Whetstone Elementary School

I Love this school and My child love this school. I don't have any issues with this school.
—Submitted by a parent

I didn't have space to clarify my comments about the standards based grading and reporting before. This system evaluates students on a scale of 4, 3, 2, 1 instead of the traditional A, B, C, etc. It has been piloted by Montgomery County in some of their elementary schools. As far as I know, Whetstone did not have the choice as to their participation in the pilot program. I think the A-D grading system provides better input for parents as to how their child is doing and how they compare to others.
—Submitted by a parent

There are very caring teachers, but they alone cannot make up for poor administration and unhealthy pressure and obsession over numbers rather than if a child is succeeding or failing. My child had to transfer from Stedwick; I was sad for her to transfer and my experience with this school makes it very apparent my sadness was founded.
—Submitted by a parent

I really like my son's kindergarten teacher and think she is a wonderful teacher. But I don't think some of the children are challenged enough. I feel as though my son is being held back from his full potential. I have to agree, the office staff can be very rude.
—Submitted by a parent

I have to say that I absolutely love the teachers, but the administration is one that is to be questioned and concerned about. My daughter is in first grade and has been struggling all year with reading issues. Becaue her grades are not bad enough the county will not test her although she is falling behind and they are now ttrying to put her at below grade level reading when her only issue is the fact that they rush the children through their testing. I love th teachers and think the office staff is rude, and the administration all the way around could really use some better peopl skills and show some more concern for he each child. I want to know my child is with people who truly care about her wellbeing and with the administration I do not feel that at all. Its all about the numbers.
—Submitted by a parent

Don't be fooled by the numbers. This school has been on the decline for the past 3 years. Our child hated going to this school. The administration has little to no control over the children and the teachers are frequently left out in the cold when it comes to discipline, communication and direction. The PTA is organized and involved, but its strength conceals the administration's weaknesses. Most of the parents are very involved, but unfortunately, they are not the ones you are trusting with your child's education. There are better schools in the area, but you have to take a close look at the leadership and organization, not the test scores. If you want your child to excel, look elsewhere.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son is a 1st grader at Whetstone. I salute the teachers and principal at Whetstone to believing in our son who has a unique condition. He is very smart . And while the other school suggested him to stay and spend another year in kindergarten and did not do serious steps in focusing to help our son, Whetstone teachers and principal believe that our son can achieve excellence, just like any other child. He is now becoming a different boy, not afraid of new situation, is eeager to participate in class acivities, able to focus and complete task in time, develop self-confidence, and we're so happy and greateful for it. He has a fantastic first-grader experience. Thank you Whetstone team.
—Submitted by a parent

I am the parent of a first-grader at Whetstone, and I'm also a teacher at another Montgomery County elementary school. We have been *very* happy with the academic program at Whetstone. The principal is one of the most involved, caring and supportive administrators I've ever known, and the teachers our child has had so far have been first-rate. They have really made an effort to keep our child challenged and engaged, even though she's working well above grade level. The accelerated reading and math programs are wonderful. We're also very pleased with the diversity of the school community and how that diversity is helping to shape our child's view of the world.
—Submitted by an administrator

I am the PTA President at Whetstone, and I want you to know that we're a GREAT community school with caring, dedicated staff, wonderful students and exceptional parents who support the school and their children's education. The students' MSA test scores have risen dramatically in the past 2 years, and I have every confidence that this trend will continue. We have a very diverse community of learners, which I hope is not a deterrent to those of you on the outside looking in. The diversity at Whetstone cultural, racial, and socioeconomic means my kids are living and learning in the real world. They know, from the inside out, that there are lots of differences among people, but even more similarities. On a very practical level, this diversity means that kids in grades K-2 have no more than 16 classmates---an enormous learning advantage. Come check out this great school.
—Submitted by Susan Young, a parent

If you want your child to be academically challenged, be weary of this school. Their ridgid curriculum leaves little to no room for individual growth. Oddly enough, their teaching staff could be rated average-to-above average were it not for the poor leadership, communication & overall understanding of the new principal. We have found ourselves battling with this administration for 2 years trying to challenge our son academically, only to be humored with spurts of interest on their part. Sadly, the hidden agenda of this school is to raise the subpar state testing scores by focusing on those that tested poorly, leaving those that tested well to fend for themselves. Parental involvement is a must in order to make this school follow through with most individual goals. Their saftey and disciplinary procedures fall well short of our expectations for an elementary school. This school is in dire need of a regime change!
—Submitted by Disappointed Parent, a parent

This school needs to take a lesoon in early intervention of Kindergarteners who may present with learning issues. Retention of Kindergarteners should not be the first resolution to an issue that may be a learning disability. This school was not supportive when the teacher and I raised the issue in October, November and again in December that my daughter needed to be tested. In fact they told me to go through my insurance because they felt my child was too young. This was not only unfair to my child who clearly struggles to learn, this was unethical. A number of the students in her class had been retained in Kindergarten. I truly wonder if they could have been helped differently if they were tested sooner than later if at all. My child's first school year was wasted-she is educatinally at the same stage as when she entered Kindergarten/only now emotionally scarred.
—Submitted by E Dalzell, a parent