Anonymous wrote:

I live in Baltimore County! I can't offer much help though because my oldest is in K, so it's been all virtual. The virtual school is fine... probably the same as anywhere else. I hear great things about our elementary school (we are in Catonsville, so totally the opposite end of the county from Timonium) but most people, when they move out of the city and into the county with their young kids "for the schools" move to Towson.

I hear a lot of complaints about BCPS from local moms groups... but you hear complaints about the school system no matter where you are, I think. I have no point of comparison. For example I myself went to Fairfax county public schools, and they were great and prepared me for an Ivy education. But here, you see lots of complaints. So who really knows.

OP- We are now looking at Catonsville as a potential option. Do people use the high school in Catonsville or do people opt for private. Many of the properties are very charming--we like the look of it. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

I live in Baltimore County! I can't offer much help though because my oldest is in K, so it's been all virtual. The virtual school is fine... probably the same as anywhere else. I hear great things about our elementary school (we are in Catonsville, so totally the opposite end of the county from Timonium) but most people, when they move out of the city and into the county with their young kids "for the schools" move to Towson.

I hear a lot of complaints about BCPS from local moms groups... but you hear complaints about the school system no matter where you are, I think. I have no point of comparison. For example I myself went to Fairfax county public schools, and they were great and prepared me for an Ivy education. But here, you see lots of complaints. So who really knows.

OP- We are now looking at Catonsville as a potential option. Do people use the high school in Catonsville or do people opt for private. Many of the properties are very charming--we like the look of it. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:How about Eldersburg/Sykesville?[/quote/]

NP here-I'm from Baltimore County and my parents still live there, but have lived in Eldersburg for over 20 years. All 3 of my sons have been educated in CC public schools, with my youngest graduating in 2022. While the schools were fantastic early on, I would not move here now. The BOE has gotten increasingly partisan, has no respect for teachers, and is unresponsive to parents. There has never been any plan for building schools or coordination with the County to mitigate school overcrowding. There are at least 3 100+ family home communities that are expected to be built (the County zoning and planning departments RARELY deny building requests) in the area, but our schools are already near, at, or over capacity. Teachers have been consistently underpaid for years, so we're now known as the teacher training ground because young teachers come here, teach for a few years, and then move on to one of the surrounding counties that pay significantly more.

The schools in South Carroll are still good because of the teachers who truly care and very strong parental involvement, but I wouldn't bet on that continuing for 20 more years. It's really a shame.