Frederick schools

Another Frederick question...I know of most of the good/best schools in the area but what’s the deal with Gov Thomas Johnson High? Bad or Good or Average?

I graduated from TJ...Class of 1970. I heard it went downhill a few years later but have no idea what's going on there now.

I live down the street from it and my neighbors who have kids that go there really like it. We do not have kids so personally I can't really say.

My daughter graduated from TJ, and my son is a junior there. Not as good as the schools in Utah where my 2 older kids graduated, but not a bad school. Better than Frederick High or Tuscarora High. If I was moving here again, I'd pick Walkersville, Oakdale, or Linganore.

TheOriginalMexicanBob said:

I graduated from TJ...Class of 1970. I heard it went downhill a few years later but have no idea what's going on there now.

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a few years after you,(flash backs) loved the english teacher (nice) heard the same, some like it others not so much, more on the not much side...

-Rock

Urbana, Middletown, and Oakdale are considered the better schools. Urbana is considered the best school in the county.

I'm not so sure any public school is good anymore. Depends on who your kid's teacher is on any given year. Up until 2 years ago our kid was in the elementary school system in Middletown. Knowing Middletown the best, my opinion is the primary school teachers are all excellent the elementary and middle school are 50% good and 50% no so. The high school is a good high school.

TheOriginalMexicanBob said:

I graduated from TJ...Class of 1970. I heard it went downhill a few years later but have no idea what's going on there now.

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I think TJ got a little “better” a few years ago when the school zones were redistricted. I don’t think it’s bad, but it’s not the “rich” school like Oakdale or Urbana, TJ gets a mix of different house holds and incomes

As mentioned upthread, Urbana, Middletown, and Oakdale are considered the most academically competitive high schools in the county. Urbana also has an International Baccalaureate program that all high schoolers in Frederick County, based on academic performance, can attend if accepted.

Oakdale and Walkersville have been in the forefront of establishing a dual enrollment program with the local community college that enables high school students to take classes that they receive college credit for within their own high schools. Teachers with masters or PhD degrees create college level course plans accredited by the local community college. Thus their high school class provides college credit (without having to do well on an AP or IB exam).

Other Frederick County high schools can send students directly to the community college to take their classes there (and this requires a reduced rate tuition payment), but this is less convenient.

I have friends whose kids have gone to TJ High in recent years, and the better students there are getting into Ivy League colleges, MIT, Johns Hopkins, George Washington U, etc (like students at Urbana, Middletown, and Oakdale).

Frederick High has started a program that allows capable students to take 5 courses an academic term instead of the standard 4. This will enable more students to complete high school during junior year.

I think strong students can succeed in many of the high schools in Frederick County. They might have more advantages in attending Urbana, Middletown, or Oakdale if they like to do extracurricular academic competitions (although the other high schools are standouts in certain areas and the best home schooler students do well across the board), as these high schools have large teams with a continuing infrastructure and near institutional knowledge of how to win at regional levels to advance to state and national level competitions.

For competitive high school students that will get good grades but might not graduate in the top 10% of their class, I've been impressed with the many innovative approaches the different Frederick County high schools have taken (beyond expanding AP course offerings) in providing college dual enrollment options, the Career & Technology Center for different tech and vocational career aspirants (they get industry certifications while in high school), etc.

I have less perspective in whether there are notable crime or bullying issues at any of the regional high schools. There had been reporting not long back of significant drug addiction problems at Oakdale High, but I don't know if this is a persisting issue (and doubt that they are unique in this regard).

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My son went to Middletown. I really didn't think it was anything special. School starts at home. I think all the schools in Frederick County are good or bad depending on the student.