Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all. Thanks for the response. DH will be working from home, but needs to commute to N Bethesda 1-2x per week (these would possibly be odd commute times too, ie. 11am or 3pm.). Housing budget is about $500k. Could go higher if need be.

OP, I suggest that you wait for posters who actually have first-hand experience with these high schools. As opposed to "These high schools are bad because they are not W schools and there are poor brown people who go there."

Springbrook
Paint Branch[/u]

Lived in the NEC - So you forgot to add in Blake, which is the third school in the NEC choice process. Blake has no "true" boundaries, as it was built in an area that was already zoned - for the most part - for Sherwood. So you could live near White Oak and still be zoned for Blake.

The NEC works like the DCC. You have a home school which you should always get. (I believe there have been some exceptions.) But you may choose to have Paint Branch, for example, as your first choice even though you may be zoned for Springbrook. Each school has its signature. Blake is performing arts. Springbrook has IB and technology, and PB - which was recently renovated - has science, media and finance. You can check out the websites for more info.

To be quite honest, we left the NEC for Sherwood, as it's still has a community feel. They were asked to become part of the NEC but declined, a move I supported. You can find a decent home in Olney Mill for about $500 or a little more. And then there are some very nice THs, too, that fall w/in that range. Back roads will get you to Rockville - and there's the ICC off Georgia Avenue.

Friendly
no clue!


Quince Orchard[u]
solid
has its pockets of wealth as well as a chunk on FARMs - so not "elitist" in the "W" sense
Racial breakdown is fairly decent.
not sure about housing prices, however - But I imagine it has quite a few McMansions in certain parts.

I'm the one who brought up the Ws. I live in Wootton cluster, right on the edge of the QO district. We have many friends who go to each. I didn't mean to imply in any way it's inferior. I actually like it better than Wootton. My kids are not enrolled in QO, that is true. But QO kids have hung out at my house, I've taken my kids to plays there, and a few football games. It's a very pleasant school all around.

The neighborhoods are nice, extracurriculars are plentiful, and lots of great summer jobs available for teens if OP's kids want to work (which may not be on OP's radar but it's on mine). Park jobs and camp counselor positions galore, which aren't always available in more urban settings. Plus the metro at Shady Grove gives easy access to DC.

It's ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse, which is great for me. My family is the same.

Quince Orchard is pretty decent. There are some low income pockets in the district, but the Kentlands/Lakelands are very nice.

Anonymous wrote:Hi all. Thanks for the response. DH will be working from home, but needs to commute to N Bethesda 1-2x per week (these would possibly be odd commute times too, ie. 11am or 3pm.). Housing budget is about $500k. Could go higher if need be.

OP, I suggest that you wait for posters who actually have first-hand experience with these high schools. As opposed to "These high schools are bad because they are not W schools and there are poor brown people who go there."

Hi all. Thanks for the response. DH will be working from home, but needs to commute to N Bethesda 1-2x per week (these would possibly be odd commute times too, ie. 11am or 3pm.). Housing budget is about $500k. Could go higher if need be.

Quince Orchard is really nice. It's not one of the "Ws" or BCC that everyone always say top the list in Montgomery County, but it's a good school.

If you can live that far from DC, check out Howard County schools, too, especially Atholton.

Quince Orchard is pretty good. Springbrook and Paint Branch are acceptable, but not great. Friendly is a NO.

What's your housing budget? Where would you be commuting to? If you give us that we may be able point you in the direction of some better schools.

Check out 20832 and 20833 and try to find something in Sherwood.

Not great

Looking at homes that would zone us for the following high schools:
Springbrook
Paint Branch
Friendly
Quince Orchard

Have an incoming 9th grader and 10th grader. Would appreciate any info!