3/8/21 Long before I went to private schools, I orginally started out in public schools in Montgomery County  Maryland.  To my young mind I did not know I was having trouble with reading and math for a while.  The teachers apparently tried to help, but it seems I was a lost cause.  The teachers had a few choices words when describing me. School kids can be mean, but I was a smartass and gave back as good as I got.  Escalation also happened to and a fight or two occurred.   My parents not happy with my schooling got a second opinion on how learned things. I learned I had dyslexia  and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  Methylphenidate  better know as Ritalin was something I had to take for a while.  Then one day I stopped taking in and I was fine. There is more to this story, but I am not sure I got the full story from my mom. In short, she didn't want me taking it anymore. If there were side effects from the Methylphenidate, I don't really remember.  When I left Montgomery public schools,  I was introduced to students that had similar problems learning things. Montgomery County Schools weren't  all bad. Students and teachers in both public and private schools can be helpful and trustworthy. They can also be bullies and untrustworthy.   The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. What you get is a mixed bag in education. read more

Montgomery County Public Schools - 3/9/21 - Elementary Schools Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

This is the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center and it rocks. Gallows ! I'll give you gallows. This is without question Maryland's most exclusive, hard to get into, magnificent and unknown country club / luxury estate. An absolutely marvelous getaway, you feel as if you are in the rugged confines of a resort in the mountains far way, yet you are esconced wonderfully in the curvaceous bosom of nature somewhere between Rockville Pike and Georgia Avenue. Here's what you get: -100s of acre of magnificent, sylvan, beautiful, unspoiled countryside, peppered with trails, tracks, streams -A pre civil war cemetery to explore -An 1830s water mill - the original Muncaster Mill -The upper reaches of Rock Creek meander through the park with overturned logs for the adventurous to try and cross over on -A wide range of orienteering programs, predator-prey, confidence building and course on the early settlers -Woods, trails, hills, streams, ponds, barns, covered bridges, animals, birds,owls, turkey buzzards, -Magnificently rustic cabin accommodation -A fine kitchen which belts out the finest BBQ chicken, spaghetti and French toast known to man ( not in the same meal) -Friendly, hard working , educated and passionate staff members and teachers.... Here's what you pay for it: -Absolutely Nothing. Zilch. Nada. It's Gratis. Free. And I mean free like in beer, not free like in puppies. Wait - this sounds too good to be true - there has to be a catch..... Oh yeah, there is the mother-of-all-catches..... To really enjoy this you have to be sixth grader in the Montgomery County school system - they each get three days here as a part of the County's absolutely magnificent Outdoor Education program. I volunteered to be one of the parent chaperones this week from Wednesday - Friday. When I recently told a friend I had done that he told me I was crazy and I - or someone else - would probably die. He did it a few years ago with his now- 17 year old and said it was horrible. " Have you any idea how unpleasant it is to be in a cabin with a dozen 12 year olds?" With these words ringing in my ears I was absolutely dreading this trip. Instead it turned out to be amazing - not just because for 2 days I was with Thing 1 and Thing 2 and all their buddies doing lots of cool things in the countryside, but I was also away from TV, internet, phone, BBY, email, distractions, credit card bills, tax documents - It was absolutely magnificent. A huge shout out to the teachers and Outdoor Educators of Montgomery County. This place is phenomenal - it has been going since 1963. And a further shout out to the budget guys - don't stop funding this place! It is absolutely brilliant. By the second day you can already see how the kids are changing, more in tune with the surroundings, paying attention, working together, being considerate. Yeah sure - they are kids and there will be issues, but overall this was a simply magnificent experience. read more