12802 Helm Pl
Bowie, MD 20716

I'd say the school is pretty good/not bad. My child was in the TAG program and it seems they were well-prepared for high school by the time they graduated. They did well on their standardized tests, which shows that they were learning what they needed to be learning. Most of the kids were nice, and there were a few really excellent teachers, and generally really nice staff. There were also a few that did not really show up for the kids the way I'd like, and us parents needed to step up and work with our kid on math on our own to get them back up to speed after the pandemic. But all in all, things were pretty good. My child was not bullied.

There are so many disturbing things to cite about this school, starting with the incredulous population of 2600+ kids. That’s over 600 students per grade level, and there’s simply not enough space or resources to support a community of this size. In the highest tax paying city in the county, this school leave so much to the imagination. The facilities are outdated and worn down. The hallways are dark and dingy. The teachers are lackluster; they don’t even assign homework. I assume bc they don’t want the responsibility of grading 600+ assignments several times per week. There’s no homeroom classes. There’s not enough lockers to accommodate students and assignments come a month into the school year. Students walk around in their coats and carrying all their belongings all day long. Good luck catching the IT staffer who manages the schools’ devices, WiFi, etc. He’s unresponsive and unavailable always. The multipurpose/lunch room overflows. I couldn’t even witness my daughter’s first high school honors experience bc they don’t have space to accommodate parents. All of this is the perfect pressure cooker, and it’s no wonder that there’s a fight at least twice a week. It’s so disappointing and embarrassing that this is the neighborhood school. We all, especially the students, deserve better and for our tax dollars.

My twins just graduated from KES and I cannot rave enough about the teachers and staff. From the front office staff to the school nurse to the teachers and Principal, everyone exudes positivity and excitement for learning. The school worked with me and my family when one of my children was having anxiety issues. They were patient, empathic, and determined to make things better, which I greatly appreciated. Thank you KES for allowing a space for my babies to have a great elementary school experience, now off to Middle School.