DCC Choice - Wheaton or Northwood?

[Anonymous]

Hi all - We are trying to figure out how to rank schools for the DCC choice process. Any feedback on recent experiences with Wheaton and Northwood high schools, especially if you have experience with both, would be much appreciated. A few things of particular interest to us - logistics/convenience (activity buses seem lacking, Wheaton said they don't have parking for students - even seniors), STEM classes/programs, sports teams (competitiveness, variety), school culture, administration, advanced foreign language options (French and Spanish).

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

I think the big knock on Northwood is the fact that you're going to be stuck in the middle of a construction project and holding center. So it's going to be highly disruptive. Are you ready to suffer through that?

[Anonymous]

What is the status of the Northwood renovation? Has it started?

[Anonymous]

Northwood will move to the Woodward building this coming summer and be there until August 2026, when its new building is scheduled to be ready.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the activity bus from Wheaton does not go anywhere near our house. I do think it leads to our kid doing fewer activities. Theoretically he could take the public bus and then walk for about 1.3 miles, but since he's not inclined to do that, he just gets on the bus after school and comes home most days.

[Anonymous]

OP here. That's a bummer... and we work nowhere near Wheaton so it's also not easy to pick up from activities. It's really too bad b/c right now we're at a magnet middle school and the activity bus options are actually pretty good...

Re: Northwood, I'm actually trying to view the holding school situation as a potential plus. DS would be in a brand new school for 2 years, followed by another brand new school for the next 2 (though I hear the Woodward sports fields won't be ready next year). And for us, the bus ride to Woodward doesn't seem to be much worse (or perhaps better), than the ride alllll the way up Georgia Ave to Wheaton. It would be nice, though, if we could see the bus schedules for Northwood next year before having to submit our rankings.

[Anonymous]

Northwood is much much smaller so that's either a disadvantage or an advantage.

[Anonymous]

The Wheaton activity bus goes to the Glenmont metro station. My son takes the metro from there.

[Anonymous]

Wheaton has more STEM/engineering classes because of PLTW biomed and engineering. I don't know if those are open to the larger school population. For sports Northwood teams overall are easier to make because it's a smaller school. Both have similar sports offerings. Much easier to make teams for girls but some easy or walk on for boys too.

Most MCPS schools have the same offerings, but if you are looking for something specific and unusual best to look at their athletics pages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwood is much much smaller so that's either a disadvantage or an advantage.

But it will have a lot of room to grow larger starting next year at the holding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, the activity bus from Wheaton does not go anywhere near our house. I do think it leads to our kid doing fewer activities. Theoretically he could take the public bus and then walk for about 1.3 miles, but since he's not inclined to do that, he just gets on the bus after school and comes home most days.

Or you can pick them up. 1.3 miles is not bad. How are you even getting a bus for 1.3 miles. We don't get a bus for HS to our home school as its under 2 miles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. That's a bummer... and we work nowhere near Wheaton so it's also not easy to pick up from activities. It's really too bad b/c right now we're at a magnet middle school and the activity bus options are actually pretty good...

Re: Northwood, I'm actually trying to view the holding school situation as a potential plus. DS would be in a brand new school for 2 years, followed by another brand new school for the next 2 (though I hear the Woodward sports fields won't be ready next year). And for us, the bus ride to Woodward doesn't seem to be much worse (or perhaps better), than the ride alllll the way up Georgia Ave to Wheaton. It would be nice, though, if we could see the bus schedules for Northwood next year before having to submit our rankings.

But, if your child is sick, are you ok driving to Woodward if you are complaining about it now. Or, for after school activities that don't start till later. We have one after activity that is 1-2 times a week and starts at 5.

[Anonymous]

Northwood administration is very strong unlike Wheaton. The holding school is a negative but you have access to a lot of dual enrollment options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. That's a bummer... and we work nowhere near Wheaton so it's also not easy to pick up from activities. It's really too bad b/c right now we're at a magnet middle school and the activity bus options are actually pretty good...

Re: Northwood, I'm actually trying to view the holding school situation as a potential plus. DS would be in a brand new school for 2 years, followed by another brand new school for the next 2 (though I hear the Woodward sports fields won't be ready next year). And for us, the bus ride to Woodward doesn't seem to be much worse (or perhaps better), than the ride alllll the way up Georgia Ave to Wheaton. It would be nice, though, if we could see the bus schedules for Northwood next year before having to submit our rankings.

Why these two schools and why not your home school? That way they can walk or get the bus. Don't make it more complicated then it needs to be. There are lots of activities in HS, and not all meet right after school so you need to take that into consideration, especially with sports and band. Even if Northwood is at Northwood for another year, the plan is to switch them to Woodward so they can tear it down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwood administration is very strong unlike Wheaton. The holding school is a negative but you have access to a lot of dual enrollment options.

AP teachers are generally strong at Northwood. I cannot speak to Wheaton.