Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 17:00     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:Are there community events like art fairs, plays, mystery reader, etc.? What is parent involvement like? PTA?

Yes and RCES has a pretty active PTA. My kids graduated a while back but it's the same parents running and organizing everything usually.

Most of the above questions are the same at any MCPS elementary school. Receess, reading instruction, etc.

The new RCES principal seems pretty good. The one before her was terrible.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 12:58     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Are there community events like art fairs, plays, mystery reader, etc.? What is parent involvement like? PTA?
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 19:28     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bumping this thread, as I was going to ask the original question and see it was asked in 2022. Any updated perspectives? Thinking of making the switch from private to RCES.


Why? No matter your experience at Rachel carson you will be back in the private system soon enough. Lakelands Park is full of fights, assaults and property destroying hooligans. If you can do private, stay put.


Told you so
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/12-year-old-suffers-traumatic-head-injuries-loses-consciousness-4-times-seizure-during-school-altercation?taid=65b4327082bb9f0001ae7866&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2024 10:38     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:Wondering about student experience. Do the kids get recess, time outside? Are there any fun clubs or programs? First-time MCPS parent here.


Current RCES parent:

- Half hour lunch and half out recess (recess outside if weather allows)
- there are aftercare program and other clubs after school run by private companies (chess, coding, musical instrument, some science, soccer etc), but they are not free. The quality is just okay since kids come in different level. It is like babysitting on site for convenience.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2024 10:31     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Wondering about student experience. Do the kids get recess, time outside? Are there any fun clubs or programs? First-time MCPS parent here.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2024 21:44     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:What are the class sizes like? How do they do reading instruction for K and 1st? 🙏


Very slowly. With 28+ kids in a class with varying degrees of reading ability, it’s a slow process early on.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2024 21:40     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:What are the class sizes like? How do they do reading instruction for K and 1st? 🙏

Every MCPS ES does reading instruction for K and 1st.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2024 21:10     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
What are the class sizes like? How do they do reading instruction for K and 1st? 🙏
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2024 17:58     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
RCES = LPMS = QO are all decent schools.

RCES had some overcrowding issues a while ago but that is not a problem any more.

QO is overly sports oriented but is a diverse school and certainly possible to get a good education there.

There are some rough behaviors here and there but not worth shelling out major dollars for private IMO.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2024 16:28     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Bump
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 07:32     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:QO consistently ranks around the same level as schools that are considered good in my home state of California, for context.

that's not saying much since so many CA schools are terrible.

-former Californian who moved out due to the schools. Couldn't justify the high col with the quality of the schools.


Maybe in the city you’re from. But the schools I’m referring to are respected and highly sought after.

well, I lived in the SF Bay Area, in a town more expensive than the DC area. I looked at the courses offered, the programs, and they don't compare to MCPS programming.

And don't get me started on the $1000/child per year "donation" for "extras" like PE, art.

Let me guess.. the schools you are referring to that are "well respected" are in towns that are ridiculously expensive, and propped up by the wealthy parents.

QO is not a horrible school. It's fine, but it doesn't have the $$$ that some of the "well respected" CA schools do. So to compare QO to the "well respected" rich schools says a lot about those "well respected" CA schools more so than QO.


Yep. QO is fine. Some of us want more than “fine” for our kids.


Well my niece went to UNC from QO I think that's fine. And my other one went to Columbia also fine.

QO has an AP Calculus teacher that everyone in his class pretty much gets a 5 on the exam. Yeah again QO is fine.

Perfect no. More than fine yes.

Just like any other school get what you put in.

If you are saying private is better LOL NO


+1
Is private worth $30-50k/year? No, it’s not. Plenty in MCPS go to the top colleges.

Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 07:15     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bumping this thread, as I was going to ask the original question and see it was asked in 2022. Any updated perspectives? Thinking of making the switch from private to RCES.


Why? No matter your experience at Rachel carson you will be back in the private system soon enough. Lakelands Park is full of fights, assaults and property destroying hooligans. If you can do private, stay put.

Overt private school recruiting! Love it.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2024 06:14     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Any other perspectives?
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2024 23:35     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Anonymous wrote:Bumping this thread, as I was going to ask the original question and see it was asked in 2022. Any updated perspectives? Thinking of making the switch from private to RCES.


Why? No matter your experience at Rachel carson you will be back in the private system soon enough. Lakelands Park is full of fights, assaults and property destroying hooligans. If you can do private, stay put.
Anonymous
Post 01/17/2024 17:40     Subject: Rachel Carson ES
Bumping this thread, as I was going to ask the original question and see it was asked in 2022. Any updated perspectives? Thinking of making the switch from private to RCES.