CMIT Elementary (Laurel) For Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

My daughter got a placement through the lottery for Kindergarten for next year. I am wondering from current parents how you like the school. Any pros and cons you may have.


Any feedback is welcome... She could go to our local school which my oldest attends and I would be fine but I wanted options as well. We applied for CMIT, French and Spanish immersion.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter got a placement through the lottery for Kindergarten for next year. I am wondering from current parents how you like the school. Any pros and cons you may have.


Any feedback is welcome... She could go to our local school which my oldest attends and I would be fine but I wanted options as well. We applied for CMIT, French and Spanish immersion.

Thanks

Bumping this. Anyone?

[Anonymous]

all the CMIT schools produce very good test scores. But people complain because it seems they separate the "high testing" students from the "other students" which some say is not good for the "regular" students moral, so there are some complaints. But at the same time numbers dont lie and the kids who are there are def learning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:all the CMIT schools produce very good test scores. But people complain because it seems they separate the "high testing" students from the "other students" which some say is not good for the "regular" students moral, so there are some complaints. But at the same time numbers dont lie and the kids who are there are def learning

How do you know that they are learning? Do you work at one of the CMIT schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:all the CMIT schools produce very good test scores. But people complain because it seems they separate the "high testing" students from the "other students" which some say is not good for the "regular" students moral, so there are some complaints. But at the same time numbers dont lie and the kids who are there are def learning

How do you know that they are learning? Do you work at one of the CMIT schools?

Here's what I think the issue is this charter school is made for kids who are TRULY interested in STEM...Naturally interested, its not made for parents seeking a way out of the neighborhood school like the DCPS. I think thats the real problem, parents are sending their "c" average kids to this school in hopes of it giving their kids a natural boost when it comes to learning which is fine, but STEM focus school is for kids who are naturally into STEM. If your child is not that dont send them there. That to me is the biggest misconception. Are they learning? I'm only going by test scores

[Anonymous]

Is there any parents who's children are actually at this school? I too want my child to start there next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:all the CMIT schools produce very good test scores. But people complain because it seems they separate the "high testing" students from the "other students" which some say is not good for the "regular" students moral, so there are some complaints. But at the same time numbers dont lie and the kids who are there are def learning

How do you know that they are learning? Do you work at one of the CMIT schools?

Here's what I think the issue is this charter school is made for kids who are TRULY interested in STEM...Naturally interested, its not made for parents seeking a way out of the neighborhood school like the DCPS. I think thats the real problem, parents are sending their "c" average kids to this school in hopes of it giving their kids a natural boost when it comes to learning which is fine, but STEM focus school is for kids who are naturally into STEM. If your child is not that dont send them there. That to me is the biggest misconception. Are they learning? I'm only going by test scores

As a parent of a former CMIT North student (who was not a C student), here is what I think everyone should keep in mind:

These are charter schools. Not TAG schools, not top, uber-selective private schools, but charter schools that select a wide variety of students via a lottery. Therefore, they must be successful at educating ALL students, not just the top scorers. All the class separation, where the top students get the best of everything and the rest have to make do with the leftovers, is not in anyone's best interest. I don't care what kind of test scores they have. It doesn't matter so much about whether the students are interested in STEM. It matters how the STEM is taught. Are the teachers engaging, committed and adept at helping ALL children to do well? Most of the teachers I saw at the school quite obviously were not. Who can't teach the students who are up there in grades and scores? If you want to impress me, show me how you succeed in improving the achievement of the average child. Also, with the disorganization, lack of professionalism and unequal education going on there, I am rather surprised that the test scores are high.

Those negative reviews on Great Schools for CMIT and Chesapeake Science Point in AA County are not lies. The same complaints have been made about each of the schools, including the elementary. I get that parents may think CMIT is better than the zone school. However, that is not necessarily true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:all the CMIT schools produce very good test scores. But people complain because it seems they separate the "high testing" students from the "other students" which some say is not good for the "regular" students moral, so there are some complaints. But at the same time numbers dont lie and the kids who are there are def learning

How do you know that they are learning? Do you work at one of the CMIT schools?

Here's what I think the issue is this charter school is made for kids who are TRULY interested in STEM...Naturally interested, its not made for parents seeking a way out of the neighborhood school like the DCPS. I think thats the real problem, parents are sending their "c" average kids to this school in hopes of it giving their kids a natural boost when it comes to learning which is fine, but STEM focus school is for kids who are naturally into STEM. If your child is not that dont send them there. That to me is the biggest misconception. Are they learning? I'm only going by test scores

As a parent of a former CMIT North student (who was not a C student), here is what I think everyone should keep in mind:

These are charter schools. Not TAG schools, not top, uber-selective private schools, but charter schools that select a wide variety of students via a lottery. Therefore, they must be successful at educating ALL students, not just the top scorers. All the class separation, where the top students get the best of everything and the rest have to make do with the leftovers, is not in anyone's best interest. I don't care what kind of test scores they have. It doesn't matter so much about whether the students are interested in STEM. It matters how the STEM is taught. Are the teachers engaging, committed and adept at helping ALL children to do well? Most of the teachers I saw at the school quite obviously were not. Who can't teach the students who are up there in grades and scores? If you want to impress me, show me how you succeed in improving the achievement of the average child. Also, with the disorganization, lack of professionalism and unequal education going on there, I am rather surprised that the test scores are high.

