DC really likes TPMS magnet. People in general program seem happy too...

We live in PG county and are sending our middle schooler to a private school and she is loving it. So to the pp that says no one likes middle school, you are wrong.

We moved to Anne Arundel. Crofton area part of Anne Arundel has excellent middle schools. Not sayin move but just saying.

We're happy at Silver Spring International MS in Silver Spring. My daughter is a 7th grader now. She has had really amazing teachers and has made lots of great friends. She's in the advanced classes, but still finds them fairly easy to get As. That's the one thing I wish - that it were more challenging. But she seems to be liking it just fine.

I think it so depends on the kid, especially in MS - SSIMS is big and requires a lot of executive functioning skills, so I'm thinking it won't be a great fit for our younger daughter who struggles in those areas.

I would also caution that middle in school in general both public and private is tough in general, not just here but also in other parts of the country. I think it really depends on the child and how they are equipped to handle the social challenges of today's youth. I would visit the schools first hand before making any decisions.

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy with College Park Academy MS, more importantly my son likes it there. Communication is great, I do wish there was more variety in extra-curricular offerings. Most teachers are well organized, rigorous work, not work just to keep busy. One so-so teacher last year, but my son enjoyed the teacher a lot. I think at the MS level there needs to be a good balance between academic and social success. If the teacher is not top-notch, but my child takes away some important lessons (life, organization, study, being a good human) that works for me.

My child HATED CPA. The advantages of it were that it allowed DC to take advanced math and the school was safe and free from negative influence (for the most part), but many of the teachers were...not good at teaching (although a few were excellent), the school's atmosphere is oppressive and un-fun. The curriculum is a canned, for profit deal that the teachers can't opt out of. It had great promise from the start, but they found that most students were ready to work independently and almost immediately decided to move away from that model rather than doing the work to get students ready. Too bad. Anyway, my child was in the top cohort - almost ALL of them transferred out for High School. DC is VERY happy to not be there any more.

I'm happy with College Park Academy MS, more importantly my son likes it there. Communication is great, I do wish there was more variety in extra-curricular offerings. Most teachers are well organized, rigorous work, not work just to keep busy. One so-so teacher last year, but my son enjoyed the teacher a lot. I think at the MS level there needs to be a good balance between academic and social success. If the teacher is not top-notch, but my child takes away some important lessons (life, organization, study, being a good human) that works for me.

moco has crappy middle schools too.. I think there is 1 that people like Lakelands, the rest ... not so much.


Middles schools just suck.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone anyone actually like middle school? I feel like at that age range it's just a huge mixture of crappy stuff that makes even the best middle school only tolerable at best.

YES! two middle schoolers here; you just hang on through the emotional roller coaster, little of which has to do with school and most of which has to do with hormones, the push/pull of becoming independent, starting to figure out who they are apart from their parents/family and focusing more on friends, etc.

If you are in a decent tag program count your blessings and carry on. Work to make the school you are in better. Is moving really worth it?

My kid also had a good experience at Kenmoor TAG.

We are having a good experience in the Kenmoor TAG program and I haven’t heard any big complaints from other parents.

I think most families at Ogle are pretty satisfied. Or at least as satisfied as the parents I know with kids in MoCo middle schools.

Does anyone anyone actually like middle school? I feel like at that age range it's just a huge mixture of crappy stuff that makes even the best middle school only tolerable at best.

Anonymous wrote:With a rising 4th grader, I’m looking to middle schools now. We see our options as moving to Howard or Mont., going private, or moving to a neighborhood with a ‘really great middle school’ in PG, does that exist? If possible, I would like the last option since we have to move anyway, and can get more house for our money if we stay in PG. Mo.Co seems like a gamble since our budget won’t get us very much in a good cluster. My kid is TAG, but I’ve heard mixed reviews on Kenmoore and have a younger child that is not TAG. Thanks in advance!

To be 100% honest, not really. Elementary and High school at least there are some that you can stand. Middle school, there is not even a crap shoot. Put my child in private for 5th. She is know an 8th grader and we will apply to some of the specialty high schools for 9th. I live in Upper Marlboro by the way.

With a rising 4th grader, I’m looking to middle schools now. We see our options as moving to Howard or Mont., going private, or moving to a neighborhood with a ‘really great middle school’ in PG, does that exist? If possible, I would like the last option since we have to move anyway, and can get more house for our money if we stay in PG. Mo.Co seems like a gamble since our budget won’t get us very much in a good cluster. My kid is TAG, but I’ve heard mixed reviews on Kenmoore and have a younger child that is not TAG. Thanks in advance!