If you have a kid in MCPS ES now, would you recommend it?

[Anonymous]

Please share names. Don’t worry, ours are still 3-4 years away from ES so we won’t crowd you Looking at neighborhoods to move into.

[Anonymous]

I have a 7yo who just finished 1st grade and I would. We are at a Focus school ( Burtonsville ES) Because we are a focus school there are smaller class sizes because of extra funding. So in K we had 18 kids in my kids class and this year started out at 18 then one got added in Jan so 19.
The Principal so far has been great and very receptive to questions, My kid has loved her teacher, I have volunteered in the classroom so interacted with the kids and they have all been happy.
A downside for me is that they only have one recess a day and PE once a week. I would like to see more opportunity for physical activity. I get around this by getting to school 20 mins ear;y and letting DD play on the playground, there is a group of us who does this. And then we play after school on the playground as well. You could obviously not do this if your kid rides a bus.

[Anonymous]

I love my daughter’s ES in Derwood. Small class sizes due to a relatively high FARMs population. A nice mix of kids including a very smart cohort. Great teachers so far. PTA is hit or miss depending on who is in charge. They now have a CES program as well.

[Anonymous]

Highly recommend Forest Knolls ES. We've had a really high ratio of good teachers. And the PTA and community are great. Houses east of University and North of Dennis are in the walk zone, so not apt to be rezoned.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Bells Mill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Forest Knolls ES. We've had a really high ratio of good teachers. And the PTA and community are great. Houses east of University and North of Dennis are in the walk zone, so not apt to be rezoned.

I wouldn’t count on that. My kids are walking distance to an ES and a MS. However, we are zoned for an ES and a MS that are almost 2 miles away that the kids are bused to.

There might be some changes OP, so it’s hard to know what neighborhoods will lead into which schools 5 years from now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Forest Knolls ES. We've had a really high ratio of good teachers. And the PTA and community are great. Houses east of University and North of Dennis are in the walk zone, so not apt to be rezoned.

I wouldn’t count on that. My kids are walking distance to an ES and a MS. However, we are zoned for an ES and a MS that are almost 2 miles away that the kids are bused to.

There might be some changes OP, so it’s hard to know what neighborhoods will lead into which schools 5 years from now.

Generally, I'd agree. But there's an ongoing boundary study for Forest Knolls which has specifically marked the areas above as in the walk zone and not part of any rezoning options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love my daughter’s ES in Derwood. Small class sizes due to a relatively high FARMs population. A nice mix of kids including a very smart cohort. Great teachers so far. PTA is hit or miss depending on who is in charge. They now have a CES program as well.

You must mean Mill Creek Towne ES.

[Anonymous]

We feel it's been fantastic and getting better. However, for this to work well you have to participate in your child's education. There are also many opportunities for enrichment unavailable in other systems.

[Anonymous]

We also love it. We live in Takoma. Our kids went through the TPES STEM magnet and had math enrichment starting in first. Both went through CES before it was CES and local. One is in Blair SMCS and our youngest is currently at the TPMS STEM magnet.

[Anonymous]

My kid goes to a Title I elementary school in the DCC and we love it. Kiddo has learned a lot, and has had some good teachers. It’s a big school but small classes due to being Title I.

[Anonymous]

Name names, people. OP is looking for neighborhoods to move to.

[Anonymous]

Nope, absolutely not. Regret putting my kid in public.

[Anonymous]

OP, I have family members who go to Garrett Park ES and they love it. My kids went to Strawberry Knoll ES, (a FOCUS school, meaning FARM rates are higher but less than Title 1l). It it is a hidden gem! Great principal, caring staff, amazing PTA events, and friendly engaging community.

[Anonymous]

OP it boils down to the quality of teachers and the behavior of the kids in the classrooms.

Most of the teachers at Bradley Hills ES are great - if they are terrible, they tend to get moved along (into administration / special functions rather than having daily classroom interactions).