Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One 4th grade magnet teacher is leaving. The school has no-wall policy, which I felt unfriendly for kids with ADHD/ADD or hearing problems. Otherwise, very nice program and very nice small ES. Principal was overall supportive. Magnet kids do not share class with other kids but since the backgrounds are similar and they are just kids, they do play together and no dramas like MS or HS whatsoever.

Not accurate: the magnet kids are mixed with the community kids in math and science/social studies classes. They are only separated for literacy.

It was not the case a couple of years ago. It used to have a whole class taking 4/5/6 math in 4th grade, and pre-algebra in 5th grade, while the other class take normal fast track math. They don’t share any class other than PE, music, etc.

That math program was experimental for only one age-cohort and then dropped.

Wow no walls? Wtf? That sounds insane. Can you hear every class?

I can’t imagine this.

Feels like it’s due to being 50 years old without renovations. Given the excess capacity at the nearby Churchill ES, they ought to close this school down and move kids around in those schools. Like move a bunch of Wayside ES to Beverly Farms or Bells Mill and then combine Cold Spring at Wayside and send the new Wayside to Wootton.

Anonymous wrote:

It was not the case a couple of years ago. It used to have a whole class taking 4/5/6 math in 4th grade, and pre-algebra in 5th grade, while the other class take normal fast track math. They don’t share any class other than PE, music, etc.

My son just graduated from 5th grade at Cold Spring this year. Fourth and Fifth grade is how I described it, only separated for literacy. There is grade level math and compacted math and the kids are combined magnet and community, but go to the appropriate math class. Students go to three different teachers during the school day, math, literacy, science/social studies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One 4th grade magnet teacher is leaving. The school has no-wall policy, which I felt unfriendly for kids with ADHD/ADD or hearing problems. Otherwise, very nice program and very nice small ES. Principal was overall supportive. Magnet kids do not share class with other kids but since the backgrounds are similar and they are just kids, they do play together and no dramas like MS or HS whatsoever.

Not accurate: the magnet kids are mixed with the community kids in math and science/social studies classes. They are only separated for literacy.

It was not the case a couple of years ago. It used to have a whole class taking 4/5/6 math in 4th grade, and pre-algebra in 5th grade, while the other class take normal fast track math. They don’t share any class other than PE, music, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another issue could be social. Due to small size, one grade often has only one class.

K-3 has two classes per grade.

4-5 and 4 classes per grade.

PP was partially correct. There have been a few years where a grade has too few students. My kids are grown now but I recall they occasionally had a grade with 1.5 classes meaning one straight class and one combined grade level. Fortunately it never affected any of my 3 kids but it is a possibility.

The reason 4th and 5th have 4 classrooms is because 2 are magnet.

Anonymous wrote:Another issue could be social. Due to small size, one grade often has only one class.

K-3 has two classes per grade.

4-5 and 4 classes per grade.

Anonymous wrote:One 4th grade magnet teacher is leaving. The school has no-wall policy, which I felt unfriendly for kids with ADHD/ADD or hearing problems. Otherwise, very nice program and very nice small ES. Principal was overall supportive. Magnet kids do not share class with other kids but since the backgrounds are similar and they are just kids, they do play together and no dramas like MS or HS whatsoever.

Not accurate: the magnet kids are mixed with the community kids in math and science/social studies classes. They are only separated for literacy.

Be prepared for very demanding parents.

Another issue could be social. Due to small size, one grade often has only one class.

No walls can be an issue.

Anonymous wrote:The biggest problem with Cold Spring is the open format of the school. I've been in the school and I can't imagine how a child with ADHD or ASD can be successful in that environment. I'd be curious how parents with those children at the school feel about their experience.

DD has inattentive ADHD but it wasn’t diagnosed until 6th grade. I often wondered how it was not an issue for her. They do use partitions, cubbies and book cases to create walls which helps some. And generally each classroom is only connected to one other.

The biggest problem with Cold Spring is the open format of the school. I've been in the school and I can't imagine how a child with ADHD or ASD can be successful in that environment. I'd be curious how parents with those children at the school feel about their experience.

One 4th grade magnet teacher is leaving. The school has no-wall policy, which I felt unfriendly for kids with ADHD/ADD or hearing problems. Otherwise, very nice program and very nice small ES. Principal was overall supportive. Magnet kids do not share class with other kids but since the backgrounds are similar and they are just kids, they do play together and no dramas like MS or HS whatsoever.

I can’t answer your questions but we live in the neighborhood and my 3 kids went through Cold Spring. It’s a great school. The community is small and my kids teachers seemed happy when we were there. There was little turnover back then (mostly just retirements). Just note that its an open school so few classrooms have walls.

There is a 4th grade position posted and I had some questions and was hoping someone on this board could help.

1) Does it seem like teachers are happy?
2) Does the principal create a positive atmosphere?
3) In 4th grade, do teachers departmentalize (one teacher teaches ELA, one teacher is in charge of math)?

Anything else you can add?