Brandywine Heights Middle School

Brandywine is the best i have ever been too its is way better than any other. Ialso think just because the papers have some mispelled words and bad grammar isn't all that bad, I think if you really have the audacity to look over the correct words and mispelled words you are insane. Another thing is the teachers are amazing and just because some teachers to you aren't enthusatic is probably because your child is acting very rude or misbehaving. I would feel the same way if i was stuck with a rude child all day long. I think you are insane to say my school is disappointing. It is not disappointing because our teachers dont care about how much they get paid and the students do succeed. You probably went to my school and didnt learn anything, because you talked to your friends way too much. I am in 7th grade and I learned so many things after being here for only one year.

I agree that the school has some inherent issues. The larger issue at hand, however, is the parents. I am a product of the Brandywine school system, and have been rather successful. Even without a college education, I often find those that are college educated and incapable of following in conversation. There is plenty on the curriculum for a student to learn, and many take advantage of this. More often than not, I find parents to be the root cause. Schools are not there to guide your child through life. They are not there to raise your child for you. They are not there to do your job as a parent, so you don't have to. It is, inevitably, the parents responsibility to raise their children in such an environment that they want to learn before they ever start school, and continue to desire the attainment of knowledge throughout their lives.

This district routinely sends parents handouts with mis-spellings and bad grammar. Administration lacks the 'common sense approach'. Teachers typically 'grade inflate' with 'extra credit' points. A 'feel Good' approach to teaching.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a very dissapointing school. The students are not being taught well enough to suceed. The teachers aren't that enthusiastic and they just wait for the year to be over so they can be paid. Some of the teachers are alright but others are ridiculous.
--Submitted by a parent

I have to say that there is a systemic problem in the middle school and high school which has been apparent to me since my son was in the middle school over ten years ago and still exists today. How do you explain a gifted student who was name 'Student of the Month' who becomes totally indifferent to learning in a matter of a year? I was told by a number of students that there is a atmosphere of intolerance for new students as well as those who do not meet with the approval of their peers. This has caused some parents to pull their students out of Brandywine. I wish that I had done so. Now my daughters are confronted with this. The general attitude of the principal and school administrators regarding this is to pay some lip service and then do nothing.
--Submitted by a parent

I had two children go through the Brandywine Middle and High Schools and have one who just started. I'm just hoping my previous experience with the lack of communication from the school doesn't happen again. All of my children were on honor roll throughout elementary and once they went to the secondary system at Brandywine, things changed dramatically. The teachers tend to not show any effort in learning, only getting through the year. There a quite a few of them who think they are semi-retired and don't put any effort into the child's development. I saw my previous children go from A's and B's to failing grades, and when we asked for help, there was no effort to give any until it was too late. Both my older children dropped out of school because of it. I even transferred my oldest child to another district, where she thrived. When she transferred back, they didn't allow any of her grades or curriculum from the other district (with a better record) to count toward her credit totals and told her she would have to repeat the grade again. I am hoping the new changes at the middle school and high school levels mean something as far as the teacher effectiveness with the students. If I see my third child's grades slipping at the middle school level this time and nothing is done about it again, I will pull her from this school and either enroll her somewhere else or home-school her. Brandywine tends to cater to the advantaged and sports-oriented students, not the typical student with average to poor income or social status, at least that's my opinion.
--Submitted by a parent