MoCo School Boundries and After School questions (Gaithersburg, Rockville: transfer, best schools)

[klatter]

Hello,

Our family will be moving to Gaithersburg/Rockville area.

We seem to be just to the west of the Rosemont / College Gardens ES boundry.

Rosemont seems to be going in some stage of NCLBH restructuring. However not Title 1 this year, so my question is, is it reasonably possible to choose a preferred school?


Our other question is about after school care. We have enjoyed inexpensive on campus after care. We would like to here peoples impressions on after school care in MoCo specifically around Shady Grove Metro. Is it available at schools? Is it exclusively private?

[Kensington]

I'm not familiar with your particular elementary school, but I do know that some offer after school care on campus. The one at my elementary is run through a private company. I don't know the cost, but there is heavy demand in this area so childcare tends to be very expensive. My guess is that the cost follows the "market". I'd call whichever elementary school you are zoned for and ask.

As for going out of boundary, it is possible in theory. If there is space open in a school, you can apply to go there. For people outside of Montgomery Co. they charge tuition. I have no idea what is done if you are a county resident. I think in practice there is very little movement, because everybody wants to be at the best schools, so there is no space for transfers. Maybe somebody else who has tried can give you some better advice, but I would not move into a cluster that you are unhappy with on the expectation that you can apply to go elsewhere.

There are some foreign language immersion progams in Spanish, French, and Chinese which are almost like magnet programs for elemenatry students in the county. These are done on a lottery system so there is no guarantee that your child would get in. Google the county's department of ed website, and you should be able to get tons of info.