Rosemary Hills Elementary School - feedback

[Anonymous]

We always intended to send our DC toe Rosemary Hills but applied to private because it was unclear if distance learning would continue next fall. We now have to choose between accepting admission to a private school for kindergarten or sending our DC to Rosemary Hills (followed by Chevy Chase Elementary). The feedback we have received on Rosemary Hills over the years has been pretty consistent; parents seem to like the school generally, but everyone seems to have a story of at least one ad year with an ineffective teacher.

We would appreciate any feedback anyone would be willing to provide conceding their child’s recent experience at Rosemary Hills.

[Anonymous]

There is a recent thread asking for feedback about RHES and NCC. I and others have recent feedback there.

[Anonymous]

We moved in bounds for CCES, so I cannot comment on RHES as my students did not attend.

If it were me, I would likely take the private school spot for many reasons but especially during a pandemic.

MCPS really dropped the ball in leadership and as a parent, my worry is that they lack the tools, vision, and initiative to do anything more in the fall than what they have already laid out for this spring.

[Anonymous]

We had a good experience with teachers at RHES, but we did not like the principal, who is pretty cold toward parents. Nevertheless, our overall experience was positive -- our child loved the school, learned a lot, and the thing we were most worried about (the bus) ended up being really positive. Our child made a lot of friends at the bus stop.

If you need before/after care, you can get that at CCES through Wonders, so you don't have to get to RHES in rush hour (East-West is near impossible). Starting next week, RHES (and all K-2 grades in MCPS) will offer in-person instruction every day but Wed, so I think chances for 5 days/week come September are good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a good experience with teachers at RHES, but we did not like the principal, who is pretty cold toward parents. Nevertheless, our overall experience was positive -- our child loved the school, learned a lot, and the thing we were most worried about (the bus) ended up being really positive. Our child made a lot of friends at the bus stop.

If you need before/after care, you can get that at CCES through Wonders, so you don't have to get to RHES in rush hour (East-West is near impossible). Starting next week, RHES (and all K-2 grades in MCPS) will offer in-person instruction every day but Wed, so I think chances for 5 days/week come September are good.

Thanks. This is helpful. I didn’t know that they bussed the kids to CCES for aftercare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved in bounds for CCES, so I cannot comment on RHES as my students did not attend.

If it were me, I would likely take the private school spot for many reasons but especially during a pandemic.

MCPS really dropped the ball in leadership and as a parent, my worry is that they lack the tools, vision, and initiative to do anything more in the fall than what they have already laid out for this spring.

I appreciate your input, but I am interested in people’s experience with RHES and not whether MCPS has the best pandemic plan. There is not guarantee the private school will be back in session full time in the fall.

[Anonymous]

We were at RHES for 3 yrs and liked it fine.

The bus ride was too long for us, but the school was good. As everywhere, there's a range of skill and experience in the teachers,but overall we were pleased. (We had two kids go through w/ no teacher repeats. Only one teacher was subpar.)

I had no problem w/ the principal. She is not warm and fuzzy but she's responsive, very professional, and I found her easy to deal with.

I like that everyone in the school deals w/ the same age range - so that is a nice thing w/ little kids. And I found the whole staff really wonderful about individual accommodations. The school runs an autism program so has build in supports that are available to all kids, and a built in mindset of inclusivity and flexibility, which I really liked.

[Anonymous]

We were in a similar situation. We were accepted to a private for K but also in boundary for the BCC cluster but not RHES/CCES. Just as your feedback from RHES, we had a similar experience with having some really fantastic teachers and then one teacher who was terrible and another that was okay. It is the luck of the draw, although if you talk with current parents they will certainly tell you who the good and bad teachers are. We stayed through 5th and then went private. Got a great education and saved a ton of money. However, we did supplement with some tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved in bounds for CCES, so I cannot comment on RHES as my students did not attend.

If it were me, I would likely take the private school spot for many reasons but especially during a pandemic.

MCPS really dropped the ball in leadership and as a parent, my worry is that they lack the tools, vision, and initiative to do anything more in the fall than what they have already laid out for this spring.

I appreciate your input, but I am interested in people’s experience with RHES and not whether MCPS has the best pandemic plan. There is not guarantee the private school will be back in session full time in the fall.

I was referring more to the mode and method of instruction than the number of days they are actually in person. That differentiates it from school versus a learning hub.

[Anonymous]

Bump. We are in the same spot now, in 2026. Our DC has a spot being held at a local private K. Wondering whether to try RHPS?

Our primary interest in RHPS is for our DC to have more neighborhood friends. Many of our neighbors do private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump. We are in the same spot now, in 2026. Our DC has a spot being held at a local private K. Wondering whether to try RHPS?

Our primary interest in RHPS is for our DC to have more neighborhood friends. Many of our neighbors do private.

What neighborhood do you live in? In our neighborhood (near CCES) a lot of kids do private, but there are still 2 buses’ worth of kids that go to RHES. We are happy there and have met a ton of neighborhood kids. Also if you are near CCES, you can do before/aftercare there if you need it — making pickup easier in the evening.

[Anonymous]

My kid is at a different ES. In 4th grade. We have had 3 really really good teachers. And 2 terrible ones. Sometimes it's the school and sometimes it's luck.