Laurel, MD (Baltimore, Frederick, Chevy Chase: cul-de-sac, apartment complex, to rent)

[kjg1963]

Originally Posted by maat

There actually were plans to restructure most of the elementary and middle schools into Pre K-8. But then came the budget cuts.


Budget Woes Stall Plan to Combine Pre-K Through 8 - washingtonpost.com

Maryland School Systems 'Hope' For Funds At State House - Education News Story - WRC | Washington

I think the idea behind the K-8 is good. As I said, elementary schools are good. Its the middle school on up that is the problem. I think that Deasy has realized this. Maybe if a child that does well in elementary and continues in that same environment through middle school will ultimately fair better. Some of the bad habits of students start in middle school. Too much peer pressure and no longer wanting to please parents and teachers as they strive for independence. Keep 'em in the nurturing atmosphere of the elementary school as they reach the teenage years and they might not feel so alienated and pressured. I think it would be a big undertaking for the county, but hopefully, they will get the needed funding.

[maat]

Originally Posted by kjg1963

I think the idea behind the K-8 is good. As I said, elementary schools are good. Its the middle school on up that is the problem. I think that Deasy has realized this. Maybe if a child that does well in elementary and continues in that same environment through middle school will ultimately fair better. Some of the bad habits of students start in middle school. Too much peer pressure and no longer wanting to please parents and teachers as they strive for independence. Keep 'em in the nurturing atmosphere of the elementary school as they reach the teenage years and they might not feel so alienated and pressured. I think it would be a big undertaking for the county, but hopefully, they will get the needed funding.

Yes, there's a lot of research that suggests K-8 is effective. I'm really disappointed that we don't have the funding. I'm an off and on (on this term) tutor for PGCPS so I see first-hand what you're talking about. Some of the children, especially the boys, start drifting as they get a little older.

This is indeed a very ambitious undertaking but I believe we can get it done. Dr. Deasy is on the board of the Change Leadership Group at Harvard. The Group is affliated with the Bill Gates Foundation, so maybe he can get Bill to write us a check.

[mgaines8]

A Question...
My husband is considering a job in Laurel. We currently live in Texas and wonder how far the airport commute would be and which airport is the best option for FL travel?

[Wilkester]

The closest airport to Laurel is Baltimore Washington International (BWI). You can get there in 20 minutes from Laurel. I think the farthest from Laurel is Washington Dulles International. That is a minimum of 1 hour and probably more depending on traffic on the D.C. Orbital (495). I don't remember how long it takes to drive to Reagan National Airport.

In regards to which offers the most flights to Florida, I don't know as I never fly to Florida.

[vanyali]

Originally Posted by kjg1963

I think the idea behind the K-8 is good. As I said, elementary schools are good. Its the middle school on up that is the problem. I think that Deasy has realized this. Maybe if a child that does well in elementary and continues in that same environment through middle school will ultimately fair better. Some of the bad habits of students start in middle school. Too much peer pressure and no longer wanting to please parents and teachers as they strive for independence. Keep 'em in the nurturing atmosphere of the elementary school as they reach the teenage years and they might not feel so alienated and pressured. I think it would be a big undertaking for the county, but hopefully, they will get the needed funding.

One of the big reasons that schools/students just seem to fall off a cliff in middle school is that a lot of schools systems across the country dump their problem teachers, or least experienced, in middle school. I don't know why they do this, but I think that's a big part of the reason that middle schools just feel like zoos, or banana republics, even in "good" school systems.

If the school system continues to concentrate its worst teachers in the middle-school grades, then I don't see how combining those grades with other grades in the same building will make a difference for the kids.

But maybe there is some peer pressure on the teachers from having higher-quality colleagues around. That's interesting. That would definitely be worth supporting.

[sagegriot]

When we returned to the DC area after being gone 15 yrs, we landed in Laurel. We're in West Laurel off Riding Stable Road right on the very edge of PG County. Our home was built on the edge of an existing community which was like having the best of old and new for us. When our home was built, many neighbors wandered by to say hello. Many of thier grown children told us about growing up in the area. Someone told us that part of the County was formerly on the Montgomery side of the boundary, but the lines were drawn incorrectly and the homeowners got to vote on staying in Montgomery or changing to PG. They voted to change because the PG taxes were lower at the time. Currently PG taxes are higher than Montgomery, but Montgomery County homes carry higher appraisals and more demand because of better schools. Bond Mill remains an excellent elementary school by any measure, but my kids when to private school. MLK Middle School is not so highly regarded, but Laurel High is on the rebound. Many kids still go to Eleanor Roosevelt in Greenbelt which is highly regarded magnet school. Ive been here 8 yrs and still finding cool things like main street stores.

