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.

Odenton’s New 55+ ‘The Villages at Two Rivers’ Community: A Quick-Reference Guide

The Villages at Two Rivers

Curious about new home construction at Odenton’s “The Villages at Two Rivers” active adult luxury community? It’s easy to get confused about the details of this mammoth new 55+ project that’s springing up on Conway Road, not far from Fort Meade, Maryland. Let me help!

Here’s a quick summary of what’s being offered.

Four Different Home Builders

⃝ Ryan Homes

⃝ NV Homes

⃝ Comstock Homes

⃝ Classic Group Homes

The Villages at Two Rivers

Three Types of Homes for Sale

* Single Family Detached Homes

* Villas

* Carriage Homes

Villas v. Carriage Homes

Villas are four homes connected together; Carriage Homes are two homes connected together. The Villas generally are smaller than the Carriage Homes.

Ryan Homes

* Their homes are separated from the other three builders; on the north side of Conway Road

* Offers single family homes only

* Prices start in the mid $400Ks

The Villages at Two Rivers

NV Homes

* Located in “The Bluffs” section of the community

* Offers premium single family homes only

* Prices start in the mid $500Ks

Comstock Homes

* Offers relatively larger Villas

* Prices start in the mid $400Ks

Classic Group Homes

* Offers relatively smaller Villas (w/ 1-car garages), with prices starting in the high $380Ks

* Offers Carriage Homes (w/ 2-car garages), with prices starting around $500K

Fees Paid by Two Rivers Residents

* HOA Fee: About $200 per month

* Front Foot Fee: About $66 per month

* Special Development Tax: About $66 per month

The Villages at Two Rivers

HOA Fee Includes

⃝ Use of indoor & outdoor pools

⃝ Maintenance of all exterior grounds, including yards

⃝ Access to the 15,000 sq. ft. clubhouse & fitness center

⃝ Use of 4 tennis courts

⃝ Access to a 160-acre environmental park, with ponds & wetlands

⃝ Access to an agricultural park, with vegetable & farming areas

⃝ Access to a culinary center, including a demonstration kitchen

General

The Villages at Two Rivers is located in the heart of the Baltimore-Annapolis-Washington, D.C. triangle, just minutes from the region’s best shopping, dining and entertainment complexes. Beautiful builder models are open for tours daily. A large variety of floorplans and builder options are available for each home.

Want more information? Call me, Jerry Kline, of Keller Williams Flagship Realty today (443-924-7418) for a personal tour!

Jerry Kline Named Keller Williams Odenton Agent of the Month for August 2015

Jerry Kline Wins Agent of the Month

Many thanks to my buyer and seller clients who closed their real estate transactions last month — among them Tony & Anja Bonacci, James Pyle, Ashley Marsh, and Chris Jaus. All of you could have chosen any real estate agent out there, and I very much appreciate the trust you put in me to get your goals accomplished. It was great working with you! Thanks, also, to all of the agents in the Keller Williams Odenton office. You’re always there to help!

Congratulations Sharon George on the Sale of Your Piney Orchard Condo!

Sharon George needed help selling her mother's condo in the Piney Orchard section of Odenton, Md. The ground floor unit in Chestnut Gable was bright, airy and completely renovated. Staged beautifully, priced right and effectively marketed, the home sold very quickly. Thanks, Sharon, for all your good humor and teamwork!

Do you know someone thinking of buying or selling a home in the greater central Maryland area? Have them give me a call on my direct line (443) 924-7418. I'd be glad to help them any way I can!

Jerry Kline Named Keller Williams Odenton Agent of the Month for November

Many thanks to my buyer and seller clients who closed their real estate transactions in November -- among them Randy Barth, Mike & Melissa Fletcher, and David & Isabella White. All of you could have chosen any real estate agent out there, and I very much appreciate the trust you put in me to get your goals accomplished. Thanks, also, to all of the agents in the Keller Williams Odenton office. You're all great friends and you’re always there when I need help!

