The Best Schools Near Fort Meade, Maryland

Fort Meade Schools

Ratings for Fort Meade-Area Public Schools Can Vary Greatly Depending on Neighborhood

As an active realtor in the Fort Meade, Maryland, area, I get calls and emails all the time from families needing to relocate to this area from all over the world.

Active-duty military personnel and others moving to work at Fort Meade often know nothing about living in the Baltimore/Annapolis/Washington, D.C. triangle, and one of the first questions many ask is about the quality of schools near the military installation.

As with almost any area, school quality in and around Fort Meade can vary greatly depending on neighborhood. Below is a list of the top-ranked public schools in the communities directly surrounding Fort Meade -- namely, Odenton, Severn, Jessup, Hanover, Gambrills, Laurel and Crofton.

For a free list of homes for sale or rent in an individual school district, contact me by phone (443-924-7418) or email (JerryKline@kw.com).

The school ratings provided below are taken from GreatSchools.org, the preeminent online school-rating website. GreatSchools.org compares schools based on test scores and other available data, including student academic growth and college readiness. Greatschools.org also provides school reviews written by parents, teachers, students and caregivers who have had recent, direct experience with their school to share its strengths and weaknesses.

(Note: Greatschools.org profiles, but does not rate, private schools.)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ (10 out of 10)

Crofton Woods Elementary School (Crofton)

Four Seasons Elementary School (Gambrills)

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ (9 out of 10)

Crofton Elementary School (Crofton)

Nantucket Elementary School (Crofton)

Pershing Hill Elementary School (Fort Meade)

Piney Orchard Elementary School (Odenton)

Ridgeway Elementary School (Severn)

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8 out of 10)

Bond Mill Elementary School (Laurel)

Brock Bridge Elementary School (Laurel)

Crofton Meadows Elementary School (Crofton)

Gorman Crossing Elementary School (Laurel)

Hammond Elementary School (Laurel)

Jessup Elementary School (Jessup)

Manor View Elementary School (Fort Meade)

Waugh Chapel Elementary School (Odenton)

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7 out of 10)

Forest Ridge Elementary School (Laurel)

Odenton Elementary School (Odenton)

Severn Elementary School (Severn)

Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6 out of 10)

Laurel Woods Elementary School (Laurel)

Montpelier Elementary School (Laurel)

Seven Oaks Elementary School (Odenton)

Quarterfield Elementary School (Severn)

Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5 out of 10)

Hebron Harman Elementary School (Hanover)

Maryland City Elementary School (Laurel)

Meade Heights Elementary School (Fort Meade)

Scotchtown Hills Elementary School (Laurel)

Rating: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4 out of 10)

Bollman Bridge Elementary School (Jessup)

James H. Harrison Elementary School (Laurel)

Oaklands Elementary School (Laurel)

Van Bokkelen Elementary School (Severn)

Rating: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (3 out of 10)

Deerfield Run Elementary School (Laurel)

Laurel Elementary School (Laurel)

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ (10 out of 10)

Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School (Hanover) (grades 6-12)

Hammond Middle School (Laurel)

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ (9 out of 10)

Chesapeake Math & IT Academy Public Charter School (Laurel) (grades 6-10)

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8 out of 10)

Crofton Middle School (Gambrills)

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7 out of 10)

Arundel Middle School (Odenton)

Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6 out of 10)

Murray Hill Middle School (Laurel)

Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5 out of 10)

Macarthur Middle School (Fort Meade)

Patuxent Valley Middle School (Jessup)

Rating: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4 out of 10)

Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School (Laurel)

Meade Middle School (Fort Meade)

HIGH SCHOOLS

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ (10 out of 10)

Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School (Hanover) (grades 6-12)

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ (9 out of 10)

Chesapeake Math & IT Academy Public Charter School (Laurel) (grades 6-10)

Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8 out of 10)

Arundel High School (Gambrills)

Rating: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4 out of 10)

Laurel High School (Laurel)

Meade High School (Fort Meade)

For more information on the schools listed above -- or schools located further from Fort Meade -- check out the GreatSchools.org website, or contact the following county school boards:

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Website: http://aacps.org/

Phone: 410-222-5000

Prince Georges County Public Schools

Website: http://www1.pgcps.org/

Phone: 301-952-6000

Howard County Public Schools

Website: http://www.hcpss.org/

Phone: 410 -313-6600

For a free list of homes for sale or rent in an individual school district, contact me by phone (443-924-7418) or email (JerryKline@kw.com).

