Veterans elementary - Ellicott City (Columbia: apartments, townhome, buyers)

[kessaris]

Hello! I am hoping to get some feedback about Veterans Elementary school from parents or people familiar with the situation there. Since the school is so new, it is not yet rated on greatschools.com or similar websites.

How has your experience been with the school so far? Do you find the teachers available and dedicated? Is the principal doing a good job? For those whose kids are enrolled in the gifted and talented program - how is that working out? Is there a particular teacher you would recommend? My son is about to start first grade, and I think he may well end up in the GT program as he matures.

If you don't recommend the Veterans Elementary school, what are your impressions of Bellows Spring, Waterloo, and Hollifield Station? We cannot afford the really top-rated elementary schools (Northfield, Waverly, Centennial Lane, etc) yet, so we have to pick among the surrounding elementary schools rated 7-8 on greatschools. I would really appreciate honest opinions - please let me know if you prefer to contact me off-list.

Thanks a lot!

[newhart]

kessaris, I'm hoping you do get someone to respond. I was curious about this school when it opened. It seemed like much of the student population was coming from townhome and apartment communities of adjacent districts, removing some of the diversity from those other schools, and making Veterans quite diverse and unique. If you look at the HCPSS profile information for Veterans, it gives the following Fast Facts:

Facility opened - 2007
School Capacity: 788
Total Enrollment (PreK-5): 868
Student Mobility 2007-08
8.2% Entrants
6.2% Withdrawals

Ethnicity
White 34.2%
African American 18.2%
Asian 37.9%
Hispanic 3.5%
Native American 0%
Unidentified 6.2%

Students Receiving Special Services
Title I 0%
Ltd. English Proficient 13.5%
Free/Reduced Lunch 20.0%
Special Education 10.4%
PTA members: 530

I don't know of any other school in the county where the Asian ethnicity is in the majority. 37.8 percent is very high. Often a high Asian percentage is an indicator of high performing schools on standardized tests, and an abundance of GT opportunities. I'd like to know if that holds true for this school.

But along with that, Veterans has a high limited English proficiency percentage, as well as a high percentage of free/reduced lunch, often a predictor of a lower performing school.

My guess is that there would be a strong population of GT students with a lot of diversity overall, more than you would find in neighboring schools.

[kessaris]

Thank you, NewHart!

I looked at the official stats, also - but I would love to hear some first-hand (or even second-hand) experience with the school. I think there should be lots of interest in the school because it's the only realistically affordable elementary school for the majority of first-time home buyers who are looking to get in the the Centennial High School district. I am wondering if there is a "GT school within a regular school" situation going on, or if there is perhaps a general mix-up of a very diverse population by inexperienced teachers. Are the strong students being challenged? Are the struggling students being supported, or left alone to become discipline problems? We are coming from a very diverse kindergarten, and we are delighted with the experience, so I know it can be done right!

Please speak up! :-) Thank you!

[kessaris]

Bringing the topic up - hoping for a reply!

[ciscovpn]

Any comment on this elementary school? We are thinking of the woods of Tiber Branch community (off Old Columbia Pike). The high school in this area is Centennial. Middle School is Ellicott Mills.

I will like to know of first hand experience. I have seen the stats but i will not put any credence to it since the school is fairly new.

[J_Lurk]

We live in a nearby district. There are parents at our school who also have a child at Veteran's, as there are a lot of special needs programs there and the 4-year-old preschool for several areas is there. Most say positive things, but from what I've heard calling it "overcrowded" is something of an understatement.

[AlicynD]

I have a friend that teaches there and he enjoys it. Another way to get an idea is to actually pay a visit to the school and really get the "feel" of the environment there. Speak with the principal, staff, etc. They will do so if they know that you are considering the school. I have clients who relocated from out of state and made visits to the schools and that is how they made their decision.

[SmokeyLisa]

I met a teacher who works there and loves it as well. They have a lot of special services at this school. It is one of the largest elementary schools by design in the county and is currently overcrowded, as J_Lurk indicated. All of the schools teach from the same curriculum so your kid will get virtually the same education that they would get anywhere else in the county. After school, booster and testing can be different but for the most part instruction will be the same.

If you are into the stats at all, without significant redistricting, I would doubt that this school will be a top school anytime soon. As stated in an earlier post, they are pulling from a lot of apartments. I also believe they did not make AYP, just like a few other schools in the area. If you are okay with the stats, then I'm sure you will not have a problem and your kid will get a good education.

FYI, not making AYP can make schools and others take drastic measures.

[newhart]

There are a couple of very positive comments on the great schools site.

Veterans Elementary School - Ellicott City, Maryland - MD - School overview