Anonymous
Post 07/31/2019 17:29     Subject: Oakland Terrace
We looked at those new SFH and town-homes (the white ones) in Kensington for about 800-900K. Getting nearer to committing. Easy walk (10 mins) for DH to metro to biglaw downtown, and I am home for a few years while kids (4, 2, infant) are small. Definitely want my kids in immersion program.

Also considering buying older home and rehabbing / expanding it, but with 3 young ones that may be too disruptive to our lives.

I hate to admit it but being 5 minutes from Costco is as exciting to me as having my kids in immersion!
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 22:06     Subject: Re:Oakland Terrace
Anyone have experience with rock view ES vs Oakland terrace? Looking at both neighborhoods. Spanish immersion would be a plus IMO.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 18:55     Subject: Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:The neighborhood is definitely changing. Million dollar + listings, monster teardowns, 55+ new residents, large additions, etc. Leads me to believe that either somebody knows something about rezoning, the schools are rapidly improving, or that the MARC train will soon have all day two way service. Or maybe a hidden gem has been unearthed!


Its been this way for at least 20 years. Its popular as its one of the few more affordable communities down county close to metro, close to major roads, easy access to DC and beltway. The schools have always been fine.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 18:53     Subject: Re:Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:Look any school with a high FARMS population and some regular SES kids that perform at or above grade level is going to have challenges. Plus MCPS puts a huge time demand on teachers for data collection which takes away from their ability to teach kids that are 3 or more grade levels a part in one room. Kids who are way below grade level can drag down schools even when the higher SES population grows. The problem is that the low SES kids lack the background knowledge that is assumed (inappropriately) by the current curriculum. This hopefully will improve somewhat with 2.0 going away but the deficiencies and need for the teacher to step back all the time so those kids can have a chance at catching up is still a challenge. This all gets 100% worse when a school is large so at a school like OT is going to be better than PBES even though PBES is more desirable because there are more high or regular SES kids than OT.

I have seen mixed SES schools or even high FARMS with some regular SES schools do this very well in other areas/states. The difference is having a curriculum that allows for some level of self pacing or tracking for acceleration, having multiple aides in a classroom, and teachers being able to dedicate most of their time toward teaching. Those are not aspects of MCPS.


Having the Focus designation is good as it gives smaller class sizes and other perks.

However, most of the low performing kids at this school as well as any child with an IEP regardless of what is in the IEP are generally forced into the "collaborative" class, which is basically the special needs classroom with a few other kids mixed in.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 18:52     Subject: Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:I live in the OTES neighborhood (my kids went there years ago and just graduated from college). I have no idea where these "low SES" families might live. Have you SEEN the cost of houses around here??

If there were low SES families when my kids went to OT they sure hid it well -- we loved all the families we met in the school and had no idea some may have been needy. Wish I had known -- I would have been happy to help my kids' friends.


Houses ranging from $400-800K is considered low income on this board. Families who make $125-250-400 are in poor middle class.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 18:47     Subject: Oakland Terrace
I live in the OTES neighborhood (my kids went there years ago and just graduated from college). I have no idea where these "low SES" families might live. Have you SEEN the cost of houses around here??

If there were low SES families when my kids went to OT they sure hid it well -- we loved all the families we met in the school and had no idea some may have been needy. Wish I had known -- I would have been happy to help my kids' friends.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 15:38     Subject: Re:Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:Look any school with a high FARMS population and some regular SES kids that perform at or above grade level is going to have challenges. Plus MCPS puts a huge time demand on teachers for data collection which takes away from their ability to teach kids that are 3 or more grade levels a part in one room. Kids who are way below grade level can drag down schools even when the higher SES population grows. The problem is that the low SES kids lack the background knowledge that is assumed (inappropriately) by the current curriculum. This hopefully will improve somewhat with 2.0 going away but the deficiencies and need for the teacher to step back all the time so those kids can have a chance at catching up is still a challenge. This all gets 100% worse when a school is large so at a school like OT is going to be better than PBES even though PBES is more desirable because there are more high or regular SES kids than OT.

