How is Kilmer MS under new principal?
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pho25
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My daughter is in 7th grade at a Catholic school. She would like to go to Kilmer for 8th grade because of its wider range of electives. I think such a switch might be a good idea given that it will give her a year to adjust to FCPS before going to Madison. I'm concerned about the unflattering things I have heard about Kilmer. I'm wondering whether the new principal has made improvements. Any thoughts about the current state of the school would be welcome.
Thank you. |
Anonymous
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What unflattering things?
My DS is in 7th, so this is our first year at Kilmer, and it it Amy Miller’s first year as principal - she started mid-last school year, I believe. I find her to be effective in communicating the school RTS plans and any other policies and changes. I have personally emailed her a couple of times with specific questions about how certain aspects would be handled - always a prompt and thoughtful response. In the tight space between the Gatehouse decisions and the specific parameters of her school, I think she is doing well. Teachers at Kilmer seem happier than at our ES, quality this year has been mostly good (not that I would attribute it to the principal, they were all there before her.) |
Anonymous
Kilmer had a string of three bad principals - one was demoted to an AP position at a different school, the second was given a job at Gatehouse where he'd have less interaction with kids and parents, and the third was suddenly fired. Compared to other middle schools, Kilmer had the reputation of being poorly managed with a student's experience depending almost entirely on his or her individual teachers. Miller could not be worse than they were and from most accounts she is a big improvement. |
Anonymous
My daughter left Catholic school and is now at Kilmer in 8th. It is a much, much better fit for her and one of the reasons I like it is the electives, after school clubs (sadly, not during COVID), and different learning levels for different subjects - i.e. - honors English, but regular math. I have no opinion on the principal, but we're happy with the switch. Definitely the right move for us. |
Anonymous
| What are some after school clubs at Kilmer? I will have a 7th grader next year and I am curious what is offered--from pre-pandemic. |
Anonymous
https://kilmerms.fcps.edu/activities/after-school-program |
Anonymous
Keep in mind that these vary somewhat from year to year. The afterschool program is largely staffed by teachers, so teacher turnover or a teacher’s situation (like childcare needs) affect what is offered year to year. |
Anonymous
| This school sucks. |
Anonymous
| Ok, Mr. McFarlane, used to be soo good. The limitations like now no feild access or direct gym cafe for arrival and dissmissal, assigned seats, ordered dissmissals is a waste of time. this school is so bad. I hate it and do not ever go here! |
Anonymous
NP and a parent’s limited perspective. When my oldest went to Kilmer, I frequently heard how they would sometimes leave to go to the gas station or 7-11 during the school day to buy food. Nothing ever happened. Now my youngest is there and scared of ever being late because there are tardy sweeps that result in detention (or so they think). It seems like they cracked down on kids wandering around and tightened up on attendance and procedures over the past few years. |
Anonymous
Not unique to Kilmer. Lots of schools found that some kids were basically feral after the Covid break and needed more structure. Privileges that kids had and did not abuse pre-Covid were abused post-Covid and then eliminated. |