PG County Parents, where are you sending your kids to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools are underperforming because of busing. I understand the need for it at one time; but PG county really needs to redistrict and rezone many schools. Because of the lackluster performance of the neighborhood schools, people in Bowie and Mitchellville (I live there, I know) send our kids to private.

Do you see this happening in the near future?

[Anonymous]

Speaking or re-drawing boundaries. I often wonder why they don't zone University Park ES for.... University Park. It is a crowded school and it would make sense for the boundaries to be the town of UP. Property values and tax revenue would dramatically increase and the school system would have a big influx of high performing students in the pipeline. Plus, it would really foster neighborhood community. Most neighborhood families would forego private school in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When families "make the annual move to MD" they are not moving to PG.

We are actually considering the move into PG. I figured we culd get more house/space in the Bowie area and send DC to private school and still save money. We would make the move so that DC could enter at the beginning of MS (6th grade), so that he enters with a bunch of kids who are also new. DC is currently in one of the HRC in DC, but we need more space and a sure path to instate college tuition. We are running the numbers and although I can think of good private HS that are not 40K, I cannot think of any good MS options within reasonable price range. So, we are considering the move and the numbers PP. BTW-My family is not alone. I was told to look in the Mitchellville area and drive around. I was told that many of the cars had private school bumpers on the cars. Decisions, decisions.

Why hello there! May I recommend my neighborhood in Lanham Seabrook 20706? I live in the Glenn Estates neighborhood and we have several homes for sale in our neighborhood. We have a lovely neighborhood, a pool, an HOA full of people who are actually sane and do not really care what you do with your house as long as there are no appliances in your front yard, beautiful affordable homes, a mile from the MARC station and about 15 minutes from the New Carrollton metro/marc/amtrak station. We are so close to 495 and 50 as well. It is a very convenient area, and I have heard really good things about our public elementary. The downsides are our middle and high schools are not so good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Speaking or re-drawing boundaries. I often wonder why they don't zone University Park ES for.... University Park. It is a crowded school and it would make sense for the boundaries to be the town of UP. Property values and tax revenue would dramatically increase and the school system would have a big influx of high performing students in the pipeline. Plus, it would really foster neighborhood community. Most neighborhood families would forego private school in this situation.

Yep, that's definitely what needs to be done, rezone a school that really isn't that overcrowded anyway or at least not compared to schools that are 40% overcapacity so that it's less diverse and wealthy. Are you planning to kick out Calvert Hills, University Hills, part of Hyattsville, and College Heights Estates? That will go over well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking or re-drawing boundaries. I often wonder why they don't zone University Park ES for.... University Park. It is a crowded school and it would make sense for the boundaries to be the town of UP. Property values and tax revenue would dramatically increase and the school system would have a big influx of high performing students in the pipeline. Plus, it would really foster neighborhood community. Most neighborhood families would forego private school in this situation.

Yep, that's definitely what needs to be done, rezone a school that really isn't that overcrowded anyway or at least not compared to schools that are 40% overcapacity so that it's less diverse and wealthy. Are you planning to kick out Calvert Hills, University Hills, part of Hyattsville, and College Heights Estates? That will go over well.

Is the reason it's not overcrowded is because the IB families that can afford private do not send their children to the public school m

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking or re-drawing boundaries. I often wonder why they don't zone University Park ES for.... University Park. It is a crowded school and it would make sense for the boundaries to be the town of UP. Property values and tax revenue would dramatically increase and the school system would have a big influx of high performing students in the pipeline. Plus, it would really foster neighborhood community. Most neighborhood families would forego private school in this situation.

Yep, that's definitely what needs to be done, rezone a school that really isn't that overcrowded anyway or at least not compared to schools that are 40% overcapacity so that it's less diverse and wealthy. Are you planning to kick out Calvert Hills, University Hills, part of Hyattsville, and College Heights Estates? That will go over well.

