Anonymous
Post 01/09/2013 05:28     Subject: Rockville schools
Anonymous wrote:Yes..MCPS provides extra staff that are just waiting to give tours at a moments notice. It makes class size larger across the board but so important that it is standard at each school. If warm cookies are not served by both the principal and a classroom teacher before you leave..find another neighborhood.


The commenter suggested that parents stop in and ask to set a time for a tour. He or she did not suggest that a tour should be demanded immediately.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 23:25     Subject: Rockville schools
OP if you just list bunches of schools like this, I don't think you're going to get responses with any kind of credibility. You will likely get people just commenting on a reputation of the area. Use the MCPS web site "at a glance" to look at class size, test scores, overcrowding issues, staff experience, etc for the bulk of these potential schools, and when you've nailed down a few possible winners, do a thread about those specific schools. Just a tip--I think you'll get much better feedback. I always click on a thread that mentions my kids' school.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 20:41     Subject: Rockville schools
Anonymous wrote:My youngest is at College Gardens, and we've been pleased. I have friends with kid at Beall, and they love it.

Now that my older kid are in middle and high school, I've generally been happy with Julius West and Richard Montgomery, as well. I think middle school is the weak point in American education in general, but JW does as good a job as a school can with that often-troublesome age group.

Some people will refuse to consider Richard Montgomery if their kids aren't in the IB magnet program, but my eldest chose not to apply to the magnet, and she's thriving. She's taking a robust schedule of AP classes and has a great group of friends who are similarly serious about their education.


NP here. I have a child at CGES. It makes me happy to read these comments on JW and RM. JW is so large that the idea of a school that large sort of freaks me out. Our child has a couple of Learning Disabilities, which CGES staff has been good about making accommodations on. Not perfect, but I know I can get help whenever I bring it up. We'll be headed over to JW in a couple of years.

I also very much love Rockville's Rec program/sports leagues and camps. We've done the camps the last few years - such a bargain and high quality, too. We've debated moving to NoVa (my job is there; DH mainly works @ client sites - at least are in FFX). But I simply love Rockville.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 18:33     Subject: Rockville schools
Yes..MCPS provides extra staff that are just waiting to give tours at a moments notice. It makes class size larger across the board but so important that it is standard at each school. If warm cookies are not served by both the principal and a classroom teacher before you leave..find another neighborhood.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 18:26     Subject: Re:Rockville schools
Anonymous wrote:Many of these responses sound like they are written by real estate agents.

The best way to evaluate a school is to go in and see it for yourself. Don't call first, just drop by the office and ask when you can stop by for a tour. A really welcoming school will often find a way to give you a tour right away or at least the same day. At worst, the school ought to be able to accommodate your request by the end of the next day.

The attitude of the staff at the front office tells a lot. If the school is well run, it will show in the attitude of the front office staff.

If they put you off for a tour, just imagine how overburdened they might be trying to just get through a routine school day.



I don't know about this, my school's front office staff is fantastic, but my principal is terrible.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 17:31     Subject: Re:Rockville schools
Many of these responses sound like they are written by real estate agents.

The best way to evaluate a school is to go in and see it for yourself. Don't call first, just drop by the office and ask when you can stop by for a tour. A really welcoming school will often find a way to give you a tour right away or at least the same day. At worst, the school ought to be able to accommodate your request by the end of the next day.

The attitude of the staff at the front office tells a lot. If the school is well run, it will show in the attitude of the front office staff.

If they put you off for a tour, just imagine how overburdened they might be trying to just get through a routine school day.

Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 17:26     Subject: Re:Rockville schools
You are also missing all the Rockville high school cluster schools.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 14:12     Subject: Rockville schools
rachel carson is a great school but very overcrowded. its not in rockville but in gaithersburg
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 13:00     Subject: Rockville schools
You are missing Ritchie Park, which is in the same cluster as college gardens and Beall.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 12:11     Subject: Rockville schools
Anonymous wrote:some of these are gaithersburg, right? I've heard great things about Diamond and Rachel Carson and to stay away from Brown Station. My friend has a Kindergartener at Fields Road and has been happy there


Brown station, carson and diamond are Gaithersburg schools west of 355. Rachel Carson is right in the Kentlands and seems to have a nice building and be highly recommended. Brown station is off of Clopper and Quince orchard and has a very high farms and not great test scores but I know two extremely bright, well rounded students headed to top colleges who went there.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 11:34     Subject: Rockville schools
some of these are gaithersburg, right? I've heard great things about Diamond and Rachel Carson and to stay away from Brown Station. My friend has a Kindergartener at Fields Road and has been happy there
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 11:14     Subject: Rockville schools
10:48 here - I agree about the Rockville Parks and Recreation offerings. I sort of feel like they're a hidden gem in huge MoCo.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 11:05     Subject: Re:Rockville schools
My kids go to Fallsmead and friends go to Lakewood. Both are great shools and we love the neighborhood. I also like all of the amenities that Rockville offers - Look at the Parks and Recreation for summer camps or for Sports (basketball, football, ice-skating, etc.)
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 10:48     Subject: Rockville schools
My youngest is at College Gardens, and we've been pleased. I have friends with kid at Beall, and they love it.

Now that my older kid are in middle and high school, I've generally been happy with Julius West and Richard Montgomery, as well. I think middle school is the weak point in American education in general, but JW does as good a job as a school can with that often-troublesome age group.

Some people will refuse to consider Richard Montgomery if their kids aren't in the IB magnet program, but my eldest chose not to apply to the magnet, and she's thriving. She's taking a robust schedule of AP classes and has a great group of friends who are similarly serious about their education.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2013 09:35     Subject: Rockville schools
I asked yesterday about some silver spring schools, but what about rockville? Thoughts on these please!

beall
fallsmead
rosemont
college gardens
diamond
fields road
brown station
rachel carson