Our Bethesda elementary doesn't have any trailers and has room to grow b/c it is a newly rebuilt school. Unfortunately some of the classes are big. Nothing is perfect.

It's crowded, but not so much more than most other Bethesda public elementary schools. I haven't found it to be a huge issue for my DC- she's had good teachers and we've been pretty happy with it. That said,I would say many in our area do choose private to get smaller class sizes (for example, WES is 12 or so).

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda is strange. Hardly anybody can afford to live there, and yet the elementary schools are overcrowded. Who are all these wealthy people with young school-age children?

They can afford to live in Bethesda IF they send their kids to public...which is why bethesda schools are crowded.
My DS is on an IEP at Wood Acres. In his class alone there are 15 kids who have IEPs. They get bussed from other Bethesda schools who do not have enough SpEd support.

Bethesda is strange. Hardly anybody can afford to live there, and yet the elementary schools are overcrowded. Who are all these wealthy people with young school-age children?

I don't know specifically about Woodacres, but it seems that most (if not all) the Bethesda and Chevy Chase schools are overcrowded.

Go to the MCPS website. It has capacity, and current and projected enrollment for each school. I think most of the Bethesda schools are overcapacity right now, with a recent surge in enrollment. I know our HS is above capacity and is projected to be for the next several years.

The overcrowding is ridiculous!

Y.E.S.
Portables for the entire 5th grade (which take up a large chunk of what was the blacktop/playground) and half of 3rd grade.

The school is overcrowded -- they have a lot of portables for the older kids -- but the class sizes aren't bad -- about 24. I have a kid there and her teachers have been terrific -- I mean, really terrific. Dedicated to their work and the kids. My DD LOVES wood acres.

Yes.

Anyone know?