William Beanes Elementary School

In 2009 when I moved to Morningside, MD, my child was transferred to William Beanes. Unfortunately, this school was a nightmare for my child. The principal and vice principal are never available until you threaten to call the school board. The teachers were willing to meet with me to discuss my child's academic progress, even went so far as to develop a plan of correction and then never followed through. No afterschool programs, no tutoring, counseling department was a joke. I was not surprised to find that they did not do well on the MSA testing, because the teachers never took the time to give extra attention to students who were struggling. I am awaiting word of a transfer and whether the Title I department gives me a transfer - I will not be sending my child back to William Beanes.
--Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Great Schools rating, if you consider only cold numbers or data. William Beane does not meet the MD state or national testing standards. However, GS's comparison fails to consider or even mention that William Beane is located in a community soaked in the subculture of poverty and crime. The children attending William Beane (living in this communcity) experience generational illiteracy, poverty, and violence. Don't you think its hard to concentrate on school work when you don't know if your furniture and all you own will be sitting on the curb rumaged through, because your family was served and eviction notice this morning? I say all this to convey, these babies are living in terrible conditions that are beyond their control. I could go on and on...but I won't. I just want you to consider all the dynamics in play when analyzing information. TD MD
--Submitted by a parent