Rock Creek Forest Elementary School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

Thank goodness she is gone.

You posted about her on another thread and mentioned her religion there as well. Very strange that you're so hung up on her religion whenever you mention her. You come across as antisemitic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

What are you talking about?! The old counselor was Jewish and the old principal was not. The old counselor could be a bit smug at times, but she was incredibly helpful to both of my children (who are now both in HS) when they struggled with different issues in elementary school. And the old principal and assistant principal were also great! I have no idea what's going on at RCF now, but the old administration was fantastic.

Who cares, now??

Did you have the same response for the person disparaging the old counselor and principal? They’re not there anymore, so who cares if the other PP didn’t like them?

[Anonymous]

That's who I was responding to. I didn't reply to the right quote, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.

My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.

I just want to comment on this - you do not have to let MCPS pull your child from the program. They may try to push your kid out but make them give your kid accommodations and support and do what’s best for your kid.

My kid is now an adult but he entered and completed the program with an IEP for adhd and a language based disability. He had the IEP since preschool. RCF gave him accommodations and support in English once he was writing in English. (They had an amazing special ed coordinator there.) And we paid for outside help. Yes, the school psychologist held a meeting to push him out but I refused. His teachers did not think he needed to leave and he was not the only kid in immersion with an IEP or 504. FWIW, he did well in RCF, went onto Westland and BCC and eventually graduated from a top 30 university. Advocate for your kid. They cannot discriminate against your child because of a disability. The immersion programs are the regular MCPS curriculum. Your child is entitled to accommodations and support just like any other kid in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For parents of students who started at RCF this school year or in the last two years (looking for more recent feedback) - how do like the immersion program? What didn't or don't you like about it or about this school? Thanks for any input and please no snark.

My kid graduated 3 years ago but the program remains the same.

It will make your child fluent and literate in Spanish in the most natural way possible. All without you having to speak it. You don’t even need to have your child practice over the summer.

The classes are large and they use the same curriculum as the rest of Montgomery county, for better or worse.

There are only two classes for each grade so the kids know each other very, very well after six years, again for better or worse.

The teachers are actually native speakers, unlike high school Spanish teachers sometimes.

The school itself is new and well run with an active PTSA.

Immersion teachers turn over at a higher rate than other elementary school teachers.

If your child is discovered to have a disability like dyslexia, you have to be okay pulling them from the program.

Overall it’s great. The new dual language programs like at Oakland Terrace (and eventually at middle and high schools) are the new trend. MCPS will never add more full immersion schools like RCF.

I just want to comment on this - you do not have to let MCPS pull your child from the program. They may try to push your kid out but make them give your kid accommodations and support and do what’s best for your kid.

My kid is now an adult but he entered and completed the program with an IEP for adhd and a language based disability. He had the IEP since preschool. RCF gave him accommodations and support in English once he was writing in English. (They had an amazing special ed coordinator there.) And we paid for outside help. Yes, the school psychologist held a meeting to push him out but I refused. His teachers did not think he needed to leave and he was not the only kid in immersion with an IEP or 504. FWIW, he did well in RCF, went onto Westland and BCC and eventually graduated from a top 30 university. Advocate for your kid. They cannot discriminate against your child because of a disability. The immersion programs are the regular MCPS curriculum. Your child is entitled to accommodations and support just like any other kid in MCPS.

Good for you and congrats to your kiddo!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

Thank goodness she is gone.

You posted about her on another thread and mentioned her religion there as well. Very strange that you're so hung up on her religion whenever you mention her. You come across as antisemitic.

No that wasn’t me. Very strange why you make assumptions about anonymous posters.

The consensus is she was a horrible counselor and I am over the moon that toxic person is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

Thank goodness she is gone.

You posted about her on another thread and mentioned her religion there as well. Very strange that you're so hung up on her religion whenever you mention her. You come across as antisemitic.

No that wasn’t me. Very strange why you make assumptions about anonymous posters.

The consensus is she was a horrible counselor and I am over the moon that toxic person is gone.

DP. Is that counselor gone or is she back at the school in a different capacity? Can you clarify for those that do not know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

Thank goodness she is gone.

You posted about her on another thread and mentioned her religion there as well. Very strange that you're so hung up on her religion whenever you mention her. You come across as antisemitic.

No that wasn’t me. Very strange why you make assumptions about anonymous posters.

The consensus is she was a horrible counselor and I am over the moon that toxic person is gone.

DP. Is that counselor gone or is she back at the school in a different capacity? Can you clarify for those that do not know?

Not sure who she was referencing but the counselor who left last year was terrific.

[Anonymous]

There was one counselor who was tight with the old principal- Lowdes. I agree that counselor was smug and irritating and not very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Both of the counselors who left last year were amazing. I am a parent of multiple kids at rcf and both counselors helped my children through various challenges.

There is obviously an individual within the rcf community who had bad experiences w one of the past counselors & feels the need to bash her on dcurban mom & attach unnecessary mentions of the former counselor’s religion. This person chimes in w their gripes about this counselor anytime RCF is mentioned & it’s getting old.

I’d recommend this this person work through the resentment & anger they feel towards the former counselor through therapy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

Thank goodness she is gone.

You posted about her on another thread and mentioned her religion there as well. Very strange that you're so hung up on her religion whenever you mention her. You come across as antisemitic.

No that wasn’t me. Very strange why you make assumptions about anonymous posters.

The consensus is she was a horrible counselor and I am over the moon that toxic person is gone.

DP. Is that counselor gone or is she back at the school in a different capacity? Can you clarify for those that do not know?

