Um, Sherwood has some diversity, people. I assure it's not all rich white kids.

Back to the op's question: if you want a school with a hometown feel, then I think the snarky Blair poster hit the nail on the head. Blair is the biggest school in the county (which doesn't make it the best IMHO...just the biggest). And Sherwood is just a small, "boring" school (according to the pp)...one where most families know each other (because many parents went there as kids; because we've carpooled to school and sports for over a decade; because our kids went to CCD together), where Rock n Roll Revival (google it) is a big deal for the entire community (beyond the HS), and where kids go onto great colleges (many with scholarships). If that's "boring," then I guess I'm okay with it.

OP: Head to Olney one night and have dinner outside at Grillmarx (at our town center) or Mamma's and people watch. You'll see families randomly bumping into each other and hanging out. You'll also see kids hanging out. It's that sort of community that draws people out here...despite the commute to DC (which is tolerable if you leave before rush hour).

You should also look at Blake ... It has all the diversity of Blair without the negatives.

"Blair is the best public school in the county. They have the most options for classes, even if you are not in the magnet programs you can still take magnet classes. It is extremely diverse, people that go their come from all over the county. It is very well balanced in terms of races, as they are selective so they can maintain the optimum levels of diversity. All kinds of economic backgrounds, etc. Solid athletic and learning programs, etc. The building, facilities, teachers, etc are all top notch. Very caring community, etc nothin really bad to say about it.

Sherwood on the other hand, is just a small boring school, like a majority of the other high schools in montgomery county. There's nothing really that sets sherwood apart, but it's really up to what your child prefers. Whether they want a big school/small school feel changes the entire experience."

Not in either school although we are considering a move. But I find it very funny you would dismiss being small in size and with a very strong "town" feel as common place in MoCo. They might be things to take for granted elsewhere in the US but not in this area where it is very hard to find a town feel outside your immediate neighborhood unless you are in a ritzy spot it usually seems.

Also as someone who went to a very small HS I would definitely count small size as a very hig plus. Makes it much easier for kids to be known by teachers and do lots of extracurriculars without too much competition for those slots.

I can absolutely see the advantages of Blair's awesome magnet program winning out. But aside from the commute (which is a big deal) I do not see why the regular track at Blair would be more attractive.

Blair is the best public school in the county. They have the most options for classes, even if you are not in the magnet programs you can still take magnet classes. It is extremely diverse, people that go their come from all over the county. It is very well balanced in terms of races, as they are selective so they can maintain the optimum levels of diversity. All kinds of economic backgrounds, etc. Solid athletic and learning programs, etc. The building, facilities, teachers, etc are all top notch. Very caring community, etc nothin really bad to say about it.

Sherwood on the other hand, is just a small boring school, like a majority of the other high schools in montgomery county. There's nothing really that sets sherwood apart, but it's really up to what your child prefers. Whether they want a big school/small school feel changes the entire experience.

Blair is much more culturally and racially diverse than Sherwood. Sherwood is one of the most "middle America"-like high schools in MoCo. It's more white and middle class than other schools in the county.

Oh, sorry. 1AP and all Honors, yes. Sorry, my child has never been in anything but honors, figured that's the norm.

To the Sherwood parent: one AP and no honors classes? That's probably the reason you feel the academics aren't as rigorous. Most of the kids I know at Sherwood are in honors classes.

Anonymous wrote:We live near Blair and go to most home football games (no hs kid yet). They are all very well attended unless the weather is bad. The area doesn't have a small town Midwest feel, but there is definitely strong community. We love olney too but couldn't handle the commute. Can't comment on hs yet but our friends and neighbors who go to Blair really like it, and we know several non magnet kids who have gone to very strong colleges.

I agree - the only reason we aren't in Olney is because of commute too. My husband travels most of the day in the DC area and didn't want a long travel home too. But then again, I think that is why the home town feel is there. There are many 1 working-parent homes with lots of stay at home parents or parents that work part time. It has always been that way. Many blue color families too. Sadly, that is wrong with today's world. The need to work hard, make lots of money and live more upscale/urban has taken away the neighborhood and community feel. Olney is a rare place in MC that it hasn't changed. Lots of parent involvement, not a ton of high-pressure cooker parents, academics aren't "everything" as athletics, community outings, etc... rank up there really high too. It isn't for everyone but the ones that want to move there do so to fit in, not to change it into the rest of MC.

My kid goes to Sherwood, but has friends at RM's IB and Blair's magnet. My child's classes are fine, but they don't seem to be doing anywhere near the level of work as these other kids. 1 AP class.
Have a friend at WJ, her children's classes seem to be harder too. We do love our community however.

We live near Blair and go to most home football games (no hs kid yet). They are all very well attended unless the weather is bad. The area doesn't have a small town Midwest feel, but there is definitely strong community. We love olney too but couldn't handle the commute. Can't comment on hs yet but our friends and neighbors who go to Blair really like it, and we know several non magnet kids who have gone to very strong colleges.

To the Sherwood poster: does your kid take primarily honors and AP classes?

"Anonymous
I have a kid at Sherwood. Socially it's great. Educationally it's so so."

A) why is is so so?
B) do you mean compared to the magnet programs or compared to the regular tracks at other schools?

I have a kid at Sherwood. Socially it's great. Educationally it's so so.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally (if given the option) would pick Sherwood. It truly does have a great community and every time our school (not Blair) plays them I am envious. I think Sherwood and Quince Orchard seem to have the best communities overall.

+1. The idea of sending a non-magnet kid to a huge high school with an embedded magnet program of kids who get special attention seems about as unappealing as it gets. I think Sherwood and QO are much more appealing.

"...as unappealing as it gets." Just curious but why?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, we live in Takoma Park, that's our hometown. Other than a few artistic kids who want what Einstein has to offer, pretty much every kid from our neighborhood and middle school opts to go to Blair. So it's very much a hometown school for us. If you live in the Blair boundary area, you should have the same experience.

Are the football games well attended?

As a new Blair parent, I went to my first game last Friday, coincidentally Blair v. Sherwood (Sherwood won). It seemed pretty well-attended to me, at least judging by the lines for tickets and concessions. All the students cram themselves like sardines into one section near the goal line, and there was plenty of energy coming from there. The cheerleading squad is big, active and co-ed. The one weird anomaly, at least to me, was the marching band is really small, maybe 20 kids. Seems odd for the largest school in the state. Anyway, it was a fun time and there were plenty of students there.

It was crowded because Sherwood kids go to the away games too. Try the next game. You will see a huge difference.