Sequoyah Elementary School

17301 Bowie Mill Road

Derwood, MD 20855

School District

Montgomery County Public Schools
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

School Map for Montgomery County Public Schools

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 26, 2024

Great school, great teachers, staff, and administration. Great parents and teachers association.
Submitted by parent on June 06, 2024

My eldest started at Sequoyah in the third grade and is now in high school. I currently have a child that started Kindergarten virtually (during the pandemic) and still there, thriving. The teachers and administrators are welcoming and advocate for the needs of the children. The PTA have created a sense a community and welcoming to all parents. There's plenty of events and programs to keep students and families engaged throughout the year.
Submitted by parent on September 02, 2023

The school administration is very invested in the safety, education and progress of the students. The school feels like a community where parents and teachers work closely to support the students , My only issue with the school is how the county has the school zoned, some of the neighborhoods that feed into the school are from across town and create a large disparity in the socioeconomic make of the school. Resulting in challenges when attempting to achieve equitable experiences for students and families.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2019

They didn’t deal with bullying effectively. They only cared about the children of the “elite families” when it came to bullying.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2019

This school is horrible. I'm glad we are done here.
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2018

This school has great resources available for the parents and children.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2017

This school is horrible in terms of helping new parents and the kids. Their Simple philosophy is this:: you are good only if you not need any extra help from the principal or other resources. One cookie cutter!!! Sad to experience something like this specially when it comes to your child!!
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2016

Like the other reviews I was questionable about the school based on the overall score. Since moving into the neighborhood my son had to change elementary schools for his 1st grade year. He went from a struggling reader to almost completely independent by the end of the 1st semester! They work very hard with the reading, writing, and math in the 1st grade level. My son brings home TONS of work he complete almost everyday. He gets along well with his classmates. I enjoy the fact that class sizes are relatively small. Only 16 in his 1st grade class compared to the 25 he had in Kindergarten from the previous school. The only question I have about this school is the county's decision to bus in students outside of the technical boundary (a neighborhood that is closer to other elementary schools). My only guess for this is the need to spread lower income and number-wise to various schools to decrease the likelihood of having a poor performing school. I would rate this school a 9/10, only because I do miss the activities my son's previous elementary school provided more often (Fun Run, Carnival, etc) which made the school feel much friendlier and welcoming. This is not to say Sequoyah does not participate in family activities, we have had bingo night, outdoor movie night, family math night, etc.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2016

My daughter is currently in 3rd grade and I am very happy with the administration. My daughter attended another school for her 1st and 2nd grade year and she struggled academically. I decided to move and originally I had doubts because of the scores displayed on greatschools.org, but I took a chance. I can honestly say Sequoyah has done a wonderful job. My daughter has improved in reading, writing and math. She's reading chapter books and writing legible sentences. I am very impressed with the staff. Ms. Smolen is one of the best teachers at Sequoyah! My daughter wasn't happy with her past teachers, but she loves Ms. Smolen. My daughter is also a member of the Kidsco before and after school program. The staff are very organize and I love that they provide a fun, safe and educational environment for the children. The Staff are very good with helping the kids with homework and keeping them entertained. The Sequoyah administration and Kidsco are a blessing.
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2015

My daughter is currently at Kindergarten and I cannot be happier. This school offers her so much and the kids are being taught so well. I am not sure why the ratings are so low.
Submitted by parent on January 21, 2015

We love the school! My daughter is in kindergarten and I have no complaints at all.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2014

Great school so far. I was a little intimidated by the Great Schools Rating a year and a half ago but I am glad that I overlooked and here I am now. My son is in first grade and he is way above in his reading and math level to the point that the I have to supplement his work at home with 2nd grade problems, activities, etc. In working with my son's teacher, I understand that they create different groups within the classroom to make sure every student does not slow down if they are getting ahead of the game. I am very pleased so far with the education that my son is receiving. In another note, I have to say that there were some isolated issues bulling and the principal and assistant principal took decisive actions to stop it; this makes me very happy.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2014

I am a parent of two children who recently attended Sequoyah ES. The school provides an absolutely welcoming environment. The school does a great job of creating and maintaining a positive learning environment. We were impressed by the professionalism of all of the teachers we worked with. The principal and staff were wonderful about meeting with me to develop solutions to meet the learning needs of my children. The PTA is well-organized and worked with parents and staff to provide information forums, as well as the fun events that create a sense of community. My children thrived there academically and have since enrolled at a highly gifted center. I truly miss our 'home' school.
Submitted by parent on April 17, 2014

My child attends Sequoyah Elementary School. It's a wonderful school with fantastic staff. The parents are always welcomed and involved with the childs performance. My daughter loves her teachers and really enjoys learning. She is excited to go to school every day. She is excelling in all subjects - if she needs pushing in one area (including social skills), the teacher notifies me. I am extremely happy with our experiences with Sequoyah!
Submitted by parent on April 03, 2014

My child is a current student at the school and has been for several years now. Not only the principal but the new vice principal counselors and teaching staff have left not only myself down but they have let down my child. My child has fallen behind and it has not been communicated by the staff to me the parent. Several requests for meetings as well as weekly communication was ignored. Several times throughout the year I have requested help in making sure my child got on grade level or close to it. The teachers have refused to allow my child to leave less that 30 minutes early without coming to the office to discuss a personal matter about my child. My child cries going to school daily and can not wait until she does not have to attend there anymore until then it is a daily battle with the staff. The school also prides themselves in being the best school handling the very large issue of bullying however my child has been bullied since she started there and nothing has been done to make sure that my child is safe secure and happy. I've been very disappointed in the school yet the county will not help me to move my child.
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2013

My son is a Kindergarten student and has been attending Sequoya Elementary for the last week and a half. I have to say that I am very happy with the school. The principal, teachers, and staff care about their school and it looks that they are dedicated to helping every child succeed along with the PTA. Everyone has been doing an outstanding job and my son loves it. The principal is very professional and charming and open to help us with any concern that we have. Look forward to a great year.
Submitted by other on July 09, 2013

Hello.... My Name Is Allieu Kanu...My First Visit At This School Was Outstanding..... There Were Smiles All Over The Faces Of The Vice Principle And The School Secretary's Face... What A Great Experience.... My Stay Was Very Satisfactory And That Makes My Day...
Submitted by teacher on February 22, 2013

This school has a very diverse population, yet the staff have high expectations for learning and behavior for every student. Each team of teachers works hard to ensure the success of the students. The leadership team does a good job of soliciting and reflecting feedback to set and reflect on goals. I've been at this school for several years, and I can certainly testify to the dedication and compassion of the teachers here.
Submitted by parent on February 10, 2012

Great principal and good dedicated teachers make it a great place to learn. And committed and dedicated PTA is another plus.