Cooper Middle School

My daughter has had a great experience at Cooper. The students, teachers and administrators create a supportive environment in which a child can thrive. The curriculum is challenging and engaging - and the teachers are highly motivated to teach and support the students. Thank you to the Cooper community - -keep up the great work!
--Submitted by a parent

I found this review dated Feb 2005 and could not agree more with this parent. Our child just completed 8th grade and so glad to be out of this school. There are some excellent teachers at the school, its just not the majority of the teachers. This school is filled with bureaucrats who dislike children, they are rude, immature, and irresponsible administrators. This school should be audited and the staff relieved of further responsibility. They intimidate students and parents utilizing dictatorial beureaucratic policy and proceedural arguements. They are skilled at deflating the confidence of children and are intollerate of parental rights. They do not respond to emails or parental concerns except to dictate their own position. They are non-negotiable and non-cooperative and most unpleasant.
--Submitted by a parent

Things I like about Cooper Middle School: 1) if you reach out to the teachers with a concern, they are very responsive. 2) The frequent emailed progress reports. It makes it much easier to keep track of how your daughter/son is doing at school. 3) The curriculum is challenging, whether you are an advanced student or not. 4) The band program is comprehensive and successful. Things I don't like about Cooper Middle School: 1) "My house is bigger than your house." I know it's endemic in schools with a lot of rich kids, but since when have we quit teaching our kids that it is in poor taste to brag about how much money you have? 2) Like most bigger schools, you must be ever-vigilant and an advocate for your child if they are struggling. 3) No school sports. 4) The crazy-long bus ride down Georgetown Pike if you don't live in McLean.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm currently a student at Cooper and it is a grat school with amazing after school activities.

Teachers are great and the school provides lot of opportunities for both academic and extra-curricular activities. Their focus in theater, PE is very good.
--Submitted by a parent

I currently go to Cooper and I like it a lot :) I Just find that my math teacher is kind of crazy...

Cooper School is not always the best choice for your kids - particularly if they are boys. I think every parent I have spoken to that has boys has a story to tell about a bad experience their son has had. Some of the administrators were good, some not. Our experience is that girls are overwhelmingly favored. Not a good situation for your son. I did notice that they have new male VP's. Hopefully that's been a good move. Cliques start early in McLean -- many form by 4th grade. This is a very cliquish school. That can be hard for some kids.
--Submitted by a parent

I currently go to Cooper Middle (8th grade) and while I think it's an excellent school I would like to make three points 1) in my grade we have had some outbreaks and issues 2) the grading scale is set to change in September of 2009 and 3) there is actually a new principal at our school, Mr. Tyrell (I don't think I spelled that correctly) I have had a great time at Cooper the teachers are all very kind and like to offer extra credit (good for kids who fall off the blck a lot) !
--Submitted by a student

Cooper is an amazing and very friendly school. It has tons of kind and caring students and teachers.
--Submitted by a student

Cooper is the best school experience I have had. I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that middle school is the worst years... The teachers are very motivating, and always there to help. Being directly by the nation's capital brings in some money... and some very interesting and diverse crowd of polite, smart, hard working students. For example, the other day 20 students where choosen to go to the capital with a senator whose son goes to the school. Probobly one half of the school's parents works high in the governmant. At this school is is expected to succeed, and even with an off gradeing scale (of an A being 94%-100%, 93%-84% being a B) the students definetly succeed. Mrs. Randall, Mr. Franklin, and Ms. Clena do not put up with nonsense, and things that would happen at other schools do not happen at this school.
--Submitted by a parent