Roland Park vs Towson elementary schools (Baltimore, Hampton: cliquey, houses, neighborhood)

[beebelle]

We're looking at houses in Roland Park elementary school and Towson near the Baltimore city line (Riderwood, West Towson, Stoneleigh and Rogers Forge elementary schools).

The test scores look OK for all of these schools, but test scores don't tell the whole story. "Good" schools usually mean good test scores, no gangs in the school, no violence, decent facilities. But there's always more to a school than that. (For example, the "best" school in our area has an unimaginative, bureaucratic principal, rigid atmosphere, cliquey PTA, super test-prep mentality, and is overall not a creative, stimulating school.)

My child is academically advanced in math and reading and will enter grade 2 in the fall. How do these schools handle kids who are advanced for their grade level? Towson has gifted programs, but these can be so-so in my experience.

If you had to choose, which school would you pick and why? I'd like to hear from any one with direct experience with these schools.

Thanks in advance.

[Tallybalt]

All these schools are similar in terms of students and classes. The county schools will be "whiter" than Roland Park.

Roland Park has a very strong gifted and talented academic program called Innovate (I believe) and has always had strong artistic traditions. Stoneleigh is a wonderful neighborhood school. You will find that the parents at both Roland Park and Stoneleigh have similar backgrounds and interests, and the teaching faculty and administration at both schools dedicated and committed.

West Towson is a new school so can't comment on it.

My personal preference would probably be Roland Park because that way I could live in Roland Park! But one honestly can't go wrong with any of the schools you mentioned.

[NYMTman]

Originally Posted by Tallybalt

All these schools are similar in terms of students and classes. The county schools will be "whiter" than Roland Park.

Roland Park has a very strong gifted and talented academic program called Innovate (I believe) and has always had strong artistic traditions. Stoneleigh is a wonderful neighborhood school. You will find that the parents at both Roland Park and Stoneleigh have similar backgrounds and interests, and the teaching faculty and administration at both schools dedicated and committed.

West Towson is a new school so can't comment on it.

My personal preference would probably be Roland Park because that way I could live in Roland Park! But one honestly can't go wrong with any of the schools you mentioned.

You're probably thinking of the Ingenuity program. I was an Ingenuity student from 6th through 12th grades (three years at Roland Park, four at Poly) and can confirm that it is one of the best magnet programs in the country. We utterly dominated everyone else in the state of Maryland at pretty much any and all math and science competitions. Not to brag or anything but it's pretty much true. Nearly everyone who graduates from the Ingenuity program goes on to attend an Ivy League type university. Math classes at the high school level are taught by PhD's.

Roland Park's accelerated programs (Ingenuity and Advanced Academics) don't begin until the 6th grade but I've heard the elementary school is really good too - I only attended grades 6-8 at Roland Park. Lots of parental involvement (sometimes maybe too much parental involvement ), great kids, and some of the best teachers I've ever had. I wish I had attended grades K-5 as well; Roland Park is simply a far superior school to the Catholic school was attending those years.

So yeah Roland Park has my endorsement... lol.

[beebelle]

Thanks for your replies. Anyone have a kid at any of the Towson schools I mentioned? How good is the Baltimore County gifted program? How is Roldand Park elementary for a kid who is gifted, but not in math/science? TIA

[WTESMOM]

My kids go to WTES and so far we are really happy there. The County is really supporting this school. My daughter's second grade class was really big (28 kids) so they just added an extra teacher which will bring the class size down to 21. Gotta like that. My son's kindergarten class only has 20 kids. The teachers are all really enthusiastic and the school pride is very high. The teachers and Principle did an amazing job welcoming the kids and making them feel the school was theirs from day one. I can not say enough good things about the wonderful Principle at West Towson. She did an absolutely amazing job of getting that school ready for the kids. The only thing I'm not as happy with is the playground equipment. There is not enough of it. But I think this is something we'll be fundraising for in the near future.

I know people with kids at Riderwood Elem. and they love it. Very well supported by the community and the parents. It is one of the overcrowded Towson schools right now, but that problem should be resolved in 2012 when Hampton Elem. gets a 300 seat addition. I also know people with kids at Stonleigh Elem. They seem to like it well enough, but I've heard some grumbling about the autocratic style of the Principle. Sorry, can't give much more detail than that. Stonleigh is also over crowed with an addition planned possibly in 3-4 years. Before we were districted to West Towson, my daughter spent 2 years at Rodgers Forge Elem. Also a nice school and no longer over crowded thanks to the building of West Towson. It is a very nice school with great teachers, but you mainly have to live in Rodgers Forge to go there now. If town house living is not for you it's not much of an option. There is a small neighborhood called Yorkleigh (off Stevenson Rd. ) that has single family homes which are in the Rodgers Forge district.

Really you need to find a home in a district that has good school from K-12. Unless you are planning to send your kid to private school after 5th grade. Not that the city doesn't have good options, but you are not guaranteed a spot in any of the top schools and you pay much higher property taxes. I feel like we have the best of both worlds in Towson. My family lives about 50 yards from the city line so we have great access to the city and all the great things it offers (some not so great too), but we have lower taxes and the guarantee of great school all the way thorough in which my kids will move along with their friends instead of everybody going different directions at the end of 5th grade. It is really up to you what you are comfortable with and used to.

I know that the County schools have some kind of gifted program but I don't think that starts until at least 3rd or 4th grade. So far all they have done with my daughter in 1st and 2nd grade is put her in reading and math groups that consisted of kids at her level. The classroom teacher then challenges them appropriately. Actually, she did go do some reading enrichment with her reading group last year, but her teacher said that she felt that her own class was far more challenging that what what she got there. I've been fine with that so far. As long as she keeps getting a teacher that challenges her to her level I'm not concerned about a Gifted and Talented label. If you want more info on this I would contact the Principle, Sue Hershfeld. She WILL get back to you.

West Towson is not cliquey in the least as far as I can tell. The PTA made a great effort at inviting all comers and getting involved is very easy and welcome. They are just nice people enjoying being involved in their kids school. Many worked very hard in the fight with the County to get the school built and so there is a lot of pride and commitment on their part, but not exclusiveness by any means.

Neighborhood wise you have a wide range of choices with West Towson because the district was drawn kind of funky (long story there). There is Pinehurst (just over the County line), West Towson (of course), many homes along/off Falls Road and Bellona, one neighborhood off Joppa road that is able to walk,.....You'd really have to get a districting map to see what I'm talking about. Good Luck in your decision.

[barante]

Unless you live in Roland Park, getting into the school is almost impossible. So your selection is more than school, it is also the neighborhood where you live. I would take RP over West Towson.