Jerry Kline is a Realtor with the Odenton, Maryland, office of Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland (1216 Annapolis Rd., Odenton, MD 21113.) For more information on the local real estate market, contact him at (443) 924-7418.

Ranch-Style Homes Are Once Again Popular: What Are Their Plusses and Minuses?

The ultimate irony for home buyers is that the stock of available ranch-style homes may eventually dwindle. Not only because more home buyers are seeing the advantages of these homes, but also because the wrecking ball continues to demolish some of the ranchers that have survived.  

Return of the Ranch

November Housing Stats for Gambrills: Listings Up Sharply Year Over Year

Growing Confidence in the Local Real Estate Market Leads More Homeowners to Put Their Homes Up for Sale

Median prices for homes sold in Gambrills in November were down slightly from November 2012, but the number of homes for sale in zip code 21054 jumped 63 percent year over year.

According to new housing data provided by the Metropolitan Regional Information System (MRIS), 62 homes were actively listed for sale in Gambrills when November ended. At the end of November 2012, 38 homes were listed for sale.

The spike in the number of homes for sale last month is a sign of growing confidence in the local housing market. Median home prices have risen throughout the region over the last year, allowing more homeowners who were underwater with their mortgages to overcome those deficits and break even or make money on their home sales.

The MRIS numbers also show that 13 homes sold in Gambrills last month, three more than in November 2012. At the moment, Gambrills has almost five months of housing inventory on hand.

Nov. 2013

Nov. 2012

Percent Change

Median Sold Price

$373,500

$382,500

-2.35%

No. Units Sold

13

10

30.00%

Avg. Days on Market

67

94

-28.72%

Attached Homes Sold

7

4

75.00%

Detached Homes Sold

6

6

0.00%

No. Active Listings

62

38

63.16%

Another positive sign for homeowners in Gambrills is a large drop in the “average days on market.” This number reflects how quick home are selling. The average days on market for homes sold in November 2012 was 94 days. Last month, that number dropped to 67 days.

Seven attached homes – such as townhomes, condos and duplexes -- sold last month in Gambrills, compared to four such homes in November 2012. Six detached homes sold in Gambrills in November 2012 and November 2013.

Jerry Kline is a Realtor with the Odenton, Md., office of Keller Williams Flagship Realty (1216 Annapolis Rd., Odenton.) For more information on the local real estate market, contact him at (443) 924-7418.

In Chapel Grove, Real Estate Starts to Stabilize

Fewer Homes Sold in the Odenton Community This Year, But Prices Held Steady

With 2012 quickly drawing to a close, home prices in Odenton’s Chapel Grove neighborhood appear to have stabilized, although fewer homes will sell in the community this year.

With less than a month left in the year and most housing purchases taking more than 30 days to close, it’s unlikely any of the four remaining Chapel Grove homes currently on the market will be sold before 2012 expires. We can say, then, that average home prices for Chapel Grove will finish up 6 percent over 2011.

A closer look at the numbers, however, shows that average prices for Chapel Grove town homes are down about 1 percent from last year while average prices for detached homes are almost identical. The 6 percent increase stems from the fact that fewer town homes sold in Chapel Grove this year, meaning sales of the community’s more expensive single family homes raised the average home price.

Homes Sold in Odenton’s Chapel Grove Community

2010

2011

2012

No. Homes Sold

14

15

11

No. Town Homes Sold

4

10

6

No. Detached Homes Sold

10

5

5

No. Foreclosures/Short Sales

2

4

2

Avg. Sold Price – All Homes

$546,492

$440,593

$468,363

Avg. Sold Price – Town Homes

$368,600

$358,740

$355,333

Avg. Sold Price – Detached Homes

$617,650

$604,300

$604,000

Avg. Sold/List Price Ratio – Town Homes

100%

98%

98%

Avg. Sold/List Price Ratio – Detached

95%

95%

95%

Avg. Days on Market – All Homes

130

87

119

Avg. Days on Market – Town Homes

46

78

128

Avg. Days on Market – Detached

164

105

109

Although the number of homes sold in Chapel Grove will be lower this year, there are positive signs for the community’s homeowners. For one, after years of dramatic price declines, Chapel Grove home prices appear to have bottomed, at least for the present. Plus, the number of foreclosures and potential short sales in the community appears to have calmed.

