Basic Info
Ashburton ES is located at 6314 Lone Oak Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817. The principal is Mr. Gregory Mullenholz.
Rating
Please rate your experience at this school with respect to the following aspects on a scale from 0 to 10.- Inclusiveness: Does the school have a culture of inclusion and inclusive practices in place (e.g., co-teaching)? Are these practices effectively and systematically implemented?
- Staffing and resources: Does the school have staff and resources to accommodate a wide range of special needs?
- Cooperation: Does the school staff exhibit a cooperative approach by accepting/requesting the parents' input, listening to concerns, and attempting to resolve disagreements?
- Communication: Does the school implement progress monitoring plans? Does the staff regularly communicate with parents with respect to their child's progress and challenges? Is the staff responsive when contacted?
- Academic expectations: Does the staff systematically set high expectations for students with special needs? Does the staff systematically raise expectations when IEP goals are met ahead of time?
Ashburton ES
Inclusiveness
10
Staffing and resources
10
Cooperation
10
Communication
10
Academic expectations
10
My son has been at Ashburton for the past two years, and the faculty and administration has been beyond outstanding. We feel incredibly lucky that my son is able to receive his education, physical therapy and occupational therapy at Ashburton. Every educator has been outstanding. I would give this school infinite stars if I could.
Inclusiveness
10
Staffing and resources
10
Cooperation
10
Communication
10
Academic expectations
10
We have been at Ashburton for nearly four years and their special education services have been outstanding. We are thrilled with the services my son has gotten
Communication
7
Once school went virtual, the special needs supports were virtually nonexistent. I am very worried about this fall.
Inclusiveness
3.5
Staffing and resources
3.5
Cooperation
3.5
Communication
3.5
Academic expectations
3.5
Agree with other poster. Spring was a mess for the kids with IEPs with very little supports in place. Everything was thrown on the parents to figure out with tons of emails and longs lists of apps, websites, google docs, etc, that made our heads spin. As if we had time to invest into becoming special educators, general teachers, and therapists, in addition to working full time from home. When the kids did not make their IEP goals, it was the parent’s fault. The special educators appeared completely overwhelmed with bureaucratic red tape and paperwork, which seemed to take up all their time. There were only things that could not be done, never ideas, practices, supports that could be done. Special Educators and therapists couldn’t devote more than 15-20 mins twice a week. It seemed there were alot of paras, staff, and specialists that could have been called into help children that needed it the most, in a much more robust and personalized way, but they were not. Just made occasional appearances in general ed settings. I know the school has no option on curriculum, but seeing it first hand, it is extremely boring and tedious.
I agree with other posters. Once “distance learning” began in March 2020, children on IEPs were left behind with no supports or educational support. Spring was a mess for the kids with IEPs. I agree that the IEP teams tossed websites, documents, lists and apps at parents, but if you had a child where no online elements were working—none of that supported the learning process. The special education support was non-existent. Parents CAN’T be special educators, general teachers, and therapists, in addition to working full time from home. I also agree that the special educators appeared completely overwhelmed with bureaucratic red tape and paperwork, which seemed to take up all their time. They seemed to “have their hands tied” with regard to providing actual support and services. Any time I requested the supports and services needed, the response was we can only provide 15-20 mins once a week. It seemed there were alot of paras, staff, and specialists that could have been called into help children that needed it the most, in a much more robust and personalized way, but they were not. There has been no communication, so far, about what the plans are for children on IEPs. How are schools going to provide the required free, appropriate public education to children with special needs, so they can make progress in the current academic, educational environment? These children are absolutley getting left behind and experiencing massive regression. School services have gone from outstanding to zero. What are the staff who provided these services in school now doing? How do we reallocate services and support in a manner that provides the support these children need in the manner they need it. We need creative, out-of-the-box and flexible solutions from top county leaders. The answers should not be based soley on the question what can the schools do? We need also ask, what do these children need in this environment to receive an appropriate education in the current academic, educational environment? I have not seen any response, communication or answers to any of these questions as of yet. Hearing a plan at the end of August is also not reasonable. MCPS needs to engage the parents so we can all be working on this now.