarten, but I do remember that year.

[Anonymous]

As a parent of a young kid (<2 ) in the Lakelands who wants to use RCES, how can I support a course correction here? I’m encouraged by the new principal but also worried about overcrowding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a young kid (<2 ) in the Lakelands who wants to use RCES, how can I support a course correction here? I’m encouraged by the new principal but also worried about overcrowding.

In the QO cluster, the only serious overcrowding right now is at the high school itself. Which is set to be relieved by the opening of Crown HS in 2027.

https://gis.mcpsmd.org/cipmasterpdfs/MP23_Chapter4QuinceOrchard.pdf

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Listen, my kid was at RCES at the heart of the overcrowding and when the problematic principal was there. It was not ideal for sure but my kid get a decent education.

I think in the last few years with Covid there is an uptick in private schools for a few reasons. And the old principal did not help things either. And then there are people that will go to private regardless. Not a fan of private school myself but to each their own.

RCES being less overcrowded is a good thing.

“My kid got a decent education” isn’t the most inspiring testimonial. You just reinforced to me that we made the right choice.

It is elementary school. My kids are doing great and I didn't pay tens of thousands of dollars a year for it. Now can now afford to send them to whatever college they want.

Elementary school is still important. We can send our kid to an excellent ES and afford college.

Well you are apparently the expert on RCES having never had a kid there. Hope your rigorous ES curriculum has served you well.

Check back when your kid is in high school. Your perspective will be different.

Why would it be different?

Because you will realize that most of what happens in elementary school is not as important as it seems at the time. MCPS has numerous options for kids to challenge themselves in high school. There are magnets and then at even the "worst" school there are numerous AP classes and opportunities at Montgomery college. Also you will be surprised at how competitive the college landscape is and how much it costs. Very glad I didn't have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on private school..

I wasn’t born yesterday. I went through a combination of public and private school myself. I know how important a strong foundation is because I personally experienced a terrible ES and then went to private school for the rest of ES. Then I went to public MS and private HS. I know AP classes can sometimes be great, but often just teach to the test. That’s why the best private high schools don’t follow the AP curriculum. Instead they move beyond it.

I’m confident in our choice for our kid because I can draw on my personal experience, as can my husband. You act as though we made this decision with absolutely no background knowledge.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So, nobody goes there anymore—it’s too crowded.

(I think that was a Yogi Berra line, right?)

You really can’t see that a school losing that number of kids in just a few years is a problem?

In fairness, there wasn’t a significant increase in the population zoned for RCES during the time that enrollment surged; it was just that RCES was named a Blue Ribbon School in 2012, and for a few years after that, fewer people in Kentlands and Lakelands chose private elementary schools, and then for several more years, they sent the younger siblings to RCES as well. Eventually, enrollment was out of control, the excellent longtime principal left, the new one couldn’t fill his shoes, and the Blue Ribbon designation wasn’t recent anymore, so the people seeking the best schools are back to choosing private.

Yeah no. I’ve lived in Lakelands for 7 years and can confidently say that I would’ve chosen private for my kid even if RCES had been named a Blue Ribbon school last year. You all always go back to that as though it’s the reason, when it’s just not. I don’t know anyone who has even mentioned it when making a decision about whether to send their kid there.

where do parents at kentlands or lakelands parents send their kids to private elementary school? I am curious where do they go?

Seriously ask this question in the private school forum. It’s SO annoying to have every thread in the MCPS forum devolve into private vs. public bickering!

[Anonymous]

RCES was a tough, but good school when D1S started there in 2013. While I clashed with the principal (he apologized for his error), I still thought he ran the school well. We moved away after a few years to VA. DS1 was more than prepared for the school he transferred to. Fast forward and we moved back. DS2 started RCES during the fall of 2020. What a nightmare. COVID was rough and remote learning with a bear of math teacher was painful. DS2 is no angel (he’s overall a good kid), but his math teacher was on her way out the door and it showed. The following year (5th), DS2 dealt with a teacher that preferred girls, a teacher who just passed him even though he turned in few totally complete assignments (most assignments were done in class) and a bully all year. The kids ran amok and the principal did very little to improve things. We tried repeatedly to get the school to do something about the bully and DS2’s academic struggles. I ended up tutoring him and sending him to therapy. I had to push for every bit of support he received. After a while they began to ignore us and did little to support. This year they have a new principal. Hopefully, things have improved.

[Anonymous]

RCES, LPMS, and QOHS graduate here - I can't speak to the quality of the school today, but I can say that I excelled and got into great colleges/a career. Biggest influence is parent support. I just checked through the staff list, and surprisingly Rachel Carson and QO have a lot of the same teachers.

[Anonymous]

Bump. Any new information on how things are under the new principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Any new information on how things are under the new principal?

It's DCUM, thus awful.

[Anonymous]

Bump - any new, helpful information?

[Anonymous]

My kids are long gone, but hearing that the new principal is very good.

[Anonymous]

RCES parent here- DD just completed first grade. We were nervous as she’s a pretty reserved kid but she flourished there. Had a great teacher and the new administration is great. YMMV and we have a few friends who have opted for private instead but we and most of our friends are very happy there.

[Anonymous]

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Yep. QO is fine. Some of us want more than “fine” for our kids.

And some of us know that how much kids learn is not a function of how expensive their school is. You clearly don't have kids at any of these schools so not sure why you feel qualified to comment on what kind of education anyone is getting at QO or RCES.

And you don’t know whether your first statement is true. So stop.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:QO consistently ranks around the same level as schools that are considered good in my home state of California, for context.

that's not saying much since so many CA schools are terrible.

-former Californian who moved out due to the schools. Couldn't justify the high col with the quality of the schools.

Maybe in the city you’re from. But the schools I’m referring to are respected and highly sought after.

well, I lived in the SF Bay Area, in a town more expensive than the DC area. I looked at the courses offered, the programs, and they don't compare to MCPS programming.

And don't get me started on the $1000/child per year "donation" for "extras" like PE, art.

Let me guess.. the schools you are referring to that are "well respected" are in towns that are ridiculously expensive, and propped up by the wealthy parents.

QO is not a horrible school. It's fine, but it doesn't have the $$$ that some of the "well respected" CA schools do. So to compare QO to the "well respected" rich schools says a lot about those "well respected" CA schools more so than QO.

Yep. QO is fine. Some of us want more than “fine” for our kids.

Well my niece went to UNC from QO I think that's fine. And my other one went to Columbia also fine.

QO has an AP Calculus teacher that everyone in his class pretty much gets a 5 on the exam. Yeah again QO is fine.

Perfect no. More than fine yes.

Just like any other school get what you put in.

If you are saying private is better LOL NO

Your grammar is atrocious. Eek.