Also from a sales perspective, Chapel Grove homeowners continue to get a very respectable portion of the asking price for their properties. Sellers of Chapel Grove town homes got an average 98 percent of their asking price this year, while owners of Chapel Grove detached properties got an average 95 percent of their asking price.

These percentages are considerably greater than what homeowners typically get in other Odenton communities and greater than in most sections of Gambrills, Crofton and Severn.

Some of the Chapel Grove sales numbers do cause concern, however. Homes sold there this year stayed on the market an average 32 days longer than last year. Chapel Grove town homes in particular suffered this chill, extending their stay on the market an average 50 days more than last year and 82 days longer than in 2010.

Currently, there are four homes for sale in Chapel Grove, all single family detached properties. The average asking price for the four homes in $646,000.

Homes Currently for Sale in Chapel Grove

MLS No.

Address

List

Price

BR

BA

FP

Gar

Days on

Market

AA7914616

1303 Waneta Ct.

$610,000

4

2.5

2

2

98

AA7931452

1619 Winesapp Dr.

$610,000

4

3.5

1

2

74

AA7949757

1307 Waneta Ct.

$635,000

4

2.5

1

2

46

AA7966068

1564 Star Stella Dr.

$729,999

5

4.5

1

2

17

Jerry Kline is a Realtor with the Odenton, Md., office of Keller Williams Flagship Realty (1216 Annapolis Rd., Odenton.) For more information on the local real estate market, contact him at (443) 924-7418.

Homes Are Selling Faster Than Last Year

Nationally, homes were listed on average 95 days, according to September housing data. That's down from 107 days a year earlier. The days-on-market figure for the west Anne Arundel County, Md., area has dropped even more. Homes Are Selling Faster.

Come to Our Free Home Buyers Seminar Oct. 20!

Event Will Be Held at The Village at Waugh Chapel Community Center

Thinking of buying a home? Confused about how the process works? Wondering if you can afford to buy? Then you’re invited to attend a free home buyers seminar Sat. Oct. 20 at The Village at Waugh Chapel Community Center.

A group of local real estate and industry experts, including me, will be on hand to discuss such topics as local market conditions, financing options, the settlement process and insuring your home and your future.

Learn more about the types of mortgage options available, how short sales and foreclosures work and tips for saving time and money on the closing process. After a short presentation, the class will be driven primarily by the questions of attendees.

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or an old pro, you’ll learn something new at this free seminar.

I'll be there to discuss home buying basics, the state of the west Anne Arundel County housing market, and how to find the best home for you. Julie Orsini of Primary Residential Mortgage in Odenton will explain the lending process, how to improve your credit scores, and special financing assistance available for veterans, military and first-time home buyers.

Ed Cooper of Odenton’s Performance Insurance Group will help attendees understand the types of insurance policies and coverage options they really need. And David Bowers, Esq., of Progressive Title, will explain how the closing process works and how home buyers can save money on settlement.

Flyer for Home Buyers Seminar (pdf)

What: Home Buyers Seminar

Where: The Village at Waugh Chapel Community Center (behind Robert Andrews & Fuji Steakhouse)

When: Saturday Oct. 20, 2012, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Who: Anyone interested in buying or selling a home

Sign-Up: Registration is requested; call (443) 924-7418

Cost: FREE!

If you can’t attend the seminar, you can arrange a free, private consultation. Call (443) 924-7418

Inventory of For-Sale Homes Posts Big Drop

Inventory of For-Sale Homes Posts Big Drop. These stats are for housing inventory declines at the national level. But local data shows similar drops, with large declines in Odenton, Gambrills and Crofton last month.

OPEN HOUSE – Sun. 3/25 12-2pm 3BR, 2.5 BA TH in Crofton -- $224,900

Enjoy the spring weather and drop by this 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath townhome in the Blue Ridge / Crofton Meadows section of Crofton. Super short sale opportunity. End unit with a nice deck and fenced yard. Country kitchen, finished basement with rec room & full bath. Move-in condition. HOA fee only $45 per month. Offered at $224,000. (MLS# AA7784951)

Address: 1825 Log Mill Place, #1, Crofton, MD 21114

For more information, contact Jerry Kline, Realtor, Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland, (443) 924-7418 (cell) or (410) 729-7700 (office).