Thomas W. Pyle Middle School

Amazing. There is such a positive environment. Most of the teachers here are incredibly wonderful and helpful. They frequently talk to students and the principal has a segment on the morning announcements where he answers anonymous students’ questions. Students are competitive, which I love because it helps other students around them be the best people they can be. But, if you student struggles in school, Pyle can be very high-demanding, as it really focuses on preparing students for high school. Also, something else I love about Pyle is the students are fairly diverse and accepting of everyone regardless of sexual orientation, gender, or appearance. I haven’t experienced, seen, or heard of any fights or bullying going on inside of Pyle. Even on social media, students are generally kind to everyone within the Pyle “circle.” One thing I don’t love is there isn’t much space for inter-grade mingling, since most classes for different grades are in different hallways, and same with the lockers. Also, there are 4 lunches, and different grades are generally placed in different lunches. TAG, A.K.A. Study hall, also doesn’t allow mingling because you are assigned to a specific teachers’ classroom and aren’t allowed to really talk to others (depends on the teacher though). The only way you can see other teachers is to receive a “tag pass” from them and show it to your TAG teacher. Also, during this time, you aren’t allowed in the hallways. I also would like to see more diversity among the teachers. Overall, Pyle is accepting, diverse, and the right amount of competitive for students ready to learn. But, more time for mingling and a little less of a restrictive environment would be nice.

Most of the teachers are great! However, the math department needs some work and there needs to be more diversity among the staff.

Pyle is Great! My kids love it here and I find the community warm and tight knit. Most teachers are wonderful and they really believe that the students come first. Although the Math and Science departments are not the best the teachers try to teach the kids to the best of their ability. I would recommend Pyle to all my friends!

Pyle Middle School is okay. I went there and am going to be a junior in high school this year, but not at Walt Whitman High School. I went to Whitman for my freshman year and for a tiny portion of last school year, but moved to Severna Park High School (Anne Arundel County). Pyle has nice teachers, but the schools' local community is a snobbish community who just has one goal: To be the best at everything, even if it risks your child's happiness. Walt Whitman High School is even worse (which is why we left). Not only do they push expectations, but they pass kids just to make numbers look good. And Whitman doesn't do it for all of its students. Only for the students that are in a sport or are in some big school club or something. The education quality at Bethesda schools is the same as any other MoCO school. Don't be fooled and waste your money on a house in Bethesda, when there are many more academically outstanding schools that provide a better, more diverse social environment and don't require you to sell your soul on a house.