7135 Smooth Path
Columbia, MD 21045

My son has a physical disability and extensive medical care. The nurses, guidance counselor, teacher, school staff and leadership have all been flexible in his schedule and make up work, empathic, solution oriented, and encourage the love of learning. My child is in all honors and GT classes and they help him flourish. He absolutely loves going to AH. He refuses special treatment and feels normal there. The students are also very kind and thoughtful kids.

In our family's experience, Cradlerock is a small community school with administrators, teachers, and staff who truly seek to address each student as an individual and a whole person. Over the years, I've enjoyed speaking with many of them and seeing all of them host several before-and-after-school outreach events for parental input (monthly online plenary meetings) and interactive parental guidance (Math, Reading, Science, and Social-Emotional Awareness Nights). Our child has taken advantage of free small group, after-school, teacher-led tutoring, and above-grade math classes, while auditioning and participating in the school's musical! CRES also has the benefit of last year's best all-around county psychologist. Principal Notari and one of the two VPs are new this year, but doing well and fully invested as far as we can tell. The CRES PTA has been a strong, influential organization each of the several years we've been there too, which also speaks volumes. We're so grateful to have these men and women in our children's lives, pushing and prodding them to be their best selves, academically, creatively, emotionally, and physically! If we could fund all their needs and give them all raises, our family would. They literally ROCK!

When considering a school it's important to remember that an productive and effective educational experience for a student is a community effort and requires a strong partnership between school teachers, staff and parents. Entering Middle School is one of the most challenging times for a child. The lessons and skills they learn during these formative years will inform a lot of their educational futures. Not every teacher will make an immediate connection with your student. But every teacher has something your child needs to learn. At LEMS I have found genuinely caring and committed educators and staff. We are a community school which means that parents, staff, students and community partners contribute to the goals, experiences, opportunities and education of LEMS students. The school partners with the East Branch Library, the Owen Brown Community Association and many others to address needs, carry out events and provide engaging events for students. The school has a very strong after school program, which includes theater, art and will soon launch sports. LEMS also has a strong Gifted and Talented program which includes GT core courses and seminars. A newly inaugurated Young Leaders Advisory Board (YLAB) offers students an opportunity to gain leadership skills, contribute to and advance school goals, lead events and communicate the perspectives of the student body. LEMS is striving, growing and full of talented and dedicated students, educators, staff, parents and community partners.