Not sure who she was referencing but the counselor who left last year was terrific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both of the counselors who left last year were amazing. I am a parent of multiple kids at rcf and both counselors helped my children through various challenges.

There is obviously an individual within the rcf community who had bad experiences w one of the past counselors & feels the need to bash her on dcurban mom & attach unnecessary mentions of the former counselor’s religion. This person chimes in w their gripes about this counselor anytime RCF is mentioned & it’s getting old.

I’d recommend this this person work through the resentment & anger they feel towards the former counselor through therapy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The principal is insufferably smug but you won't have to deal with her much. The building is nice and new which makes people feel good. I say go for it.

What about Assistant Principal and the Counselors? If we need to talk to someone other than Principal?

Talk about smug. That was an old counselor who was known to have a smugness aura, rolling eyes and saying inappropriate thing toward child, this adult was protected by a Principal of same religion.

Thank goodness she is gone.

You posted about her on another thread and mentioned her religion there as well. Very strange that you're so hung up on her religion whenever you mention her. You come across as antisemitic.

No that wasn’t me. Very strange why you make assumptions about anonymous posters.

The consensus is she was a horrible counselor and I am over the moon that toxic person is gone.

DP. Is that counselor gone or is she back at the school in a different capacity? Can you clarify for those that do not know?

Not sure who she was referencing but the counselor who left last year was terrific.

Obviously you have a very different experience than the PPs and need some work on your ability to reason.

[Anonymous]

Have to chime in. Previous admin (Lowndes and Mensah) along with the counselors (Cohen and Gillis) were wonderful for our kids and family. Smiles and laughter all around. My kids loved them all and felt safe and supported with them.

The new principal and AP had large shoes to fill and, in our experience, are…no bueno. They have cut the amount of lunch periods in half and doubled the kids in the cafeteria. It is loud, chaotic and overwhelming. The lunch staff are literally screaming at the kids, throwing away their food, and making them sit silently. When my friend reached out to Ms Ivy (AP), she was given a lecture about how awful the kids are during lunch. She took away their recess and parents went HAM. She speaks/yells disrespectfully to children and my kids say, “It’s so sad our new principal and AP don’t like kids”. Hopefully Ivy will be reassigned to a school with older kids because she is not skilled at connecting with elementary aged kids.

That being said, we feel the RCF immersion teachers are out of this world. So wonderful, kind and engaging. We would choose RCF 100 times over even with the nightmare current AP because of the teachers. Hopefully the teachers don’t leave because of the current admin.

The PTA is incredibly active and there are tons of before and after school activities. The 50ish families in each immersion grade are close knit and it is a special privilege to be immersed in another language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have to chime in. Previous admin (Lowndes and Mensah) along with the counselors (Cohen and Gillis) were wonderful for our kids and family. Smiles and laughter all around. My kids loved them all and felt safe and supported with them.

The new principal and AP had large shoes to fill and, in our experience, are…no bueno. They have cut the amount of lunch periods in half and doubled the kids in the cafeteria. It is loud, chaotic and overwhelming. The lunch staff are literally screaming at the kids, throwing away their food, and making them sit silently. When my friend reached out to Ms Ivy (AP), she was given a lecture about how awful the kids are during lunch. She took away their recess and parents went HAM. She speaks/yells disrespectfully to children and my kids say, “It’s so sad our new principal and AP don’t like kids”. Hopefully Ivy will be reassigned to a school with older kids because she is not skilled at connecting with elementary aged kids.

That being said, we feel the RCF immersion teachers are out of this world. So wonderful, kind and engaging. We would choose RCF 100 times over even with the nightmare current AP because of the teachers. Hopefully the teachers don’t leave because of the current admin.

The PTA is incredibly active and there are tons of before and after school activities. The 50ish families in each immersion grade are close knit and it is a special privilege to be immersed in another language.

filling in high heels by continuing the practices as part bolded above? You talking about admin or counselors who would see yelling and not do anything because "shortage of paras" or to protect their own? Are you a parent or someone eyeing an administrator's job there? If you're also a parent (and trying for a position at a fabulous school), have you ever volunteered at lunch and recess? Are you white and adminisrators' black (please don't even start with a defense)? Why don't you attend private or if the school isn't your home school, go back to your neighborhood school to free up coveted immersion seats?

[Anonymous]

I think you might be confused? I know I am confused by your questions and comments. Yes, I am a current parent and I am neither in education nor looking for a job. I volunteer at lunch and recess when I can. Overall, our family loves RCF and love our kids being in Spanish Immersion. Again, we would choose it 100 times over. Perhaps that didn’t come across in my message? What we don’t love is the new admin and the changes/vibe but hopefully it is temporary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you might be confused? I know I am confused by your questions and comments. Yes, I am a current parent and I am neither in education nor looking for a job. I volunteer at lunch and recess when I can. Overall, our family loves RCF and love our kids being in Spanish Immersion. Again, we would choose it 100 times over. Perhaps that didn’t come across in my message? What we don’t love is the new admin and the changes/vibe but hopefully it is temporary.

Just as not everyone loved old admin and vibe and that was not temporary. There's no reason to be confused but you might be if you are a family in Spanish immersion. There have always had paras and Admin who did the things you wrote and bolded by previous poster, going back two decades ago, and also occurs at other schools. You need to volunteer more if you didn't know that already. You can always return to your neighborhood school if not rcf or attend private where you might find the kind of Admin that looks, talks, behaves, smells, smiles and yells like you.