Those negative reviews on Great Schools for CMIT and Chesapeake Science Point in AA County are not lies. The same complaints have been made about each of the schools, including the elementary. I get that parents may think CMIT is better than the zone school. However, that is not necessarily true.

PP I see your point, but also your making my point as well. These schools in general SHOULD NOT be used to get out of your Zone school like they are in DCPS. But if the STEM is not being taught thoroughly enough then that is a problem. Though if u go and read the reviews of the highly regarded Magnet school in VA TJ High School the students basically say most of the teachers are average, some good but its the students natural intellectual drive & curiosity that makes the school top notch. Honestly that seems to be the case for a lot of high achieving schools.

P.S. did u pull your child out of CMIT, if not do u think they got a good education or do u regret not sending them to their locally zone school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:all the CMIT schools produce very good test scores. But people complain because it seems they separate the "high testing" students from the "other students" which some say is not good for the "regular" students moral, so there are some complaints. But at the same time numbers dont lie and the kids who are there are def learning

How do you know that they are learning? Do you work at one of the CMIT schools?

Here's what I think the issue is this charter school is made for kids who are TRULY interested in STEM...Naturally interested, its not made for parents seeking a way out of the neighborhood school like the DCPS. I think thats the real problem, parents are sending their "c" average kids to this school in hopes of it giving their kids a natural boost when it comes to learning which is fine, but STEM focus school is for kids who are naturally into STEM. If your child is not that dont send them there. That to me is the biggest misconception. Are they learning? I'm only going by test scores

As a parent of a former CMIT North student (who was not a C student), here is what I think everyone should keep in mind:

These are charter schools. Not TAG schools, not top, uber-selective private schools, but charter schools that select a wide variety of students via a lottery. Therefore, they must be successful at educating ALL students, not just the top scorers. All the class separation, where the top students get the best of everything and the rest have to make do with the leftovers, is not in anyone's best interest. I don't care what kind of test scores they have. It doesn't matter so much about whether the students are interested in STEM. It matters how the STEM is taught. Are the teachers engaging, committed and adept at helping ALL children to do well? Most of the teachers I saw at the school quite obviously were not. Who can't teach the students who are up there in grades and scores? If you want to impress me, show me how you succeed in improving the achievement of the average child. Also, with the disorganization, lack of professionalism and unequal education going on there, I am rather surprised that the test scores are high.

Those negative reviews on Great Schools for CMIT and Chesapeake Science Point in AA County are not lies. The same complaints have been made about each of the schools, including the elementary. I get that parents may think CMIT is better than the zone school. However, that is not necessarily true.

PP I see your point, but also your making my point as well. These schools in general SHOULD NOT be used to get out of your Zone school like they are in DCPS. But if the STEM is not being taught thoroughly enough then that is a problem. Though if u go and read the reviews of the highly regarded Magnet school in VA TJ High School the students basically say most of the teachers are average, some good but its the students natural intellectual drive & curiosity that makes the school top notch. Honestly that seems to be the case for a lot of high achieving schools.

P.S. did u pull your child out of CMIT, if not do u think they got a good education or do u regret not sending them to their locally zone school?

I pulled my child out because I thought the school wouldn't meet his/her needs, the teachers in his/her group included a couple of really bad apples, and the administrative incompetence was overwhelming. While my child's boundary school is ranked low for a reason, the environment is still better overall. I am supplementing the education provided, and I am not sorry I made the move. CMIT was not going to ruin my child, and I am sorry I put my child there in the first place.

[Anonymous]

I have two sons at CMIT Elem and I have not one complaint.

[Anonymous]

Hello can you tell a little baout the experience for the K level

[Anonymous]

Hi, Did you end up sending your daughter to CMIT Elementary for Kindergarten? If so how is your experience so far and what are you doing for transportation. My son just got an offer for a seat in first grade, but we're still unsure, and the logistics of getting there are rough. We're in Greenbelt.

[Anonymous]

Greenbelt logistics should be easy as pie! We are coming from near DC. Its a nightmare, it totally controls our life--worrying about transportation and getting up so early. My CMIT kindergartener is unhappy. She complains of the rigorous work load and not enough play. All the "quiet time" and lunchtime rules plus large class size seems to be stiffiling her personality. It's difficult finding a learning environment with a balance. Still trying!

[Anonymous]

Also-- forgot to mention. If it a concern for others as it is for our family...the lack of diversity......yeah. We don't like it. We are an mixed family, and we appreciate diversity, all races, cultures and different SES. I am displeased with this.. Its not an accurate snapshot of the world. Just my two cents! I know some people appreciate in depth feedback.

[Anonymous]

OP here... I did not end up sending dd here. We landed a spot at the Spanish Immersion school which has transportation and is about 3 miles from our home.