It would remain racially diverse. It would however lose its income diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking or re-drawing boundaries. I often wonder why they don't zone University Park ES for.... University Park. It is a crowded school and it would make sense for the boundaries to be the town of UP. Property values and tax revenue would dramatically increase and the school system would have a big influx of high performing students in the pipeline. Plus, it would really foster neighborhood community. Most neighborhood families would forego private school in this situation.

Yep, that's definitely what needs to be done, rezone a school that really isn't that overcrowded anyway or at least not compared to schools that are 40% overcapacity so that it's less diverse and wealthy. Are you planning to kick out Calvert Hills, University Hills, part of Hyattsville, and College Heights Estates? That will go over well.

It would remain racially diverse. It would however lose its income diversity.

What PPs said, but also because almost all the inside-the-Beltway schools in the north part of the county are quite overcrowded. Tightening boundaries for UPES just makes overcrowding even worse at all the surrounding schools, many of which are currently more overcrowded than UPES.

The problem is so bad that even with the new school in West Hyattsville -- Edward M. Felegy Elementary (the BOE officially approved the name last night) -- opening in the fall and a projected enrollment of about 700 students, all the area schools will still be over state-rated capacity.

[Anonymous]

It will be interesting to see how UPES will change with Felegy opening in the Fall.

I was worried that it would loose it racial diversity; so I am hesitant to buy in the area where my DC will be one of few. When will the enrollment numbers be posted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When families "make the annual move to MD" they are not moving to PG.

We are actually considering the move into PG. I figured we culd get more house/space in the Bowie area and send DC to private school and still save money. We would make the move so that DC could enter at the beginning of MS (6th grade), so that he enters with a bunch of kids who are also new. DC is currently in one of the HRC in DC, but we need more space and a sure path to instate college tuition. We are running the numbers and although I can think of good private HS that are not 40K, I cannot think of any good MS options within reasonable price range. So, we are considering the move and the numbers PP. BTW-My family is not alone. I was told to look in the Mitchellville area and drive around. I was told that many of the cars had private school bumpers on the cars. Decisions, decisions.

Why hello there! May I recommend my neighborhood in Lanham Seabrook 20706? I live in the Glenn Estates neighborhood and we have several homes for sale in our neighborhood. We have a lovely neighborhood, a pool, an HOA full of people who are actually sane and do not really care what you do with your house as long as there are no appliances in your front yard, beautiful affordable homes, a mile from the MARC station and about 15 minutes from the New Carrollton metro/marc/amtrak station. We are so close to 495 and 50 as well. It is a very convenient area, and I have heard really good things about our public elementary. The downsides are our middle and high schools are not so good.

What will you do for MS and HS?

Also, do you get a sense that due to the closeness of PG county to the city and people getting priced out of DC, PGC will become the beneficiary of middle income people who desire backyards for their child(ren)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When families "make the annual move to MD" they are not moving to PG.

We are actually considering the move into PG. I figured we culd get more house/space in the Bowie area and send DC to private school and still save money. We would make the move so that DC could enter at the beginning of MS (6th grade), so that he enters with a bunch of kids who are also new. DC is currently in one of the HRC in DC, but we need more space and a sure path to instate college tuition. We are running the numbers and although I can think of good private HS that are not 40K, I cannot think of any good MS options within reasonable price range. So, we are considering the move and the numbers PP. BTW-My family is not alone. I was told to look in the Mitchellville area and drive around. I was told that many of the cars had private school bumpers on the cars. Decisions, decisions.

Why hello there! May I recommend my neighborhood in Lanham Seabrook 20706? I live in the Glenn Estates neighborhood and we have several homes for sale in our neighborhood. We have a lovely neighborhood, a pool, an HOA full of people who are actually sane and do not really care what you do with your house as long as there are no appliances in your front yard, beautiful affordable homes, a mile from the MARC station and about 15 minutes from the New Carrollton metro/marc/amtrak station. We are so close to 495 and 50 as well. It is a very convenient area, and I have heard really good things about our public elementary. The downsides are our middle and high schools are not so good.

What will you do for MS and HS?

