When Did MoCo Fall Off the Map

[Anonymous]

We have children in HoCo's public schools -- moved out of PG a while ago. We could have easily found a home in MoCo -- weren't interested. DC's classroom sizes are significantly smaller in HoCo; high teacher/student ratio; and NO open classrooms. Given our experiences with both school systems, DW and I pondered the key difference -- I said it was the fact that good teachers can teach (and are not saddled with discipline issues), DW said she thinks it's b/c there seems to be greater resources. No matter how you slice this, HoCo (at least for the most part, given the stats) has figured something out. It is hard to argue with facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forgot to mention that we are home 30 min after leaving the Caps and Nats games...if that's for you.
My HoCo friends rarely take advantage of the museums downtown.[/quote]

So what?

We rarely "take advantage" of museums either, and we live in the northern part of Silver Spring, which is truly suburbia. It doesn't mean we're not "cultured." It means we have different priorities.

My husband and I live on a 1/2 acre by a stream; we both work 5 minutes from home. Our quality of life is good. But b/c of the schools, we're moving to Ho Co. It is indeed a better system overall; I know b/c I have friends - teachers, in particular - who have jumped ship. Those who left Mo Co to teach in Ho Co rave about the system - and this is WITH a cut in pay. But because it's superior, it's worth the sacrifice. Another friend with a child with special ed services says that she can't believe how inclusive the Ho Co system. It's been one of the few systems in the area that has fully embraced that philosophy. In Mo Co, she was sending her daughter to private b/c the system wouldn't accommodate her daughter.

Many of you in Mo Co who are mesmerized by the system like the bells and whistles. This is not the case in the Ho Co schools. They have community schools that don't attempt to compete with each other over "special programs." And despite some boundary issues - Reservoir HS comes to mind - most schools pull from home bases.

What are the class sizes like in howard county - 28 kids/class in the good elementary schools? 21? 23? 17? - do they put lower ratios in the poorer areas like they do in mcps and put higher ratios in the wealthier areas? or is it equal across the board? do the smarter/wealthier kids go to privates or stay with the public system?

DC's HoCo (Clarksville area) 1st grade class has 18 children, 2 teachers, and 1 special intervention teacher. Not much need for private schools in our area.

[Anonymous]

So what?

We rarely "take advantage" of museums either, and we live in the northern part of Silver Spring, which is truly suburbia. It doesn't mean we're not "cultured." It means we have different priorities.

My husband and I live on a 1/2 acre by a stream; we both work 5 minutes from home. Our quality of life is good.



To each his/her own. I would not want your "quality of life."

[Anonymous]

Those schools with higher FARMs and ESOL populations are resourced accordingly.

Ha! The slightly smaller student teacher ratios do not fully compensate for the much greater challenges that a significantly larger amt of the class brings to school in the downcounty part of MoCo compared to Bethesda/CC. The extra money helps, but you still have very large amts of the class that are not going to be speaking English as well or as school-ready and that impacts the amt of attention that the other students in the class will be able to get.

My mom was a teacher - it doesn't take too many challenging students to tie up a lot of your time on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Those schools with higher FARMs and ESOL populations are resourced accordingly.

Ha! The slightly smaller student teacher ratios do not fully compensate for the much greater challenges that a significantly larger amt of the class brings to school in the downcounty part of MoCo compared to Bethesda/CC. The extra money helps, but you still have very large amts of the class that are not going to be speaking English as well or as school-ready and that impacts the amt of attention that the other students in the class will be able to get.

My mom was a teacher - it doesn't take too many challenging students to tie up a lot of your time on.

This has not been our experience. We have two high achieving kids in a school with about 50% FARMS/40% ESOL. Yes, the underachieving kids do need and receive more one on one or very small group attention, but it is not all with the classroom teacher. Those kids get pull out services with paraeductors, ESOL teachers, special ed teachers and parent volunteers. The classroom teachers are still able to adequately challenge our kids. Schools with say 80% FARMS and/or ESOL may be different. We have no experience with that.

[Anonymous]

Really? I bet we spend more time with our children than you do with yours, and I'm not a SAHM.

Anonymous wrote:So what?

We rarely "take advantage" of museums either, and we live in the northern part of Silver Spring, which is truly suburbia. It doesn't mean we're not "cultured." It means we have different priorities.

My husband and I live on a 1/2 acre by a stream; we both work 5 minutes from home. Our quality of life is good.



To each his/her own. I would not want your "quality of life."

[Anonymous]

How many people think this thread should end? You choose HC and are happy great. Someone else chooses MC and they are happy great as well! It is not a contest...there are no winners...as long as you are happy with your lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many people think this thread should end? You choose HC and are happy great. Someone else chooses MC and they are happy great as well! It is not a contest...there are no winners...as long as you are happy with your lifestyle.

You know being rational never gets you anywhere on this forum.

Why bother?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really? I bet we spend more time with our children than you do with yours, and I'm not a SAHM.

Anonymous wrote:So what?

We rarely "take advantage" of museums either, and we live in the northern part of Silver Spring, which is truly suburbia. It doesn't mean we're not "cultured." It means we have different priorities.

My husband and I live on a 1/2 acre by a stream; we both work 5 minutes from home. Our quality of life is good.



To each his/her own. I would not want your "quality of life."

Is your priority betting? What do you want to bet? All the $ you save by living way way way out there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really? I bet we spend more time with our children than you do with yours, and I'm not a SAHM.

Anonymous wrote:So what?

We rarely "take advantage" of museums either, and we live in the northern part of Silver Spring, which is truly suburbia. It doesn't mean we're not "cultured." It means we have different priorities.

My husband and I live on a 1/2 acre by a stream; we both work 5 minutes from home. Our quality of life is good.



To each his/her own. I would not want your "quality of life."

Is your priority betting? What do you want to bet? All the $ you save by living way way way out there?

What is wrong with you people? Are you so insecure about your housing choice that you have to dog each other? Someone likes something different from you -- the horror!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on many of the ideas posted here, Bethesda should become an inexpensive place to live sice it can not compare to what Howard County has to offer...

Oh please - proximity to our nation's capital, cultural venues and the federal government Will trump a new Target any day, i hope. Well, our public officials hopefully recognize urban decay could occur in a few neglected pockets of the county due to an incongruent transportation policy. They are trying but, traffic policies need to be reviewed. If we build it, they will come isn't a cutting edge transportation or economic development policy. development needs to be done with certain neighborhoods in mind as traffic funnels from the west and upcountry downtown. The neighborhood on either side of Seven Locks Road between Bradley and River Road needs attention. When 270 is blocked, people can't get out of the neighborhood due to the overflow. When the road is open, cars speed recklessly. Last week I saw a car jump the curb and lose a hub. Then, it knocked over a mailbox. Same thing happened to Connecticut Avenue and the citizens demanded effective remedies. They got them.
Citizens on Seven Locks still have their mailboxes on this very busy road which funnels traffic from north and west and the mail carrier's vehicle blocks traffic on a very busy road. County officials should put up speed bumps just like Burdette Road, Gainsborough, seven Locks Road going towards MacArthur (cameras), Brookside and Brickyard. Seven Locks desperately needs more than a little paint to protect those families. Shame. I would like to advocate a local traffic only policy during rush hours, speed bumps until a review can be done. One any given day, someone's mailbox has been run into. Policies should jive and Don't! Do something or it'll become Hobokenville.