If you can't find anything in your budget for the QO area of Gaithersburg, I suggest looking into the 20882 zip code. Some addresses in that zip code are Laytonsville, and some are Gaithersburg. If you're okay with going a little further north, take a look at Rockwell E.S. in Damascus. It isn't too far from Germantown & Laytonsville, affordable, and I know several families who love the school and send their younger kids to the Kidsco Jr daycare at Rockwell.

Note that OP's child is 1 year old. Maybe we don't need this thread to be taken over with arguments about fighting at high schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg High does not have a lot of structure

LOL, that's an understatement. Lots of kids just roaming the hallways at GHS and not attending class.

Gaithersburg HS had several kids simply leave school during the day, and nobody even noticed they were gone until they ended up victims of a robbery at RMHS.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/3-richard-montgomery-high-school-students-facing-robbery-assault-charges

All high schools have this. Cute that you think it's limited to one school.

No, I don’t. My kid’s high school also has issues with kids constantly skipping classes, roaming the halls and smoking weed in the bathroom. But this thread is specifically about Gaithersburg.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg High does not have a lot of structure

LOL, that's an understatement. Lots of kids just roaming the hallways at GHS and not attending class.

Gaithersburg HS had several kids simply leave school during the day, and nobody even noticed they were gone until they ended up victims of a robbery at RMHS.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/3-richard-montgomery-high-school-students-facing-robbery-assault-charges

All high schools have this. Cute that you think it's limited to one school.

NW is known for their fighting. Specifically with other schools.

It's really all about the same in the long run.

Op here. Thank you for these, and I have some ideas where to look at now.

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg High does not have a lot of structure

LOL, that's an understatement. Lots of kids just roaming the hallways at GHS and not attending class.

Gaithersburg HS had several kids simply leave school during the day, and nobody even noticed they were gone until they ended up victims of a robbery at RMHS.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/3-richard-montgomery-high-school-students-facing-robbery-assault-charges

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg has two HS clusters: Gaithersburg HS and QO. I would pick QO. However, they will get a third: Crown HS will open 2027.

But, I would pick the QO cluster since Crown HS is only a new HS.

As for Germantown: I would pick Northwest HS cluster. But again, that cluster will get the boundaries redrawn with Crown HS opens.

I would agree with QO or Northwest. Choose the west side of I270.

PP here. One more thing. Check out the community where Matsunaga ES is. Nice neighborhood and very close to South Germantown recreational park.

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg has two HS clusters: Gaithersburg HS and QO. I would pick QO. However, they will get a third: Crown HS will open 2027.

But, I would pick the QO cluster since Crown HS is only a new HS.

As for Germantown: I would pick Northwest HS cluster. But again, that cluster will get the boundaries redrawn with Crown HS opens.

I would agree with QO or Northwest. Choose the west side of I270.

These are elementary schools I would suggest: Rachel Carson, Thurgood Marshall, Diamond, Jones Lane, DuFief.

Gaithersburg High does not have a lot of structure

Avoid Gaithersburg ES and MS

Seneca Valley HS in Germantown gets a bad rep but it has great programs and the demographics are changing.

Gaithersburg has two HS clusters: Gaithersburg HS and QO. I would pick QO. However, they will get a third: Crown HS will open 2027.

But, I would pick the QO cluster since Crown HS is only a new HS.

As for Germantown: I would pick Northwest HS cluster. But again, that cluster will get the boundaries redrawn with Crown HS opens.

We are buying our starter townhouse in either Germantown or Gaithersburg location because it is close to family. We don't have big budget, but we would love to live in an okay public school district (ES/MS/HS) and nice/safe neighborhood. We have a baby girl who is 1 year old. We are from DC area, so I am not familiar with where we should look at, or where we ahould avoid.

Thank you.