One last thing....you do realize Ryan and NV are really the same, right? NV is the upscale division. If you notice in many of thier developments, the premium lots are NV lots while the basic lots are Ryan. The NV homes have more bells and whistles, but the guts not very different. We looked at the Crescent development just for curiosity. It's very nice....sortof like a mini Kings Farm (Rockville), but with current housing woes, I would think it might take awhile to sell out. They are running way behind due to delayed approvals for the water and sewer layout. Homeowners still waiting for cable hookups, etc. There is a builder there called Micheal Harris Homes...I would be more interested in them than Ryan or NV.

[crt76]

***This post is negative if you don't like negativity you shouldn't read this***

My wife and I have lived in Laurel's "Historic District" for 8 years now. All of our immediate neighbors are very nice people but Laurel seems to attract the degenerates of society. The crime in Laurel is much worse than I think most people realize. My wife and I don't walk around the neighborhood anymore because it is simply not safe. One of our neighbors had their car stolen another had a kayak stolen while they were unloaded their truck from a trip they had just taken. I have a prostitute that literal lives around the corner and just a few weekends around two men were dealing drugs in front of our house. The police told our neighbor they don't have time for petty problems like that. On top of that Laurel caters to people with drugs and alcohol as well as countless homeless people. I have no problem with helping others to help themselves; however, when you are simply enabling people to continue their unhealthy behavior then everyone suffers. My wife and I are moving as soon as possible we are ready to say goodbye and move on.

[crt76]

***On top of that Laurel caters to people with drugs and/or substance abuse problems

[ssj1126]

I moved to Laurel in the summer of 1999 and I loved it. It was quiet and close to 295 and the beltway. But now it has changed. I have noticed a rise in petty crimes and it is beginning to get crowed. It is probably going to get worse because of all of the houses they are building and the two new apt./condos they just built. I am not going to move because I still love the area. Just mt two cents.

[kjg1963]

Originally Posted by crt76

***This post is negative if you don't like negativity you shouldn't read this***

My wife and I have lived in Laurel's "Historic District" for 8 years now. All of our immediate neighbors are very nice people but Laurel seems to attract the degenerates of society. The crime in Laurel is much worse than I think most people realize. My wife and I don't walk around the neighborhood anymore because it is simply not safe. One of our neighbors had their car stolen another had a kayak stolen while they were unloaded their truck from a trip they had just taken. I have a prostitute that literal lives around the corner and just a few weekends around two men were dealing drugs in front of our house. The police told our neighbor they don't have time for petty problems like that. On top of that Laurel caters to people with drugs and alcohol as well as countless homeless people. I have no problem with helping others to help themselves; however, when you are simply enabling people to continue their unhealthy behavior then everyone suffers. My wife and I are moving as soon as possible we are ready to say goodbye and move on.

As everyone on this forum knows (I think) I also live in Laurel in the Historic District. I have no problems living here, but that has been my experience. However, there are issues here. I don't think anyone should really fear for their life but there can be "events" that can be disruptive to your peace and quiet. I don't think Laurel "attracts" degenerates, I believe they are long time residents of this area. I think I had stated before about our little joke of "oops, there goes another one of Laurel's finest." Amazingly enough, prostitution is alive and well in this nice little town. Of course, definitely bottom of the barrel (at least they could try to look like they took a bath in the last month). I think at one time, Laurel was very inexpensive to live in. Over time, some of the locals have been priced out of being able to live a decent life.

I'm suprised about the comment about the cops though. For every incident in our neighborhood, they are here for us. Mostly its been for domestic issues with neighbors (luckily they are gone). Otherwise, its been fire crackers being set off at 3 in the morning, or a neighbor that decided to go hunting in his back yard because a ground hog was making his dogs bark. But, they were here and didn't tell us we were wasting their time and they had better things to do.