I have seen mixed SES schools or even high FARMS with some regular SES schools do this very well in other areas/states. The difference is having a curriculum that allows for some level of self pacing or tracking for acceleration, having multiple aides in a classroom, and teachers being able to dedicate most of their time toward teaching. Those are not aspects of MCPS.


Why are you using OTES as an example of "a high FARMS population" as compared to PBES?

OTES has 29% FARMS and 490 students.
PBES has 27% FARMS and 677 students.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 15:02     Subject: Re:Oakland Terrace
Look any school with a high FARMS population and some regular SES kids that perform at or above grade level is going to have challenges. Plus MCPS puts a huge time demand on teachers for data collection which takes away from their ability to teach kids that are 3 or more grade levels a part in one room. Kids who are way below grade level can drag down schools even when the higher SES population grows. The problem is that the low SES kids lack the background knowledge that is assumed (inappropriately) by the current curriculum. This hopefully will improve somewhat with 2.0 going away but the deficiencies and need for the teacher to step back all the time so those kids can have a chance at catching up is still a challenge. This all gets 100% worse when a school is large so at a school like OT is going to be better than PBES even though PBES is more desirable because there are more high or regular SES kids than OT.

I have seen mixed SES schools or even high FARMS with some regular SES schools do this very well in other areas/states. The difference is having a curriculum that allows for some level of self pacing or tracking for acceleration, having multiple aides in a classroom, and teachers being able to dedicate most of their time toward teaching. Those are not aspects of MCPS.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 14:47     Subject: Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:The neighborhood is definitely changing. Million dollar + listings, monster teardowns, 55+ new residents, large additions, etc. Leads me to believe that either somebody knows something about rezoning, the schools are rapidly improving, or that the MARC train will soon have all day two way service. Or maybe a hidden gem has been unearthed!


As someone who lives there, maybe a bit of all of the above, plus it's one of the few affordable, reasonably close in areas left in the county. The people are pretty down to earth, too, which for us is huge. Though I would argue that the schools don't need rapid improvement, already being pretty good. It's nice to live in a neighborhood that's diverse in many ways and convenient to lots of stuff.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 11:40     Subject: Oakland Terrace
The neighborhood is definitely changing. Million dollar + listings, monster teardowns, 55+ new residents, large additions, etc. Leads me to believe that either somebody knows something about rezoning, the schools are rapidly improving, or that the MARC train will soon have all day two way service. Or maybe a hidden gem has been unearthed!
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 07:39     Subject: Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Heh heh, another OTES neighbor here I think the "anti" posters are just soooo mad they spent 1.2 mil instead of 600K for a great neighborhood and great school and great neighbors like us!


I guess we will have to disagree what makes a neighborhood great. 1.2 mil seems like great value to avoid the 600k and below types of people


WTH? Who goes on the internet to write stuff like this?


Bigots with spare time, and trolls.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 07:33     Subject: Oakland Terrace
My kids went to OTES for several years. The principal is not good but she puts on a good show. If you really start talking to neighbors you will find out about the problems.
Anonymous
Post 07/29/2019 07:32     Subject: Oakland Terrace
My kids went to OTES for several years. The principal is not good but she puts on a good show. If you really start talking to neighbors you will find out about the problems.
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2019 22:54     Subject: Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Heh heh, another OTES neighbor here I think the "anti" posters are just soooo mad they spent 1.2 mil instead of 600K for a great neighborhood and great school and great neighbors like us!


I guess we will have to disagree what makes a neighborhood great. 1.2 mil seems like great value to avoid the 600k and below types of people


WTH? Who goes on the internet to write stuff like this?
Anonymous
Post 07/28/2019 20:04     Subject: Oakland Terrace
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Heh heh, another OTES neighbor here I think the "anti" posters are just soooo mad they spent 1.2 mil instead of 600K for a great neighborhood and great school and great neighbors like us!


I guess we will have to disagree what makes a neighborhood great. 1.2 mil seems like great value to avoid the 600k and below types of people


A lot of us make the same money but aren't overspending on housing. The only problem is the teardowns are here and they are asking 1.2 million, which really changes the character of the neighborhood. Not a fan of the school, but the neighborhood is great. Its one of the few where you see people walking day and night, kids playing outside, playgrounds heavily used, and has a great family feel.