Federal Regulators Announce Dramatic Easing of Mortgage Standards

The move is expected to help open up the credit box to first-time buyers, self-employed borrowers, borrowers who have had recent job switches, and borrowers who faced financial hardship during the recession. FHFA's Dramatic Easing of Mortgage Standards

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

Class-Action Lawsuit Against Creig Northrop Real Estate Team Underscores Consumer Protections for Home Buyers, Home Sellers

A large class-action lawsuit recently certified against Maryland’s Creig Northrop Real Estate Team serves as an excellent reminder of the consumer protections afforded to home buyers and home sellers under the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).

RESPA, enacted by Congress in 1974, is designed to protect consumers from unscrupulous practices in the real estate industry. Its chief purpose is to help consumers become better shoppers for real estate settlement services and to eliminate kickbacks and referral fees that unnecessarily increase the costs of closing a transaction.

Among other things, the act prohibits kickbacks between lenders and third-party settlement agents in the settlement process.

The lawsuit, filed in 2013, alleges that The Creig Northrop Team P.C. and others received more than $500,000 in illegal kickbacks from Lakeview Title Co. Inc. over a period of years. The class certified by the court in January includes all purchasers who engaged the services of The Creig Northrop Team and a defendant title insurance company from Jan. 1, 2008, until the present.

The number of home buyers and home sellers included in the class of plaintiffs is potentially huge. The Creig Northrop Team P.C. is affiliated with Long & Foster Real Estate Inc., and was ranked second in the country last year and first in 2012 in the amount of real estate transaction volume handled.

Under RESPA, service providers in a real estate transaction must provide a variety of disclosures to their clients. (See http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/rmra/res/respamor#HD) Certain disclosures must be made at the time of loan application, before settlement occurs, at settlement and after settlement.

Also important for home buyers and home sellers is the Affiliated Business Arrangement Disclosure. This disclosure is required whenever a settlement service provider involved in a RESPA-covered transaction refers the client to a provider with whom the referring party has an ownership or other beneficial interest.

The referring party must give this disclosure to the client at or prior to the time of referral. The disclosure must describe the business arrangement that exists between the two providers and give the borrower an estimate of the second provider's charges.

Except in cases where a lender refers a borrower to an attorney, credit reporting agency or real estate appraiser to represent the lender's interest in the transaction, the referring party may not require the consumer to use the particular provider being referred.

For more information on the case (Patrick Baehr et al. v. The Creig Northrop Team P.C. et al.)), see http://www.inman.com/2014/02/25/top-producing-long-foster-team-facing-class-action-respa-suit-over-alleged-kickbacks-to-title-insurance-agency/

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.

New Disabled Veterans Mortgage Program Offers Big Help to Maryland Vets

Applicants Need to Hurry, Though – Program Ends May 30th

Do you know a disabled military veteran looking to buy a home in this area? The state of Maryland last week announced the creation of a new – and temporary – initiative designed to help such buyers purchase a home using bargain interest rates. Even better, the new mortgage assistance program can be used in conjunction with other state programs that offer down payment and closing cost assistance to veterans. Interest rates for the Maryland Homefront Disabled Veterans Mortgage Program are as low as 3 percent. Up to $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance also is available to qualified applicants. Interested homebuyers have to hurry, though. According to information distributed by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the program is set to expire in two months – May 30, 2014. Program Eligibility The program is open to honorably discharged disabled veterans. By program definition, a disabled veteran is a veteran with a 30 percent or greater disability. Eligible veterans also must qualify for a Maryland Mortgage Program loan, based on such criteria as credit score, income limitations, etc. Before buying their home, eligible veterans must take approved homebuyer education courses and use an approved mortgage lender. Loans under the program typically are limited to first-time homebuyers. However, this requirement can be waived under certain circumstances. Qualification for a Veterans Administration loan is not required. Under the program, the property purchased must be located in the state of Maryland. 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.

Workers Who Relocate Share Their Must-Haves for a New Home

When it comes to relocation for a new job, transferees say the two most important factors in choosing a new home are being in or near a specific school district and having a work commute of 30 minutes or less. Relocating Employees Share Their Dream Lists