Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should freak you out. If you don't want your child to be a guinea pig, do your homework and search for a private school. I am a public school teacher (not in MCPS) but in another MD district and I took my child out of public schools. He was a guinea pig for the first few years of Common Core until I had enough. Now he is in a private school working hard for his grades. He got all As in his public school classes and has been tutored in math for the last 2 years because of the gaps. He is finally caught up but I wonder about the kids whose parents think they are doing great when they get As.

Did I post this?! I’m a teacher too, but in MCPS. Run. Run run run.

former MCPS teacher
now in Frederick where my kids attend school in a lovely area

agree - RUN, Forrest, run!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should freak you out. If you don't want your child to be a guinea pig, do your homework and search for a private school. I am a public school teacher (not in MCPS) but in another MD district and I took my child out of public schools. He was a guinea pig for the first few years of Common Core until I had enough. Now he is in a private school working hard for his grades. He got all As in his public school classes and has been tutored in math for the last 2 years because of the gaps. He is finally caught up but I wonder about the kids whose parents think they are doing great when they get As.

Did I post this?! I’m a teacher too, but in MCPS. Run. Run run run.

Anonymous wrote:I have the same fear. We both realized half our BETHESDA neighborhood works at home or has a sahp. Lots of intel st the 3:50pm pickups on playground time.

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. Thanks for your reply. This is part of my fear; DH and I both work full time and I have to clock hours for the feds, so unless I took vacation time every week (a possibility but of course a major sacrifice) I couldn’t volunteer in the classroom every week. DH maybe could, but not reliably. I worry our work situation doesn’t allow us to stay as on top of MCPS as everyone seems to need to be.

Anonymous wrote:I have the same fear. We both realized half our BETHESDA neighborhood works at home or has a sahp. Lots of intel st the 3:50pm pickups on playground time.

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t read all the replies, but we just had a child finish K. We had a fantastic teacher, but even with that awesome teacher, I wouldn’t say it was a great year. Even great teachers are severely limited in such a crappy, large, poorly-run system like MCPS.

We also have an older kid and I would do private (a good private) in a heartbeat if we could afford it.

In MCPS, you will really have to work and stay on top of what your kid is learning or else you will find lots of holes IME.

K is not an intense year, and I guess it would also be fine to try it out and see what you think. But if you do try it out, keep your eyes wide open. Volunteer in the classroom a ton to get a feel for what is actually going on. I volunteered once a week and it helped understand the challenges the teacher was facing.

Good luck OP. MCPS is nuts but we can’t afford private so we’re stuck.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a good plan. I really don’t think public will harm your child in the early grades. Now does Barnesville have a better curriculum in writing starting in middle school? Probably but that is a benefit of the small class sizes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who sent their child to Barnesville and is extremely happy with it. From her description, it sounds like a lovely school. Her son has since graduated from the school and had a wonderful time there.

But - her child is a little quirky and he would not have done well in a public school. He needed the small class sizes. He needed the extra attention. Small class sizes they are - she said they had less than 10 kids in the class.

I just think an environment like that would have been extremely stifling for my child especially as they move into older grades. Looking back on my child's elementary years, I don't think those small classes would have markedly improved where she currently is.

So if she's a normal kid without any issues, start with your public school. If she is struggling, then move her to Barnesville.

OP here. Thanks! This is helpful. Everyone we’ve spoken with about Barnesville has said it’s a great school. We do worry it would be too small, as our daughter is very outgoing and thrives in places with lots of different people. The curriculum looks great, though.

This thread has been helpful. We will keep talking to friends and neighbors, but it might make sense to start her out in public K and just take it year by year.

Sounds like a good plan. I really don’t think public will harm your child in the early grades. Now does Barnesville have a better curriculum in writing starting in middle school? Probably but that is a benefit of the small class sizes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who sent their child to Barnesville and is extremely happy with it. From her description, it sounds like a lovely school. Her son has since graduated from the school and had a wonderful time there.

But - her child is a little quirky and he would not have done well in a public school. He needed the small class sizes. He needed the extra attention. Small class sizes they are - she said they had less than 10 kids in the class.

I just think an environment like that would have been extremely stifling for my child especially as they move into older grades. Looking back on my child's elementary years, I don't think those small classes would have markedly improved where she currently is.

So if she's a normal kid without any issues, start with your public school. If she is struggling, then move her to Barnesville.

OP here. Thanks! This is helpful. Everyone we’ve spoken with about Barnesville has said it’s a great school. We do worry it would be too small, as our daughter is very outgoing and thrives in places with lots of different people. The curriculum looks great, though.

This thread has been helpful. We will keep talking to friends and neighbors, but it might make sense to start her out in public K and just take it year by year.

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who sent their child to Barnesville and is extremely happy with it. From her description, it sounds like a lovely school. Her son has since graduated from the school and had a wonderful time there.

But - her child is a little quirky and he would not have done well in a public school. He needed the small class sizes. He needed the extra attention. Small class sizes they are - she said they had less than 10 kids in the class.

I just think an environment like that would have been extremely stifling for my child especially as they move into older grades. Looking back on my child's elementary years, I don't think those small classes would have markedly improved where she currently is.

So if she's a normal kid without any issues, start with your public school. If she is struggling, then move her to Barnesville.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't be freaked out.

What private schools will you be looking at? Are you talking Primary Day/Holton or Seneca Academy or Mary of Nazareth? If Seneca or Mary of Nazareth (or Barnesville/Christ Episcopal), what do you plan to do for high school? QO or a Holton at that point?

If you are referring to a Holton caliber private school and you easily can afford it, then yes, send your daughter there.

Are you involved middle class/umc parents? Does your daughter have any special needs? If she has special needs, I can see how a private would work better. But if you are your run of the mill middle class/umc parents, your child will be absolutely fine in your local elementary school. You can use the money to supplement in any areas you think she is lacking.

Reassess your decision for middle school.

Are private schools, as a group, well-known for their accommodation of children who have special needs?