Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 19:13     Subject: Re:Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Thanks for all the responses
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 19:12     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:North Bethesda has 1200 students. In general, teachers use best practices and give whole class reminders. Unless you have a 504 plan, that is the best you can expect from the majority of teachers. There are a few gems who make an excellent effort to know kids on an individual level, but in a class of 30, I hate to say it, but most of the students are cogs in the machine.


Even with a 504, we found it was largely ignored.


I had a child go through a few years ago with a 504, and found that they expect the child to self-advocate. It's a tough ask for an anxious 13 y.o!


Not only this, but they specifically ask parents to step back.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 19:09     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:North Bethesda has 1200 students. In general, teachers use best practices and give whole class reminders. Unless you have a 504 plan, that is the best you can expect from the majority of teachers. There are a few gems who make an excellent effort to know kids on an individual level, but in a class of 30, I hate to say it, but most of the students are cogs in the machine.


Even with a 504, we found it was largely ignored.


I had a child go through a few years ago with a 504, and found that they expect the child to self-advocate. It's a tough ask for an anxious 13 y.o!


OP here. DS would struggle at advocating for himself. His teachers are working with him on speaking up more for himself and asking for help when needed. We may consider staying in private through middle although it would be a financial stretch. He has improved a lot from earlier grades so we’ll see how things improve over the next year.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 19:00     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Anonymous wrote:My son had the most wonderful years of his k-12 years at NB.
However, that was because he had an IEP (for inattentive ADHD and other things) and was part of their GT/LD program (gifted, talented and learning disabled). Once you have an IEP and are in a special program, they take good care of you in that cluster. Your child would need at least a 504 to have any kind of special consideration from his teachers and counselor.

MCPS has large middle schools and huge high schools. Walter Johnson HS in the same cluster, where my son is currently a senior, has close to 3000 students. It can be overwhelming.

However, if you're looking for great academics in Montgomery County, that cluster is it. Only Whitman comes close. Finally, middle school is when kids are expected to manage longer-term projects and self-organize - lots of kids struggle with that in 6th, so if your child has weaknesses in that area, please keep an eye on that: teach him how to use his planner, remind him to keep track of his assignments, etc...



OP here. This is very helpful and glad to hear about your IEP experience. The expectations for the students to self manage projects is part of what I worry about knowing this is a weak area. We’ll continue to watch how he improves over the next year and half with strategies he is currently learning.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 15:57     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Consider rescreening him.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 15:52     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
My son had the most wonderful years of his k-12 years at NB.
However, that was because he had an IEP (for inattentive ADHD and other things) and was part of their GT/LD program (gifted, talented and learning disabled). Once you have an IEP and are in a special program, they take good care of you in that cluster. Your child would need at least a 504 to have any kind of special consideration from his teachers and counselor.

MCPS has large middle schools and huge high schools. Walter Johnson HS in the same cluster, where my son is currently a senior, has close to 3000 students. It can be overwhelming.

However, if you're looking for great academics in Montgomery County, that cluster is it. Only Whitman comes close. Finally, middle school is when kids are expected to manage longer-term projects and self-organize - lots of kids struggle with that in 6th, so if your child has weaknesses in that area, please keep an eye on that: teach him how to use his planner, remind him to keep track of his assignments, etc...

Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 15:45     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
It’s an enormous school with many overworked but excellent teachers. Many of the kids are on their chrome books playing games most of the day. Very few teachers will affirmatively reach out about missed assignments but you can track it on the parentvue, to some extent. Most teachers will respond to emails fairly quickly. There is basically no support in learning time management. We asked for placement in a special class to do this (the “alt” class) but unfortunately the class doesn’t really do that.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 15:32     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:North Bethesda has 1200 students. In general, teachers use best practices and give whole class reminders. Unless you have a 504 plan, that is the best you can expect from the majority of teachers. There are a few gems who make an excellent effort to know kids on an individual level, but in a class of 30, I hate to say it, but most of the students are cogs in the machine.


Even with a 504, we found it was largely ignored.


I had a child go through a few years ago with a 504, and found that they expect the child to self-advocate. It's a tough ask for an anxious 13 y.o!
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 15:25     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
Anonymous wrote:North Bethesda has 1200 students. In general, teachers use best practices and give whole class reminders. Unless you have a 504 plan, that is the best you can expect from the majority of teachers. There are a few gems who make an excellent effort to know kids on an individual level, but in a class of 30, I hate to say it, but most of the students are cogs in the machine.


Even with a 504, we found it was largely ignored.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 14:52     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
North Bethesda has 1200 students. In general, teachers use best practices and give whole class reminders. Unless you have a 504 plan, that is the best you can expect from the majority of teachers. There are a few gems who make an excellent effort to know kids on an individual level, but in a class of 30, I hate to say it, but most of the students are cogs in the machine.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2022 10:53     Subject: Feedback on North Bethesda Middle school for easily distracted kids?
DS is currently in 4th grade at a small private and we are considering public for middle school which would be N Bethesda. DS is easily distracted in class and needs reminders to stay on task which he gets with the small class sizes. He is s also on the quiet side and will not talk much in larger settings. Has been tested and does not have ADHD but has some of the inattentive traits at least to us. He does well academically and does well socially in smaller settings but I wonder how he will do in a much larger public middle school setting.

I would like to hear from anyone at North Bethesda with a kid who needs extra support to stay on task. Do teachers let you know if kid is not paying attention in class, not completing class work or not doing homework? Do kids get support on strategies for managing their time and work?

TIA