Also, do you get a sense that due to the closeness of PG county to the city and people getting priced out of DC, PGC will become the beneficiary of middle income people who desire backyards for their child(ren)?

Yes. Big time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Friends coming school in college park is definitely worth exploring. Tremendous diversity; racial and economic.

I know a lot of people who were not happy at all with this school. Very unprofessional staff/teachers.

Can you expand on this? What is unprofessional about them?

I heard this too. Teachers who are too "familiar" with students. Teachers with interesting "extracurricular" activities.

I think the implication of this comment is absurd. DS attends FCS and I have heard absolutely nothing of the sort.

Perhaps your "source" is referring to the fact that everyone goes by their first name at FCS, including the head of school. This reflects Quaker philosophy that everyone has a "light within." The school fosters respect for others, and adults don't need a title to gain respect and authority.

Let's clear this all up about FCS! I worked there for 7 years, there was a lot that went down but those issues were only with a few staff members. Two having an affair and another is now in jail for molesting a child when he babysat her. Everything is out in the open now. That shouldn't cast a bad light on the entire school and very hard-working staff that are there. All those staff members are long-gone and the school is a great school. If you want more information get it from a reliable source.

[Anonymous]

Are folks happy with UP elementary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When families "make the annual move to MD" they are not moving to PG.

We are actually considering the move into PG. I figured we culd get more house/space in the Bowie area and send DC to private school and still save money. We would make the move so that DC could enter at the beginning of MS (6th grade), so that he enters with a bunch of kids who are also new. DC is currently in one of the HRC in DC, but we need more space and a sure path to instate college tuition. We are running the numbers and although I can think of good private HS that are not 40K, I cannot think of any good MS options within reasonable price range. So, we are considering the move and the numbers PP. BTW-My family is not alone. I was told to look in the Mitchellville area and drive around. I was told that many of the cars had private school bumpers on the cars. Decisions, decisions.

Why hello there! May I recommend my neighborhood in Lanham Seabrook 20706? I live in the Glenn Estates neighborhood and we have several homes for sale in our neighborhood. We have a lovely neighborhood, a pool, an HOA full of people who are actually sane and do not really care what you do with your house as long as there are no appliances in your front yard, beautiful affordable homes, a mile from the MARC station and about 15 minutes from the New Carrollton metro/marc/amtrak station. We are so close to 495 and 50 as well. It is a very convenient area, and I have heard really good things about our public elementary. The downsides are our middle and high schools are not so good.

What will you do for MS and HS?

Also, do you get a sense that due to the closeness of PG county to the city and people getting priced out of DC, PGC will become the beneficiary of middle income people who desire backyards for their child(ren)?

Yes. Big time.

Agree. We're noticing in Hyattsville that houses are often being sold by word of mouth so not having to go on the market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Friends coming school in college park is definitely worth exploring. Tremendous diversity; racial and economic.

I know a lot of people who were not happy at all with this school. Very unprofessional staff/teachers.

Can you expand on this? What is unprofessional about them?

I heard this too. Teachers who are too "familiar" with students. Teachers with interesting "extracurricular" activities.

I think the implication of this comment is absurd. DS attends FCS and I have heard absolutely nothing of the sort.

Perhaps your "source" is referring to the fact that everyone goes by their first name at FCS, including the head of school. This reflects Quaker philosophy that everyone has a "light within." The school fosters respect for others, and adults don't need a title to gain respect and authority.

Let's clear this all up about FCS! I worked there for 7 years, there was a lot that went down but those issues were only with a few staff members. Two having an affair and another is now in jail for molesting a child when he babysat her. Everything is out in the open now. That shouldn't cast a bad light on the entire school and very hard-working staff that are there. All those staff members are long-gone and the school is a great school. If you want more information get it from a reliable source.

Thanks for posting this. I'd also add that there is a different head of school who's been there for at least 5 years now, and he's excellent.

-PP with child at FCS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are folks happy with UP elementary?

I had heard the principal was leaving. Is there a new principal hired yet?