Good post, Ogle parent. One of my children attended Tulip Grove. Overall a safe, nurturing environment. I saw some issues, mostly with parents (popular, cliquish PTA moms running the show and some teachers and administrators playing into the shenanigans). The good thing is that the bar for achievement and behavior was set high, and kids seemed to adhere to it, for the most part. But too much inappropriate talk about who was smart and who wasn't, who lived in the boundary and who didn't, and lot of social drama. Despite that, my child has fond memories of the school.

PP with child at Samuel Ogle here- I have lived in Bowie for approximately 20 years. No, I would not send a child to Tasker, but I have one at Ogle and love it. Check the zoned schools before you buy a home. Period.

I however wouldn't necessarily trade the proximity to DC, Annapolis and overall cost of living for the QOL in Bowie to move to Montgomery county just for schools. I feel like I'd rather pay for private high school than to up and move to Montgomery for that reason alone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
1. OP did not mention elementary schools at all. Re-read.

NP here. Look at the thread title.

Then my apologies for taking the thread off topic. Although those elementary schoolers will be moving up before you know it.

Anonymous wrote:
1. OP did not mention elementary schools at all. Re-read.

NP here. Look at the thread title.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are able to get out before your kids start middle school. We were at Rockledge but were not happy with it.

Rockledge is an elementary school. Did you actually have any experience with a middle school in Bowie? I have spoken to people who are very happy with Samual Ogle Middle School.

Do you have kids in middle school?

I visited the middle school and spoke with neighbors and decided it wasn't going to work for us, and we moved out of Bowie before middle school. My opinion is that I wouldn't send my kids to middle or high school (at least to our assigned schools) in Bowie. Yes, I did live in the community long enough to form an opinion.

I'm sharing my opinion as someone who moved to Bowie, was very unhappy with the schools, and spent a lot of money moving out. I would not move there if my kids were in public schools. OP asked, and I answered.

I have neighbors with kids in the middle school. I have lived in Bowie a total of about 10 years combined (moved away briefly but came back), so I know a lot of people who have kids in the school system. So, yes, I have lived in the community long enough to form an opinion. OP asked about the best elementary schools -- with no mention of middle schools. And you jumped in with your "get out before middle!"

I think I've seen your posts in other threads. You bought a mcmansion in one of the newer neighborhoods and didn't like Rockledge so you moved to Montgomery County.

I know a LOT of people who are very happy with the schools in Bowie. I'm allowed to voice my opinion, even if it counters yours. Rockledge, by the way, isn't as highly rated as Whitehall or Tulip Grove. But most of the neighborhoods that feed to Whitehall are older neighborhoods.

1. OP did not mention elementary schools at all. Re-read.

2. Your questioning my opinion came off as very hypocritical when backed up with the fact you spoke to neighbors and don't have kids in middle school either!

Anonymous wrote:My child is at Yorktown and we love it. We used a daycare/sitter transfer. That won't work for Whitehall or Tulip Grove because those schools are at capacity but it worked for Yorktown and probably will use for Samuel Ogle for middle school.

There are actually some places for before and after care to Whitehall and Tulip Grove.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are able to get out before your kids start middle school. We were at Rockledge but were not happy with it.

Rockledge is an elementary school. Did you actually have any experience with a middle school in Bowie? I have spoken to people who are very happy with Samual Ogle Middle School.

Do you have kids in middle school?

I visited the middle school and spoke with neighbors and decided it wasn't going to work for us, and we moved out of Bowie before middle school. My opinion is that I wouldn't send my kids to middle or high school (at least to our assigned schools) in Bowie. Yes, I did live in the community long enough to form an opinion.

I'm sharing my opinion as someone who moved to Bowie, was very unhappy with the schools, and spent a lot of money moving out. I would not move there if my kids were in public schools. OP asked, and I answered.

I have neighbors with kids in the middle school. I have lived in Bowie a total of about 10 years combined (moved away briefly but came back), so I know a lot of people who have kids in the school system. So, yes, I have lived in the community long enough to form an opinion. OP asked about the best elementary schools -- with no mention of middle schools. And you jumped in with your "get out before middle!"

I think I've seen your posts in other threads. You bought a mcmansion in one of the newer neighborhoods and didn't like Rockledge so you moved to Montgomery County.

I know a LOT of people who are very happy with the schools in Bowie. I'm allowed to voice my opinion, even if it counters yours. Rockledge, by the way, isn't as highly rated as Whitehall or Tulip Grove. But most of the neighborhoods that feed to Whitehall are older neighborhoods.

My child is at Yorktown and we love it. We used a daycare/sitter transfer. That won't work for Whitehall or Tulip Grove because those schools are at capacity but it worked for Yorktown and probably will use for Samuel Ogle for middle school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are able to get out before your kids start middle school. We were at Rockledge but were not happy with it.

Rockledge is an elementary school. Did you actually have any experience with a middle school in Bowie? I have spoken to people who are very happy with Samual Ogle Middle School.

Do you have kids in middle school?

I visited the middle school and spoke with neighbors and decided it wasn't going to work for us, and we moved out of Bowie before middle school. My opinion is that I wouldn't send my kids to middle or high school (at least to our assigned schools) in Bowie. Yes, I did live in the community long enough to form an opinion.

I'm sharing my opinion as someone who moved to Bowie, was very unhappy with the schools, and spent a lot of money moving out. I would not move there if my kids were in public schools. OP asked, and I answered.

Whitehall, Yorktown (another very highly regarded elementary school), Rockledge all feed into Samuel Ogle. Tulip Grove feeds into Tasker, and while I have no personal experience with it, have heard it is not everyone's cup of tea.

I have a child at Samuel Ogle in the honors program there (TAG kids) and have been very happy with it. We are however going private for high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are able to get out before your kids start middle school. We were at Rockledge but were not happy with it.

Rockledge is an elementary school. Did you actually have any experience with a middle school in Bowie? I have spoken to people who are very happy with Samual Ogle Middle School.

And just FYI, for OP, Whitehall feeds to Samuel Ogle.

I think Tulip Grove feeds to the other middle school. I don't know as much about that one. But I have neighbors and friends who were pleased with Samuel Ogle. (and sorry, I spelled "Samuel" wrong in my response to PP.)

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are able to get out before your kids start middle school. We were at Rockledge but were not happy with it.

Rockledge is an elementary school. Did you actually have any experience with a middle school in Bowie? I have spoken to people who are very happy with Samual Ogle Middle School.

Make sure you are able to get out before your kids start middle school. We were at Rockledge but were not happy with it.

Whitehall and Tulip Grove are the highest rated (and regarded) elementary schools. You have to look at the PG County School thing to see where a specific house feeds, but in general, most of the houses in the M and W sections feed to Whitehall, and most of the houses in the T section feed to Tulip Grove.

I live in Bowie and don't have children, but when we bought our current house, we weren't sure whether we would have children and wanted to at least be sure we were zoned for a highly rated/regarded elementary school. From ratings and reviews to talking to people, Whitehall and Tulip Grove were always the top two.

Not many of the McMansion neighborhoods feed to those schools. There might be some that do. Just be sure to check what school the house is zoned for and then do some googling to see if there's been any talk of changing the zoning for that particular neighborhood.

Best of luck.

Thinking about moving to Bowie. Where are the best school districts?