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
... Read more 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. Read less
Posted by a parent on 06/12/09
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.
... Read more 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. Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/16/07
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,
... Read more 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. Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/31/06
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
... Read more 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. Read less
Posted by a administrator on 02/28/06
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
... Read more 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. Read less
Posted by a parent on 07/01/05
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
... Read more 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! Read less
Posted by a parent on 02/21/05
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
... Read more 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. Read less
* In 2007-2008 Maryland used the Maryland State Assessment (MSA) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math. The MSA is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Maryland. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test.
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
Gaithersburg schools — Whetstone Elementary School is located at 19201 Thomas Farm Rd, Gaithersburg MD 20879. 19201 Thomas Farm Rd is in the 20879 ZIP code in Gaithersburg, MD The school district for Whetstone Elementary School is the Montgomery County Public Schools. Whetstone Elementary School is a Public school that serves grade levels PK - 5.
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Test Score Ratings
Test score ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results reported by this state. These ratings may help
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this school scored better than 70% of the students in the state on the same tests. We have indicated below which tests
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experience, academic programs, extracurricular activities, resources for special needs students, etc. These ratings are
not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
