Reply to Moving to Bethesda -- Renting then buying, choosing an elementary school, all advice welcome...

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Reply to "Moving to Bethesda -- Renting then buying, choosing an elementary school, all advice welcome..."

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
Why not downtown Bethesda, and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase cluster? The schools are very good, more socio-economically diverse than the other clusters you mention, but still have high educational standards.

If you rent a home close to downtown, it will be walkable to Metro, shops and restaurants - quite a pleasant lifestyle!

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Bethesda Elementary has an extremely high number of SN kids without the resources to attend to them. The non SN kids are getting left to their own devices in classrooms which are full to bursting. Run a search on here for more information. It was a top ES some years ago (about 10) and then got over-burdened as a result.[/quote]

I am the poster you responded to, and I have a child with special needs in Bethesda Elementary. I am also on the PTA board there. 
None of what you say is true. 
I would be interested to know whether you are a current parent at this school, and if so, what specific information you could bring to the PTA, so that we can address your concerns. It's what we're here for!

BE is an inclusive school and receives more funding for para-educators and all things pertaining to special ed than similar elementary schools.
One very important aspect to this extra funding is that contrary to other elementary schools, there is practically always a para-educator (or more than one) in each classroom, ready to help any child who needs it - not just the children she is assigned to help.
Other schools either make do with one teacher, or ask for parent volunteers, who may or may not be up to the task. 
Another important aspect of inclusion is that children learn tolerance and acceptance at an early age. The school counselor is excellent and several teachers have been there for years, and know exactly what they're doing.

BE won an MCPS award last year for most volunteer hours put in, and parents are highly involved. The PTA can afford to hold STEM and Cultural Arts events for every grade, and provide remedial instruction, food and clothing to the few students who need it. BE implements the Lucy Calkins reading and writing enrichment program for all grades, which not all MCPS schools can afford to do.
BE is also different from other Bethesda schools in that it welcomes the highly-educated but transient population of downtown Bethesda - foreign diplomats and workers on 2-3 year missions. They expect high standards, particularly in math, to be frank! The ESOL population is large, but contrary to other MCPS schools, this does not translate to a high FARMs (poverty) rate. It is merely a reflection of the many nationalities at the school, which bring amazing cultural enrichment. Every year, students in each class have a little show and tell, explain where they come from, and it's fascinating to see what they bring, Samurai helmets or a French coat of arms, etc.... Multi-Cultural Night is the school event of the year.

To OP, and anybody else who's interested, I hope this has given you a clearer picture of Bethesda Elementary.
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